Grocery budget ?? Do you include these items in your weekly budget??

[lovemygoofy]

I shop at the commissary and at Sam's. I don't go around to all the different grocery stores and it's rather difficult to make meal menus when you really don't know what's on sale at the commissary meat wise.

I do use coupons. You can print coupons which really helps and the commissary usually has bunches at the door in addition to the aisles.

I do add our non-food things to the budget but not the grocery. We don't have pets but I have picky hair and use good hair products so that pretty much my own chia pet on my head.

I do stock up on things when on sale. Our commissary has baking goods on sale right now and this is my big baking season. I also have this thing about my pantry always being full. It's like my security blanket.

One thing I suggest you do before your next grocery store shop is go through all your freezer and pantry and see how many meals you have or can develop. It should be eye opening all the stuff you have now. I am in the process of doing this right now before I do a big stock up on meat from Sam's for the next couple months. I do meal menus and though I don't have kids I do have a funky schedule as well as my husband. That helps even more to be honest because if it's late hours or maybe something my husband needs to prep the meal menu on the wall really helps.

It is just my husband and I and we spend probably close to 500 a month but that does include all food including bringing lunches and toiletry and sometimes eating out.

 

[edk35]

Keep em coming!! I am reading, absorbing, trying to do some of these things that have been suggested!!!

 

[Mom_Rides]

I include paper & cleaning products in our grocery budget. We do a big grocery shop every 2 weeks and pick up fresh lunch meat, milk and bread on a weekly basis. My budget for our family of 3 (or 5 when my DSS's are here) is $200. That amount includes food for one of our dogs and our cat (litter included) because I get their food at the grocery store. When our older dog needs food, I budget his amount into our budgeting for that time period.

We used to go to multiple stores to shop (mostly Kroger, Meijer and Aldi in one shopping trip). I now shop at Aldi first and then pick up the remainder at Meijer. I rarely go to Kroger unless they have a really, really good deal on something (like cheese last week). I pick up all of my paper products (except TP because I'm a Cottonelle girl) at Aldi. Cleaning products I get at Meijer and get whatever is on sale or I have a coupon for.

I do meal plan and have found this to save us a TON of money. I plan out main dish, side dish and any fruit or veggie with the meal. On our second week of shopping we just pick up fresh lunch meat and bread for DH's lunches and milk for the week if needed. We're not snackers and we don't buy soda pop or bottled water. I cook a lot from scratch and don't use a lot of boxed items or prepackaged food.

 

[charming23]

I do not count anything but food in the grocery budget. With that said between 2 of us we spend about $200 a month/$50 a week on just food. I coupon a lot and plan meals around what is on sale that week at the grocery. I also stock up when the stuff we use regularly is on sale.

One of the biggest things is that because there is only my mom and I we do not need much. We tend to eat dinner leftovers for lunch rather than buying seperate lunch items. We also only drink about a quart of milk in a week anything more usually ends up spoiling before we finish. We do not buy a ton of premade snack stuff but make things at home. Like today I made homemade chex mix to snack on for the week. We also no longer buy a ton of pop which has helped reduce our grocery bill greatly.

 

[apnep]

Do you include cleaning/toiletry/pet/paper/plastic (non food) items in that budget? Sometimes I feel like we get very little food some weeks and it is "the other stuff" that we spend a lot on. I also wonder if most people who keep their grocery spending WAY DOWN are going to multiple stores, basing their weekly menus ONLY by what is on sale,and doing MAJOR couponing. In other words....it seems like A LOT OF EFFORT is being made to keep spending low. I am just curious.

I didn't read all the posts, but my "budget" which is really a goal for me, is $100/week. Sometimes I spend less, sometimes I spend more. Toiletries/cleaners/ pets/paper products is included. Yes, sometimes it bites because I end up spending more than I want--never more than $150. That's just the way it is. I do shop three different stores and one of them includes Costco.

I have been making more of a concerted effort to coupon but even without the couponing, my budget has always been the same and I am feeding a family of 5. I just buy what's on sale that week (with regard to meats/fruits) and plan my menu on that. You will always go over budget if you don't have a plan for the week! Having your menu planned out makes all the difference in the world especially on those busy nights when you're running in three different directions.

My suggestion for you is to start planning those meals out.

 

[ilovepete]

I am very impressed. I am looking at your blog now.

Thanks!! I just went to the store yesterday and got a ton of stuff again, for $12. And we got plenty of fruits and veggies.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

I don't have a weekly budget. I stockpile, major coupon, shop sales and do the cvs thing. I have a pretty stocked house and it does take multiple stores, planning and a lot of time. In a sense it's a full time job.

