Groceries!

[Loves Vintage]

How much do you spend on groceries per month? For how many people? Do you shop at just one store? A few? Share whatever info you'd like!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

How much do you spend on groceries per month? For how many people? Do you shop at just one store? A few? Share whatever info you'd like!

We spent A LOT! My older son only eats organic food and makes sure it's organic before eating (so I cannot sneak stuff past him), my younger is picky, and I have some food allergies, so as a result I ALWAYS make multiple dinners and it costs us a fortune. I will see what other people say first...hopefully it's not as bad as I am thinking it is or maybe food is just simply expensive and everyone is spending as much as I am!

 

[Deactivated member 42515]

DH goes through milk like you WOULD NOT BELIEVE! No wonder he's a big man at 6'5''! So I've always got to have the fridge stocked with milk. I usually buy 4 or 5 jugs every two weeks?... Usually I have to go in between and get another jug because DH is in denial that he drinks that much and won't let me buy 5 or 6 at the store when we are already there. I probably spend about 150-250 every other week.

And then, there's our furry babies. I probably buy their dog food every other week and thats about a 15lb $45 dollars bag. Only the best organic, natural food for my baby girls. I can eat crap but they've gotta eat the best of the best!

 

[Loves Vintage]

Haha, MC, I know, I felt like maybe this was crossing a line into too personal of a question territory! So, I'll answer. We consistently spend just over $1000 per month, for 2 adults and 1 toddler. I wouldn't know how much we spend, but my detail-oriented DH tracks our spending in quicken. I would never do this myself.

The reason I ask is because I also visit a thrifty-minded forum, and the ladies there spend so much less per month. Of course, a lot of it is regional.

I'm in CT, and I think food costs are quite high here. I meant to ask for general locations too, but forgot!

Time to go shopping . . . will check back later.

 

[Rhea]

We spend about £75 per week and shop at one store. The lowest amount is about £60 and occasionally we hit £130. We are a two person household and are both vegetarian. We have no other dietary requirements.

 

[Deactivated member 42515]

We spend about £75 per week and shop at one store. The lowest amount is about £60 and occasionally we hit £130. We are a two person household and are both vegetarian. We have no other dietary requirements.

That must be nice! Me being vegetarian and DH being a carnivore, I have to buy two different things and it adds up

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Outrageous sums. Prices have increased and continue to rise....

E.G. I went to 10% off Tuesday at Safefway this week...before the discount, $310.00. This is a weekly amount, and doesn't include if I go to Planet Organic, etc.

Three adults in our household...

cheers--Sharon

 

[Haven]

Right now, it's just the two of us humans plus two dogs and three cats.

PET FOOD: The furbabies eat all-raw diets, so they're pricey.
Bailee eats 1.5 lbs of meat/poultry every day, so 10.5 lbs per week, and we buy her meat and poultry mostly from Whole Foods. Let's say we spend an average of $3 per lb, plus the other stuff she gets, so about $35 per week.
Our other pup Willie and our three cats eat a total of 88 Nature's Variety raw medallions every week, so that's just under two bags a week, so that's about $38 a week.
= $73 per week on pet food, $292 per month on pet food

HUMAN FOOD:
When we go out to eat and cook at home, we tend to spend around $150 per week, so $600 a month.
When we do more cooking at home, we spend under $100 per week, around $400 per month.

SO, the total we spend for two adult humans, two dogs, and three cats is around $700 to $900 a month.

Lately, we always eat breakfast at home and pack lunches for ourselves. There was a period of time when I was picking up Jimmy Johns for lunch once a week, but that adds up pretty quickly. When I'm not preggo, I brew my own coffee at home (or drink the free coffee at work if I'm running late, but that coffee is BLECH!) We eat dinner out most Saturdays, and lately we'll carry in a couple times during the week because I'm lazy and pregnant.

We shop at a mix of stores: Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and our local Israeli-owned grocery store. Oh, and DH buys some things at Costco on a regular basis: Frozen blueberries and strawberries for his protein shakes, eggs, my coffee beans, and now Fiber One bars for me. I think those bulk items help us save.

