I spend a lot of money on food – let me reiterate that. I spend A LOT (not “lots” because that is not a word), A LOT of money on food. If given a choice, I would probably spend my extra earnings on fun food products like nutritional yeast and peanut flour. Did you expect anything else from me? That’s just how I roll. Given the fact that I like to spend so much money on food, I put the Husband and me on a strict grocery budget a few months ago.
So, come the first of the month, the Husband hands me $250 and tells me to spend wisely. For you math freaks out there, that would be $62.50 a week, or $31.25 a week per person. In the beginning of the month, it’s great. I have an ample amount of money, can afford the kitchen staples I need, and life is good.
However, towards the end of the month – okay – more like the middle of the month, I start to panic because my wallet somehow shrinks and I have a mere $20 left in the “grocery money envelope”. I end up using my personal spending money on groceries the last two weeks of the month because my money somehow disappears.
I’m not sure where it goes, to tell you the truth. I buy the staples – produce, nuts, dried fruit, grains, flours, beans, broth, meat (for the Husband). I do not buy anything we really don’t need (ie: I buy my nutritional yeast and fun foodie buys WITH my personal spending money for this reason alone). The only food I would consider “unnecessary buys” would be the Husband’s chips, cereals, and ice cream. However, I feel like I shouldn’t prevent him from enjoying these when I shell out money to buy things that I love such as nuts and Greek yogurt. Just because I am sick in the head and my food pleasures are healthy doesn’t mean he has to always be on board with this (although we all know I would love it if he was).
I make my own gluten free bread products, bake the Husband treats at home, and we rarely go out to eat. Granted, the flours I buy are more expensive, and my gluten free oats aren’t the cheapest product out there.
But with my food restrictions, I have to eat still, so I make do. I also meal plan like crazy every Saturday to make sure I only buy what I need. With all of this being said, I need the following advice:
1. Am I being too frugal with my grocery budget? Do you think I am being unrealistic in my budget?
2. Do you have any advice on how to manage the money throughout the month to make it last?
3. What do you and your family spend on groceries every month? (with the number of people included)
Can you also tell that it is still 8 more days before the beginning of the month, and I had to have the Husband bust out extra money for me so we could eat next week?
{ 105 comments… read them below or add one }
I spend wayyyy too much money on food! Enough said… it stresses me out to even think about it
TELL ME HOW MUCH!
I woke up with anxiety about my food spending early this morning! I’m a single person & I tend to spend $50 and up at the grocery store each week!! Looking forward to reading the advice you get…
I get anxiety about it too!
Me three. I’m a single person, I spend between 50-70 a week… although I also feed my boyfriend on the weekend (and he eats a lot).
We spend about $100 per week on groceries for 4 people.
No, health is worth the price. If there is something that I really want, and it is pretty expensive, I am expected to pay for it.
That’s really good!
Wow! I hope my husband never learns how much (how little) you spend on food. We have a family of 4 (used to be 5 before my step-daughter moved out) and I spend $250 per WEEK on food and other necessities (shampoo, tp, laundry detergent, etc.). I shop at Walmart because it’s cheap even though they don’t carry much of the foods I eat and Whole Foods for the vegan foods (Vegenaise, Gimme Lean, Daiya, etc.).
I’ve got two boys, one who is fastly approaching those bottomless pit teenage years. I have a feeling I’ll have to buy more food eventually.
I know we’ll someday get up to the $250 a week range when we have a family!
This is one reason why I am nervous about getting married, ha! I spend around 50-75 a week for just myself. That is buying just the bare necessities. I can’t imagine trying to feed myself AND a man. I really believe that you can’t put a price on health, though. I would rather feed myself well and take care of my body than spend the money on material things, so to me, it’s worth it.
It’s worth it to me too! Which is why I usually spend my personal spending cash on food.. haha!
I recently did a post on my blog about meal planning on a budget and I’m teaching a class on it! I don’t think that you are being unrealistic at all. Do you shop in multiple stores to find the best deals? Do you build your menu around sales? Do you stick to a list or do you make impulse purchases? Budgeting is really tough- especially for foodies because we love trying new food and cooking, and unfortunately the healthy stuff can be expensive! We spend $400-500/month for two adults and we also have my stepchildren about 12 days out of the month. We used to spend $1200 a month!!!!
$1200 a month? Holy cow! I don’t currently build my menu around sales – that’s a really good idea! I always stick to my list!
You are SO frugal!! I am impressed!! I could never have a budget that low! I really don’t know how much I spend on food, because I don’t keep track (SHOULD though…) but trust me, it’s a lot more than $32!
P.S. Thanks for the lovely comment you made on my blog Chelsey! Meant a lot
I hear ya! I feel the same. I usually have to go to 3 places to get certain foods at the best price. But its totally worth it!
