How much do you spend on food per week?

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13

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  • naomi8888
    naomi8888 Posts: 519 Member
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    I'm in Australia and probably spend about $150 or so per week for me and my daughter. I can only wish for a mortgage of around $1000 per month like you. If that was the case I'd be able to eat organic everything - unfortunately houses here are expensive... :(
  • Josteyn
    Josteyn Posts: 44
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    Don't know the food-alone cost - my budget is separated into household (which includes washing liquid, loo-rolls and all the things you need for running the house as well as food) and car, utilities and so on...

    But the household bit came to an average of just under £200 a month, which is pretty good for one person living well.

    I cook from scratch, but I eat out a few times a month. So I would reckon I use less than £45 a week on food and drink including that.

    I reckon people spend too much because they think it costs too much to shop around - but I use the supermarkets I go past, and never make a special trip to anywhere. There's a farmers' market once a month, but I only buy eggs and flour from there, and a few veg (I prefer to buy fresh every day or so) and otherwise I use the local shops and walk to them, which adds exercise to the value for money of the local shop. I buy often, and I buy reduced, and I eat what's in season, or on offer, or what the shop can't sell because of the tyranny of the sell-by date.
  • shl_kgbn
    shl_kgbn Posts: 9 Member
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    I spend around $300.00 per month. I'm getting pretty good with the coupons. We are a family of 4, husband, 2 kids, and me.
  • stephm112
    stephm112 Posts: 297 Member
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    Well for me and my 16 month old a £50 shop will last us nearly 2 weeks. When my other half is on leave it's more like £80 a week. Royal Marines eat a LOT!
  • fguillory
    fguillory Posts: 291
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    1 person about 50$ a week, i should be spending less. i make most of my food in bulk though
  • Woooolywool
    Woooolywool Posts: 136 Member
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    I'm just an 18 year old art student in the UK, and a typical weekly food shop would be something around £39 for just myself. I make my own lunches etc. and don't get takeaways or really eat out, so I guess it's just the £39.
    I don't think that's too bad to be honest.
  • hbunting86
    hbunting86 Posts: 952 Member
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    For just me, around $50-60 NZD. I'm the master of making meals from nothing ;) haha
  • crobertson87
    crobertson87 Posts: 34 Member
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    $80 a week strict budget for my husband and I. I carry my list and my little calculator around the store with me. This includes hubby's diet soda ( I rarely drink them anymore) and any incidentals we need that week (toothpaste, cleaning supplies etc.) It gets tricky at times. On the weeks I know we need a lot of fresh produce items, i'll put off paper products or other costly items for another week. Thankfully my husband is an avid deer hunter, so we rarely purchase meat, though every once in a while I have to splurge on some pork chops or ground turkey :) It's challenging sometimes, but I almost find it fun now to see if I can get everything on the list and under budget! We also give ourselves a $40 a week allowance to keep our daily spending on lunches and other things in check. $40 goes fast, so it's really helped us learn to be a bit more conservative. I've tried couponing, but honestly it doesn't help me very well. I usually find I spend more when I use coupons (because I'm buying things I wouldn't necessarily without one)
  • Leiki
    Leiki Posts: 526 Member
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    I have a household of 3 grown men, and me. I spend about $25-$30 a week usually on groceries, and about $100 once a month on household goods like toiletries. Getting items which are on sale, at Asian Supermarkets help, significantly. For example, Spinach is usually a dollar for a small bunch at the local Ralphs. It is usually 69 cents at the Asian market. Onions go on sale for 2 for a dollar, or 3 for a dollar at Ralphs, but they go for 29-39 cents a pound at the Asian market. 50% off cuts of meat go for about 5-7 dollars a pound. They are regularly about 2-3 dollars a pound at the Asian market, for the same cut. There are certain items which are expensive at the Asian market, though, like cheese, and other "American goods" which I like to get at Walmart. Activa yogurt, for example, is about 21 cents an ounce at Ralphs, but about 12 cents at Walmart. Coupons also help.
  • cino2684
    cino2684 Posts: 26
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    Starting with my trip to the grocery store on Tuesday, I kept tabs on how much I spend on groceries and eating out and so far, including Tuesday, Wed, Thurs and today, I have spend $208. This is stupid. We only went out twice. Once to BWW and once to McDonalds (BWW had a Blackened chicken salad-big mistake, it had 700 calories).

    So I will probably spend another fifty or so before Monday, making my seven day week a total of about $260. I have a husband and grown son. They eat a lot.

    Are groceries costing you more than the rent/mortgage? It is for me!

