Random topic: Grocery Bill

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  • paulawatkins1974
    paulawatkins1974 Posts: 720 Member
    I spend $800-$1000 a month for a family of 4, but we don't make an effort to shop sales at all. Also, we like and buy some pricer things - more expensive cuts of steak, good cheese, etc.
    I just had to say your prof pic is beautiful! Seriously, wherever that place is I wanna go!
  • PinkyFett
    PinkyFett Posts: 842 Member
    Family of 6 here.. about $200 a week for us.
  • Rochelle951
    Rochelle951 Posts: 1,389 Member
    Depends on where you live, here in California that sounds right. Some suggestions, not sure if you have a 99 cent store that carry groceries. What I've found is that they have bread, milk, granola bars, popcorn etc.
    So let's do the math.

    Von's/Target
    Bread $2.50-$3.00
    Milk $3.00
    Popcorn $3.00
    Granola bars $2.50
    Total =$11.50

    99 cent store
    All items above will cost you $4.00

    Total win with $7.50 savings, you can't lose.
  • laylasmommy67
    laylasmommy67 Posts: 38 Member
    Family of 6 here ( ages 2,5,6,9 and me and SO) and we spend about $500 a month. And that include the 2x a month that we eat out somewhere....Toiletries are less $100 for all of us :)
  • AtticWindow
    AtticWindow Posts: 295 Member
    For three of us (me and my 6'5 roomie on diet/fitness kicks, and my sedentary forgets-to-eat-until-an-afternoon-binge 6'3 partner), we tend to spend about $150-175 per grocery trip, and go twice or thrice a month, so around $500 a month, tops (and this includes toilet paper, shampoo, etc)? I'm the primary cook and I try really hard to cook a variety of recipes, but we have pretty inexpensive staples like 4lb bags of frozen chicken, frozen and canned veggies, big bags of rice, and cans and cans of beans. We also coupon and sale-shop pretty pointedly. (We live in Orange County, so COL is high but not, like, San Francisco high.)
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    About $100-$150 a week, just me
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
    My bf and I spend ~$300 a month together on groceries, so $150 per person. I buy a lot of fresh fruits, veggies, eggs, and expensive coffee. I shop at Target and Trader Joe's
  • AtticWindow
    AtticWindow Posts: 295 Member
    What is Von's?

    Vons is Safeway.
  • oregonzoo
    oregonzoo Posts: 4,251 Member
    I spend $800-$1000 a month for a family of 4, but we don't make an effort to shop sales at all. Also, we like and buy some pricer things - more expensive cuts of steak, good cheese, etc.
    this
    we have expensive taste. I don't need fancy clothes and shoes or purses
    I don't want to compromise my food
  • trojan_bb
    trojan_bb Posts: 699 Member
    $150-$175 a week for just me. Plus restaurants/drinks. Plus supplements (protein, carbs, weight gainers) is another $30-$40 a week and should count in my grocery bill.

    Some weeks less, some much more. Just one night of good steaks for two will change the number by 40%. If I go to the nicer grocery store by my house (Zupan's), a single meal is usually around $50 after everything is added together. Less if I go to whole foods, much less if I go to Trader Joe's
  • Taramarie75
    Taramarie75 Posts: 37 Member
    800-1000$ easy!!!!! Family of four, and im the only Paleo
  • darkrose20
    darkrose20 Posts: 1,139 Member
    Seems high, but considering you shop at Target, it's to be expected. I have found the Target in my area charges more than most of the other places to get groceries.
  • spamantha57
    spamantha57 Posts: 674 Member
    About $50 a week for myself. Can't really afford more than that, but I eat well.
    Most of the things I buy are organic when the option's available, especially for things like fruits & veggies.
    I refuse to shop at Walmart. I get 95% of my food from Trader Joe's. I live in San Francisco.
    I eat about 1500-1700 cals a day, but it's all really healthy stuff so it fills me up like a 2500 regular diet would.
  • megsta91
    megsta91 Posts: 92 Member
    my boyfriend, my cat and I spend about 250/month on groceries in ohio. we eat very well. we hunt most of our meat so we really only have to buy chicken breast, turkey and bacon (occassionally) for our meats.

    we can survive all year on two deer, which is about 100lbs for 170 bucks, and that includes chops, steaks, tenderloin, ground, and roasts.

    can't beat it :) way cheaper and way healthier.
  • asciident
    asciident Posts: 166 Member
    About $150 every 2-3 weeks (not counting eating out, but does include some basic household stuff) for my husband and me. I don't often have time to go to multiple stores, clip coupons, etc. and there are certain name brand items I won't buy the generic. We both like certain prepared items too (my husband has a weakness for frozen convenience foods for example).

    So I could get it down more with more time, effort, and discipline, but I save in a lot of other areas in life. No alcohol, neither of us are smokers, we rarely buy clothes, shoes, cosmetics, etc.
  • tmjdunn
    tmjdunn Posts: 77 Member
    For my husband, myself, out 3yr old, 2 cats, and a dog our food budget was $200 every two weeks so $400 per month. I had a separate budget for household goods that is between $25 and $50 per pay period depending on the bills that period. I preplanned all of my meals and made a list before shopping. I try to base my meal plan off of what I have in the house and what is on sale. I also make sure to ask my husband what his schedule is so I would know if he would be missing dinner any nights, and what he wanted for snacks for those couple weeks. The snack part was really important as he is a grazer at night and we would blow a lot of money on him wanting to run to the gas station for munchies. Pre planning is really helpful. Oh and I woud make sure to bring a calculator to the store so I could keep track of how much everything was. Then if I had wiggle room left in the budget I could get a treat item or stock up on some staples that are on sale etc. I always brought my $200 grocery budget in cash so I had to be diligent about not going over it.
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
    I spend a little more than that for 5 adult sized people (My husband and I and three teenagers).
  • amwbox
    amwbox Posts: 576 Member
    Cooking cheap and nutritious is a matter of sticking to the basic staples, which can be bought it bulk very cheap, especially at costco. Beans in particular are a superfood. Extremely good for you. In conjunction with rice they are a complete protein as well.

    Buy dry beans, flour, rice, potatoes, etc. Meats and fresh produce can still be had, but as a compliment to a meal, not a main course.

    You just have to learn what they used to teach people in Home Economics class back in my parents' day. :D
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
    I save money by making most of my cleaning products. I go through a lot of vinegar, washing soda, and dawn. I was spending a ton of money every month on cleaning stuff.

    Also buy beans, brown rice, potatoes, onions, and canned tomatoes in bulk from costco. I do meat every couple of months and freeze it as well. Bacon, ground turkey, chicken breasts. I even buy the bulk cheese, shred and freeze in a flat disk. You can just crumble some off and use it frozen.

    I used to bake my own bread every week too, but gave it up to drop my carbs.

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