I can definitely relate! Healthier foods and “fun foodie items” definitely tend to cost more. Especially when you try and buy organic foods. The way I have cut down my grocery bill is by getting as many items on my shopping list as I can from the regular supermarket and trader joe’s. I was quite surprised to find that the chain supermarket close to my house sells organic kale, collards, etc. For some reason I thought I would only be able to find my “special” greens at Whole Foods and similar health food stores. Whatever foods I cannot find at the supermarket or Trader Joes (which are usually the fun health food goodies), I get from the more expensive health food stores for. Although it can be inconvenient to have to shop at multiple places, it has definitely cut down my monthly spending. Also, shopping in bulk bins can be very cost-effective.
And to be honest, some people spend their money on clothes, vacations, going out to dinner or going out to bars. If you are spending it on healthy food that will nourish your body, it is an INVESTMENT in your health and well-being. As you get older i’m sure you will be glad you spend that extra money!
I usually buy organic food as well – I am a TJ’s shopper and most of the time it all happens to be organic. I always shop at 2-3 stores each weekend!
I am not even sure how much I spend monthly on food. I usually drop around 200-250 on my “big” monthly shopping trip (I only get paid once per month). That is the pay day trip. We then go to the produce stand at least once a week at no less than 20$ a trip. Plus we hit the super market at least once weekly for necessities such as bread, milk, juice, etc. That is usually around 30-40 weekly. Plus if I have a craving for something and need ingredients I will go get them. I would estimate between 4-500 monthly?? That is four a family of four, having to be certain items for certain people as you do, and I have to do lunch for the kiddos since I refuse to let them eat yucky cafeteria food! You are doing just fine considering your circumstances, tell the husband I said so..haha!
I’m ridiculous when it comes to the grocery store and used to spend WAY too much money. Right now I have put myself on a grocery budget for $100/week for a family of four. I love to buy things not on my list, so I meal plan like a crazy person most weeks and I have just set myself a goal to make things like granola bars, etc. myself instead of buying them, but that still costs money! Anyways, I let myself have a “fun” food splurge with every trip. If I want to try something new, I can only try one thing each week. I used to be ridiculous, but by setting myself some limits I’ve really been able to chill with the spending! Now this budget is only for food…I have other money budgeted for household things like toilet paper, toothpaste, etc. I’d never make it otherwise!!
I think one of our problems is our toiletries comes out of this money. I’ve told the Husband I don’t think it should, but he thinks otherwise!
we spend WAY too much money on food. i love whole foods and rarely shop elsewhere, and it’s a rare week when our bill doesn’t come to triple digits. i’d estimate for the 2 of us it’s about $500/mo, and that doesn’t include eating out!
i was intrigued with this month’s issue of clean eating which seemed to focus a lot on budget cooking, and i think we may be due for some kind of challenge to see if we can improve things
thanks for this timely post!
I feel the same way!!
We spend an easy 300 a month sometimes more. My fiance has us on a strict grocery budget as well. We’re on a strict budget no matter what. We even sometimes have to break into the date night envelope because we need groceries. Healthy food is expensive but I can’t not eat healthy. I buy the staples so that I can keep eating healthy. We spend a little more too on the fiances, ice cream, cookies, chips, sandwich stuff, pizzas, stuff that he enjoys, i can’t make him not eat this stuff, I mean I would LOVE for him not to eat any of that and eat as healthy as me but it wont happen so we have to comprimise. We don’t eat out a lot either which is why some date night money is used for groceries, Its very frustrating when all you want to do is eat healthy yet it’s so darn expensive. I feel ya girl!! you’re not alone!! Trust me my fiance would love for me to live off top ramen just cause we could cut down to $25 a month
wow that was a long comment I left
I am buying for a family of four. I go on one BIG shopping trip per month for pantry items and stuff that i can freeze and i read the paper, clip coupons, and make sure i go to the place where they have buy one get one specials for meat and staples. I write out my list and then beside each item I write the most i will spend on each item. That way i never go over my “allowence” . I spend about $250 in my big trip. and then probably $30 a week after that. For produce usually the farmers market has it cheaper. It is a lot but, i feel like the majority of my $$$ is spent on detergent, diapers, TP, and paper towels!
I know EXACTLY how you feel. I try my best to budget for $300 a month- just for the two of us. But we still overspend, and I often rack my brain trying to figure out why and how to cut down on our spending. I do feel like prices have gone up in the past couple of months. I keep track of our expenses with an Excel spreadsheet and I have definitely seen our grocery bill go up since September. So I’m trying to limit the number of new recipes I try out and to only buy what’s on sale or necessary. It’s just so hard, being a foodie and all, I want to buy everything! Let me know if you get any good tips!
Hey doll! Great post, i’m in the same boat, except i’m forced to stick to my food budget because i’m actually living off of the SNAP program (aka…foodstamps). Being a single person household, I’m given 200/month. They increase the amount if you have kids, a spouse, etc…but with that said, since it’s the two of you living off of 250, I would say that you may want to up it to 300/month. That’s just my opinion, though.
Also! you should check out the blog 100daysofrealfood.com It details a mother, her husband and their two kids..and how they make do buying REAL food (ie food with less than 5 ingredients on the ingredient list, mostly organic etc.) and she limits herself to a very strict budget each week (I think it’s 125/week for a family of 4). She’s done super, well, too! She’s almost done with her 100 day challenge… but you can of course look back on her posts. Hope this helps! Let me know if I can help anymore…
I’ll have to check that out, too! Thanks!
