How much do you spend each week on groceries?

[neatokimmo]

For myself and a 16 month old, we average $40 a week. This includes a little bit of formula (I am weening her to milk, she isn't cooperating) but doesn't include diapers or wipes (different column). It also doesn't include bath stuff (CVS).

We live in a low cost area. I can get fresh veggies and fruit for $1 (or less) a pound. I can still get various kinds of fresh meat for under $2 a pound too. I just have to be more aware of the sales. I also try not to cook more than what we'll eat in one meal, I divide up things into one meal portions when I bring it home.

 

[Andrea]

wow i need a lot of help... we are just a family of 2 plus a dog and i spend 100 a week on food

 

[Plantlady]

That is my problem, my kids are snackers and I buy lots of fruits, chips, crackers, breakfast frozen items etc. Plus I do purchase soda, the kids drink it occasionally and my husband and I drink it every day..

I do buy plenty of fruit.. or the kids can snack on crackers here, I usually have at least one kind. They also snack on yogurt, or sometimes cheese. I don't buy frozen breakfast items though. For breakfast I will make them something. Omelets, pancakes, muffins.. something. If I'm having a lazy day, we do usually have cereal on hand.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

We spend anywhere from $100 to $150 a week for 2 people, sometimes 3 people.

We buy a lot of salmon, chicken, veggies, fruits as well as ice cream, espresso beans, specialty breads and grains, and 100 calorie snacks, etc.

I shop at 3 different markets, never costco, don't use coupons. I do take advantage of the market club savings, one store is a natural foods store and the third is Trader Joe's.

Southern California has expensive food. Boston is less expensive. Iowa is dirt cheap.

 

[patsal]

Yes we may have crossed paths... Funny its such a small world! Wegman's, SuperWalmart, Sams, then Tops for any extra specials...

Yup, except no Sam's or SuperWalmart for me--I'm Southtowns so BJ's and no super anything near enough to shop it.
Before I worked I had to stretch things so I could afford to stay home with the kids, never had a reason to change those habits so I stuck with it--no ramen here either ! And if my college student were spending $75 a week in groceries on top of being on a meal plan while dorming I'd flip! No need for more than beverages and a few snacks and fresh fruit--shouldn't be over $25.00 a week.

 

[mpls_mm]

I shop at Cosco with a friend and we split stuff. Our little families would never use up everything and we don't have a lot of freezer room, but we split egg multi packs, bread, everything. Afterwards we eat giant hot dogs and sundaes there.

 

[SnowWhite607]

I just got back from the grocery store. I shop at SuperWalmart. I spent 66.92and this is what we will eat this week:

red beans and rice with sausage (I got the sausage last week on sale)

Sloppy Joes with pasta salad and corn on the cob

pancakes and bacon

tortilla casserole with black beans and orange slices for dessert

spaghetti and garlic toast

grilled chicken with rice and broccoli (had the chicken from a BOGOfree deal from a few weeks ago)

hot dogs, baked beans and fruit

For lunches we will have ham sandwiches, chicken or egg salad sandwiches or hot dogs. For breakfasts we will have cinnamon rolls, honey buns, pancakes, Toaster Streudel, waffles, cereal, oatmeal or cereal straws (for DD). Some of the stuff I had in the panty already but nothing out of the ordinary. This total also included at $3 bag of cat food and a $3 box of popsicles.

So it can be done!!

 

[suzimar57]

$150 - including cleaning products, paper products, toiletries


just DH and myself - we eat well.

 

[juliana_sd]

I spend anywhere between $40 and $100 per week for me and DS. Usually it's about $60. (His lunch and snacks are provided at school on weekdays so that's a big savings.) We eat a lot of fresh fruit. Weeknight dinners are usually frozen meals from Trader Joe's. We'll splurge on nice fish occasionally and the rest is pasta, chicken, etc. I don't buy soda. We get chips and popsicles or ice cream once or twice a month.

I bought a bunch of cheap dish towels from Ikea and use those instead of paper towels whenever possible. I throw them in with my towel load so it's not any extra water to clean them. I go through paper towels really slowly now.

 

[rbramblett]

CVSing is done by taking advantage of the items that give extra care bucks (ECB) with a good return rate. Each month they offer a number of items for free after ECB, others might be spend $20 and get $10 in ECB. Once you get going you can continue to roll the ECB and get other items you need. Many stores in my area are now carrying more stuff (not meat or anything) but a variety of different breads (even local stuff such as Portuguese in my area), milk, eggs, butter, pasta, and other staples. Not to mention other required items such as toilet paper and toothpaste.

Regarding traveling around -- I try to plan trips to wherever together like on the way home from work, etc. For breakfast I certainly do stock up on cereal when it goes on sale. I probably have 30 boxes right now. We eat a variety of thinks for breakfast such as eggs and do not eat cereal every day. I buy the fruit that's on sale for the week and on the occasion we go to Sam's Club I buy it there.

They probably sell protein powder at CVS

Ok, I'm sorry but it still don't understand how to CVS. Help me please.

 

[global_mom]

Ok, I'm sorry but it still don't understand how to CVS. Help me please.

We have another thread going that explains the details of CVSing. I did not understand how to do it so I posed the question to the pros and they have been most helpful. I dont know how to link you to it but it is on the budget board and is called "Can someone explain CVSing-I dont get it". It has been very helpful.

 

[neatokimmo]

When you buy certain things each week, you get store credit coupons. You can use that store credit to buy more things the next week. If you are organized you can use last weeks store credit (ECBS) on this week and keep rolling them.

Say they have toothpaste for $2.99 and it generates a $2.99 ECB(store credit) with a limit of 5. Buy one and pay $2.99 out of pocket and get your $2.99 ECB. Use that ECB to buy the next tube. Keep rolling the ECBS until you get all 5 tubes. In the end you'll have $2.99 to spend the next week on a different special or on things like milk.

The money making part of it is, you can print/buy/clip coupons. Say there was a 50 cent coupon out there for the toothpaste. You'd pay $2.49 for that first tube and get a $2.99 ECB and "make" 50 cents.

I hope that helps!

Ok, I'm sorry but it still don't understand how to CVS. Help me please.

 

[Mjasp]

There are four of us...My husband and I both work from home so we eat lunch at home and we spend $150 per week in groceries. $600 per month

 

[Sleepy]

We are a family of 3. Each week we average 250-300. We don't eat fancy, but when a head of lettuce costs $4, you can imagine how expensive everything else is. Oh, and we have to buy bottled water since the tap water here is not fit for consumption.

 

[rbramblett]

Can you recommend some good sites or your own receipes. I try to make a detailed list, but frankly I hate cooking and can never come up with dinner ideas to make a list from, so a spend waaaay off budget by going to the store several times a week, cause tacos sound good tonight. Have a good ole meat and potatoes farm boy DH 41, picky, picky DS 8, try anything once DS 5 and me.