How much do you spend on groceries?

mcg6242

Its just my husband and I and we budget $600 a month, but this includes and odds and end such as TP, soap, shampoo and dog food. This also includes any eating out we may do that month!

pineygirl

Usually around $120-150/week for just my husband and I. This doesn't include things like ziplock bags, paper towels or personal care products. It seems like we spend a lot on food, except in the summer when my garden is at it's peak. I try to buy some organic produce (not all) and we buy a lot of meat, so I guess that's why.

PaleoPath4Lyfe

Just curious...how much does you family spend on groceries each month? Eating out? For how many people?

My hubby and I are working on our monthly budget but wanted an idea of what is feasable for feeding a family of 2 (and eventually probably 4).

Thanks!

I spend no more than $250-275 in total per month for my husband, myself and our 2 dogs.

klbaierwalter

My fiance and I probably spend around $300/month. We try not to go to the grocery every week. We stock up on what we know we will need for lunches, upcoming dinners, snacks, etc and then try not to go to the grocery, unless we have no choice. This doesn't include dog food ($62 for a 28 pound bag because our dog has food allergies, and then $30 for the 35lb bag for our other dog, who eats EVERYTHING) Also doesn't include their costs of poop bags and other misc. odds and ends. We just spent over $200 on a new vaccuum last weekend. So if we're only talking groceries, its around $300. If it's a week where we need dog fixins', we're looking easily at around $300 just for that week.

In terms of eating out, we spend easily $200+ per month, with both of our work schedules and me going to bed by 8pm nightly so I can get up at 4am to workout, we rarely have time to cook much food. I tend to cook on Saturday or Sunday nights. We were talking about this today and are resolving to stop eating out so much! It's seriously ridiculous!

Speaking of the grocery, the fiance and I are going tonight.

rae_rae330

bump...for later!

Jaramys

I spend about $340 on myself a month thats not including tooth paste, paper just for flat out food.

MyM0wM0w

I rarely eat out and when I do, it has to come out of my grocery budget.

My grocery budget is between 40 and 50 a week and it's just me. Of course that also includes household stuff like laundry detergent, shampoo, cat litter, toilet paper, etc.

YoungDoc2B

140-160/month, just for one person

JasMikkol89

I have a family of 4 and we spend about 650 a month.

Gallowmere1984

About $250 per week between the wife and I. This includes protein powders, bars, supplements, and our diet is about 90% meat.

Confuzzled4ever

I spend 45 just on produce and probably another 30 on other stuff per week. That's for my son and I. I buy meat on sale and use a co-op for produce. I get my bread, potatoes and granola from the co-op too. So really all I need frmo the store is meat usually. The 30 might be overstated. I don't usually pay when I eat out.. but I did buy the bar food last week and that was like 25 bucks..

So I guess 250-300 per month? I think that's high though.. I tend to make everything from scratch, so that helps cut costs down. Also.. i'm current still working through stuff I bought last year.. so it might be right once the pantry is empty and I can start over with the better quality food stuff. I will not just throw away food.

fitfreakymom

I feel like I spend way more than the average! Can I get some example shopping list? It's my husband, myself, 2 boys 5 and 8. I feel like I spend double you guys and we still eat out a lot.

I only shop for myself but my grocery lists looks something like this.

Frozen Chicken $10-15 (I buy the big bags from Walmart or I will buy large quantities at Safeway if they are on sale)
Frozen Fish $10
Eggs $3
Milk $3
Butter $4
Pasta $2
Pasta Sauce $4
Past Roni or Rice a Roni $5
Canned Veggies $6 (I buy these for the times when I run out of fresh)
Fresh Veggies $5 (I usually pick a few for the week and will return in a week for more)
Fresh Fruit $8 (same thing as the veggies)
Toiletries $40 (I don't always buy toiletries but I try to budget for them)

So that's around $100 which I usually spend on payday and I return a week later to stock up on fresh veggies and fruits. I don't like frozen or canned so I only buy enough for one week.

lol $5 will ot even buy a head of lettuse here and milk is almost $8 a bag.

Here we spend about $600 a month for 2 adults and an 11 yr old girl and about $100 to $150 on two dogs and 5 cats

traceytwink

I average about £130 a week that's for me my hubby our two kids and 10 extra mouths to feed ( I child mind) almost half of that is fruit and veg the rest goes on meat, dairy, bread, the odd treat (not much) and soaps for us and cleaning the house tesco's gets far too much of my money ggggrrrrr, I'm sure if we ate crap our bill would be so much lower

fitfreakymom

This also includes toiletries and cleaners

We also live about an hr outside of halifax and it is very expensive here, a bag of broccolie is twice the price of a larger bag of fries which go's for most of the food here, healthy tends to be alot more expensive than junk which would probebly be why most Nova scotians are over weight or obese. Everything is expensive here

vickiessecret

I also have a family of 5 & we spend about $150 a week on food & that is just on food itself. So about $600 a month, I wish food was cheaper..lol & we don't buy fast food, we may 2x's a month get a try of pizza, but that's about it.

LifeChanged2000

This is not for everybody...but my daughter and I go to the store every night and shop for Dinner and the following days breakfast/lunch. I have found that this causes less leftovers making there way to the trash. I also do not have a ton of things hanging out in my pantry that do not get eaten. On average I spend $15 a day, $105 a week, and $420 a month. My daughter is in her teens now and it is only the two of us so this seems to work for me.