Some things we're very picky about, such as meat and poultry, milk, and items on the Dirty Dozen list. Other things we buy cheap, such as pasta and condiments. The thing we've learned to do since we were first married is to shop several times a week and buy ONLY what we know we'll eat. This way, we don't keep extra food in the house, which often gets wasted, and so we buy fewer things overall. I hate wasting food, it feels like a huge crime to me, so we try hard not to do it. It's also better for our waistlines not to have a ton of food sitting around the house, just waiting to be eaten!

ETA: We live on Chicago's North Shore.

 

[yssie]

We were JUST talking about this last night!

We spend about $300 a month on ourselves. Neither of us are foodies, or even really care about food - we just buy whatever's easiest/in-season. My meals are mostly fruit from the fruitbowl on the go when it's hot and I'll throw together some sort of crockpot soup with whatever's on sale when it's cold... if we add in what we spend on the cats that number goes wayyy up though, we're very particular about what they get. Odd, actually, to be so carefree about our own food and so fussy about the pets'!

ETA Haven - I deliberately don't track what I spend on coffee - namely Starbucks white mochas - I don't want DH to ever find out!

 

[Haven]

Sorry for the very long reply! I love talking about food.

 

[diamondringlover]

Lets see, I try to spend about $120-$150 a week and then my hubby goes to the meat store about once a month and he spends around $50. so I will say around $600 a month give or take. There are 3 of us, my son is 15 so he eats alot at this age and I work from home so all my meals are at home and hubby is home 4 days a week so the majority of our meals are made at home, we only eat out usually once a week.

ETA: I usually go to 2 different stores each week to try and get the specials, I am real good with using coupons both paper and digital.

 

[sonnyjane]

We spend a lot... A LOT.

I'd say on groceries alone we spend $1000 a month, then another $300 a month or so on restaurants/take-out. And that's just for my DH and I. He is 6'5" 250 and I, well, I just eat like I'm 6'5" 250...

 

[Haven]

We were JUST talking about this last night!

We spend about $300 a month on ourselves. Neither of us are foodies, or even really care about food - we just buy whatever's easiest/in-season. My meals are mostly fruit from the fruitbowl on the go when it's hot and I'll throw together some sort of crockpot soup with whatever's on sale when it's cold... if we add in what we spend on the cats that number goes wayyy up though, we're very particular about what they get. Odd, actually, to be so carefree about our own food and so fussy about the pets'!

ETA Haven - I deliberately don't track what I spend on coffee - namely Starbucks white mochas - I don't want DH to ever find out!

Sounds like that's the way it should be!
I would drive through Dunkin' Donuts on my way to work every single day if I could! I love their coffee so much, and to have someone else brew it for you--luxury. Alas, I am such a tightwad when it comes to certain things. Other things? Not so much!

We're super fussy about our pets' food, too. I think this happens so often because responsible owners know that our pets rely entirely on us for their well-being, and we want to do right by them. And because they're just so stinkin' cute.

 

[Haven]

We spend a lot... A LOT.

I'd say on groceries alone we spend $1000 a month, then another $300 a month or so on restaurants/take-out. And that's just for my DH and I. He is 6'5" 250 and I, well, I just eat like I'm 6'5" 250...

I was wondering if size has anything to do with it. My DH is 5'8" and 160 lbs, so he doesn't really need to eat that much. He works out all the time, so he spends good money on protein powder and I'm constantly making that man turkey and rice, turkey and rice, but these are cheap alternatives to what he could be eating. I think his small size and his pseudo bodybuilder eating habits save us good money!

 

[sonnyjane]

We spend a lot... A LOT.

I'd say on groceries alone we spend $1000 a month, then another $300 a month or so on restaurants/take-out. And that's just for my DH and I. He is 6'5" 250 and I, well, I just eat like I'm 6'5" 250...

I was wondering if size has anything to do with it. My DH is 5'8" and 160 lbs, so he doesn't really need to eat that much. He works out all the time, so he spends good money on protein powder and I'm constantly making that man turkey and rice, turkey and rice, but these are cheap alternatives to what he could be eating. I think his small size and his pseudo bodybuilder eating habits save us good money!

