May I ask a question about your grocery shopping??

[MamaTreadler]

I am restructuring our budget for 2009 and groceries is one of the things that will be changed. I generally shop at Save A Lot (a wonderful frugal store) and then fill in here & there as needed with W-M.

Would y'all mind telling me how many people you feed (I have 4 + 5 pets) and how much money you spend per week on groceries? Or groceries and household goods if they are in the same account? (Mine is.)

I'm just trying to figure out how low I can go and would like to see where we fall as far as what others are doing.

Thanks!

[Momto2Boyz]

I spend about $100 a week for a family of 4, plus two dogs. That is everything including household and dog food.

Some weeks I spend less (this week, I only spent $60). I shop at Aldi's (which is much like Save-a-lot) and another local grocery store. I actually stopped shopping at Wal-mart last year and found that it has saved me lots of money. Wal-mart doesn't have discounted items, so I save money shopping at the local grocery store becuase they have better discounts.

I make my grocery list according to what is on sale. And stock up when things are really on sale. I never buy coffee unless it is marked down to $4.99 for the big cans, and when it is, I stock up, so I can make it to the next sale. Last week, I found ground beef for $1.69 per pound, so I bought 10 pounds (which is all i could fit in my freezer).

If I stock up and fill my freezer, I find I save alot on meats alone, which is the biggest part of our budget. So, I buy items on sale, then buy my basics at Aldi's and it works well for me. Granted, I have to go to 2 stores each week, but to me it is worth it!

[57plymouth]

We spend about $250-300 a month for a family of two and an infant. Including baby food.

[TheRootedNomad]

The grocery challenge threads are a great place to compare how much people are spending on how many people. Mine has gotten a little out of control the past couple of months. Mainly this is because our out to eat amount is what I need to get a better handle on..... and of course the rising prices.

I feed two adults, 2 dogs, 1 cat, company a few times a month, and my 2 boys that I generally allude to as bottomless pits. They are 10 and 12 and the size of adults with the voracious appitites of sports playing teenagers. I can pretty comfortably come in under $350 for groceries and household supplies. I generally strive for $320 and also attempt to include any out to eat fees in that as well. That seems to be where I fail though. My goal amounts listed in my signature are for groceries, houshold, HBA, and out to eat. What I have actually spent is listed as well. Hope that helps.

[jamie79]

Well when all 4 of us are here, and we have 4 cats I spend on average $125 a week. That includes pet food and HBA. Sometimes more sometimes less..

[forHISglory]

$250 a month for family of two. However, I also cook a lot of meals for charity, to give to families in crisis. That also comes out of that money. This does not include cleaning or health/beauty aids.

[BlessedMomof2]

I spend between $300 and $350 a month on groceries for our family of 4, and dog food for 1 large dog.

[IntlMom]

I second the grocery threads being a great resource to get a better idea of what ppl have realistically spent on their food budget. That being said, I range anywhere from 60 - 100 a week on my family of 5 plus two cats. That's EVERYTHING that comes into the house as consumable (food, meat, diapers, cat food, cleaners. toiletries.......)
My number varies widely depending what is on sale and how much I need to stock up on, say, veggies or canned goods that are 3 for 1.00, for example.

[cheles2kids]

I'm sure that you'll get as many different answers to this question as there are members here, because are so many variables, that it really is hard to rely on another person's budget.
That said, I really don't have a set amount each month. I have tried to do the grocery challenges and sadly, I've never come in under my goal.
Now, I don't want to sound like I just freely spend when I shop, but it varies so much from one month to the next, it's really more a "range" than a certain amount.

But to finally answer your question, for my family, we have 2 adults & 2 teenagers (who eat more than my husband & I), plus all the cleaning products, and pet needs.
We usually strive for around $600.00-$700.00 per month.
So that averages out to around $150.00 per week.

(I would like to add that this does include stockpiling items, dog food for 4 large dogs & 1 small dog, plus one cat (and of course her litter), all cleaning items and of course the occasional splurge (sun dried tomatoes, pop tarts for the kids, good olive oil, etc.)

