2010 Grocery Budget Reduction Challenge

**frugalfoster** · 01-29-2010, 09:53 PM

I just started tracking how much I have spent at the grocery store...I need to do this again for the month of February so I can get an accurate reading of what I'm spending currently....then I can go to work on reducing it... Just my dh and I, but the dd's come over at least once a week for dinner....so...it's more like I feed 3 people....

**peanut** · 01-29-2010, 10:18 PM

Dropped our grocery budget by one third this month - from $380CAD to $265. I have to shop tomorrow, but it's not for this month's groceries. I have to go cuz that's when I have the time and the car! Not because I need the food just yet. So I'm counting it as February groceries.

**nic4549** · 01-30-2010, 07:49 AM

I reduced the grocery budget last month by $100. This month, I'm back to my usual budget of $400 this month. I am trying to learn how to get groceries for nothing with couponing. I saw a video feed online from Good Morning America about a woman who feeds her family of 6 for $4 a month. I'm determined to come somewhere close to this.

**mama2James** · 01-31-2010, 09:31 AM

I am done grocery shopping for the month and I spent a total of $455.19 on food. There are 4 of us. The $30 or so that I spent yesterday will mostly go towards February's food but I'm not going to start splitting hairs like that lol. I spent it this month, so it will count for this month.

I'm going to stick with my goal in a previous post of $400 max for February and then reducing by $10 per month after that.

**MakeADollarHollar** · 02-01-2010, 08:47 PM

February 1st. Seems like a good point to jump in on this challenge.

For this month I will shoot for a $75.00 a week or less grocery bill for the both of us. This will only include anything I can get on sale that can be incorporated in to weekly meals (another new challenge for me) and dog food but I'm pretty well stocked on that as well. We are Long-Term stockpilers so anything I purchase that goes toward the Long-Term storage will not be included (like meats or produce on sale that I can home-can/preserve as well as a variety of condiments that I plan to purchase at Aldi's.)

This is also the month I plan on transitioning us back to cash for grocery shopping. Using the credit card, even though I pay it off every month, is too easy. I don't calculate things as I'm shopping and I always overspend. Cash is the key for me. Come March, I hope to bring it down even further but this is my first step...I'll start this weekend when I do my first shopping for the month.

**madhen** · 02-04-2010, 03:25 PM

Knocked my budget down another $15, so I'll have to be careful this month.

**MakeADollarHollar** · 02-04-2010, 07:07 PM

Had to give up my work computer for a couple hours this morning so I took advantage of the time and did my grocery shopping a day early (have a full size fridge in the office so I can refrigerate necessary items.) Budget this week was $75.00 and I walked out totalling $59.23 BUT I forgot about our weekly trip to BJ's to get DH's soda and chips. I have been focused on the grocery store so I need to be more aware of this in the future. At any rate, DH only needs soda this week and not chips so after tomorrow's run I will tack on another $9.29 for a grand total of $68.52. I did it!! AND, I even got a few extras at the grocery today that were on sale. Some block cheese that I plan on shredding and freezing and some cream cheese that I plan on using in recipes in the coming weeks.

**mama2James** · 02-04-2010, 08:56 PM

I've spent 86.91 so far in Feb for groceries. The month happened to split up into 4 pretty even weeks, so I'm going to aim for $100/week to stay on track. Even with the deals I want to pick up from a sale that starts tomorrow, I should be just fine with my 13.09 left to go for this week. Hopefully I will be able to fit a trip to the salvage grocery in sometime this month. Usually spend about $25 there. I'll have to be careful though because the meat sales don't look too hot for this week, I might run through what's in the freezer pretty quickly. Keeping my fingers crossed for some decent meat prices later this month!

**NikoSan999** · 02-05-2010, 10:45 AM

Yesterday started my new week. Nothing yesterday. Siggy updated. Think I'm at $38 and change. Would like to keep it at $100 for the month or not much more.

**mombottoo** · 02-05-2010, 10:46 AM

I've done pretty good so far with the grocery budget! $126.07 since January 1st! Which means I just might make it this year!

**peanut** · 02-06-2010, 06:02 PM

My grocery budget reduction is on hold. We had a young man unexpectedly come Wednesday night for an indefinite stay. Needless to say, we'll be spending more on groceries! Still, I'm working on emptying out my freezer...and making a huge stockpot of chicken stock at the moment. I'll freeze it for later use.

**Debbie-cat** · 02-06-2010, 07:28 PM

Spent $5.00 today.

**NikoSan999** · 02-07-2010, 08:26 AM

Still at $38 and change for Feb and haven't spent anything for the new week that started Thursday. I'm going to need to restockpile coffee tho soon. That will be a chunk. Definitely drink more coffee and creamer than I thought.

**peanut** · 02-11-2010, 03:17 PM

An extra $45 spent on groceries today...sigh... Should be good till the end of next week...unless we need perishables.

**NikoSan999** · 02-12-2010, 11:39 AM

At $84.97 for February with Goal of no more spent than $150 max. I was shooting for $100 but think that may have been a little unrealistic. Could but would leave no leeway for any sales of any kind. So will go with the $150 which would average out to $37.50 a week. Gonna try it.

YTD Spent /$215.67 which averages out to about $31 week.