Last week I asked what you would like to see featured for the Question of the Week series and I got some really awesome ideas! It gave me a chance to see what’s on everyone’s mind. And boy, you guys have some deeply involved questions in those head’s of yours!
The problem is I don’t have the brain power to deal with them right now. Boy, that sounds bad, doesn’t it? But it’s true. I have this Chicago trip hanging over my head, the last two days have had me all over town. Plus, of course, you know… other mom, wife and house stuff to attend to. *sigh* I can’t think about it. When I think about it I get overwhelmed I’m better just "doing it". LOL
I’m babbling again, this intro is all leading to the fact that I’m tacking one of the easier questions on the list. Both Biz and Amy where curious…
How much do you spend on groceries?
This is a great question. Especially because I think a lot of people believe that eating healthier costs more money. Which, is some aspects, it can. We all know organic produce is outrageously priced, a bag of soy crisps is about 1/2 the size of a bag of Doritos and twice the price and don’t even get me started on meats. Have you seen the prices on boneless, skinless chicken breasts! Yikes!
So I’m going to expand on the question a bit and not only ask how much you spend but also to share any tips you may have to keep the cost down.
For example…
I spend about $120 a week (that includes $20 of husband JUNK food ;~P) But I also stock up at Aldi’s or BJ’s onse every 6 weeks or so for a big shopping were I buy bulk meats and pantry items. That trip will replace my shopping for a week but it also costs me a couple of hundred. In the summers I also will shift my produce shopping from the grocery trip to the farm stand when I can.
SO.. What’s that? I’m looking at about $500-$600 a month. That does include some non-food items of course, cleaning products, toilet paper, and other household stuff on an as needed basis. Plus I’m buying some "Experimental" items for GreenLiteBites that probably wouldn’t be normal purchases.
I’m not sure if you guys will think that’s high or low, but I have some tips that work for us.
- I rarely buy 100 cal pack stuff anymore. I’ll buy the regular packaged snacks and if I’m worried about portion control I’ll come home and separate them into servings with baggies.
- I learned our unique produce schedule. Buying fresh fruits and veggies can be tricky at first. Things go bad, you forget you bought them, and then you just wasted money on rotten food. To help, I rearranged my fridge to showcase the fresh stuff and hide the junk. That helped immensely. I also, from experience, learned how much I can get away with buying for the week that we’ll eat. This will be different family to family.
- I buy meats in bulk and especially when it’s on sale. I routinely separate ground turkey and meats to freeze in easy to defrost baggies.
- When a pantry item is on sale I buy extra even if I don’t need them. If it’s a good deal I’ll go nuts! For example is whole grain Lipton sides are 10 for $10, I buy 10. I also do it with canned foods, soups, spices, and condiments. I’m definitely a sale girl.
- I avoid coupons for things I don’t buy. I used to clip everything in the Sunday paper and use the coupon as an excuse to buy something I normally wouldn’t. I started to notice my shopping trips were getting more expensive when I used coupons, not less! No more, if I don’t normally buy it I don’t even clip. It’s not worth it just because I have a coupon.
Alright, there you have it. I’m REAL curious to learn your shopping habits and tips!
So…
How much do you spend? and how do you save?
56 Responses to How much do you spend on groceries? with Tips!
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Roni started this blog in '05 to journal her weight loss. 70lbs later, she's committed to living a conscious, healthy life and hopes to inspire others along the way. Read more on the about page.
Here’s the address to the actual recipe I mentioned, on food network. The original is slightly different from the way I do it from memory now.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chicken-stew-recipe/index.html
This is a frugal chicken stew, highly nutritious, you can easily freeze it and also you make substitutions and it always comes out great.
I just thought I would add something that I have recently found… amazon.com groceries! You can get boxes of healthy food like soy crisps and cereal bars cheap with free shipping. Each month there are even special deals on certain brands to save more! The expiration dates are typically not for months and then you always have healthy food around the house :)
I spend about $180/month on groceries for my family of three. The key is stocking up on sale items and being flexible with your meal plans. There is a great website called http://www.thegrocerygame.com A list is posted for your local grocery of all of the best deals and identifies which coupon to use when. I save about 30-60% off the bill.
This is a great post. My bf and I recently bought a new home, and I’m starting to think about budgeting for our food cost. Since we’ve had extra money, we’ve always gone out 2-3 times a week, but that will be stopping. I love to cook and would love to cook mostly organic, but I just don’t think it’s going to be in our budget. I’m hoping 50-60 a week will be enough for 2.
I am also joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) near us, which I’m paying $250 for a small share of a 16 week season, so I’m thinking that will help a lot. Thanks so much for all the great tips~
Thanks for this post. I am just beginning to do meal planning and I can’t believe how much it is helping my organization in other household areas. It is so motivating when you have a plan for food… then you begin to believe that you could get on top of whatover is taking over the peace in your household!
Anyway, That has been my question, just how much is reasonable to spend? I have 4 kids and we are trying to hit 800 per month. When I think of that, it seems too hight, but that includes some health products that we really want to use for about 100/month. But the budget is helping me say no to more and think, “maybe next month”.
thanks for the idea to display the healthy stuff front and center in the fridge. That’s a little change that I’m looking forward to making.
Cheryl – Reasonable is what works for your family. I easily spend 600/month for a family of 3 and it’s sure to grow with my little one getting bigger.