$125 shopping budget

So, this weekend I'm starting a new grocery list on a smaller budget to see if it's feasible to pocket some savings every month.. I figured it would be kind of fun to see what other people would buy on this budget.

The only rules are that you estimate your costs realistically to stay under $125 total and buy enough food for 2 people to last 2 weeks.

Ready set go! :D

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  • Posts: 625 Member
    Hmmm...that's not a terrible budget. Eggs, Rice, Frozen chicken breasts, Frozen fish, Lots of frozen veggies. Milk, Yogurt, Bread.

    Honestly even with buying those things you'd probably have some left over. My family and I do 300 every 2 weeks and that's for me, my wife, and 2 kids.
  • Posts: 32
    I spend about 100-125 a month on groceries for myself. Usually ends up something like this:

    Protein:
    - Chicken (Whatever body part is on sale, usually each pack is about 2 meals)
    - Smelt (Generally 2.99 per pound, where a pound gets me ~3 meals)
    - Pork chops (Usually easy to find in the manager's specials, 2-3 meals per pack)
    - Eggs
    - Tuna (egg + tuna + stir fry veggies = delicious protein slop)
    - Steak/pot roast (once or twice a month)

    Veggies:
    - Radishes or turnips
    - Bell peppers
    - Carrots
    - Frozen mix

    Fruit:
    - Bananas
    - Apples

    Grains:
    - Bread (whole wheat)
    - Noodles (from the Chinese market near me - $2 for 4 servings of rice/wheat/buckwheat/soba noodles? Sign me up)

    Snacks:
    - Yogurt
    - Almond milk

    Honestly it's not too hard to keep a low food budget if you don't mind eating a lot of the same things often once you find the best inexpensive meats or vegetables in your area. Of course it depends where you are.
  • Posts: 625 Member
    I was wrong earlier when I said that my family of 4 is 300 every 2 weeks. It's actually 350. If you were to break that down to 2 people though it would only be $175. So not a whole lot higher than your budget.

    I've actually found the biggest thing that helps me budget is that I make a shopping list in excel and I have a column next to each item where I type the estimated price. I always overbudget so even though milk might be $2.50 I budget $3. By overbudgeting for the things that I know the price of it usually offsets for the things that I don't budget enough for. Then I always take the receipt when I get home and type the actual price I paid into another column right next to the estimated prices to see how I made out. Most of the time I do very well and have money left over. Once in awhile I go over budget for whatever reason and then I know I need to be a little cheaper on the next shopping trip to compensate.
  • Posts: 136 Member
    For one week, for the two of us I have been spending under $100. We are following a ketogenic diet which is more restrictive than most but here goes:

    5 avocados $7
    bag of mixed spinach & kale 3
    bag of kale 3
    zucchini 3
    frozen broccoli 2
    frozen green beans 2
    eggs 4 (I buy cage free eggland's best brand)
    bacon 5-7 (depends on if there is a sale, I get no sugar, low sodium)
    almond milk 2 cartons 8
    grassfed butter 4
    chicken thigh or whole chicken 5-7
    ground meat of some kind 4-6
    beef, chicken or turkey bones for broth 3-4
    chicken hearts 3
    soda water 2 cases $10 (la Croix brand)
    fresh salmon 15-20 depending on everything else and what we have at home.
    nuts 5-7
    coconut oil 9
    I rarely buy all of this list. We are eating less due to eating more healthy fats and being full so our meals aren't as big and food lasts us longer now. I take stock of what we have at home, what I can buy & make for cheap that's nutrient dense, bone broth or kale chips for example. I make sure we have protein for lunch w/ greens, protein for dinner w/greens and enough snacks.
  • Posts: 274 Member
    Honestly even with buying those things you'd probably have some left over. My family and I do 300 every 2 weeks and that's for me, my wife, and 2 kids.

    That's right about the same for us. Me, wife, and 2 kids as well.
  • Posts: 726 Member
    That should be easy! I spend about $100 per month for 1 person.

    I'd buy:
    fresh fruit and vegetables (in season)
    romain lettuce and spinach
    carrots and celery
    salad dressing
    hummus
    lean meats (chicken, turkey, steak) - I look for what items are on sale
    eggs
    butter
    coffee

    Depending on how much money I had left - and what my tastes were for the week:
    Yogurt (greek)
    PB
    Sugar-free jam
    English muffins (or a bread to have the PB&J on)

    I eat pretty simply. But $125 should be an ample healthy food budget for two.
  • Posts: 66 Member
    Shop the sales this week at your store, my store had a kick *kitten* sale on chicken breast this week. I planned most our meals around that, (still have stuff in the freezer from previous weeks also) only spent $60 this week, for 2 adults and a 4yo. This included fruits and veggies that were also on sale.

