Grocery/Household budget...

Discussion in 'Other Conversation' started by 1mom04, Jan 27, 2010.

  1. shelby

    shelby New Member

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    we spend around $400 a month... that is with all of the cleanning supplies and all the other stuff that a house hold of mostly girls need! ;)
     
  2. Jackie

    Jackie Active Member

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    Then don't let him do the shopping. Tell him that HE gets to stay home with the kids while YOU go...and be sure to stop by Starbucks when you're done. Figure with the amount you save $25 to $50 a week, so you can spend $5 at Starbuck's!!!

    But if I spend $100 a week for 5, $150 a week for six isn't too out of line!
     
  3. ABall

    ABall Super Moderator

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    Jackie I thought you ment 200 FOR ALL MONTH.

    the problem with your idea is I DON'T DRIVE. But I do love starbucks. There is a Starbucks right inbetween Michael's and Jo-ann Fabricks!!
     
  4. reformedmama

    reformedmama New Member

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    We spend about 250 every 2 weeks. One good way I find to save is buying my meat in bulk, find a good butcher that way you know your meat isn't dyed or old. You can ussually get a fantastic price for bulk meat. I spend about 60 of my 500 grocery budget, and I get a good variety :) Hope this helps
     
  5. Jackie

    Jackie Active Member

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    LOL!!! NO WONDER you thought I did very well! Don't I wish! Then even *I* could afford going to Starbucks once in a while. Heck, I'd even take Carl with me!!!
     
  6. ariekannairb

    ariekannairb New Member

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    Before I had my son and started HSing the girls I was able to do our entire weeks worth for $30(family of 4). I am getting back in the habit of couponing and expect to be right around that same mark in a few months once my stockpile is built back up. In the beginning it took time but once I got a system down I would go shopping in the evening and it would take me about 2 hours on average. Not really that much longer than had I gone to Walmart and stood in the lines there.

    I am sure its been mentioned here but I started out on the grocery game. As I got better at finding the deals myself I dropped that. Now I rely on local frugal blogs to find my deals.
     
  7. mandiana

    mandiana New Member

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    We spend between $150 and $200 a week for a family of 5, but that also includes $20 a week in protein powder and $15 a week in dog food/chewies. I used to try doing the matching coupons to sales thing, but I always ended up buying a ton and would spend between $200 and $300 a week in groceries.

    The best way I've found to spend less is to not buy anything we're not out of and to keep a tally of the total cost as I put things in my cart. I used to buy things I thought would run out in the middle of the week. Just by only buying what is actually gone and watching the total go up as I put things in my cart, I've reduced what I spend by about 25%.

    Now I will buy sales when something we eat frequently is actually half off (not just a raised price B1G1 deal). For example, this week all Morning Star Farms Products were B1G1 and they hadn't raised the original price on them, so I bought $120 worth for $60.

    We're also vegetarians. One way to reduce grocery costs is to reduce the amount of meat you eat. Eat smaller amounts of meat and increase the veggies and/or whatever you're serving with it.. rice or pasta or whatever.

    Also, try to make things yourself instead of buying pre-seasoned rice or dehydrated potatoes au gratin (sp?) or baking mix. Buy the spices and make it yourself. It's cheaper, healthier, often times just as easy, and almost always tastes better!
     
  8. KrisRV

    KrisRV New Member

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    we spend a 100 a week for a family of 4, two dogs, cat and a rabbit. Its hard sometime but we try our best to stay to that number.

    Amy, let dh drive you to store and he can sit outside with the kids and you do the shopping.
    It would be good for you to check out and see things.

    Kris......... DH says he likes to go because I would spend too much;)........ as it is he takes 2 hours! There are times we all go together and I HATE it...

    That is why YOU need to move down here so me and You can go to the stores.
     