MamaTreadler, I'm curious how much you spend now and how much you are looking to cut your grocery budget by?
You might do better, if this is possible, to keep the budget you have now but shop differently by opting to stockpile some items, setting a x number of dollars aside each week to spend soley on stockpiling, shopping sales only for awhile, using coupons etc.
You would still be using the same amount initially, but in the end you would begin to save alot of money this way.

For instance, I just spent about $12.00 on ice cream. Normally I would never spend this much, but since Kroger has their boxes on sale this week for $1.00 piece, I picked up 12.
Now, I won't have to buy any ice cream for at least 4-5 weeks, so then I can spend my normal ice cream money on a different sale item.
(I personally don't eat ice cream, but my dh. & dd. can put this stuff away, so when I find a good deal, I snatch it up)

Just something else to consider?

[perSue]

3 ppl and i spend about 30$ a week - i buy almost only produce.
about once a month i do a big trip where i get things like flour or pasta or other things i cant/dont make at home.
we also have a dog... and we buy his food monthly, and it's what the vet recommends, and only costs us about 25$ a month.

So, approximately (including the dog) we spend less than 200$ a month (avg 150$).

I wish we could get it for less... but the low cost grocers around me tend to have only rotten foods.. so I shop at a local shop, cheaper than the national competitors, but not as cheap as Aldi's / Save A Lot. But the quality is way better!

Hope this helps.

[Grayce]

I budget $150 per week for groceries and pet food, family of 4 me, DH, DS11 and DD16, 1 big dog and 1 fat cat. Household supplies are budgeted separately.

[nvmommyx6]

$300. a month, or $75. a week is what I budget for 7 mouths and 3 dogs
I run a weekly menu and stick to it like glue!!
At the first of the month I check my stockpile and go from there, then when I run out of food on paper I start making my list for the grocery store! I shop bulk at winco foods, costco and walmart. Sad thing is, I have their prices memorized ROFLMAO

[MamaTreadler]

Thanks for all the replys so far.

Michelle in Tn. - yes, I love to stockpile too! It is a necessity for us as my husband is self employed and we never know from one month to the next what is going to happen with work. I generally try to keep a very full pantry and have 2 chest freezers that I try to keep full as well.

Up until now, I have done more "range" shopping than an actual set amount as well. But once the calendar changes over to 2009 I will be using a set amount. I would love, love, love to be able to do it for $100 per week. But right now I come in closer to about $150 per week. And honestly that extra $50 is probably usually used up on stocking items. I've got two adults, two pre-teens, 2 large dogs, 1 small, and two cats.

The dog's food honestly isn't that expensive. The cats seem to actually go through it faster - don't ask me how, but they do. Litter is usually one big container a month or so.

I want to be able to keep everyone fed, but I don't want them to feel like they can never, ever have a snack. I already fix everything from scratch, so making homemade snacks won't be a shock to anyone's system.

I provide our weekly needs while still putting something back to the larder so when work goes through hard times we are stocked up. I guess what I'm concerned about is that my stocking up will be harmed with a new budget.

[The Muse]

I spend $40-$50 every other week for DH and me. We're vegetarians and I shop the asian markets, which helps keep costs down.

[perSue]

i dont wanna take over this thread, but may i suggest looking at some simple recipes... think "one dish" meals, or a "snack tray" for meals (things you make at home).
also, think about what you can use/do to extend some things when you dont have or want to use all of something.

an example i can give as an example is to extend meat with bread crumbs, beans, oats, barley... depending on what you're making it'll work.

since i dont eat meat, but the guys here do, i only use half the meat, extend w/veggies & make a "sloppy joe" mess for 'em. so half a pound of meat & i can make 4 sandwiches... and still have another half pound left over for another meal.
sometimes they notice... sometimes they dont like it... so it takes a little experimenting with what your family likes.

that's a good way to help a budget & if possible, buy in bulk too. that helps in our house.