    It helps to buy in bulk, when the item is on sale, youll spend a little more that week, but it stretches out for the rest of the month. You can google how to freeze almost anything, even milk.
  • Posts: 148 Member
    That's a good challenge. I'm going to see if I can do it when I shop this weekend. I've had to drastically reduce my shopping bill. When I was employed full time, I never took cost into account when I shopped. I just bought what I wanted. Now that I'm a poor college student on a fixed budget, The $4.99 cherub tomatoes in the cool plastic container are out. The $0.99 whole tomatoes are in. LOL.

    Oh...and no more Whole Foods. That place will suck your bank account dry the minute you walk in.
  • Posts: 846 Member
    Mind you, these are all MN prices off the sale sheet.

    $8 - 10lb bag of leg quarters
    $8 - 4lbs ground beef
    $3 - 2 dozen eggs
    $8 - 2lbs sandwich meat
    $7 - 5 cans spag sauce
    ....... 5 cans diced tomatoes
    $9 - 10 bags frozen veggies
    $5 - bag potatoes
    $4 - bags carrots
    $4 - bags onions
    $4 - 2 heads lettuce
    $30 - ~20lbs other produce
    $2 - peanut butter
    $2 - jelly
    $2 - sandwich spread
    $8 - breads
    $2 - 8 boxes mac n cheese
    $8 - 12lbs other pasta
    $4 - tea
    $5 - coffee

    Total - $123
  • Posts: 1,010 Member
    In graduate school, I lived on a VERY low grocery budget. I pretty much lived on peanut butter, peanuts, coffee, milk, eggs, carrots and spinach. Don't forget about dried rice and beans and other grains. Super nutritious and economical. I'd skip any beverages other than coffee, tea, and minimal alcohol if you drink.
  • Posts: 661 Member
    My husband and I live on a budget of 200 a MONTH for us. It depends on where you live and the shops you go to. We buy mostly organic also and do most shopping at costco and trader joes. We love our carbs (great for weight loss, carbs don't make you fat!) and we get pasta, white rice sometimes basmati just depends on my mood, potatoes. I make my own bread using the 5 minute artisan technique (really stupidly simple anyone could do it).
    Protein can be eggs, peanut butter, beans (I eat organic canned black beans from costco), chicken etc.
    If purchasing meat try to buy cuts that are more intact meaning buy whole chicken, a full pork loin to cut into roasts and such. In the long run you'll save money. Also, frozen veggies are just freaking awesome =) The trick is to blanch them quickly and then stir fry or whatever.
    It's kinda difficult to give an item by item breakdown but you get the picture. So in short - buy in bulk, prepare your own foods and not from a packet, shop around. I have my staples I always buy at costco and I have my staples I always buy at trader joes and whole foods fills in the rest.
    I've made it a personal mission to not shop at walmart so it's totally do-able to be healthy on a small budget :) (not to disrespect anyone who shops at walmart... although you shouldn't give them your money because they're evil... but I worked there for 3 years and it was hell and my husband STILL works there and it's STILL hell)
  • Posts: 9,562 Member
    Dried beans and lentils, potatoes, sweet potatoes, eggs, bananas, rice, canned sardines, peanut butter, bread, cabbage, frozen veggies and fruits. Watermelon or Pineapple if they are on sale, Earth Balance margarine, and walnut or olive oil.
  • Posts: 335 Member
    In graduate school, I lived on a VERY low grocery budget. I pretty much lived on peanut butter, peanuts, coffee, milk, eggs, carrots and spinach. Don't forget about dried rice and beans and other grains. Super nutritious and economical. I'd skip any beverages other than coffee, tea, and minimal alcohol if you drink.

    I lived on top ramen and canned green beans for 2 years in college lol.

    We're milk and water drinkers, and occasionally iced tea, in my house so drinks aren't usually a problem (except that milk is $4.57 a gallon here right now lol)
  • Posts: 585 Member
    This can easily be done, I spend 150 a month on just myself. Sometimes less.

    There are months I just stock up on meat if it is on sale, and some months I really stock up on dry goods, then the rest is spent on fresh foods.