Ha, it also has to do with WHAT we buy. DH and I actually go grocery shopping separately because, well, we are just so opposite. I go and buy fresh seafood, organic fruits and vegetables, cheeses, bread, etc. DH has the palate of a kindergartener and eats PopTarts, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, cereal, frozen pizzas, etc. A typical breakfast for him includes 8 Eggo waffles, 2 cinnamon-raisin bagels, 6 eggs, and a bowl of frosted mini-wheats. Dinner for him might include a steak, vegetables, 2 or 3 bowls of cereal, and 6 Swiss Rolls for dessert. Then more cereal before bed. We had to go out and buy another set of bowls and spoons because we go through them faster than we load the rest of the dishwasher.

 

[Haven]

We spend a lot... A LOT.

I'd say on groceries alone we spend $1000 a month, then another $300 a month or so on restaurants/take-out. And that's just for my DH and I. He is 6'5" 250 and I, well, I just eat like I'm 6'5" 250...

I was wondering if size has anything to do with it. My DH is 5'8" and 160 lbs, so he doesn't really need to eat that much. He works out all the time, so he spends good money on protein powder and I'm constantly making that man turkey and rice, turkey and rice, but these are cheap alternatives to what he could be eating. I think his small size and his pseudo bodybuilder eating habits save us good money!

Ha, it also has to do with WHAT we buy. DH and I actually go grocery shopping separately because, well, we are just so opposite. I go and buy fresh seafood, organic fruits and vegetables, cheeses, bread, etc. DH has the palate of a kindergartener and eats PopTarts, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, cereal, frozen pizzas, etc. A typical breakfast for him includes 8 Eggo waffles, 2 cinnamon-raisin bagels, 6 eggs, and a bowl of frosted mini-wheats. Dinner for him might include a steak, vegetables, 2 or 3 bowls of cereal, and 6 Swiss Rolls for dessert. Then more cereal before bed. We had to go out and buy another set of bowls and spoons because we go through them faster than we load the rest of the dishwasher.

That is too funny!
Mine eats the blandest, healthiest food possible. He works in the fitness industry, so I think it's because he's surrounded by fitness professionals all day. He's not a bodybuilder or anything. Well, he has a serious candy and sweets habit, but we don't bring that stuff into the house. He WOULD eat like Buddy the Elf if he could--what did Buddy say? "We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup."

 

[sonnyjane]

We spend a lot... A LOT.

I'd say on groceries alone we spend $1000 a month, then another $300 a month or so on restaurants/take-out. And that's just for my DH and I. He is 6'5" 250 and I, well, I just eat like I'm 6'5" 250...

I was wondering if size has anything to do with it. My DH is 5'8" and 160 lbs, so he doesn't really need to eat that much. He works out all the time, so he spends good money on protein powder and I'm constantly making that man turkey and rice, turkey and rice, but these are cheap alternatives to what he could be eating. I think his small size and his pseudo bodybuilder eating habits save us good money!

Ha, it also has to do with WHAT we buy. DH and I actually go grocery shopping separately because, well, we are just so opposite. I go and buy fresh seafood, organic fruits and vegetables, cheeses, bread, etc. DH has the palate of a kindergartener and eats PopTarts, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, cereal, frozen pizzas, etc. A typical breakfast for him includes 8 Eggo waffles, 2 cinnamon-raisin bagels, 6 eggs, and a bowl of frosted mini-wheats. Dinner for him might include a steak, vegetables, 2 or 3 bowls of cereal, and 6 Swiss Rolls for dessert. Then more cereal before bed. We had to go out and buy another set of bowls and spoons because we go through them faster than we load the rest of the dishwasher.

That is too funny!
Mine eats the blandest, healthiest food possible. He works in the fitness industry, so I think it's because he's surrounded by fitness professionals all day. He's not a bodybuilder or anything. Well, he has a serious candy and sweets habit, but we don't bring that stuff into the house. He WOULD eat like Buddy the Elf if he could--what did Buddy say? "We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup."