I have to go check out that blog!
I, too have the grocery shopping blues. I have just started trying out all natural whole foods and let me tell you..it is SO much more expensive to shop this way! I’ve spent wayy too much already this month…I’m not even sure exactly how much because I don’t want to know…
Health is worth it, but I think I’ll have to be smarter about this whole food shopping…how? I don’t know lol.
It’s crazy! You’d think less ingredients = less $$$…but obvs not!
That really doesnt sound unrealistic to me. My own grocery budget (as a single gal) is about on par with your per person budget. I definitely have cut back a lot by getting all my produce at a local produce stand where things are a great deal cheaper than the grocery store – I can get a whole week’s worth of fruit/veggies for around $8-15, depending on what I go for.
My parents are so nice to give me a budget each month. Right now, with all of the credits I’m taking, I can not get a job. It’s a lump sum of money which I spend on gas, clothes, and of course food. I used to spend more of the money on clothes, but now I spend more on food… which is more expensive! I’m like you, and I’m practically scraping by at the end of the month! Ahhh!
My husband would fall on the floor if I spent $250 a month on groceries. And by that I mean he would be so HAPPY. I don’t even know if I want to type this right now, but we spend, okay I spend $600 per month on groceries ($150/week). Yikes, huh? That is for me, my husband, and my 2 year old. I just skimmed through the comments but I guess I spend more than the average bear.
Girl, you do not even WANT to know how much my family spends on food! I would say it’s embarrassing, but hey, a girl’s gotta eat!
P.s. I feel for you, gf products are MAD expensive! I wish bob’s would send me a lifetimes supply of goodies:)
I am loving reading the advice you’re getting on here, because I have a (bad) habit of spending way too much on food, too! Luckily, I’ve definitely reeled myself in over the past couple of months. Some weeks all I have to buy is fresh produce, milk and a protein of some form and I’m set on staples, but I still wind up spending $40-$50 pretty much just for that. If I need to stock up on staples, I’m probably closer to $60. And if I wind up stopping at the co-op for something, I can never get out of there spending less than $25, and that’s in addition to my weekly grocery shopping trip. That explains why I don’t go there often
The good thing, though? Being that I’m only feeding myself, a small (but still $5) bag of a grain/flour/whatever lasts longer 
As for “making money last,” I pretty much limit myself to the produce that is on sale/not outrageously expensive now. Same goes for protein. I really wanted tofu this week, but when I was grocery shopping saw that tempeh was BOGO. Uh, I’m having tempeh
And now that I have a printer set up, I am going to make a point to become more diligent about printing coupons by scoping out manufacture sites and coupon sites. Do you get flyers for your store’s sales? That might help with meal planning if you can see what’s on sale before you make your plans, if you don’t do that already.
I’ve been better about making my own nut butters, which used to be a major money pit, and same goes for bars and other snacky things. I still can’t resist a fun find like a new flour though! So one “fun thing” is sort of a part of my budget now. We’ve got to have fun, too, you know! This made me realize I still spend too much, though, so I think I’m going to make it a February goal to reel in my food spending habits once again – I know it can be done!
On another note – we could just go to mcdonald’s and live off the dollar menu…we’d be way under $30/week, then! (…and probably way under ground, too…)
holy novel. i did NOT realize I talked that much. I’m surprised I haven’t grown old yet.
I am NOT the right person to talk about grocery budgets (our family of 2 spends about $400/mo.)… but I’ve found that skipping Jewel/Dominicks and heading to Trader Joe’s and, the love of my life, Aldi, has saved me a TON. As in, buying the same food (probably better!) and cutting the bill in half, compared with what I used to spend at Jewel.
I’ve also found that shopping at Asian markets for Asian produce, Latin markets for Latin products, etc., saves a ton. It’s a supply/demand thing. TJ’s charged me $10 for the amount of produce I can get for LITERALLY $1 at the asian market. This is in Chicago… in case you want specifics.
Last advice — produce markets. They’re all over Chicagoland, you just have to find one closer to you. Ours, Stanley’s (in the city), is SUCH a deal. We’ve never spent more than $20 a week there, and we get a lot of produce when we go.
Sorry for the long comment, but I hope it helps!
Hi,
Do you go to the Asian markets on Devon/brdwy area? I wish there were one closer to my house. Does Stanley’s have organic? I used to go there all the time; I think I might just have to go tomorrow after work.
Thanks!
Lisa
Hey Lisa!
I actually go to the Asian market on Kimball and Belmont — I think in English it’s called Chicago Food Market? We live in Logan Square so it’s super close to us (both the Devon and Argyle area have great markets but they’re too far north). Chicago Food is a Korean market, but they have a lot of Chinese/Japanese/Vietnamese/Thai products as well, and a full butcher and produce section. And even some organic products.
Stanley’s does carry some organic produce — not everything has an organic version, but many things do, including organic greens, etc. Good luck shopping!!
