Dh is wondering how I do it

**mommy4ever** · 03-26-2009, 12:22 PM

We brought dd12 out for her b'day this week. A planned splurge. And he gets all serious on me.

"What do we spend on groceries?" I told him "I budget $160/week. Sometimes it's a little more, but mostly we're under by about $40."

"How is that possible????"

I go, "Well, there are 6 of us, and then the 4 daycare kids."

I thought he was incredulous that we spend THAT much.

"Well, B at work spends $500 a WEEK!"

I laughed so hard. I told him I suspected lots of pre-packaged foods. ANd supposedly B claims they cook from scratch. They have 3 kids under 7. I was laughing. I said even at 100% organic, I'd have a hard time spending THAT much (unless I was buying meat by the piece). But they don't eat anything organic.

I can just imagine how much food is being thrown out in that house. Plus the guy never brings lunch, they eat out 2 or 3 times a week for supper. That is an INSANE amount of cash being spend on food. $2000 for groceries plus easily $600 for eating out.

I feel so much better about my grocery budget..lol

**stinkbug** · 03-26-2009, 12:41 PM

I figure there will always be people who spend way more than us on groceries...and there are a LOT of people who spend less....so I just do what works for us, because it's really like comparing apples and oranges. I don't live in their house or have their exspeses so I don't know (or care) how they spend their grocery budget.

**Momto2Boyz** · 03-26-2009, 12:42 PM

I always have to remember that cooking from scratch means different things for different people!

Cooking from scratch means different things for me, dependent upon the times. Cooking from scratch for me, used to mean making EVERYTHING! Bread, cookies, even ketchup and pickles were made or canned from scratch.

Now, I buy bread and ketchup, becuase I just don't have the time to make them.

I have a neighbor whose idea of baking from scratch is purchasing a brownie mix instead of purchasing the premade brownies. Whereas, for me, making them from scratch includes flour, cocoa powder, etc.

I couldn't imagine spending $500 a week on groceries, but I'm sure it could be done. I think in order to get it over $500 we'd have lots of Doritos, pop, frozen foods, etc. I could probably do it, but I'd gain 500 pounds that week!

**tervsforme** · 03-26-2009, 01:50 PM

I'm single and I mentioned something to my girlfriend that I spend about $250 a month on groceries, but I'm trying to cut it down some. She said she doesn't spend that much for her family of 4, but they eat out, alot, probably 4 times a week, plus she eats lunch out every day. They have sushi every week and spend about $75 for just that dinner alone, or $300 per month just on sushi! She complains about her debt, but I just nod my head in understanding and eat my brought in lunch...

**Greebo** · 03-26-2009, 02:03 PM

I think some people think "Cooking from scratch" means "we put it in the oven". Like, "We pulled the pre-made frozen chicken tenders out of the freezer and put them in the oven, so these are 'from scratch'".

**mommy4ever** · 03-26-2009, 02:12 PM

I agree, Greebo, from scratch is a very relative term, prepared at home is always cheaper than restaurant. But they are claiming they don't buy any of the pre-assembled things, no convenience items.

It could be all name brand, no coupon, no discount tuesdays etc. Who knows, but that is alot of food.

I have another girlfriend, who was spending $400/wk, and has now cut back to $200/wk. She feels her cupboards are bare though..lol. So we're getting together to see what we can do to make that better. I don't think there's any menu planning involved, so often gaps in her groceries.

**ArmyOfFive4God** · 03-26-2009, 03:27 PM

Bravo to your husband!! It's nice when they realise how good we are! LOL

**MomToTwoBoys** · 03-26-2009, 04:09 PM

I remember when we were spending $200/wk and that a lot of prepackaged and name brand items, not to mention we'd eat out at least one time a week as a family ($30) and then DH would eat out at work ($10/day) so we were spending well over $1.1k a month in just food alone!

Since we changed things around, we spend $250/biweekly. That's all. We actually eat better now than we did before and we cut back a lot on the snack foods.

**Greebo** · 03-26-2009, 04:13 PM

Hey, Filet Mignon from scratch is expensive!

**Ceashels** · 03-26-2009, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Greebo

Hey, Filet Mignon from scratch is expensive!

What's that?

**ArmyOfFive4God** · 03-26-2009, 04:36 PM

LOL at you 2!

**cheriede** · 03-26-2009, 04:44 PM

500 a week seems a little high to me. In addition to the pre-packaged foods, it makes me wonder how many kids are in diapers and if any of them are on formula. I suppose that could help one reach 500 fairly quick cause those can get costly. Alcohol may also be considered a weekly budget item for this family and that would definitely add on the $$. Just a thought..

Anyways, WTG on your weekly grocery budget. I think that's great.

**mommy4ever** · 03-26-2009, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by cheriede

500 a week seems a little high to me. In addition to the pre-packaged foods, it makes me wonder how many kids are in diapers and if any of them are on formula. I suppose that could help one reach 500 fairly quick cause those can get costly. Alcohol may also be considered a weekly budget item for this family and that would definitely add on the $$. Just a thought..

The youngest is 3, so there should be no diapers or formula... but a *maybe on the diapers*. Now that you mention alcohol, that might be a "grocery" item..lol. I wouldn't consider it that, but they might. I would LOVE to see their receipts..lol. Just out of curiosity. OH, and they get their beef for FREE from his dad who's a farmer, that is what really makes me go hmmm..

All that said, they've never bragged about any good deals or anything, nor made claims of frugality, he just commented that dh must need a second job to feed the family, and dh looked at him blankly..lol

**ArmyOfFive4God** · 03-26-2009, 05:04 PM

Hey, I spend 180 bi-monthly and that does include my liquor (along with paper goods, HBA, etc). Not that I buy liquor every month, because I only drink every several weeks typically, LOL

**mommy4ever** · 03-26-2009, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by ArmyOfFive4God

Hey, I spend 180 bi-monthly and that does include my liquor (along with paper goods, HBA, etc). Not that I buy liquor every month, because I only drink every several weeks typically, LOL

LOL.. I could include liquor too I guess... that would be...ummmm $16 per year? I know... I need to go to AA.