  9. Marty

    Marty New Member

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    We spent between $50 and $75 a week for a family of 3. That includes dog
    (1) and cat(10 outside) food, tp and cleaning supplies. We do raise all our own meat (beef, chicken and pork) so we don't have that expense. I do make my own laundry soap. And bake bread for the family about 50% of the time. Cook from scratch 99.9% of the time. However, I'm terrible in the garden and don't do canning. For me it is way easier to stock up on frozen veggies when they are on sale. I buy fresh fruit and sallad stuff all year long, which is one expense I am willing to pay. I'm not a very good couponer. Most coupons are for brand names and I buy mostly store brands or make/bake it myself.
    Marty
     
  10. chicamarun

    chicamarun New Member

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    I'm working on getting it down to $75 per week for our family of 6 for JUST GROCERIES. I am meal planning like a maniac ;)

    I spent $100 today for next weeks dinners which will also include lunches. Now remember though - I don't buy much meat since we live on a farm ;) I bought 2 - 10lb bags of chicken legs/parts for $4.90 each today which was worth it. I'm crock-potting one bag tomorrow night and the kids can pick off the bone and put them in containers to freeze on Saturday.
     
  11. Jackie

    Jackie Active Member

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    Oh, I should probably mention that every Saturday night we have dinner at church, and on Friday nights the kids and I eat at Youth Group. So dinners for us is for five days, not seven. That makes a difference!
     
  12. fairfarmhand

    fairfarmhand Member

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    about 500 a month for a family of 6. Oldest 2 dc count as adults in eating. That also includes cleaning, laundry, tp, pet food, and diapers. We do raise chickens for egg and raise our own beef. I don't know exactly how much it would be if we had to buy all the meat and eggs ourselves. We spend less in the summer since fresh veggies come from the garden.
     
  13. Frugalcountrymom

    Frugalcountrymom New Member

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    We spend on a family of 4 and sometimes one more (grandpa) $250 biweekly so thats $500 a month. Thats on grocery & household items. I coupon a lot. We also have our own chickens for eggs, lamb meat, honey, pecans & seasonal turkey. We plant a garden in spring.

    Sam
     
  14. Actressdancer

    Actressdancer New Member

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    There's a difference between using coupons and couponing. If you want to learn about serious couponing, check out www.hip2save.com

    Also, check to see if your area does a "food fight." My city just started participating and it's fabulous. Once a month they set up a warehouse with super cheap (but high quality.. even organic) food.

    And then there's Angel Food. $30ish for a box of food that will feed a family of 4 two meals a day a week. There are absolutely no income guidelines. Around here, you'll find a pretty even split between people who are low income (often using food stamps) and people who just want to save money on groceries (while driving their Lexus...lol).

    The add on boxes are wonderful and cheap. This month they are offering a seafood box with crab legs, shrimp, and such (6 lbs) for $35. There is also a fruit and veggie box for $22. And lots of other great boxes.
     
  15. sixcloar

    sixcloar New Member

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    The proble that I have with couponing is that our local grocery store will not take internet coupons. They have to be the Sunday paper variety, and they do not douple or triple.
     
  16. Birbitt

    Birbitt New Member

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    I save so much with my coupons, my local store will make every coupon worth at least 1.00, and they take them all...so I print out some and clip some, I also get lots of coupons for free products just by contacting the companies. Sometimes I'll contact a company to tell them how much I love a new product and they will send me coupons for free ones, other times if the product isn't up to it's usual standards I will let them know and get coupons for free product, I also get great dollar off coupons that way too!
     
  17. Emma's#1fan

    Emma's#1fan Active Member

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    I couponed for a while but all of our stores stopped doubling the coupon and our Ralphs closed last year. They were the only store that continued doubling.:?

    Now I shop at WinCo and have found some good deals. I am able to buy my Super Washing Soda for $2.73 a box, or 3lbs. I can get a 10lb bag of potatoes for $.98 cents and sometimes, with a coupon for $.86 cents a bag. When they are not on sale they are around $1.98 for 10lbs. I buy the rice in bulk. It is usually $.69 cents a pound. I just got a lot on sale for $.39 cents a pound on sale. I also buy my beans in bulk. I am able to buy ground cinnamon for $2.00 a pound. Spaghetti noodles for $.27 cents a pound. Tea bags for $.09 cents a piece and so on. When I use coupons, I can really save a bunch at WinCo.
     

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