    I see you guys are iced tea drinkers, yum, me too! Do you brew your own tea? You can find tea bags on sale often and you will save a good amount of money brewing your own.

    Shop sales, if pasta is a buck or under a box, buy 10. If chicken is on a good sale, buy extra and freeze. Jarred sauces won't go bad, stock up when it's a good deal. I probably have about 10 jars in my cabinet right now (and I have limited storage space, one bedroom apartment, I get creative with storage though) that I didn't spend more than 80 cents on each one. I am not a crazy coupon lady or anything like that, I just hit a good sale. I will even stock up on berries and bananas - freeze them if they will go bad before I eat them. Not as good as fresh, but great to throw on top of yogurt or pancakes or in a smoothie.

    If you have a safeway near you, I really like their "Just For You" coupon program, so simple.
  • Posts: 71 Member
    My fiance and I get through with $50-65/week for both of us.

    We grocery shop every week and I plan that weeks meals around what ever is on sale. A lot of regional grocery stores post there ads online, or it might be worth the convenience to grab the sunday newspaper) I also make what I can (like greek yogurt, for example). It usually breaks down with $30-50 spent at the regular grocery store (depending on protein sales and such. We'll still splurge on good, fresh cuts of steak and things like that) and then $20 at our farmer's market on more fresh veggies and fruits.

    It seriously helps if someone in your household can cook and enjoys it.
  • Posts: 5,961 Member
    I usually spend about $220 for a whole month for 2 people so this should be doable without trying very hard.

    And that's including buying toilet paper and stuff too.
  • Posts: 423 Member

    We're milk and water drinkers, and occasionally iced tea, in my house so drinks aren't usually a problem (except that milk is $4.57 a gallon here right now lol)


    idk about where you live, but i live in central america, and powdered milk is #1 here. if you can find powdered milk (and if you enjoy the taste), i totally recommend it. cheap as hell & it doesn't expire! not to mention you can vary the thickness based on taste/preference/calorie allotment.
  • Posts: 5,516 Member
    Hmm ... I generally spend about $125 for a week for a family of 6 (including growing adolescent boys who eat like they are trying to fill a hollow leg :laugh:)

    This week:
    fresh fruits and vegetables: apples, bananas, peaches that were $0.99/lb, 2 pound bag of carrots, 10 pounds of potatoes, etc
    Whole grain pasta (barilla was on sale for $1 each so I got 3)
    2 jars spaghetti sauce
    3 pounds ground beef
    2 loafs bread, plus hamburger buns
    2 boxes mac & cheese (generic brand)
    12 ramen
    lunchmeat
    2 lbs cheese
    3 gallons milk
    4 boxes cereal, plus on bag cereal (a sweeter kind for a treat), and 1 box instant oatmeal (mostly store brands)
    cottage cheese

    I know I'm missing some things, but this can give you a general idea

    Dinners are going to be:
    sloppy joes (home made, 1 lb ground beef, tomato soup, bbq sauce, the buns)
    spaghetti (we do 1 whole package pasta, 2 jars sauce, 1 lb ground beef, but you could make that 2 different meals by cooking less at a time)
    meatloaf (home made) with mac & cheese as a side
    Home made chicken soup (using a whole chicken in my freezer)
    egg scramble ... my daughter is doing this one, so I'm not sure what all goes into it yet, but eggs, veggies, cheese ...

    We buy things that last well in larger amounts when they are on sale, so we didn't have to buy eggs this week, or canned soup (my husband's lunch), or the chicken. But we did have to buy both flour and sugar (we ran out of both ... we often do a lot of our own baking so don't buy cookies often) If you can get a good price on meat in bulk, you can separate it when you get home and freeze it, and it will last well. Also be willing to eat leftovers for a 2nd night's dinner, or for lunches. That can save a fair amount of money.
  • Posts: 4,383 Member
    I don't know where you all live but I spend $150 a week and sometimes still have that "there's nothing in the house!" feeling!

    I need to learn to shop like you guys do...
  • Posts: 33 Member
    I love this website: http://www.5dollardinners.com/

    Some of the meals I can substitute healthier options if they're a little heavy, but it keeps me on budget.
  • Posts: 122 Member
    Wow! I found these posts somewhat amazing and, at times, unbelievable. But then again, before I started eating healthier, my husband and I were both overeating out of control. He is still doing the same thing while I'm trying to do better. We are both addicted to food (he far worse than anyone I know (including me!)).