Sometimes I go to the store for one thing to restock what I'm out of/low on. Other times I do a big shopping. That is rare though. This week I went to publix for pasta only, they had it bogo and I had a coupon so I bought only pasta. I went to kroger for cookies and juice boxes. Besides milk and bread and free toothpaste at cvs, that is all I bought all week.

I try to stock up and be ahead of the game so if a sale on something I use all the time dries up or there are no coupons I don't have to pay full price.

Right now I have about 45 boxes of juice boxes in my house. I will not need to buy any until almost the end of the school year. I paid $1.25-$1.50 a box instead of buying one box every 2 weeks at $2-$3 each when they are not on sale.

I haven't bought laundry detergent in about 6 months. I have close to 6-8 months worth left in the house.

 

[Ava]

I try to seperate food items from non-food items when I track my spending, but sometimes I'm lazy or lose the receipt so the entire amount I spent at the grocery store gets put under "Grocery" on my budget sheet.

I don't buy pet products at the grocery store (order online), but I do sometimes buy paper/plastic products & toiletries there if they have a better sale than the drugstores.

I mainly go to one grocery store (Stop & Shop), our food co-op, & the farmer's market for groceries. Sometimes I go to a smaller local grocery store for milk because it's a little bit cheaper than S&S but if I'm at S&S anyway and we need milk I'll pay the extra 30 cents. I use coupons when I have them, but I don't buy the Sunday papers just to get them.

For toiletries, we have 4 different drugstores to choose from so I look at the ads for each & go to whichever has the best prices on what we need.

 

[Nik's Mom]

I usually spend an average of $50 a week on groceries for me, dh, and 2 sons. That does not include toiletries. Sometimes the bill is a little less and sometimes it is more. Here is what I do. I go to Sams Club once a month for certain bulk items. I usually spend about $50 there. That is where I buy my toilet paper and paper towels, but I don't need to buy it every month.

I also do my grocery shopping once a week. I use coupons on my toiletries such as toothpaste, razors, shampoo, soap, etc. I usually end up buying them at CVS when there is a good deal with extra bucks. Last we I bought a new razor for dh, dish soap, and toothpaste for a total of $3 and change. I used coupons and extra bucks. It pays to use coupons!

Every week, I go to couponmom.com to check for sales at my local grocery store. I also check for any new printable coupons. I will look at my menu for the week and make my grocery list from there. If there is a really good sale on something, I will add it to my list. If there aren't good sales at the grocery store, then I just head over to Aldi's for my groceries.

I go shopping once a week, usually on a Friday. I head to Aldi's first to buy milk, bread, eggs, fruits and vegetables and any other items that I can't get cheaper at my grocery store. Then if there are still things on my list, I will go across the street to Hyvee's to finish off my shopping.

Oh, and stock piling is another good way to save. I have a stockpile of laundry detergent, toothpaste and shampoo. I will not need to buy more for several months.

 

[neatokimmo]

If we don't eat it, then its not part of the grocery list. Bath & pet stuff is cheaper at Walmart and has it own category.

For about 1.5 months I've been doing $30 a week for an adult and little kid. I only buy whats on sale. I spend $20 on basic stuff we use every week then the other $10 I use to stockpile stuff.

 

[FINFAN]

yes, I include all paper products, health and beauty and OTC medical ( DH Prilosec is killer on the budget)dog food/treats and cleaning supplies/laundry products in my grocery budget. We also include eating out in there. Our budget is $625 a month. Any household expenses such as postage stamps, yard bags-stickers, paint, home repairs are not in the budget. The only thing NOT in it is DH lunch money/coffee at work for the month. He eats at the company cafeteria and has a set "envelope" allotment of $100. It is roughly $5 a day..which is not budget minded of us, but for what he eats there, it is cheaper than if I were to buy and pack the same from home so it does save us a few $ in the long run and he eats better balances and hot meals and salads etc.

 

[mistysue]

I've found that it costs us way more when I plan meals for the 4 of us. We usually spend around $50/week, which includes a $23 organic produce delivery, soaps and toiletries... That delivery covers my daughter's snacks for school and all of our fruits and veggies (except a bunch of bananas DH gets a trader joe's once/week because he likes going there)

I have one of those houses where if you open the pantry you will find so much food you almost don't know what to do with it. We always have at least 10 boxes of pasta, several bags of rice, lentils, and a crapload of nutrigrain bars. We just buy misc. stuff while it's on sale and I like to mix things together and make recipes up. We generally have frozen meat and bags of frozen veggies on hand, plus a crazy spice rack so even a $.75 rice a roni is exciting with all the add-ins.

This week we spent more because I decided to make a beef roast, but it didn't go over well with the little ones so that probably won't happen again. It seems the more effort goes into a meal around here, the less everybody likes it anyway so I just stick to intuitively throwing stuff in pans.

