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. This is where money management software really comes in handy. 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?
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