Dont want to watch nephew anymore...

[LisaR]

How much do you spend on clothes and makeup?

You weren't asking me, but I spend nothing on makeup for my DD. That is 100% her responsibility. And as far as clothes, I don't spend much more on her than I do on my son. Both kids get whatever they need clothing wise and a few extras. DD spends a lot of her own money on clothing. My son is far more expensive at this point in his life between food and clothing. I stopped keeping track of how often I have to buy him new shoes. He outgrows them before they even begin to show the slightest wear. I think my DD (almost 18) has had the same shoe size since she was 13!

 

[ccgirl]

I realize it's a bit off topic but since so many commented on the $350 a month food budget I thought I would comment.

DD, DH and myself always bring lunch. My DS5 likes ramen noodles, sandwiches, chicken nuggets, peanut butter and jelly, pasta and that's pretty much it. I just went to the store yesterday and wheat bread was 99cents a loaf. A pound of Jennie O turkey was $3.49 a lb (got two pounds) and cheese was $2.49lb. (got two). Francesco Rinaldi pasta sauce was 99cents a jar (got 10), pasta was 89cents a box (got 10), lettuce was 99cents a head (got 2), cucumbers were 2 for $1 (got 4), tomatoes were 3 for $1.29 (got 6), frozen veggies were 99cents a bag (got 10), Capri Sun were $2 a box (got 2), Cereal was $2.50 for the big family box of Honey Nut Cheerios (got 4), Milk was $2.49 a gallon (got 2), Mushrooms were $2 for the 8oz package, soup for 75 cents a can (got 10), apple sauce was $1.50 for the 6 cups (got 2), strawberries were 2 for $4 for the 16 oz packages (got 2), roast pork loin was $1.99lb (got a 10 lb. loin and cut it up and froze), apple juice was 99 cents a bottle, got 3, fiber one bars were 2 for $4, got 4, bananas 49cents a pound (got 4), frozen waffles were $1.50 a box (got 3), syrup was $1.50 a bottle (got 2), eggs were $1.29 a dozen (got 2), Bagels were $2 a package (got 2), chicken thighs were 99cents a pound, got 10 lbs (split it up and froze) for around $136. Most of that will last me 3 weeks. I will have to get more milk but that is never more than $2.50 a gallon. I only buy meat when it is on sale along with pantry items. I have an extra fridge downstairs so I can store the things I buy in bulk when they are on sale. I plan my menus 2 weeks in advance. I do a household run about once a month. Again, I only purchase them when they are on sale and stock up in the basement. This is not out of necessity but more out of the fun of it. I mean who doesn't like to save money for their next Disney trip.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Maybe he is in sales and has a low base salary and relys on commission? If he is not doing well...

Or maybe he is in construction that needs to travel to sites. I had a friend whose DH did this before he got his union gig. He traveled very far sometimes, staying in cheap hotels near the site.

DH is in sales and he has always negotiated his contracts to have a good base +commission put I know there are a lot of jobs out there with it flipped and the company promises great potential that is not always out there.

Thanks I honestly did not know what types of jobs would fall into that category. I kind of wondered in the OP, but not enough to ask--but then when other stuff came up, it seemed odder and worth asking about, you know?

I remember reading that the OP's husband is a self-employed artist? People who are self-employed can generally set their own hours but they also do not get paid if they don't work. We own a business and when we go on vacation, the business all but comes to a grinding halt. We have to factor in "lost income" when we plan vacations.

If they're both in jobs where they get paid only when they work (no paid vacation for the self-employed!), then they're going to have to go without pay when they're on vacation. Even a gift trip doesn't cover that. And losing 25% of your income for the month is pretty rough when you're living on the edge.

I also don't see why the OP dragged her mother into the situation. If she wants to stop watching the nephew, the discussion should have been with her brother and SIL. Putting her mother in a position where she is expected to side with one child or the other was unfair. But if the OP wants to get a part time job instead of watching the boy, then maybe she can get an evening or night shift where her mom can watch the twins whenever the husband is out of town? Her mother wouldn't have to quit her job and the OP would have someone close to her who could watch the kids every once in a while when her work schedule and the husband's conflict.

