Groceries, what do you spend?

[mommytobug]

We are a family of 3, 2 adults and one child. We live in North MS. I am aware that there will be differences in cost and also differences in how much people eat out, etc. I am trying to figure out a budget for food and I have no idea where to start. Can anyone help? I am looking for ideas of how much I should be spending.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

A typical family will spend between 15% - 20% of their income on food. Those in the 15% category are not necessarily thrifty shoppers or frugal eaters. Some of them are actually high wage-earners who spend a smaller percentage of their income on food while still shelling out a decent amount of money for it.

 

[Darcy03231]

We're a family of 4-6 (depending on when kids are home from college) and I average about $150-$175/week. I live in the Northeast and there are no grocery stores near me that double or triple coupons. Some of the things I do to keep costs down are:

1. Don't pay more than .99/lb for fresh fruit. I usually get apples, oranges, bananas and pears.

2. Don't pay more than $2.50/lb for meat. When something is on sale I'll stock up. A couple of weeks ago boneless skinless chicken was $1.89/lb. I bought about 40 lbs. This week boneless pork sirloin was $1.79/lb. I bought about 30 lbs. This really helps cut down on the groceries.

3. Before going shopping make a list. Create menus for the week, see what you have on hand and then shop. I find this helps cut down the impluse buys.

4. Go grocery shopping right after you eat.

Good luck.

 

[hppy2bhome]

Live in New Hampshire near lakes region

family of 4 2 girls 11 and 7

I spend 130-150 a week.

I shop at Walmart.

Once a month to B.J wholesale 100-150 for hamburger,chicken and cleaning stuff.

hth
chris

 

[Teresa Pitman]

We're a family of three, me and my two sons 24 and 27. I usually have my whole family over for a couple of meals on the weekend as well, so that's another five or six people. One of my sons and I are vegan, the other pretty much eats vegan at home but will eat meat when he's out with others. We also have two good-sized dogs (a Lab and a border collie).

We live in Ontario, Canada, and I spend about $150 a week on groceries. We save a good amount by not buying meat, eggs or dairy, I'm sure, but make it up by buying a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Teresa

 

[WDW Traveler]

Southern NH here. A family of 3, 2 adults and one DD10. On average I spend about $100 a week on groceries. We eat at home 6 nights a week and take our lunches to work/school.

 

[DSNY4ever]

Anywhere from $70-100 per week. We live in California, there are just two of us and we eat 95% organic (as much as we can find). I use coupons when I can, but there aren't many for organic products, and no where around here do they double coupons...I swear this is a giant myth that the rest of the country has made up This total includes all of our food, we don't buy snacks, treats or coffee out and we don't eat out very often- if we do we have to make our groceries cheaper that week.

 

[Enchanted_Mama]

I am in NJ. we are a family of four (me, DH and 2 dds, ages 6 and 3). Up until about six weeks ago, we were regularly spending $130 a week. I put us on a strict budget last month, and we now spend $75 a week. I'm amazed we are able to manage on that, but we do. We eat pretty much all meals at home (dd buys school lunch once a week, and we go out to dinner about once a month).

What helped us was:

making a weekly menu and shopping list and sticking to it.
limiting processed foods (they are expensive).
reducing our meat consumption. We still eat plenty of meat, but rather than it being the centerpiece of every dinner, one or two nights a week we'll have a meat-free meal, and some of the other nights, the meat part of the meal will be smaller (e.g., spaghetti with meat sauce, where I go light on the meat part).

I also shop sales and plan my menu around the weekly specials.

It sure is nice to have an extra $220 a month to spend on other things

 

[mommytobug]

Southern NH here. A family of 3, 2 adults and one DD10. On average I spend about $100 a week on groceries. We eat at home 6 nights a week and take our lunches to work/school.

Our daughters are the same age. Can you share some of your meal plans and also what you send for her lunch? I would love some new ideas.

 

[JeMarie6]

Here in Iowa, I'd say we spend about $100 a week on groceries. I'd spend more if I could, we really try to watch the sales. We eat out maybe 2 - 4 times a month for supper. I take my lunch to work at least 4 times a week.

 

[mommytobug]

Thanks everyone! You guys are the best. I just love this board. Everyone is so supportive.

 

[lulamc]

My dh gets paid twice a month, so I grocery shop twice a month. I plan out meals for a couple weeks (2 to 3 depending on what day the 15th and the 30th fall and when I can get to the store). For two weeks, I spend about $220. I shop at Kroger and use the discount card and coupons. I save an average of 30% doing this.

It is a lot of work to get that big of a list and meal planning done but I go to the store less so I think that saves me. I'm the kind that will go in for a couple things and come out with $60 worth of stuff if I'm not careful so switching to this method that keeps me out of the store so much is helping me, I think.

 

[tipsytrtle]

we live in the hudson valley of NY
myself, DH and DD 15
shoprite delivers here so once a month i do a huge order,, about 300-400 dollars worth of food
i plan our meals for the month ahead and buy based on that
then as needed we pick up eggs, milk and bread
we average between 400-500 a month in groceries, we dont eat out often and i do entertain (cook dinner ) for others, mostly friends at least once a week

 

[Justsyd2]

DH and I spend around $125.00 weekly on groceries. I'm trying to learn how to "coupon," and shop sales, but I have no storage space to "stock up" with!