 

[gigimom4]

I started using coupons "seriously" several months ago and have been amazed at the difference. I shop mainly @ Publix and CVS and lately Rite Aid because they have had some smokin hot deals lately-lol! I get 2 of the AJC for coupons and then use printable as needed. I have been stockpiling also but have cut my budget in half (or more) and have lots more stuff!

I love slickdeals.net (under forums and "drug/grocery store" you will find different stores threads with all the sale and coupon match up info. I also love southernsavers and iheartpublix. I will go to Kroger when they are having a mega sale but thats usually it. Also, if I want extra coupons for a really good deal I will order it from thecouponclippers and I usually get it in 2 days.

It DOES take some time and effort but only at first and then it really becomes a game! Drugstores have lots of money makers and Publix has overage deals to help pay for things that rarely have coupons or sales (produce, fruit, meat, etc).

Good luck! Once you start you will balk at the thought of actually having to "pay" for TP, paper towels, shampoo, bodywash, razors, toothpaste, toothbrushes, an OTC med, etc!!!

 

[Mommee]

Question for those that print, buy, etc. coupons: do you include printer ink and paper in your budget? The cost of the paper or the cost of buying them?

 

[gigimom4]

Yes I do include the cost of the coupons-the AJC runs $3 a week for the double pack and I can usually get through the month with 1 of the $2.50 packs of paper from Walmart. I print in b&w only and set the printer to fast to save ink. My ink costs right @ $16 to replace and it lasts approx 1.5 months. This time around I am almost @ 2 months but it is VERY low As for the clipping service, yes I include the cost but I have not done it enough or regularly to be able to budget it so it comes out of the misc budget for now. for example, I bought some last week to get the Purex $3 off that were on sale at Rite aid and CVS. I also bought a few more things and my total was $4.99 for approx $100 in savings. The good thing about that is you can pick what you want rather than the newspaper where you get so many coupons for things you don't use. I don't know enough people around me to trade with. I figure I spend an average of $30 a month for the newspapers, ink, paper, etc. HTH!

 

[shortbun]

I don't have a really rigid grocery budget but I have saved a lot of money by using cloth napkins, rags to clean instead of paper towels, vinegar as a cleaning solvent instead of chemicals, reusable food storage containers instead of saran wrap or foil and so forth. I just do things the way my mother did them and find that instead of a throwaway lifestyle I can really do with less money and waste. It's pretty easy. Mom's mottos are at the bottom of this post.

 

[marie1203]

I do include everything in my monthly budget. But I do plan our meals.

 

[Nik's Mom]

I've found that it costs us way more when I plan meals for the 4 of us. We usually spend around $50/week, which includes a $23 organic produce delivery, soaps and toiletries... That delivery covers my daughter's snacks for school and all of our fruits and veggies (except a bunch of bananas DH gets a trader joe's once/week because he likes going there)

I have one of those houses where if you open the pantry you will find so much food you almost don't know what to do with it. We always have at least 10 boxes of pasta, several bags of rice, lentils, and a crapload of nutrigrain bars. We just buy misc. stuff while it's on sale and I like to mix things together and make recipes up. We generally have frozen meat and bags of frozen veggies on hand, plus a crazy spice rack so even a $.75 rice a roni is exciting with all the add-ins.

This week we spent more because I decided to make a beef roast, but it didn't go over well with the little ones so that probably won't happen again. It seems the more effort goes into a meal around here, the less everybody likes it anyway so I just stick to intuitively throwing stuff in pans.

That is a good deal on the organic fruits and vegetables delivery! How did you find out about the delivery service. I wonder if we have that here in Kansas.

 

[mistysue]

That is a good deal on the organic fruits and vegetables delivery! How did you find out about the delivery service. I wonder if we have that here in Kansas.

Ours runs through doortodoororganics.com. The box price includes delivery... part of the trick to getting a good deal is to always log in and play with your order a bit. For example, they will offer to send us 8 oz of strawberries but we can substitute it for 3 pears, which are worth more to us. Then every week they will have a few things on sale. We have been doing a delivery every other week, which is the same price as the weekly. They also sell all kinds of other stuff- rice milk, canned and boxed foods and miscellaneous organic... it's convenient but most of that is the same or slightly more than in stores.

You can also look into community supported agriculture. There are farms that will let you pay a set amount and you can go pick up a box of produce every week. My brother gets a great deal that way- but he has a group of friends and they trade who picks up and split a HUGE order.

 

[ilovepete]

Question for those that print, buy, etc. coupons: do you include printer ink and paper in your budget? The cost of the paper or the cost of buying them?

I do yes.