It's funny how often the right tool just makes the work disappear. I spent years with a heavy old drill before getting a modern lightweight one, and suddenly hanging shelves wasn't a whole production. My buddy is a painter and said the same thing when he switched to a lighter extension pole. You don't realize how much energy the bad gear sucks up until you try the good stuff.

Wait you fed eight people for a whole week on just forty bucks? That's insane, I can barely feed myself on that. Chili and rice was a genius move, stretches so far. For another cheap crowd meal, try a big pasta bake with whatever veggies are on sale, maybe some lentils mixed in for protein. It's filling and you can make a ton for almost nothing.