    I spent usually 40-60 a week on groceries. Thats just for me alone, but healthy food seems to cost less the junk food.
    and FYI I go to BWW once a week, kind of a cheat day. If you get the Southwest Queso Wrap with the Salsa and Chips its only 740 and fills ya up!
  • Schnuddelbuddel
    Schnuddelbuddel Posts: 472 Member
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    Well, my kids aren't grown yet but...

    2 adults (hubby and I) + 4 kids + 1 cat + 1 snake - on average we spend about 160 Euro/week (about 210US $) on food/drink/groceries - this includes nappies (diapers) etc

    I do plan dinners for the week-nights, so know what ingredients to buy. Also I plan my eldest's school lunches so know what to buy for those. I don't go to small convenience stores as they're more expensive.
  • AMS58
    AMS58 Posts: 183 Member
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    I spend about $100 a week for the 2 of us, I eat mostly at work but eat dinner at home.
    School holidays are a different storey, that is when I spend more.
  • MelsieK
    MelsieK Posts: 72
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    I spend around $200-300 a week for 2 adults and 2 kids ( 8 and 6 yo ). It's hard to tell as I buy stuff as fresh as I can, so fruit and vegi's I'll buy every 2-3 days, same as meat. And treats eg cakes etc for the kids, I bake from scratch, that saves alot.


    Mel
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    1200 to 1500 a month...my mortgage is way more than that but it's annoying!!! We don't eat out much though...I have 3 boys...family of 5 😊!

    I'm obviously shopping incorrectly after reading these other replies!!!!

    what in the world do you buy?? Thats a month and a half's rent for me....i wish I could spend more to eat
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
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    1200 to 1500 a month...my mortgage is way more than that but it's annoying!!! We don't eat out much though...I have 3 boys...family of 5 😊!

    I'm obviously shopping incorrectly after reading these other replies!!!!

    what in the world do you buy?? Thats a month and a half's rent for me....i wish I could spend more to eat

    Well, that's decent compared to my 600-800 a month for 1 person. If you multiplied it by 5 I'd be spending well over 3k on food. Although in that case I'd like shop a bit differently.
  • FitMama2013
    FitMama2013 Posts: 919 Member
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    we spend $600 a month for two of us and our mortgage is more than twice that, so not even close!! but if you factor in restaurants (another $250 a month for us both) then that's $850, but still way less than the mortgage :)
  • Kebby83
    Kebby83 Posts: 232 Member
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    150 a week for food and household items. Me, my 5 year old and my husband (the babysitter eats good too).
  • Kalynx
    Kalynx Posts: 707 Member
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    I spend about $250-300 every three weeks for myself and the cat, making sure to buy meat on sale and throwing it in freezer for when its not on sale. Most fresh fruit and veggies will last me that time period, and I just have to pick up milk and bananas and few other fresh things at convenience store when I run out. Compared to the way I used to throw money away on eating out a LOT, I think I'm spending less even though it seems like more.

    I have the option to shop online at local grocery store, too. I think that helps me spend a little more time picking out exactly what I need and rehashing my cart before I check out so I dont get things I dont really need and just want that will probably go to waste, and not being at the store helps me not impulse buy and spend more, too. Its a great service - they shop my list and have it waiting for me at the door in carts for pick up for just a $6 charge. Also great to come home after work and spend an evening watching TV and shopping in my pajamas off and on and just running by after work the next day...I consider it a time saver.
  • ashanley1
    ashanley1 Posts: 31 Member
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    I budget weekly and alternate 100/200 for my husband andI, the 200 accounts for trips to Costco for larger purchases. I by organic meat and veggies whenever possible, which increases the cost but I definitely cook with what I by now. We do order out once a week and that is usually included in the grocery budget. If we go out to a restaurant that's a different budget.
  • Girlwithnoname77
    Girlwithnoname77 Posts: 108 Member
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    Hmmm ... some of you are amazing. My girlfriend recently told me she spends $90 a week. She is married and has three kids, the youngest only just started to eat. I can not (still) get my head around it! I did ask her and her way is that if they are still hungry after a meal they can have cereal. So her meal portions are very small.

    I am a mum and I spend $90-$125 on fresh fruit, veg, milk and bread ALONE each week to feed my husband and two kids under 10 years. That doesn't include pastas, rice, meats, cheese ... and we love all those things. So I guess we spend about $200 total a week on food? Like above, I think I will track it closer.

    I love good food, fresh, home made food as opposed to eating out, but still like to go out for yum cha, pizza, steaks etc. I do make casseroles and curries to stretch the dollar further if needed, and I do have a problem with "quantity". But I do love making chicken corden bleu with sides of vegetables or salad, types of meals. Mmmm ... salivating. Our left over lamb roast tomorrow will be the filling in our sovlaki wraps. Mmmmm ... I love cooking, I love eating. OK ... am getting hungry. Will stop writing now.