2012 Grocery Budget Reduction Challenge

**AspiringToBeFrugal** · 12-28-2011, 10:09 PM

What are your goals for grocery spending in 2012? Will you be keeping your budget the same as in 2011 or have circumstances caused you to change your grocery budget? I went over budget SEVERAL times in 2011 so my goal in starting this challenge is to spend no more than $300 per month. Couponing and meal planning should help tremendously.

I've been trying to limit our grocery budget only to cash but DH repeatedly pulls out the debit card to pay for little purchases when he's craving something! Now my only additional challenge will be to get DH to cooperate and not spend any additional money that isn't from the Grocery Cash Envelope!

**cmu** · 12-28-2011, 10:31 PM

I soooo need to do this! I want to spend no more than $200 in January, I should be able to do this as my pantry is pretty stocked up just need meat and perrishibles.

**Wendy99** · 12-28-2011, 10:55 PM

I am so in this challenge, but will figure out my goals as I go. I'm trying to get a stock pile going and the last 2 months we have been over the budget we have allocated for groceries.

**Debbie-cat** · 12-28-2011, 11:04 PM

I am in again this year. I have a pretty good stockpile but would like to keep it going and not have to deplete it.

My goal will probably change each month as I will only hit sales and need perishables.

Thanks for getting us started Aspiring!

**Chevelle72** · 12-28-2011, 11:23 PM

I'm curious how you keep your food budget separate from household products. I.e. Soaps, pet food, things you don't put in your mouth

. Or do you? I'm sure it's a matter of organization, any tips?

I sooooo need to do this too!

**Palooka** · 12-28-2011, 11:24 PM

I would like to keep my goal around 400.00 a month. Would like this amount to also include stocking up when there is a good sale.

Yes to cash instead of the debit card.

**AspiringToBeFrugal** · 12-29-2011, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by Chevelle72

I'm curious how you keep your food budget separate from household products. I.e. Soaps, pet food, things you don't put in your mouth

. Or do you? I'm sure it's a matter of organization, any tips?

I sooooo need to do this too!

It's really up to the individual and your home circumstances. We don't have any pets, but I DO include things like soap, other HBA products, paper products (TP primarily as I'm trying to reduce our dependence on paper towels and we rarely use paper plates/cups), OTC medicines (DS's allergy meds are OTC and I can get them w/ coupons), etc. It really is just a matter of personal preference and organization.

**hotprincesscm** · 12-29-2011, 07:10 AM

I'm shooting for $300 a month or less....that's $75 a week. I think I can do this. I'm hoping to be eating healthier for the new year and that includes whole foods and not junk food. Things like rice, pasta, potatoes, etc.....are cheap and filling and will go along ways. I would like to start making my own whole wheat bread once a week....to last us the whole week. We go through alot of bread and milk....I'm trying to limit my meat intake. The last two months I have had a customer at work bring me two bags full of vension....so I really haven't had to buy any meat lately. I'm hoping to come in under budget each week!

QM · 12-29-2011, 08:11 AM

My goal is to range at about $125 per week. Some weeks might be more...some weeks might be less. But that's my "goal average". It's kind of hard to figure out because we buy 1/2 a cow about every 9 months depending on when the meat is very low. So I've got to take that into account. Because of that we might average to more like $150 per week. Guess that's not bad considering there is DH, myself and our two daughters. Plus 4 daycare kids every day during the week. That's a lot of people to feed. I limit my running around by making my list ahead and trying to shop mainly at one store while price matching with the other flyers. It makes it so much easier, and we save so much money that way.

**dwallyfam** · 12-29-2011, 08:51 AM

I am in. I want to spend no more than $75 a week for groceries and about $20 for personal items.

**piney** · 12-29-2011, 10:51 AM

I am in for this challange i want to try and spend no more then $200.a month for food and hba since i have a good stock pile.

**alotofgooddeals** · 12-29-2011, 12:33 PM

I am so in this year.....

for January i have budgeted $400 for groceries and $100 for stockup....have some extra money come in over and above what i had budgeted for $300 so in reality i may have $200 for stocking up...I made my grocery list already for January as i am also going to try the oam shopping method...and my total was just shy of $300 so....

**madhen** · 12-29-2011, 12:41 PM

I am going to try for $300 for January, and see how it goes.

**greekislandgirl** · 12-29-2011, 01:29 PM

I want to stick to my weekly budget plan, which I've stuck like glue to since August. It's €24.40 for the two of us for the whole MONTH (not week). I know, crazy, but:

On top of that, I have set aside already €500 for Stockpile stuff. That includes all non-perishable food (dry goods, baking supplies, cans, jars, etc), frozen food, cleaning supplies, HBA, kitchen stuff that gets used up like wax paper, and energy/light like candles, lightbulbs. Basically anything that gets used up and has to be replaced regularly, that is not perishable.

This past 6 months, I spent over €1500 on the Stockpile. I had set that money aside on purpose and I put it to work, but now that I have the stockpile, I don't want to be spending so much. So I am slashing it to €500 and I am going to focus on buying large quantities of really good sale prices rather than just buying stuff I needed (here inflation is high so buying stuff soon, even if not on sale, is cheaper than waiting, and most stuff I use has never gone on sale).

My monthly food budget is for the NON Stockpile stuff. So things like milk, fresh fruits and veggies, bread, meat/fish, cheese, yogurt, etc. It includes eating out, cafes, etc.

If I didn't have €1500 in Stockpile Fund to burn there's no way I could have survived on the €24.40/month. But now that the stockpile is built up, I think we can do it. The only non-stockpile things I really buy are milk and the occasional fresh vegetable anyway.

So my goals are:

- stay on budget
- make the €500 Stockpile Fund last through the year (I may revise this. If it looks totally ridiculous, I may move money from another fund in July and double this for a €1000 year total. But I'd really like to keep that other €500 free so we can go to our friends' wedding in July.)