 

[thomascaldwell1]

Alabama here! DD4, DH & I budget $110/week for groceries plus $50/week for eating out. While we don't always hit that $110, I leave that as our budgeted amount because on a week meat or chicken is on sale, I will stock up and may go over my $110, but will stay under my MONTHLY budgeted amount (we keep our finances monthly instead of broken down per week).

1) Coupon like a mad woman- google name of product (example: 'yoplait') and 'coupon' and see if you get any hits for printable yoplait coupons (or whatever product you are looking for). Personally, I am a member of hotcouponworld dot com and they are a great bunch of folks. There is a board for almost every store out there (Target, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Winn Dixie, CVS to name a few), and folks will talk about the deals they got, and what coupons they used, and how they got their coupons. This site is also used to trade coupons that you CAN'T use with someone who CAN use them, and in return get coupons that you CAN use.

2) Collect coupons from family members! If there's a printable coupon that is a super deal, since each computer can only print 2, I request that my mother, father, and father-in-law each print this coupon 2x so I will end up with 8 coupons for the item. Also, my father and father-in-law both get home delivery of the paper and they don't use their coupon inserts- they throw them away (I know, makes you want to cry, right? Me too!). I have asked that they save them and send them to me when possible. My father mails his weekly on Monday morning after spending Sunday afternoon clipping, and then my father-in-law, who lives closer, collects them until we get together once a month. Also, my neighbor gets home delivery of the paper and does not use his coupons- he said I am more than welcome to take them from his paper every Sunday if I'd like. Ask around- there are people out there that get the paper and don't use what comes in it!

2) Gift Cards for Prescriptions. Might sound a little crazy, but I know that we have a CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Target, and Publix that have all put prescription coupons in their inserts in the last month or so. Either when you bring a new prescription to them to get filled, or transfer a prescription from one store to their store, they will reward you with a gift card (if you have the coupon from their weekly ad). At Christmas, I got 2 from Rite Aid for $30 each- this is how I did much of the Christmas shopping for my family. More recently, I've gotten a $10 Target & plan to get a $30 Publix gift card soon- you can use these gift cards, even at pharmacies, to stock up on grocery items, since these gift cards are like 'free money' anyways! That would help your budget for that month a LITTLE...

Just a few ideas. Enjoy & Happy Shopping!

 

[thomascaldwell1]

DH and I spend around $125.00 weekly on groceries. I'm trying to learn how to "coupon," and shop sales, but I have no storage space to "stock up" with!

DH told me the same thing when I told him I wanted to stock up on some really good deals I found on clearance at Target 6 months ago... I won- we found the room or make room- and we are now stocked on many items with a 6-12 month supply (shampoo, conditioner, bar soap, lysol/clorox wipes, dishsoap- just to name a few). When you see a deal and you have the coupons- DO IT!! Worry about finding the room later! We're hoping to get into a bigger house soon- not sure if it's because we need the space for our family, or just for the stockpiling... Go for it! Stockpile!!

 

[Crystal824]

Just DH and me. We spend about $50.00 a week on groceries.

 

[Dizneycrazy3]

Chicago here.We are a family of three.My DD is 9.And I was spending 160.00 a week.And that was on a good week.I was shopping at Walmart and thought I was saving.I have been averaging 100.00 a week and I have enough stockpile to be able to last .My goal this month is 250.00.The best way to save is to super coupon.I look for sales and apply coupons.Here is an example from todays shopping.I bought six boxes of cereal that is normally 4.63 a box.It is on sale for 2.34.I had coupons for 1.00 off two boxes( I had three of these).So instead of 14.04 I paid 11.04.Then I received two coupons for two free gallons of milk valued up to 4.69 each.So I paid 1.66 for six boxes of cereal and two gallons of milk.I saved 37.22.My total savings on my bill today was 88.86.I love shopping now because I save so much money.We eat out once a month and it is a treat.My DH takes his lunch to work.I will let DD get hot lunch as a treat once a week.
You can find coupons on line and in your paper.I do eat some organic too.We eat healthy meals.I just stock up on things when they are on sale.That is how you save money.If you just shop week to week on what you need you will not save money.That is how I was shopping.I love free things too.And when you have a coupon for a free item and it is on sale buy one get one free guess what you get two for free.It is as simple as that.I shop at a high end store and save a ton more than if I shopped at a walmart.We have healthy foods and some snacks too.
They also had a deal at my store today on other cereal.I bought six boxes of cereal for 12.50.I had 2.55 in coupons.Now my total is 2.55 the store had a coupon for 4.00 off.Now my total is 5.95 for six boxes of cereal.Guess what I received a coupon for 5.00 off my next order.So subtract that and I really paid .95 for six boxes of cereal.I can donate food also because I am getting enough for us.

 

[Artist]

We are a family of 4 in the Northeast. I budget $100 per week for food, but most weeks I go over in the $13o range- in fact, I have decided to just up the budget amount since I continually go over. I use coupons, add coupons to sales and research before I go. We all take lunch to work/school everyday and rarely eat out. We eat healthy, it's the fresh veggies that frequently cost so much!
We are planning a 4-season garden to start soon and hopefully we can grow more of our own veggies year round.

 

[dismom24]

We are a family of 5 and used to spend about $800 a month, but with the economy we have cut it down to $600. I am becoming a coupon queen - last week I came out of the grocery store with $50 worth of groceries and my cost was $1.12 - the cashier was shocked. My local grocery accepts commpetitor coupons and I collect as many coupons as I can. I usually buy a bit more, but only bought what I needed and was on sale that day,so I got some great deals.