I’m possibly the frugalist grocery shopper ever, yet I still find a way to get the weird/cool stuff. We do a lot of food shopping at Costco. We also go to international markets where produce is cheap. It’s not organic but some things don’t need to be i.e. fruit with skin yadda yadda. Those places make TJ’s produce seem expensive.
I use coupons a lot too. But I make sure not to use coupons for things I wouldn’t buy normally. I think $250 is reasonable, you just have to be REALLY careful with every purchase.
I spend about $500 for a family of four. I think it can be done with careful planning and using coupons and shopping at warehouse clubs. I also buy what’s on sale in bulk including meats for the family (I don’t eat meat but they do). Good luck.
I live at home but cook for myself since my family doesn’t have the same eating habits as me. I don’t budget my food, but know that I spend way too much! If I’m out of apples or bananas I will go to the store and get more instead of making due with something else.
My budget isn’t a big issue right now because I don’t have many other expenses, but when I do it’s gonna be a huge shock! I should probably start keeping track now…
For two people, we spend $250 – 400 a month on groceries. Like you we don’t eat out much, stick to menus [planned around vegetables] & make a lot of our own goods. I am sure you stick to the bulk bins as well; we save a lot by cooking our own grains, beans, etc. We just moved here & are looking into the CSA [bountifulbaskets.org is a good option if it is available to you] which I think will be great. I know a lot of people shop multiple stores for the best price…but you just have to decide what your time is worth. I LOVE grocery shopping, but I would rather spend hours in my favorite grocer than driving all over town, plus we try not to drive that often/much.
we spend a similar amount – it’s amazing how much money is spent of food and how easy it is to spend even more so easily! I find that when I make dishes that include a homemade bread/dough (pizza, flatbread, pita bread, etc) the dishes seem SO filling and end up being the cheapest! Also, we make A LOT of veggies soups which are pretty healthy and inexpensive! I try and plan meals out that use similar ingredients so that for example, I can make 1 pepper last 2 meals because I’ll just use half of eat each time. I think it’s great you’re doing this and it really helps to appreciate things more!
That’s a good tip – thanks!
I’d say my hubby and I spend just about the same amount as you do per month. We just trade off who goes grocery shopping each time. I pick up his (unecessary) snacks and he picks me up my bottles of vino and Smartdogs. It all works out in the end!
Get on those coupons! That’s my advice.
I buy bags of nooch from the bin isle…then refill my shakers. That’s a big save. I have no other advice…LOL…I have my own grocery budget issues.
KERF does a menu plan for the week..have you tried that?
oh this is such a good topic. i did a post about how i save money at the grocery store. one thing i do is that i am not married to organic. i’d rather buy any apples than only buy organic ones. so i buy conventional. with most evreything. dirty dozen? yeah, i know. and i am ok with saving money on non organic if that’s what needs to be done.
toiletries, TP, paper towels, etc that stuff is hugely expensive and if you are buying your entire food budget + household “goods” for the month for 250 you’re doing good.
i also order online ALL bulk and dry goods, i.e. flours, nooch, etc. i have an iherb code to save you money if you need one. it’s like 40% off retail.
Averie, I love that you say you aren’t “married to organic!” That’s such a good attitude to have. I really stressed myself out for a while trying to buy ONLY organic and nothing else… it wasn’t worth it to me. If a store is out of organic apples, I don’t really have a problem buying conventional. It’s better than having no apples at all!!
I’m not really “married to organic” but I try to make an effort to buy mostly organic. If they’re out of organic, or if another non organic brand is on sale, I’ll buy it.
I don’t really have a budget for things. So I checked for this month what I’ve spent on groceries, and it was around $300 for one person (if I add the wine in it gets more expensive….). I buy mostly fresh produce (currently vegan) and frozen vegetables. I was really surprised that I spend that much on groceries…. because I eat very little, buy price conscious, and it still added up. In my experience living with a guy the grocery needs go up 3x. Do you get anything to eat!!
BTW, there is a great website http://melomeals.blogspot.com/; the author tries to live on vegan meals for $3.33/day. Great tips!
LOL I totally have a grocery money envelope, too! I have to switch it out every couple of months because it starts to disintegrate. My parents still pay for my groceries, but I get 200 a month, or $50 a week. It’s definitely hard sometimes, but I make it work. I only have to buy food for one or two dinners a week, though, since my roommates and I each cook one night a week. I try to spread my toiletries and other “stupid” stuff (paper towels, dish soap, etc) out so I don’t end up with a huge bill.
I spend at least that for myself. I buy mainly veggies and other produce, and I include toiletries and such in that total too. I tracked my spending for a few months, and I think i averaged about $300 a month. I’m single, but I eat ALL my meals at home or make my lunches to pack, etc.
I think you’re doing crazy good with that for two people!
$250 for two people? I’d say you’re being frugal because I plan to spend around $200 a month.. for myself.. I’ll probably end up spending less sometimes but it would generally be around there. So that ends up being about $50 a week for one person.
