I think we spend about $85 on groceries each week. I don't cook that much and we eat out at least 3 times a week.
Just a note on the cigarette thing.. did your dh ever consider rolling his own? American Spirit tobacco is sold in cans.. it's not generic, and it has no additives or chemicals of any kind. We spend about 350- 400 a month, family of 3. I make a lot of things from scratch to try to save here and there, and we plant a garden when we can, and get venison.
I didn't read everything here. We spend approximately $100 per week for a family of 4. Sometimes more and sometimes less depending on what I plan for dinner and how often the girls and I go out for lunch. We have been savin so much money since we both quit smoking. We used to buy two packs a day, everyday.
Thanks Codi! My last smoke was July4th. Dh quit about a week later. We feel so much better - and smell so much better. I smoked for about 18 years and he smoked for about 23.
That really is great! My Mom has smoked for about 30 years and I hate it, mostly for my kids, they love her and I want them to remember her, kwim? I used to be sooo allergic to dogs and cats, which we had both. When I moved out all of a sudden I'm not allergic to cats and dogs, I even have two cats that sleep on our bed. Everytime I go over to her house I'm all of a sudden allergic to the dog (she thinks), but it's really the smoke and she doesn't smoke inside, I guess because her house is smaller or something.
My dad smoked from age 15 to age 70. He almost died from his smoking. Thankfully I was there the day he needed to be rushed to the ER because my mother would have let him stay home where he would have died. He was in the hospital for a long time and we didn't think he'd make it. Thankfully he did but that really opened my eyes to what I am doing to my children. I don't ever want them to go through what I did because of something as stupid as smoking.
I have a budget of $190 every two weeks for a family of 4. This includes personal care items. I shop a lot at Aldi's, do sales at other stores, use coupons if possible (sometimes it's more expensive to use a coupon and buy the name brand item than to just buy the generic), and have a small upright freezer to store extra food that I buy on sale or cook up ahead of time. One thing that helps me stay on budget is, several years ago I came up with the idea of having a separate 'household account.' My husband's work automatically sends a direct deposit to this account every two weeks (the $190). If I have the money in the account, I use it, if not, I don't. My husband has a card for this account, but never uses it, as I do the shopping 99% of the time.
We used to stick to $75-100 a week for a family of 5, but that was back in MI -here in CA groceries are MUCH more expensive, and while my budget is still the same - I have to get real creative and sometimes need to make a mid-week run for milk, bread, or bananas. YIKES - the good news is everytime my mil visits, she buys us about $200 or more in groceries, so that "catches us up" for a while. Praise Jesus for beneficent mils!
My sis is a respiratory therapist and tells stories of older people who have smoked all their lives. She says it's so sad to see how sick they are, and how much trouble they have breathing. She also says that most smokers will end up literally suffocating to death. I think suffocating has got to be one of the worst ways to die! BTW, her dh recently quit smoking, so she's not being a snob about smoking-just honest! Many congrats to those who have quit! You've added years to your lives!
Just to clarify.. I wasn't advocating smoking. I just figure that if someone smokes, they smoke, and meanwhile they could be saving a little money. Many congrats to those who have quit! I know how tough it is!
Oh, The best way to save money on Groceries: DON'T TAKE HUBBY WITH YOU!! LOL!! My husband likes to go with me sometimes and while I enjoy the company I HATE how small my pocketbook gets after we pay. I don't buy a lot of snack stuff. Mostly fruit or muffin mixes that are 2/$1 just add water kinda things. I only stick to the list UNLESS hubby is with me. And when he comes you can forget not having snack stuff. He loads the basket up. :shock:
Dh would rather be tarred and feathered than step foot into a grocery store. The only times he has gone where when I had just given birth and wasn't up for walking around the store (read: he'll willingly do it if he really needs to, but I don't ask him unless it's a real need).
I try to keep my dh out of the grocery store. He will go gladly if I need him. Last weekend he just went on his own. I was so scared. He usually spends far too much money and buys things I wouldn't. Like that boxed cake mix and muffins. Or real pork bacon...or non organic milk. My family may not survive these next two weeks. LOL.
What kind of bacon do you usually buy, Ava? I bought turkey bacon a couple of weeks ago, but it was gross. We only eat bacon once a month or so though.
My dh is the same way - I DESPISE shopping with him! But we did come up with a creative way to "eat out" or "date night" - we just started this weekend so we will see how it goes! What we did was take the $ we would have spent eating out at a cheap restaurant - about $30 or so, and went to the grocery store - we went cheap this time and got brats and hot dogs (brand name - not cheapie) and all the fixings, and let the kids pick out a "special" and got paper plates, and we grilled, the kids helped, and we ate like kings, PLUS we had extra food for the week! Stuff we normally don't get - like cheetos! The kids were ecstatic, we had a great family dinner and more food than normal for the rest of the week. I have a couple more ideas like that, and when we want to do a "fine" restaurant night, we will but something like rib roast and some wine - how indulgent!!
Oh that is soooo true. My hubby harps on me about ideas on being frugal but he wont use a coupon too embarrased and he will get more then whats on our list. Sam