    A typical bill for one week of grocery shopping is $130+. I think part of the reason it's so high is because we live in New England where prices tend to be on the high side. I know the quantity of groceries is definitely a contributing factor. I shop sales and try to purchase my produce and household staples at a local discount market. It's not like we're eating steak and lobster either. We eat a lot of chicken and very little beef. Fish is also included when it's on sale.

    Any suggestions? I know I can't change my husband - it has to be his decision, but I'm open to any other ideas out there. Thanks!
  • Posts: 1,857 Member
    I only shop for one, and I shop weekly, but my staples look like: (Wisconsin prices)

    $2- flour tortillas
    $2- 2 avocados
    $3- 2 dozen eggs
    $3- lunch meat
    $1- canned beans
    $2- 3 cans tuna
    $9- 3 gallons milk
    $4- variety of frozen vegetables
    $5- bagged salad
    $20- various fresh produce, from both the supermarket and the farmers' market

    Comes to $51 per week, or $102 bi-weekly. I eat the same things pretty much daily. I don't buy tons of meat, as I'm given a fair amount of it, so that would come out of the extra $23, but you can get a fair bit of meat for $23. When I do buy it, I get the jumbo bags of mixed chicken parts and 2-3# packages of cheap ground beef.
  • Posts: 423 Member
    my best tip is go whole foods whenever possible

    canned goods here are outrageous ($1-2 for a little can of corn or peas, $2-3 for a can of mushrooms or spinach).. and there is so little actual content in the can, and they're so salty! we don't have any frozen veggies here, but i remember they were a pretty good deal, and quick & easy if you're not into cooking. if you're into cooking, find cheap fresh seasonal veggies, and you'll get a lot more bang for your buck

    we boil beans too. same thing. a little can of beans goes for ~1.50-2.00 here. it gives you about a cup of beans. but you can buy a whole pound of dry beans for about $0.40. if you can take the time to boil them to soak/simmer in a crockpot, you can put them in little baggies and they'll freeze for a long time.

    same with grains (though i dont have a fridge, so i can't attest to freezing them..)

    sometimes making your own food isn't worth the time or money though. like i buy tortillas & bread, instead of making it, because it's cheaper and wayyy easier. ... it's all about keeping an open mind & thinking: Would it be cheaper if i made this myself? or is it not worth the time/minimal savings?
  • Posts: 423 Member
    and by 'whole foods' i mean unprocessed, not that crazy expensive grocery store chain, lol
  • Posts: 668 Member
    I am completely in awe on how little everyone spends and jealous all at the same time... We spend about $200-$250 a week $300 on weeks we have to buy cleaning products/toiletries/dog food... Me, my husband, and 3 boys 19,16,10... My husband and I eat pretty clean, lean meats, veggies, fruits, yogurt, nuts, fish etc. that is the bulk of our cost right now as the kids are eating it as well. Then we have the staple items for the kids, lunch meats, bread, PBJ, snacks, popcorn etc. My family goes through 6 gallons of skim milk in a week alone.. I shop at Super Walmart with coupons. Prior to them opening the super walmart I was spending a lot more at the regular grocery stores. Here I thought I was doing good and ya'll put me to shame! :noway:

    Nice Budgeting people!!! :flowerforyou:
  • Posts: 858 Member
    I always buy what's on sale and what's in season. And cheap staples. My every day list includes milk, eggs, bread, bananas, tomatoes, yogurt, cheese, beans, cereal, peanut butter, chicken. Add in whatever fruit and veggies are in season, and whatever meats are on sale.

    My husband is Hispanic, so if I buy tortillas, beans and salsa, then I have endless meals, either those things by themselves, or by adding meat, cheese, eggs, etc. My kids eat lots of eggs, peanut butter and cereal. Sure we eat lots of other things, but I know if I at least have those staples, we have a meal.

    Edited to add: I'm feeding me, hubby and 10, 7 and 2 yo boys for average $100 a week (not including cleaning, personal care items) in Texas where there's no sales tax on food.
  • Posts: 827 Member
    There's so much good advice here, I'll try not to duplicate it. I do think your goal is do-able, if you're not including non-food items in that budget, but I also think it might be a challenge in some weeks, if you want to include significant quantities of lean animal protein. Meat is running way high right now, and will be for a while (same for dairy products). As a rule of thumb, the more fat and bone there is in a cut of meat, the cheaper it is. That's why whole chickens are so much less than boneless, skinless breast pieces, for example. At the same time, leaner, boneless cuts are often what you will be looking for if you're counting calories, so keep that in mind as you plan.