You bring up a good point. Without paid vacation, a "free" trip is very costly. I have always been grateful to not be in a position to have any time off e so costly. I can't imagine how hard it would be to relax and enjoy a vacation knowing you are losign all that income--even when you are on solid financial footing.

How much do you spend on clothes and makeup?

You didn't ask me, but I'll say that my 14 year old boy is much more expensive than my 16 year old girl. Not only does the 14 year old eat a ton lately (my grocery budget used to be about 350 Euro a month, for the last year or so it has been about 550--all because he can eat and eat and eat now and craves protein, and of course meat is costly). HE likes nicer clothes and I spend more on him than on her, plus as a pp mentioned he grows out of things so fast they have no time to get worn out. DD almost never wears make up and likes timeless clothes, does not outgrow them and wears them from one year to the next.

that is so interesting, My dad would some times gift us trips, mainly because he liked to get the grandkids all together. One year we did Italy and one of my sibling did ask for the cash to which he said no.
He had no problem taking us on vacation but would have said "I'm not financing your living". I have a coworker who is also like that. He took the entire family on a cruise and his daughter wanted the money for a new car, to which he said no.

I can totally understand someone wanting to give a trip but not something else. It is often basically the "giver" wanting to have a trip with the people they "gift" and so they pay to have them come along. I don't take issue with that at all.
I do think saying "no" to a trip if it will mean extra costs for you (parking at an airport, food, etc.) and/or will result in lost income, and you are not in a position to fully support yourself and family, is the appropriate thing to do though. Or just send the kids, if offered. It is actually not a hardship to grow up without going to Disney World.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I realize it's a bit off topic but since so many commented on the $350 a month food budget I thought I would comment.

DD, DH and myself always bring lunch. My DS5 likes ramen noodles, sandwiches, chicken nuggets, peanut butter and jelly, pasta and that's pretty much it. I just went to the store yesterday and wheat bread was 99cents a loaf. A pound of Jennie O turkey was $3.49 a lb (got two pounds) and cheese was $2.49lb. (got two). Francesco Rinaldi pasta sauce was 99cents a jar (got 10), pasta was 89cents a box (got 10), lettuce was 99cents a head (got 2), cucumbers were 2 for $1 (got 4), tomatoes were 3 for $1.29 (got 6), frozen veggies were 99cents a bag (got 10), Capri Sun were $2 a box (got 2), Cereal was $2.50 for the big family box of Honey Nut Cheerios (got 4), Milk was $2.49 a gallon (got 2), Mushrooms were $2 for the 8oz package, soup for 75 cents a can (got 10), apple sauce was $1.50 for the 6 cups (got 2), strawberries were 2 for $4 for the 16 oz packages (got 2), roast pork loin was $1.99lb (got a 10 lb. loin and cut it up and froze), apple juice was 99 cents a bottle, got 3, fiber one bars were 2 for $4, got 4, bananas 49cents a pound (got 4), frozen waffles were $1.50 a box (got 3), syrup was $1.50 a bottle (got 2), eggs were $1.29 a dozen (got 2), Bagels were $2 a package (got 2), chicken thighs were 99cents a pound, got 10 lbs (split it up and froze) for around $136. Most of that will last me 3 weeks. I will have to get more milk but that is never more than $2.50 a gallon. I only buy meat when it is on sale along with pantry items. I have an extra fridge downstairs so I can store the things I buy in bulk when they are on sale. I plan my menus 2 weeks in advance. I do a household run about once a month. Again, I only purchase them when they are on sale and stock up in the basement. This is not out of necessity but more out of the fun of it. I mean who doesn't like to save money for their next Disney trip.

Wow! And I thought mine was picky when he was little

 

[ccgirl]

Wow! And I thought mine was picky when he was little

And fruit. He absolutely loves fruit. He would rather have a bowl of fruit than a cupcake. I forgot hot dogs. He likes those too and grilled cheese. He'll have a little chicken and pork if we're having it. Otherwise, he isn't a huge meat eater. I know my food bill will go up as he gets older. At this time, my food bill is around $260 for just food and that usually lasts longer than a month (so I can save stuff in the fridge/freezer downstairs). The rest is paper towels, paper plates, shampoo, napkins, kleenex etc. It took a while to get there but once I had a good base to work from it's pretty easy to keep it to $350 a month.

