Could you eat less than this and be satisfied?  I've found that I am
less hungry between meals if I eat less overall.  Now I'm not eating
starch, I don't get crippling hunger pains, and I can go without food
for a long time, but I'm usually aware that my body wants food
nonetheless.  I can't help but wonder where the extra calories were
going.

I'm not really qualified to comment. I never think about how much I eat, I
just eat for satiety. Being on the thin side, I generally associate cutting
calories with becomming weak and emaciated-looking, which is something I
don't care for. In fact, I've currently set a goal of deadlifting twice my
bodyweight. I follow the paleo lifestyle to feel healthy and strong and,
yes, to look good. Eating less in general leads to decreased metabolism, so
I have no interest in trying to do so. If I were in your shoes, I'd be
approaching your problem from the opposite perspective: trying to find the
cheapest paleo food I could while also trying to increase my ability to
purchase better and more plentiful food. Taking an additional job would be
something I'd consider (and have done). But that's me. I wish you luck
regardless of your approach. - Mike