    As others said, shop the sales, and stock up when (and only when) things are truly marked down for the week. Sometimes a store will mark something down by 10 cents and advertise it, so it pays to be aware. And plan your menus, and your shopping, in advance. Also, don't stock up on things that you can't eat or preserve before they spoil. A 5 pound bag of apples that turns mushy before its gone is a waste. But if you love applesauce, then its a bargain.

    Feeling like a stalker as I did it, I took a look at your profile to see where you lived, and I noted that Safeway is the prominent big grocery store there. I see from the flyer on their website that they have chicken breast for $2.99/lb this week, and london broil for $3.99. Those are both lean cuts that you can do a lot with, so you might start your planning around what you could do with them. With the london broil, you can eat it as a broiled steak, or make stew or soup, or fajitas...you get the idea. If you have a food processor, you can also cut it into chunks and grind it up for hamburgers, meatloaf, meatballs or chili, because ground beef that's over 90% lean does not tend to come as cheap as that (in some areas, anyway). Then you can add in a meal or two (or more) based on pasta and beans (always cheap), and go from there. I see that corn is on sale at 8 ears for $2.00, so, if it sounds good, you might make a pot of chicken corn chowder. :) Leftovers make great lunches, and, for me, breakfast is usually eggs, oatmeal or cereal, but something in a different category for planning purposes.

    I'm trying to give examples, so I hope this makes sense and doesn't sound nuts. This is basically how I do it...I figure out what I've got, and what I can buy, and what I can make with it. Again, I think planning is key if you're trying to eat both well and cheaply, and MFP lets you enter recipes, and your food log a week in advance, so if you're *truly obsessive, you can spend a few hours figuring next week all out in advance.

    Good luck!
  • Posts: 335 Member
    I am completely in awe on how little everyone spends and jealous all at the same time... We spend about $200-$250 a week $300 on weeks we have to buy cleaning products/toiletries/dog food... Me, my husband, and 3 boys 19,16,10... My husband and I eat pretty clean, lean meats, veggies, fruits, yogurt, nuts, fish etc. that is the bulk of our cost right now as the kids are eating it as well. Then we have the staple items for the kids, lunch meats, bread, PBJ, snacks, popcorn etc. My family goes through 6 gallons of skim milk in a week alone.. I shop at Super Walmart with coupons. Prior to them opening the super walmart I was spending a lot more at the regular grocery stores. Here I thought I was doing good and ya'll put me to shame! :noway:

    Nice Budgeting people!!! :flowerforyou:

    LOL I was thinking I was doing good on $180 every 2 weeks but wanted to cut back a little. I'm wondering if regional prices make a huge difference. I know when I lived near the gulf of mexico I could get fresh fish from the local fisher's market for $3-$5 a fish, but here even tilapia (which is a fairly inexpensive fish) is about $12. I'm sure it doesn't help that between the 2 of us we go through about 3 gallons of milk a week lol.


    Also, I don't remember who mentioned home brewing ice tea, but we make ours with a cold press machine at a really high concentrate so it lasts for a while. :D
  • Posts: 3,942 Member
    About £80 then? Seems easy enough.

    £35 on cooked chicken drumsticks.
    £10 on salad.
    £2 on couscous.

    Bit samey but it's pretty much what I eat.

    Oh, leaves £33 for a nice bottle of whisky. :laugh:
  • Posts: 663 Member
    Something I'd really advice is going through your pantry/cupboard/fridge before you go shopping and figure out what staples you already have; make a list and stick it somewhere visible so that you know when you run out what you need to replace. If you can plan meals around those staples, you can cut your grocery costs significantly, and then buy those staples again when they are on sale or when you're in need of them. For me staples are things like: oatmeal, peanut butter, frozen veggies, rice, etc.

    If you can be a slave to the sales you can also save a ton of money, so it's worth it to look through flyers before you go and plan your meals around that. If you happen to have extra money left over for that two week period, consider buying a staple that you'll need in the near future that might be on sale.

    Good luck! Your budget is totally do-able. I lived on $35 a week for groceries during university and I still managed to eat fairly healthy and get enough protein (which tends to be the most costly to provide).

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