Grocery Budget help!!!!

**Hbrmom81** · 06-24-2010, 09:19 AM

Hi there I am trying to determine what is a reasonable amount for a grocery budget? WE are a family of 4 - 2 adults and 2 small kids. I am just wondering what is a reasonable amount and what do the rest of you guys work with?? Right now we jsut buy whatever whenever but I wanna put us on a complete budget! SO please let me know any tips I collect some coupons and am starting to meal plan. So some direction is needed! Thanks =)

**BeachBaby** · 06-24-2010, 10:42 AM

I think it really depends on where you live and what you eat. With that being said we spend $125 weekly for a family of 6 - 2 adults, 3 teens and a 8 year old. This includes HBA, cleaning and pet supplies.

**Hbrmom81** · 06-24-2010, 11:21 AM

well we are in NE illinois an we do eat a lot of meat, I am trying to cut out eating out and trying to learn to cook more meals but the hardest thing is time for me! I shop walmart a lot and try to find good buys but it's hard here I think I really want to get my total grocery budget down to 150 or lower if possible! I need to learn meal planning better which is my current project for now!

**imagine** · 06-24-2010, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by Hbrmom81

well we are in NE illinois an we do eat a lot of meat, I am trying to cut out eating out and trying to learn to cook more meals but the hardest thing is time for me! I shop walmart a lot and try to find good buys but it's hard here I think I really want to get my total grocery budget down to 150 or lower if possible! I need to learn meal planning better which is my current project for now!

Meal planning is a great place to start.

At our house we have found that the menu should not be rigid though.

Example if we had planned a meal and there was enough leftover to make another meal for the family then we change out something on the menu for that meal. moving the other meal to next week's menu.
When I got good at this I could use leftovers that weren't quite enough for the family to make a family meal. Example: Roast with potato and carrots last night with only enough for one person leftover. cut the meat and veggies up add a bit more veggies like corn or peas, can on mushroom soup. whip up some biscuits top have Pot pie. A meal we hadn't planned on thus moving a planned meal to next week.

Those "bonus" meal sure stretch the grocery budget.

I have also found that if I check to see what I already have on hand ( in fridge, freezer, or pantry) and what is on sale that week before I plan my meals that will think of meals that use that stuff. This sames us money also.

**lotsadebt** · 06-24-2010, 12:21 PM

I try to plan my meals for the week around what is on sale in the circulars. Good price on chicken, well that will appear once that week. I also do a repeat twist dinner to once in the week. Like if we had pork roast one night. Another night BBQ pulled pork, or carnitas tacos will show up.
I also plan at least one night pasta dinner. I always have a stockpile of pasta when it is on sale.

**NikoSan999** · 06-24-2010, 12:42 PM

We are family of 3 with a teenager in house. Really good stockpile and freezers. Including all meats. I could go on $25 to $40 a week easy even with restocking. I can't imagine HAVING to spend $150 a week on food. Or even $100.

**Hbrmom81** · 06-24-2010, 02:33 PM

but how do you stockpile and find such great deals. I here people getting meat for so cheap well tell me where cause I always check the ad's there's usually one good deal but I don't wanna have chicken every night so thats my problem. I also need to expand my cooking I know a few things well so we have the same stuff over and over. The same boxed sides like rice roni or noodle sides. I hate that stuff now but I really have no idea what to make? I really need a teach me how to cook for dummies book!!!! And I need SIMPLE things that can be done in 30 or less! Anyone know where to find this let me know!

**Mrs K** · 06-24-2010, 02:50 PM

Easy quick meals I make include veggie cheese omelets, veggie fried rice to which you can add bits of meat from a previous meal or beans, "meal soup" basically a soup loaded with veggies, protein and a starch of some sort. When I know it's going to be hectic week I'll prepare food over the weekend to avoid take out temptation.
DH was a big meat eater but I gradually decreased meat intake and he hasn't been complaining! It's better for our health and our pocket book!

**NikoSan999** · 06-24-2010, 03:41 PM

I don't know where you live so I don't know what stores you have. Sweetbay for example has manager specials ALL the time, not in the ads. I have chicken, ribs, hamburger, steak, pork chops of all kinds, whole ham, ham slices, pork roasts, beef roasts of several types. All in the freezer now.
The sales right now ( especially for stockpiling ) are not as good as they were thru the holidays and right after. I took advantage of every BOGO that I came across if I used it and especially if I had coupons on top of it.
Yes, I do cook from scratch also but alot of stuff I can't make as cheap as I can buy or hardly any difference.
While I was building my stockpile I did a lot of soups. Different ones. Soup and sandwich ( how many sandwiches are there..tons ) night. More money to build from. Once the stockpile is built up you buy to replenish what you use only when it comes on sale.
It's been awhile but I've bought boneless skinless chicken breasts for $1.49 a pound or less. No bone weight to throw away.
I also do not fix "take all you want" meat meals. I fix for the night only. I have a friend who has 4 people for supper. She fixes for an army. Says leftovers for the next night. Dosen't happen. She will fix 2 huge beef roasts and it will be gone next day BEFORE supper. Lunches, snacks etc. Snacking on roast is beyond me.