 

[npmommie]

I realize it's a bit off topic but since so many commented on the $350 a month food budget I thought I would comment.

DD, DH and myself always bring lunch. My DS5 likes ramen noodles, sandwiches, chicken nuggets, peanut butter and jelly, pasta and that's pretty much it. I just went to the store yesterday and wheat bread was 99cents a loaf. A pound of Jennie O turkey was $3.49 a lb (got two pounds) and cheese was $2.49lb. (got two). Francesco Rinaldi pasta sauce was 99cents a jar (got 10), pasta was 89cents a box (got 10), lettuce was 99cents a head (got 2), cucumbers were 2 for $1 (got 4), tomatoes were 3 for $1.29 (got 6), frozen veggies were 99cents a bag (got 10), Capri Sun were $2 a box (got 2), Cereal was $2.50 for the big family box of Honey Nut Cheerios (got 4), Milk was $2.49 a gallon (got 2), Mushrooms were $2 for the 8oz package, soup for 75 cents a can (got 10), apple sauce was $1.50 for the 6 cups (got 2), strawberries were 2 for $4 for the 16 oz packages (got 2), roast pork loin was $1.99lb (got a 10 lb. loin and cut it up and froze), apple juice was 99 cents a bottle, got 3, fiber one bars were 2 for $4, got 4, bananas 49cents a pound (got 4), frozen waffles were $1.50 a box (got 3), syrup was $1.50 a bottle (got 2), eggs were $1.29 a dozen (got 2), Bagels were $2 a package (got 2), chicken thighs were 99cents a pound, got 10 lbs (split it up and froze) for around $136. Most of that will last me 3 weeks. I will have to get more milk but that is never more than $2.50 a gallon. I only buy meat when it is on sale along with pantry items. I have an extra fridge downstairs so I can store the things I buy in bulk when they are on sale. I plan my menus 2 weeks in advance. I do a household run about once a month. Again, I only purchase them when they are on sale and stock up in the basement. This is not out of necessity but more out of the fun of it. I mean who doesn't like to save money for their next Disney trip.

Where do you shop?? must be Market Basket? We dont have one close by......stop and shop is closest and i just paid for comparison $2 for pasta sauce $1 for box of pasta 89 cents a lb for bananas $2 for applesauce cups $3.99 for peanut butter $2.99 for wheat bread $2.99 for a doz eggs ( i usually. Et eggs at a local egg farm way cheaper)

 

[NHdisneylover]

I think grocery prices also vary greatly based on what you feed your family. Sadly, these days, fresh produce tends to be more expensive than canned or frozen (especially for people who have the space to stock up when there is a sale). Premade pasta sauce is cheaper than a homemade one without preservatives, etc.

We have a small, European kitchen with a small fridge/freezer and no where to put a second one if we wanted to. We much prefer to eat fresh vegetables, meats, etc. I actually shop about 3 times a week most weeks to keep food in the house (veggies are typically picked closer to ripeness here and will only last a couple of days in the house before spoiling). I could probably shave close to 100 Euro a month off of our ill by buying canned produce instead of fresh, cheap store bought flour instead of locally grown and ground wheat, processed meats like chicken nuggets, etc. We choose to spend that extra money because we enjoy "better" (to us) foods so much more and because we feel they are healthier and it is worth the extra cost. Other people make other choices, and that is okay for them, just not for me.

 

[LisaR]

I realize it's a bit off topic but since so many commented on the $350 a month food budget I thought I would comment.