Haha. DH is a weight-lifter....not to be confused with a bodybuilder. Think World's Strongest Man...he cares about being big and strong, but not necessarily "cut" or "ripped". Sometimes he will lose weight (he has been down to about 225) and I think he looks AMAZING because he has 6-pack abs etc. etc. but he starts stuffing his face because he is "too skinny".. (wohh wohh). Then I remember I can't say anything EVER because I wouldn't like it if he told ME I look better at 20 pounds less...

 

[chrono]

$150 per week for a family of 4. Nothing too exciting, lots of greens and fruits, less emphasis on carbs.

 

[monarch64]

$300/month for two vegetarian adults. We spent less this summer because we had a garden and my tomatoes proliferated. We shop at two locally-owned grocery stores, one supermarket chain store, and less frequently, Aldi's. The amount of money we spend on ourselves to eat seems very high to me; in the coming months I'll be planning a larger garden for next spring and getting very serious about cutting way back on paying other people for food and increasing what we grow and provide for ourselves (that isn't genetically modified and full of pesticides). I'd rather spend money on the important stuff in life, you know, like jewelry.

 

[yssie]

Ha, it also has to do with WHAT we buy. DH and I actually go grocery shopping separately because, well, we are just so opposite. I go and buy fresh seafood, organic fruits and vegetables, cheeses, bread, etc. DH has the palate of a kindergartener and eats PopTarts, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, cereal, frozen pizzas, etc.

LOL!! Add chicken Ramen and pasta with marinara Ragu and you've got my DH! We're both too lazy to actually cook and clean up but completely opposite in what we choose as an easy meal. He's a LOT better than he used to be though - he doesn't sort out the green pasta for fear that it might be a vegetable anymore

I'd kill for his metabolism - I don't know how he's so *fit* given his diet. He's pretty fanatical about his workouts but... it doesn't add up.
I'd kill for his eyelashes too.
Bah, humbug.

 

[Rosebloom]

Well, DH and I are foodies, I love to cook, and one of my kids has food allergies so we can never eat out. And we do all organic and I'm a nutrition nut so we eat a ton of veggies. So we spend about $1000-1200/month. I understand the joke that they should call it "Whole Paycheck" instead of "Whole Foods"!

 

[bluegirl123]

$300 for groceries for 2 adults. this amount includes items such as
-paper towels, laundry detergent, etc.
-better quality food such as antibiotic free chicken, organic produce, organic beverages
-I shop at Fred Meyer, Haggens, & Trader Joe in Washington state.
-I coupon and rarely buy junk foods (eg potato chips, cookies, husband is strictly rationed pop haha or premade/processed items (eg lasanga dinners, chicken nuggets, etc.)

$30 for one cat
$70 for eating out
------------
monthly total: $400.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I think that groceries have gotten a lot more expensive in the past 2 years!

We are pretty frugal and want to eat whole foods when possible, I used to be a vegetarian but now eat fish and small amounts of meat, DS is allergic to eggs (and possibly wheat ) and DH eats like a horse.

We live in NYC.

In my mind and our official budget we spend $300-$400/month on groceries (that would include paper towels, soap, etc. as well as take-out/restaurants).

In reality it is more like $500, and goes up fast on months when we eat out more or I buy lunch at work a lot.

We are members of a fruit and veggie CSA for 20-22 weeks in the summer, and an organic, grass-fed meat CSA year round (best thing we ever did--it arrives at our door via FedEx once a month!) and also visit our local farmers market when prices are decent (e.g. $1/lb apples in the fall).

The rest of our shopping we do at our local Associated grocery store, as well as occasional trips to Fairway, Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Stew Leonard, and Wegmans, and online orders at amazon, soap.com and very very rarely freshdirect. Our dollar goes WAY WAY WAY further at Wegmans, but we only shop there when we make the 1 hour+ drive to my Nana's house or are in Syracuse visiting my BFF, so about once a quarter.

In a perfect world we buy:

Wegmans-Spaghetti Sauce, pasta, frozen fish-especially tilapia (but I am conflicted about the quality), frozen fruits and veggies, peanut butter, butter, greek yogurt, cheddar cheese blocks, fruits and veggies, gluten free stuff, pantry staples

Trader Joes-dried fruit and nuts, some seasonal fruits, coconut milk, gourmet cheese, chocolate, nori, frozen prepared meals

Stew Leonard-butter, lunch meat, cheese, some bulk items

Associated-pantry staples if we don't have time to go to wegmans

Fairway or Whole Foods-store branded items and fresh fruits and veggies when on sale

Groceries seem to have gotten a lot more expensive over the past two years!

