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Grocery Budget!
I've decided to conduct a very informal poll.... What does your family spend per month on groceries? We have a family of 5 - baby is nursing and eating rice cereal only - and we're trying to eat on $300 a month. I never can quite stay in our budget. Am I crazy to think this should be enough? If you don't mind sharing, what do you spend?
18 comments from 11 users
posted by
scottso
on Dec 6, 2007 at 06:42 PM
In my opinion theres no way thats enough. :( Our family of 5 spends a LOT more than that, but then again our kids are late elementary school age so they are eating a lot more than a few years ago. I haven't actually sat down and budgeted it (which we should probably do) but off the top of my head we spend easily 2 and maybe even 3 times that, possibly more, especially if there are big holidays during the month and we are entertaining. But then again I'm a big steak lover and we eat it a lot and that gets expensive. And we also splurge too much on wine. Honestly, if you want opinions, mine would be to make the food a priority even if you have to be late on a bill or two. My mother always said, better to spend it on food than the doctor and thats good advice.California is expensive to live in any event. My parents live in upstate NY and everything is significantly cheaper there than here in the grocery store. Milk for example is easily $1 less a gallon there and eggs are about $1 less a dozen. posted by
Sparks
on Dec 6, 2007 at 07:17 PM
A typical trip to Albertson's for me is always around $160.00, and I go twice monthly. However, we are a family of two. I don't know how you are feeding a family of 4 (not counting the baby) for only $10.00 a day, especially in Tehachapi. Sounds impossible to me. I think your budget needs to double. The average American family of four spends $121 a week on groceries according to Catholic Mom, although she can feed a family of 9 for the same amount. She has some tips how on her website: http://www.catholicmom.com/...
posted by
madkow2747
on Dec 6, 2007 at 07:22 PM
There are three people in my family and we probably spend $250-$300 a month. Most of it goes to my husband and I- our son is nursing and eating homemade baby food once or twice a day, so he's still cheap. My husband likes to eat a lot of meat too- usually two meals a day with some kind of meat. We don't buy any junk food (except the occasional splurge on cookies) or soda. But we do have to buy some microwave meals for my husband to eat when he's on the road and those are pretty expensive. I could easily get away with spending less on food, but my husband is so miserable when he doesn't get good food! He says that cheap stuff isn't filling enough. But it doesn't bother me in the slightest- I mean, really, who hasn't lived off ramen before?
posted by
Sparks
on Dec 6, 2007 at 07:51 PM
I find this interesting: The Food Stamp Program: A 4- person household with zero net income would receive the maximum food stamp benefit of $506 per month.
posted by
madkow2747
on Dec 6, 2007 at 08:46 PM
I'll start trusting food stamps a whole lot more once the debit cards completely replace the paper stamps (and the real change received).
posted by
sunshine
on Dec 6, 2007 at 08:49 PM
Thanks for your feedback everyone. I was wondering if our budget was realistic, and hearing that food stamps gives $500 a month makes me think we need to re-evaluate! I don't feel so bad about going over budget now. Thanks :)
posted by
bigdog
on Dec 6, 2007 at 09:46 PM
We feed 7-8 people and 300 dollars is a joke. I bet we spend at least 2 or 3 times that our self's. My wife dose not like it when i go to the store because i can easly spend40-50 dollar on one meal and a snack or two. If we planed out our meals we could most likely save money.We keep lots of top Roman around for the kids and we go through milk like crazy. posted by
olivia
on Dec 7, 2007 at 04:24 AM
When I was a stay at home mom, I would plan menus for the month and go the grocery store every 2 weeks to buy groceries, except for the milk, bread and etc that was needed. I spent a lot less then. Now, we spend at least 800. monthly on groceries. That's not counting when we are both too burnt out to cook and we eat out or order pizza. (which is too often).
posted by
eekitsaspider
on Dec 7, 2007 at 08:04 AM
I feed a family of 6 and we spend arround $800 a month give or take. I try to get things as cheap as I can. I like to shop at Stater Bros. in Mojave their prices are a little more reasonable. I also tried Food Max in Bakersfield and the prices for things were half the price of Albertson's or Save Mart. So now I try to to go there atleast once a month for my Big shopping.
posted by
bunee
on Dec 7, 2007 at 08:12 PM
I do the Costco thing twice a month. My husband is a meat eater, so I buy it in bulk then divide it up and put it into the freezer.Then we buy milk , bread and eggs here in Tehachapi when we run low. It averages out to about $500/month for a family of four, but we are big eaters and have a teenage son that eats quite a bit. If you can get milk and bread in bulk, you can always freeze it until you need it. It's a little cheaper to do it that way. posted by
madkow2747
on Dec 7, 2007 at 08:53 PM
Milk freezes? Like the big gallon jugs of it? Does it taste good thawed? That would be great for us- milk's so expensive!I've been wondering if it's cheaper to just bake my own bread. It's a whole lot tastier, so I occasionally make my own now. We go to Costco too. It's fun there anyway- I'd go even if I weren't buying anything! posted by
sunshine
on Dec 7, 2007 at 09:13 PM
Yes, you can freeze milk.... just shake it up real good once it thaws... it tastes fine. The gallon jugs have enough room for the milk to expand, you can just put it directly in the freezer. I've heard you can also do it with the cardboard 1/2 gallons, but I have never tried it...eekitsaspider - my grandma loved going to Stater Brothers in Mojave (she passed away in Oct) but she thought it was a lot cheaper and the clerks were friendlier. I've never gone down, but maybe I ought to check it out and compare some prices! I've also heard that WinCo in Bakersfield is worth the drive because their prices are really low - not sure once you factor in gas though! posted by
madkow2747
on Dec 7, 2007 at 10:57 PM
I LOVE Winco! But the one in Lancaster is so busy it's insane. Fun to go on occasion though.
posted by
babydoll
on Dec 9, 2007 at 11:28 AM
We are a family of three (2 adults, 1 Toddler) and we spend easily $400 a month. We eat a lot of "health food" and I cook almost nightly.
posted by
Sparks
on Dec 9, 2007 at 11:55 AM
Sunshine, I shop at Stater Brothers now and then... I try and buy all my meat there. Their meat rocks!!! And yes, you can freeze milk in cardboard, my mom does it all the time.
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