I aim for about $75 a week, but give myself some wiggle room up to $100. Some weeks we go through a TON of groceries, cooking every night and maybe baking once or twice. Other weeks (like this week!) we somehow manage to make 2 dinners last us all week so I have a lot leftover and will not have to buy much on tomorrow’s grocery trip. The way I see it, if the majority of what we buy is healthy, whole foods it’s all good. I mean, you have to eat, right?? There have been some weeks when I have intentionally bought less (trying to stick to a tighter budget), but we just ended up starving and cranky and going to the store again later in the week!
Coupons, Coupons, Coupons!
I’ve saved up to $20 on one grocery trip! Whole Foods has great on-line coupons!
They sure do! I’ve taken advantage of them!
I thought more (I wonder who your most devoted reader is…hmmm..blogging is so weird in a cool way..)
Email your fave companys and don’t be shy…I’ve emailed them and said “I eat your product every single day for the past 6 years and I should probably own stock…how can I get coupons?” <–I never lie, there are some things I really have eaten every day for years. Customer Service people rock.
Look into buying your staples in bulk…like the oats. Buy them two cases at a time online as if you were a grocer. You'll save…and you know they'll get used.
Great tips – thanks Missy!
wow there’s no way I could get by with that amount of money/month on groceries. When my husband and I got married 10 months ago we started a book writing down everything we spent each month, and add it up at the end of the month.. organized into: bills/rent/etc, gas, food, and fun/other. We were shocked to see we spent about $500 per month for the two of us. we rarely eat out, and if we do it’s when we are on a road trip and hit up subway. we eat healthy and buy a lot of fresh food. living in california makes buying produce cheaper as it’s all grown right around where we live. that being said, I have always said I don’t mind putting money into eating healthy food. i would not feel the same way if we were eating junk all the time or eating out on a regular basis. maybe try writing down your spending for a few months to see where your money is going. it’s been such an eye opener for us, and even makes us not spend on things we don’t need since we don’t want to have to write it down
Thanks Tara! That’s a great idea! I’m planting my first garden this spring, so I’m hoping some of that produce will even it out!
I don’t think your budget is unrealistic!! Whenever my mom and I go to the store, we always have a set list, coupons, and take advantage of BOGO. Spending lots of money grocery shopping is easy, which is hard a lot of times!!
I spend way to much at the store for groceries but I’m trying to cut back a lot for my family it gets so hard! I just try to stick with fruits veggies and stay away from any processed foods… still I wish things Healthy foods were less expensive!
I definitely love grocery shopping and trying new (not always cheap) foods, which can make it hard to stay on a budget.
For tips I might check out Thirty Bucks A Week (http://thirtyaweek.wordpress.com/). The recipes aren’t all gluten free, but I’m pretty sure they’re all vegetarian. It could be good for advice on how to cut down on shopping expenses.
I used to be able to keep my grocery bill fairly low, but I’ve been having digestive issues and am switching over to GF foods. Holy moley, is it expensive. I spent a pretty hefty sum of money at Whole Foods today. I’m going to try and price these new foods online now. Amazon is great and I even invested in Amazon prime, which is so worth it and gets me free 2 day shipping.
I’ll give you a hint on how to cut down the costs with GF eating – no processed foods. It’s hard, but I rarely buy crackers, mixes, breads, etc. – I make them all at home!
I spend all my money at the grocery!! Some days I feel bad about it and other days I don’t because it’s the only thing I splurge on. And really it’s not all that much splurging. Joey and I trade off on paying every week and somehow we always spend a lot more on his weeks. I SWEAR I don’t plan it that way on purpose!! I’m trying to cut down our grocery costs but it’s seriously hard when you love food as much as I do and don’t ever want you or your significant other to be A) meal-less or B) snack-less.
Agreed! I never want the Husband to be hungry!
Ok I’m like honestly a little ashamed to admit how much I spend on food… but I use mint.com so… I know that it’s usually like $300 a month… and that’s just for me. YIKES! But, my justification is:
1. I buy healthy food, and don’t waste money on chips, candy, etc.
2. I don’t eat out much at all
3. I don’t usually drink when I go out with friends (and that can get SO expensive!)
I know that $300 (or more) is KIND of crazy for one 22 year old girl, but I look at it as my heath + my hobby. (Ok, so that’s my justification, and it helps me sleep at night. hahaha)
In my opinion, I don’t think you can put a price on health! I’ll have to talk to the husband to see if we can bump it up!
Wish I had some advice for you, but sadly $250 a month would barely get me by on a grocery budget. And I live alone! But in my defense, rarely ever eat out!
Eekk, I spend SO MUCH money on food every month!!! For our family of 3, I spend probably 300 dollars at Costco alone. Then I also go to the regular grocery store a few times (maybe 50-100 each time). I should start adding it up to see how much I actually spend.
You’re awesome for staying on that budget! But if you are being very frugal and you’re out of money with 8 days left in the month–you may need to bump it up a little.
ok.. well i dont have advice unfortunately.. but now you’ve got me thinking and i probably have the same issue… yikes! im glad you wrote this though.. i could use the advice from the other comments~!