In college I did all my grocery shopping at Aldi in the midwest, boy do I miss those prices!

 

[soocool]

I do a monthly budget and when DD was living at home it was about $600 a month for 3 people. Since she has been in college that dropped down to about $200 - $250 per month for 2 people (that may include non food items as well). Well I saw the difference I wondered how much food a skinny teen could eat until I realized it was all her friends who were over all the time that ate all our food. So DD being away at college has saved us money on groceries.

 

[kenny]

I have no idea what I spend but I'm a super tightwad who pays very close attention to what's cheapest where, which sends me to four stores.
I don't feel guilty for shopping at four stores because I get 50+ MPG in my hybrid (four times what the Hummer parked next to me gets) and plan well and combine trips so I don't use much gas.
I never jump into the car for a impulse buy of ice cream.

We buy near zero junk food, processed food, or foods from the corporate giants.
Everything is near its original state, produce, oatmeal, meat etc.

1. At Smart and Final I stock up on 25 pound bags of corn for popping, beans and brown rice, etc.

2. All fresh produce and meat comes from a dumpy supermarket catering to Mexican immigrants, we're talking 6 bunches of cilantro for a buck, and Fuji apples for 33 cents a pound.
I'm usually the only white person in the building.

3. All dairy and wine is from Trader Joe's which is cheaper than Costco.

4. Costco for cooked rotisserie chicken, cheese, eggs, spices, grape juice, TP and PTs. I have one of those vacuum bag sealing thingies so I take advantage of many of Costco's large sizes.

I don't budge or pay attention to how much I end up spending.
Why bother? We have to eat and I know I'm already shopping as cheaply as possible.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Haha, MC, I know, I felt like maybe this was crossing a line into too personal of a question territory! So, I'll answer. We consistently spend just over $1000 per month, for 2 adults and 1 toddler. I wouldn't know how much we spend, but my detail-oriented DH tracks our spending in quicken. I would never do this myself.

I only shop at a few stores and get most items at Fred Meyer and use my rewards card which showed how much I spent in the last three months with my rebate. It would be hard to know exact numbers because I purchase most of our household items there, as well, like TP and shampoo, cat litter, etc. All that stuff adds up to a substantial amount. I would say *I* probably spend about what you do after I deduct out what isn't actually food and then add in the item I buy at Trader Joes and Whole Foods. I don't know what my dh buys on the side. There are Subway and other wrappers on his car floor, but I don't ever ask what he spends... We're a family of four in the Seattle area.

Then I spend $20-30 a month on cat food. My cat doesn't like canned food or tuna (not sure what is up with that!), so his main splurge is a big cat nip habit. He meows at the pantry every day and it's reaching intervention time!

It's time to replace the fish/frog foods and that's probably $10-15 two times a year!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I think that groceries have gotten a lot more expensive in the past 2 years!

Prices have gone up a lot! We have had a lot of staples that I had purchased for years that I finally quit buying because of the inflated prices. Like Walaby yogurt has gone up to $1.50 a container at one store by me! That is ridiculous for a little container. I try and stock up on favorites when they're on sale!

 

[kenny]

Use no coupons since they are almost always for stuff I wasn't planning on buying and I doubt anyplace I shop takes them.
Have no "rewards" cards since no place I shop uses them.
I avoid conventional supers like the plague.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I get organic chicken and meat and some vegetables delivered twice a year for my freezer. I get bread, dairy, cereal, and other packaged goods, detergents, paper products, etc. usually at WalMart. I really don't know how much I spend on groceries due to buying other things at WalMart when I go. But I am going to say probably $1000 a month for groceries and the organic food for 2 adults and 1 teen girl.

 

[cellardoor433]

I don't know how much we spend on groceries (two adults) and this has prompted me to keep tabs in future.

Our cat and wild parrots that have taken up residency in our backyard probably costs a good chunk out of the total expenditure!