**jodihernandez** · 06-24-2010, 04:55 PM

It depends were you live. If you live in the heart land then meat will be cheaper than say here in CA or in NY were travel adds to the cost. What you do is look at what is cheap were YOU live.
Example is I live in CA and veggies and fruits are a steal. We are a family of 4 with one on the way and I spend about 60 a week with luxuries included. But I only budget 2lbs meat per night and it has to average $2 or under a pound. I also have 2 meatless nights or more. Makes a HUGE difference.
We dont buy packaged things very often fresh fruits and veggies are the main componants of my diet with dried beans and rice rounding out the needs. Milk and bread eggs are all cheap important building clocks for health and meals so getting those in your meals make a difference also.
About learning to cook I would look at you sale ads and see what is on sale. Then go to allrecipes.com and check for recipes using the ingrediants search. Input the sale iteam and others you would like to use and it will spit out recipes using those things. You can also put in things you dont want. Then list by rating and you cna get good simple recipes for cheap based on your area and not what works for say me who has different costs. Hope it helps. If not ask and it will be answered LOL

jodi

**sahm2boys** · 06-24-2010, 05:19 PM

we are a family of 2 adults 2 little boys

i spent 35-75 a week...we eat meat with every dinner...

i coupon..i keep meat in the freeze, stock up on good deals...so i always have ground beef, chicken n pork

then i match coupons to sale prices...i buy 2 papers on sunday and print coupons that i will use

and i buy the normal bread eggs milk (no coupons on that usually)..

there are some weeks that i work with what i got ...there are some weeks where ill buy extra stuff that i wanted or had a good coupon for..or for certain meals...but i havent spent over 80 a week in months...and usually its under 50.00

right now im getting some good veggies from my dads garden

good luck

**sahm2boys** · 06-24-2010, 05:26 PM

wanted to add..

i like to cook some of the chicken n ground beef..then freeze it in little baggies..so that i can pull out one for dinner and all i have to do is toss it in..and let it defrost which doesnt take long..and saves time..and probably money

i also take my ground beef..once its done cooking..with salt n pepper then toss it in the food process and make it fine (im additcted to it that way now)

i take green peppers n onions...chop them up and sprinkle them in ice trays..fill with some water..freeze..pop out put in baggie..easy to plop in to a meal..

i also cooked some baked chicken the other night and once it was done i drained the broth out, and then covered the chicken in BBQ sauce cooked a little longer...letting the broth cool..then pour that in to ice trays, froze and popped out and put in a baggie for soup later on

**sahm2boys** · 06-24-2010, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by Hbrmom81

but how do you stockpile and find such great deals. I here people getting meat for so cheap well tell me where cause I always check the ad's there's usually one good deal but I don't wanna have chicken every night so thats my problem. I also need to expand my cooking I know a few things well so we have the same stuff over and over. The same boxed sides like rice roni or noodle sides. I hate that stuff now but I really have no idea what to make? I really need a teach me how to cook for dummies book!!!! And I need SIMPLE things that can be done in 30 or less! Anyone know where to find this let me know!

agurant (sp?) potatoes?
mac n cheese
take plain white rice and add seasonings, and chickn boulion
baked potatoes, seasoning potatoes
right now we are doing squash n zucchini cooked over the stove with seasonings..and some smoked sausage
pasta salad
mac n cheese
fries
stuffing
different veggies..cooked/topped with different things
salad
sliced cucumbers
fried zucchini or squash or egg plant..i like to dip in ranch
broccoli n cheese casserole ( cook the rice..set aside..cook broccoli with butter..little bit of onion..chop everthink..melt in lots of cheese (jar cheese) and cream of mushroom..mix with rice n bake)

on the meats it takes time to build it up..if you can spend $50 on week on just meats..try that...get 3 of each that you like and the next week only spend 10-15 on meats..and try spacing stuff out..maybe to baked chicken one night..tuna casserole ( 2 cans of tuna in stead of meat) then beef tips n gravy then sub night..like chicken salad (left over from the baked chicken night or maybe it could have been a whole roasted chicken) or even egg salad sandwhich night..or a salad with left over chicken tossed in..or even tuna toss in..

(last year i spent 100+ a week and didnt come home with anything)

**NikoSan999** · 06-24-2010, 06:27 PM

Reread the new posts. Should have said when I was building the stockpile when I was fixing soups quite a bit. That was homemade soup, not bought. Cheap, healthier ( don't use salt ) and you can reserve the leftover or stick in freezer for a hurry meal or broke week.
I stock bought soup but only on really good sale.

**AspiringToBeFrugal** · 07-14-2010, 10:51 AM

I try to keep it to $60 or less each week including HBA, cleaning stuff (although I've been trying lessen my dependance on commercial cleaners and have been using more vinegar and baking soda which is SUBSTANTIALLY cheaper!) and food. That's for DH, DS (18 mos. old) and me. I also use cash only at the grocery store--I start out the month with $300 which also covers any meals out and when that money's gone, I have to make due!