Read the advice! There’s some great tips!
I’m a single grad student and can easily spent $75 a week on groceries. I’m really trying to cut back, but things add up really quickly when I stick to the periphery of the store and buy tons of fruit and veggies! I need some tips, too!
I try to budget our food…but it never works. I realize I could spend a lot less-but then we’ll get random cravings and end up going to the store 4xs in a week!
My parents do all that.. but are whole family eats 100% organic and healthy, so it is expensive! Basicly my mom always tells me to stick to the bulk bins and i know she ” plans” menues at the start of each week! Now that i’m into cooking i get to help! I actually kind of like the planning and shopping part!
lili=nerd
My boyfriend and I don’t have a strict “budget” necessarily, but we do try to stay within a normal range each week. Typically, I make a list on Sunday that plans out dinners for the week, as wel as any lunch items or other things that we need. We try not to spend on silly unnecessary things and stick to the list as much as possible. And, my boyfriend is really big on “only buying things on sale.” So, weekly, we spend about $60-$85 at the grocery store – it can be les or more depending if we are stocking up on some things or won’t be home as often that week – but we probably eat out once a week at the most.
I think that toiletries should not come out of that budget though…maybe allocate from somewhere else? And I think that is also really considerate of you to purchase your more unique items out of your personal stash…such a good wifey!!
I try to keep our budget to about $100/week for 2 people. But, this also includes non-food items like toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning products, and dog food. If we need non-food items, I try to plan so I’m only getting a couple with each shopping trip, so I’m not spending too much of our “food” money on non-food items.
I find that it can be really hard just to keep it under $100, so if you’re at about $60/week, then you’re doing way better than me!
I am sooo not the person to be giving out advice. I spend anywhere from $50 to $90 on groceries a week for me alone!!! Luckily my parents are paying for my groceries while I’m still in school and they’re really understanding about my healthy lifestyle. I need to learn to budget for when I have to support myself though!
I just read through every single blog, because I am sort of in the same boat as you. The only difference is I know we need to set a budget, but we haven’t/kinda don’t want to! (we NEED to soon).
My boyfriend and I go grocery shopping 2x a month. I’d say during our big grocery shopping trips we spend about 65 at the regular grocery store and 65 at TJ’s/health food store. (130 every 2 weeks)
However, I have a bad habit of swinging by the store on my break or after work to pick up fun foodie ingredients for something I want to make on a whim. So while our normal grocery shopping is about 260/month, I have no idea how much I randomly spend.
Do you use any computer/online programs for your budget or did you just sit down and write out all of your expenses?
I think the way to solve your problem would be to make a separate budget for household items, toiletries, ect.
I went to Whole Foods this week and dropped $130 on food for MYSELF—EEEEEKKKKK!!!!(I think it may last 2 weeks or so? who knows) UGH… I think I average around $50-100 a week on food. depending on the week. sometimes less, sometimes more. I try not to budget myself for obvious reason, i already feel guilty about eating i dont need to feel guilty for spending money on food. I do buy expensive products though–lots of greek yogurt, nuts, organic stuff, organic soups….etc. It’s what i like though, i’m not gunna beat myself up over it!
Dana xoxo
happinessiswithinblog.com
PS
I dont eat everything I buy. I dot waste foods but a lot of the time I am not in the mood for whats in the fridge/freezer so I go out to the store to get what I want! lol not the best way to save money but i’m not really looking to save money. I mean, we need to eat. I dont drink, smoke cigarettes, go tanning etc. all these things my friends do by the way! So i figure, so what I shop at an expensive grocery store! :p When me and my boyfriend shop together we usually spend like 100-150 and the food lasts a week or two. Like I said though, we both get bored and want to get new foods but usually our freezer and cabnits are full so if we really wanted too, we could make the food last MUCH LONGER!
i/we spend around $100-150/week for 2 people (my self and my husband). sad, but true. i’m gf and soy free so sometimes it’s the price you pay for good food. (we also run marathons so we eat a LOT)
i order my meat from a local farm (grass fed, grass finished beef, and free range chickens) once a month and then just buy produce, etc at the store each week. the meat keeps my husband happy and the veggies are mostly for me
costco has some great veggies this time of year if you’re willing to for-go the organic component- brussel sprouts, butternut squash, broccoli, organic baby spinach and apples- yes, it is larger quantities, but when you eat it almost daily, it adds up to big savings.