DD, DH and myself always bring lunch. My DS5 likes ramen noodles, sandwiches, chicken nuggets, peanut butter and jelly, pasta and that's pretty much it. I just went to the store yesterday and wheat bread was 99cents a loaf. A pound of Jennie O turkey was $3.49 a lb (got two pounds) and cheese was $2.49lb. (got two). Francesco Rinaldi pasta sauce was 99cents a jar (got 10), pasta was 89cents a box (got 10), lettuce was 99cents a head (got 2), cucumbers were 2 for $1 (got 4), tomatoes were 3 for $1.29 (got 6), frozen veggies were 99cents a bag (got 10), Capri Sun were $2 a box (got 2), Cereal was $2.50 for the big family box of Honey Nut Cheerios (got 4), Milk was $2.49 a gallon (got 2), Mushrooms were $2 for the 8oz package, soup for 75 cents a can (got 10), apple sauce was $1.50 for the 6 cups (got 2), strawberries were 2 for $4 for the 16 oz packages (got 2), roast pork loin was $1.99lb (got a 10 lb. loin and cut it up and froze), apple juice was 99 cents a bottle, got 3, fiber one bars were 2 for $4, got 4, bananas 49cents a pound (got 4), frozen waffles were $1.50 a box (got 3), syrup was $1.50 a bottle (got 2), eggs were $1.29 a dozen (got 2), Bagels were $2 a package (got 2), chicken thighs were 99cents a pound, got 10 lbs (split it up and froze) for around $136. Most of that will last me 3 weeks. I will have to get more milk but that is never more than $2.50 a gallon. I only buy meat when it is on sale along with pantry items. I have an extra fridge downstairs so I can store the things I buy in bulk when they are on sale. I plan my menus 2 weeks in advance. I do a household run about once a month. Again, I only purchase them when they are on sale and stock up in the basement. This is not out of necessity but more out of the fun of it. I mean who doesn't like to save money for their next Disney trip.

I wouldn't buy 3/4 of the things on your list. Please don't take that the wrong way. We have very different eating styles and that is perfectly okay. I'm simply pointing out that your items may only cost $350 per month based on the way you eat, but the things I buy are much different and the cost is much more. No biggie at all. The only point I was trying to make with your original post was just because you can eat for $350 a month doesn't mean everyone can do it.

 

[The Wise One]

I realize it's a bit off topic but since so many commented on the $350 a month food budget I thought I would comment.

DD, DH and myself always bring lunch. My DS5 likes ramen noodles, sandwiches, chicken nuggets, peanut butter and jelly, pasta and that's pretty much it. I just went to the store yesterday and wheat bread was 99cents a loaf. A pound of Jennie O turkey was $3.49 a lb (got two pounds) and cheese was $2.49lb. (got two). Francesco Rinaldi pasta sauce was 99cents a jar (got 10), pasta was 89cents a box (got 10), lettuce was 99cents a head (got 2), cucumbers were 2 for $1 (got 4), tomatoes were 3 for $1.29 (got 6), frozen veggies were 99cents a bag (got 10), Capri Sun were $2 a box (got 2), Cereal was $2.50 for the big family box of Honey Nut Cheerios (got 4), Milk was $2.49 a gallon (got 2), Mushrooms were $2 for the 8oz package, soup for 75 cents a can (got 10), apple sauce was $1.50 for the 6 cups (got 2), strawberries were 2 for $4 for the 16 oz packages (got 2), roast pork loin was $1.99lb (got a 10 lb. loin and cut it up and froze), apple juice was 99 cents a bottle, got 3, fiber one bars were 2 for $4, got 4, bananas 49cents a pound (got 4), frozen waffles were $1.50 a box (got 3), syrup was $1.50 a bottle (got 2), eggs were $1.29 a dozen (got 2), Bagels were $2 a package (got 2), chicken thighs were 99cents a pound, got 10 lbs (split it up and froze) for around $136. Most of that will last me 3 weeks. I will have to get more milk but that is never more than $2.50 a gallon. I only buy meat when it is on sale along with pantry items. I have an extra fridge downstairs so I can store the things I buy in bulk when they are on sale. I plan my menus 2 weeks in advance. I do a household run about once a month. Again, I only purchase them when they are on sale and stock up in the basement. This is not out of necessity but more out of the fun of it. I mean who doesn't like to save money for their next Disney trip.

Only $2.50 for milk!? I pay like $4.00 a gallon for the Wal-Mart brand!

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I wouldn't buy 3/4 of the things on your list. Please don't take that the wrong way. We have very different eating styles and that is perfectly okay. I'm simply pointing out that your items may only cost $350 per month based on the way you eat, but the things I buy are much different and the cost is much more. No biggie at all. The only point I was trying to make with your original post was just because you can eat for $350 a month doesn't mean everyone can do it.

Ditto.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Only $2.50 for milk!? I pay like $4.00 a gallon for the Wal-Mart brand!

MTE! I pay about $4.75 for 4 L which is just under a gallon. Wow $2.50! Maybe back in the 1990s.