Kristinemomof3

It's myself, dh, & 11b, 13b, 15g year old kids, I spend average $400/mo. I use coupons, shop sales and grow a garden/can and freeze what I can.

julesmcclelland

I feed a family of 6 for $125/week (and that includes toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc). We eat a mainly vegetarian diet with some chicken and soy meat products. I pack lunches for 4 kids for school (sandwich, fruit, crackers and treat), cereal for breakfast and homemade dinners. The secret is to really plan out your meals ahead of time and know how much each item typically costs at the store you normally shop at.
If you're interested in filling, nutritious meals, please check out my blog: www.cookandburn.com

rainbowbow

$150.00 a week. Just me and my boyfriend. Plus we go out to fancy smancy restaurants.

april_mesk

Dang I need to take lessons from some of you Our family of 4 spends around 200-230 a week on groceries including pet food and cleaning/health products. We don't eat out often maybe 1-2 month.

Me too minus dog food. Kills me! I always think why do I pay more per month on food than my car payment? It's eating healthy. Oh well...no medical bills!!!

JessicaRobin67

We spend roughly $500.00 per month. Plus, eat out roughly 4 times a month...approx. $100.00

Confuzzled4ever

I feel like I spend way more than the average! Can I get some example shopping list? It's my husband, myself, 2 boys 5 and 8. I feel like I spend double you guys and we still eat out a lot.

OK... I got to a co-op for my fruits, veggies, bread and granola. that's about $45 per week ($180 per month) Usually I make due with whatever they give me.. Occasionally I have to pick up some lettuce or avocado or onion if they don't give me enough or that particular item.

Every month I buy the following when it's on sale

Usually can get meat buy 1 get 2 free.
pork 3lbs for approx 8 bucks
chicken 3 lbs for approx 6 bucks
beef 6 lbs for approx 10 bucks
tilipia - 3 lbs for 8 bucks

ground beef - never on sale and I get the 93/7 or 90/10 so that's what.. 5 bucks a pound I believe.
Canned tomatoes 1$ per can
Chopped garlic in water 6 bucks for a big jar
beans Prices vary on type.
Whole grain pasta. 1.5 per pound package
Cheese (feta, cheddar, etc) depends on the cheese but it's 3.50-5 bucks per item
Natural peanut butter - 4 bucks
honey 4 bucks
Whey protein powder $20 (sometimes last me longer then a month)
Skinney cow 3.50

for my son
cereal 2 bucks (on sale only!)
Salami 5 bucks a pound
cookies and/or ice cream 3.50


weekly;
Greek yogurt 3.50 per container
eggs 1.50 per dozen
milk 2 - 2.5 per gallon
avocado if it doesn't come from my co-op. ($1 each i'll get 4 or 5 of them)

for my son
granola bars - 2 bucks per box
pretzels - 2.50 per bag
apple juice - 2.50

So probably around $300 per month total for my son and I. I make most things from scratch.. so ever so often I have to buy all the baking stuff too.

sbjmorgan

Around a $400/month food budget, including fast food most times. That's for two of us and a toddler. I cook mostly from scratch and we eat meatless probably 1/2 the month.

Bumbeen

I don't know....... I just spend what I need to spend. I don't sacrifice food quality to save money, ever.

For the time when I was trying to bulk and eat strict paleo, I spent over 1000/month on me alone. I stopped that lol....

leomentlines

I buy for myself, and I spend around $50 or so a week. More if something is on sale and I want to stock up (not all that often since what I like doesn't go on sale too often *sigh*)

vesperpt

I haven't calculated it in a while, but last year when I did it was close to 600 for my boyfriend and myself - yeesh!
I have to crack down though - the bf doesn't work in the winter so money gets tight. I also make tips at my work so I buy lunch out of my tips sometimes. It doesn't feel so bad that way.
I just went in on a side of beef with two other people from a client of mine, so I came home last week with over 100 lbs of assorted cuts of beef! So no more buying meat for a few months, which will help a LOT.

mzfiyaa

its just 2 of us so maybe around 300

zonah

About $100-$120 a week... that usually includes non-food stuffs like diapers or toilet paper too... I buy a bunch of fresh produce, fresh lean meats, a handful of frozen items and whatever packaged items I need for the week (like canned tomatoes). And this is for 2.5 (the .5 is a toddler child). But I will give the caveat that we live in the DFW metro and pricing varies across the different metro areas. Here I can get a gallon of milk for around $3 (depending on whether I buy the non-hormone version or the regular kind).

I spend a min of 120 a week in just organic produce for 4 people. I spend 50$ for a large box of apples, 19$ for a 15lb bag of carrots. Then the rest goes to other veggies. Try and buy bulk is all I can say. It's very expensive to eat well but you will save in future medical expenses.

blu_meanie_ca

We are a family of 4.
We budget 1000 a month, but, I buy all household stuff (cleaners, lightbulbs), misc items (thrift store clothes, craft supplies), and activities for the kids and myself (swimming, playgroups). We don't eat out that often... near payday if there's money left over in household (rare... I usually spend it on paint and stickers first). Or, if hubs has money burning a hole in his pocket (far more often... he can't save anything).
I do spend more on grocieries due to some dietary restrictions (I am allergic to wheat, and my kids are sensitive to most food additives). It adds up a bit more to have to make cereal for them vs buying it, ect.

trojanbb

300-350 per week. Just me.

Not including going out or drinks. So including that, I average maybe 400 per week, sometimes more. Reading this thread is making me depressed, I need to learn how to budget. I think the absolute minimum I could get away with is 150 per week for just groceries.