This is a great topic because I think it’s really easy to overspend on groceries. Some weeks are better than others. I think the most helpful thing is to try to plan your meals in advance, that way you know what to expect to spend each week. Also, pantry dinners are a big money saver near the end of the month.
i know the feeling chelsey! i also spend way too much on food and our budget is never enough. my only real tip is going to the store only once a week or whatever, and making do with what’s at home until the next scheduled visit. i’m a hypocrite though, since i find it hard to follow that advice myself! i would post what i spend but since i’m in the UK it’s probably irrelevant :-s
My grocery budget took a HUGE hit last year. The hubs got out of the military and our monthly income was slashed by $2000 so I HAD to cut back at the grocery store!! Unfortunately a lot of that was in fresh produce
I think I used to easily spend $150-200 a week for just me and my two kids, plus my nephew who I babysat 40 hrs a week at the time. But we ate so well then! Now I have to stick to Aldis and Walmart–as much as I hate going to Walmart, it really does stretch my dollar the furthest!! I now have a budget of $400-500 a month for food/household goods/diapers for a family of 4. We never eat out and whenever we do start having more income, it will probably go towards food!! -
Honestly, it is hard when you have restricted diets. You would think it would be easier, but dang the cost of gluten free and dairy free is just so crazy. I don’t think being more aware of what you spend is definitely a step in the right direction. Do you buy canned beans or dry. Dry is actually a huge savings too. It takes a little time to prepare them, but I think in the end it is worth it. We really don’t have a true budget for groceries, but we are not willy nilly at the store either. We have staples we buy and as a treat occasionally we will get a box of wine or a carton of ice cream for the boys.
I totally agree!
We usually buy canned because it’s easier for me, but right now I’m making dry beans – I just have to think it through!
I think we spend about 300 dollars a month! I love that you use your personal spending money for food….I am the same way. Delicious nut butter or a new shirt….nut butter:) It will be so nice to someday just spend whatever we want on food:) I think I am going to try the whole couponing thing!
We are doing Financial Peace University through our church (Dave Ramesey). Anyways- we sat down and budgeted EVERYTHING. One tip I would suggest IS to separate your toilitres/house expenses from your grocery money. Even RXs don’t come out of your grocery envelope. Only food. Also, we only use $ for alcohol from our own spending money- it is not a necessity to live! And, we only go out to eat on our “Date Night” money or with gift certificates.
That being said- we have a food budget of $200/mo for 2 people, which is $50 per week. I find it easiest to take $50 out of the bank each week (in CASH) before I go to the store so that I’m not “short” at the end of the month.
I make a rough meal plan based around cheap items in our pantry (beans, rice, gf pasta). Then, I figure out what types of veggies/proteins sound good- We only eat meat about 1x per week (at home) and so I’ll find whatever is least expensive yet appetizing.
Usually I pick up from the produce dpt: apples, bananas, 2 fresh veggies, onions, sweet potatoes. Refrigerated/frozen: eggs, cheese, milk, frozen veggies, lunchmeat, meat or fish, yogurts for the hubs. Canned/dried: Beans, rice (if we’re out), canned tomatoes, peanuts (home made PB), nuts for snacking, dried fruit (raisins are least expensive). We both usually eat oats for breakfast, I “splurge” and get Bob’s Red Mill GF oats, but they last about 2 weeks. For lunch, we usually have leftovers or eggs/fruit. We also get a bag of inexpensive coffee each week, along with “others” such as popcorn kernels, butter, chocolate (*NECESSARY!) etc.
So yeah- $200/mo for 2, or $50 per week.
My sister and her husband did the Financial Peace University, and they actually have a class going on at my church right now. $50 is AWESOME! We always do cash too – I think part of my plan is to only tak the $60 or so dollars with me to the store each week and see how that goes!
I just had to drop a note- I’ve been a lurker on your blog for several months now (I found you by reading comments on Kath’s blog, which I’ve read regularly for almost two years) I too am a Chelsea with a teacher’s license (though I’m not using mine currently) who is gluten intolerant, so I find your blog very useful to my lifestyle.
The question of food budget has become an issue for me recently too. I’m a waitress, so I get cash every night. It’s easy to let that slip through your fingers. I’ve never been the type to make one major run to the grocery. I’m really weird, I know, but shopping for food is my FAVORITE thing to do. When I’m super stressed, my little sister/best friend finds some excuse to take me to the grocery store. I’ve started mentally adding up the money I spend at Walmart, Meijer’s, and our local co-op, and I’m easily spending 70+ dollars a week on groceries for just me. That doesn’t include when I forget to pack a lunch/dinner and have to buy something at work. Gluten free is expensive! And I rarely buy pre-made gluten free products. (eight dollars for pretzels? No thank you).
I understand your husband wanting a budget, though. It’s a tough situation.
So what you’re saying is we’re twins, right?
Don’t be a lurker, be a commenter – you have great tips!!!
Grocery shopping is my favorite thing to do too – and I totally understand about the waitressing money – I waitressed in college, and I never knew where the money went!
P.S., I was telling my sister-in-law how much I spend on Greek Yogurt, and she laughed at me, and told me to make my own. So I did this last week, and I swear, it’s SO EASY!
Bring however much milk you want (I’ve done it three times this week, and each time I used a pint mason jar, but she does a gallon at a time) just to the point of a boil ( you want to kill any existing bacteria) let it cool till it’s about 115 degrees. Mix in a few spoonfuls of yogurt (it takes yogurt to make yogurt, but after the first batch, you just use the last bits of what you made to make the next batch. It’s like chain smoking!) into the milk. After that, you have to keep it at 105 to 115 degrees for at least six hours. I do this by putting the jar in a water bath, and putting that bowl on a heating pad. Some people put it on a radiator. You’ll know it’s yogurt when you taste it. To make it Greek yogurt, line a colander with paper towels, dump the yogurt into the colander, and set it in a bowl in the fridge overnight. The whey filters out, and you’re left with strained yogurt. Super easy, super cheap, and, in my opinion, better than store-bought.
That budget is workable, we spend 80.00 every two weeks and it works out pretty good we never eat out either. We have a store that price matches others ads so when we get out ads on Tuesday I sit down and find the stuff that I need to see who has the best sales and then take the ads with me to the store so that they will price match it. I can normally get most things on sale or I know where to go to get the best price for the items I like that arent on sale. It takes a little planning but it really saves a lot of money and I think your health is important, its either eat well or spend that extra money at the doctors office and meds. I recommend finding some where that price matches and although “health food” isnt always on sale the hubbys stuff probably will be
Chelsey,
I love this post because I spend waaaaaaay too much money on food and am trying to discern where my dollars go. With gluten and dairy allergies, I end up buying a lot of ‘specialty’ foods. Even a box of oatmeal costs $6 – twice the price of ‘regular’ oats. Looking forward to seeing your advice over the next month. The one small change I’m making is considering bulk purchases of fruit and veggies. Rather than the individual cut up fruit servings at Whole Foods, I’m buying either the bargain bowl (or whole fruit and cutting it myself). And this summer I’ll be registering for my local CSA.
Good Luck!
Kate
Kate,
It can be so expensive to buy the GF oats/flours! Buying whole fruits is so much cheaper – it really doesn’t take long to slice up a pineapple or melon!
Hi,
We are 2 and a baby and we spend $50 a week. BUT, we don’t have any food allergies, we have our own milk cow, raise our own meat and in the summer we can and freeze fruits and vegetables from our own garden and a local farm. With meat and produce we eat only from our province (I’m from Canada!) or it has to be organic.
An example of our grocery list for this week is:
Pears
Green Onions
Sweetened Condensed Milk (Baking!)
Peanut Butter
Cashews
Corn Nuts
Sunflower Seeds
Butter
Flour
Baking Chocolate
Corn Syrup
Shampoo
Bandaids
I make a trail mix for my husband that lasts him a week or so. He’s a carpenter and it’s easy for him to snack on, I ran out of a few of those items, so I will stock up in bulk. I would love to say I buy organic nuts, but I can’t do it, just too much! We don’t tend to have alot of fresh fruit around in the winter and spring, because it’s just not local or way too expensive. As long as we have one thing, like apples, pears or organic bananas, it’s okay! We also have home canned peaches that taste so fresh when you want that healthy treat.
We don’t use coupons, but there is only two grocery stores where I live (On an island!) and one of them has “10% off Tuesdays” So I usually hit that up. I only go once a week and I find that really helps lower the budget.
Also, in the summer, we eat almost no carbs, just tons of fruit, vegetables and grilled meats. Eating seasonly is cheaper and better for you as well!
Agreed! I barely eat any breads in the summer!
Thanks for the list! I’m planning on planting a veggie/herb garden this spring, and I am so excited about it. You are so lucky to be able to raise your own meat and own milk! I’m pretty adament about organic products.
I’m always waiting for the first of the month too. The husband and I don’t really go out to eat ever so we don’t have a budget per say. I do try and keep groceries to around 120 a week, with 2 people, its 60 bucks a person and that 60 bucks feeds us 3 meals a day plus 2 snacks. We eat meat and that usually eats up a bulk of the budget since we only buy organic, grass fed and free range. But I rather spend a little more on keeping our bodies healthy then buying cheaper not as healthy foods. I did a post not too long ago on a grocery shop I did, what we bought and how we planned on using the foods. I think planning is the key to keeping the grocery bill down low.
http://balancedhealthylife.com/2011/01/17/grocery-shop-and-a-simple-salad-for-dinner/
Ok I am several months late to this party, but let me make you feel better about your food budget. I spend between $500-$600 a month on food – that covers 90% of my meals and about 30% of my boyfriend’s meals. (I make all my meals unless I’m going out with the bf or friends, which is a rarity, but he eats breakfast and lunch on the go almost daily.) Granted, we live in NYC where the cost of food is RIDICULOUS, but still. When I first moved here, I budgeted $20 a day JUST FOR ME, and it was hard to stick to – even if I made my own meals. I’ve gotten better.
We actually have a hard time splitting it up, because I do almost all of the shopping and he feels like he should pay for half, but I’m the health nut/foodie and tend to buy what I need regardless of the price. It’s easier for him to be willing to grab a $2 slice of pizza for dinner if he’s been spending a lot, whereas it takes more creativity for me.
Anyway, novella – sorry. But I think you’re doing really well!
Hey Chelsey! New reader here (found you from STSL!) and I love this post. I graduated from college a little over a year ago and I never realized how expensive groceries are! OMG kills me every month. We try to stay under $60 each week (similar budget to you) and we hardly EVER go out to eat. Tough stuff!
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