$$$ For Cooking. New Poll

[cookgirl]

Hi. I hope its alright with everyone if I post a new topic.

I was reading a posting on the Healthy Living board about eating on a really tight budget. Actually, I was shocked to hear that (I forgot her name!!!) the person who posted is trying to get by (and her husband, too) on $10 to $20 every Two weeks.

And I felt like I had a small budget!!!

Actually, I probably should be on that sort of budget. My husband and I are both artists, so our income is like the tide (sometimes high and sometimes way...way...low). But I want fresh fruits and veggies, tasty meals and I want them to be healthy.

My question is: How much do you guys spend on average shopping? I know we are all form different walks of life, but what do you think is reasonable? And do you have any suggestions on how to make ends meet and still enjoy a nice steak recipe from CL?

Please don't answer about the exact $$$$if you don't want to! I'm more interested in WHAT you get, not how much, exactly, you spend on it!

[cookboy]

Cool name, Cookgirl.

As a bachelor, i could make it easily on about $30 a week, with maybe a good meal or two in there (its amazing what ground beef can turn into).

BUT, as a quasi-bachelor, trying to cook to impress my girlfriend, my food budget has increased considerably. Not including dinners out (which bachelors can avoid more easily) I would say my groceries have hit as much as $80-90 a week (wine and meat that you can identify adds a touch). Which although may not be as much as married folk or a family even, is a bit steep for the full-time grad student scraping by on a part-time job!!!

[cookgirl]

I noticed you must have liked that name!!!!As you, too, seem to have given yourself a cool name. (I think I was here FIRST!!!!Hee hee.)

Well, thanks for responding. But maybe more will respond. I think you could stand to your budget down, esp if you plan on marrying this girlfriend of yours!

Kudos to you for going out of your way..but you now have the problem meeting high (and expensive) expectations!

P.S. You said "Married Folk!" Where are you from Cookboy? You must be from the South.

[This message has been edited by cookgirl (edited 07-13-2000).]

[This message has been edited by cookgirl (edited 07-13-2000).]

[Danielle]

Before my husband moved in with me, I would spend between $35 to $40 a week on groceries for myself. I didn't buy cookies, chips, or soda for myself (maybe the occasional box of cookies for those times I craved sweets), so I mostly bought meal items, fruits, cereal, milk, and juice. I ate a lot of meatless meals, like pasta or cheese and bean enchiladas (still one of my favorite meals!). Not buying much meat really helped cut down the grocery bill. Or I would buy a pork roast and make it in the crock pot, and I would have meat for a couple days.

Now that I have a husband to shop for, the grocery bill has gone up (between $65-$80 a week). He puts chips, cookies, and soda on the list, plus I have to buy more milk and meat (he likes meat at every meal, though I still make my cheese enchiladas at least every other week). I try to buy what is on special in the meat department, which seems to help a little bit. It's still a shock when they ring up the bill!!

[This message has been edited by Danielle (edited 07-13-2000).]

[lorilei]

I'll admit I was a bit taken aback by the idea of only spending $10/20 per week on groceries too -- but I could relate because my husband and I went through the same type of "scraping by" period when we were first married. I was lucky if I could spend $30 a week sometimes.

Now we're in a better position, but I'd have to say that I easily keep our food budget under $65 a week. A typical grocery list includes fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, bagels, milk, cheese, yogurt, wine, occasional fish or chicken and whatever "staple" items I'm in need of replacing. We definitely don't scrimp on the produce, and I buy all sorts of cheeses and wines.

We eat mostly vegetarian meals, so I know our grocery bill is lowered by a lack of meat. I do clip coupons, and can usually save between 15-25% that way. I try not to be too "brand" loyal, although there are certain things I have a definite preference for. I also make a ton of things from scratch, which cuts our spending considerably.

It's hard, though, to eat right and not spend money doing it.

[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 07-13-2000).]

[kentgirl]

My family consists of my husband and two sons (ages 20 and 22), both attending college. One is home for the summer, and the other attends a local college, so he lives at home. During the summer, my grocery bill runs about $200/week.

Yikes!

[Laura B]

I spend between $60 and $120, depending on the week. The higher weeks are when I am stocking up on meats for the freezer, etc. and those weeks are far and few between. I went to the grocery store yesterday to buy mainly veggies for the next few days and could not believe that I spent nearly 50 bucks. Maybe I am shopping at the wrong place, maybe I should clip coupons, maybe Chapel Hill is too expensive. And, trust me, my husband and I are students with zero income (only the dreaded student loans) so we could stand a bit of scrimping. Anyway, I don't feel like I go crazy in the grocery store but it still looks like I spend more than I should.

[Deanna]

I am just about the most conservative grocery shopper I know. I really don't know what I spend on a week's worth of groceries, because often I don't CONSUME everything I buy in a week.

A couple of things I DO KNOW:


Most often, store brands are perfectly acceptable quality-wise and much cheaper
Buying junk food and "convenience" foods is a big drain on your budget
Pick up the sale flyer and use that as your shopping guide. With a good program like MasterCook, you can enter the ingredient(s) you picked up on sale and find a recipe to prepare using that ingredient.


Each of us has a certain budget to live on, whether it's an income of $1,000 per month or $10,000 per month. It's up to each of us to decide where to spend the money. I might choose to spend more on a phone bill, and someone else might decide to go to the movies more often. The same goes with the grocery bill. I personally really enjoy spending an evening cooking, and don't mind not going to the movies or out to dinner quite as often, so that I have more to spend on my hobby...Cooking Light!

Hope this is SOMEWHAT helpful!

[Mary Ann]

Our grocery bill varies quite a bit from month to month, but probably averages out to $200-$300/month for 2 adults.

*I never mind spending money on fresh veggies and fruit, but I almost always stock up on meat products when they're on sale. We don't eat a lot of meat, but I do like to know I have chicken breasts and a pork tenderloin in the freezer. It kills me to pay over $3/lb for boneless/skinless chicken breasts, when I know that one of the stores will have them for much less in the next couple weeks.

*I buy our coffee, chicken stock, and all cleaning products at Sam's Club.

*We buy our wine by the case at the Farmer's Market here in Atlanta, because we find they have the best prices, and you get 10%off when you buy a case.

*Since we don't eat a lot of meat, I don't feel too bad spending a little extra for fresh tuna steaks every once in a while.

[Susann]

Two things...a)I am trying to figure out how 2 adults can live on 10 dollars a week! b)Mary Ann-I am in Atlanta, too. What farmers market do you usually go to? I go to Harry's-I LOVE that place!!!

[Natasha]

Hi Cookgirl, Cookboy and everyone else http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

This reminds me of when I was studying away from home and had a self-imposed food budget of $3.00/day! It was so hard to stick to it that I had to cut myself some slack...

Anyway, I don t know how much exactly we spend on food now, but it s reasonable. Here are some of our food habits and purchases:

- We never scrimp on fruits and veggies. Abundance and, above all, quality! There is a great new store nearby that has an awesome produce section. If possible, I try to pop by the farmer s market at lunch. Small fruit markets can also be very good. When the produce is better and the prices lower than the supermarket, it s worth making the time to go to two places!
- When certain fruits/veggies are in season, we buy lots and have our fill of them, plus buy extra to freeze.
- I basically eat no red meat and poultry; seafood occasionally. This is not a money-based decision, but it does save a lot!
- Lots of bagels, fresh bread, etc.
- No convenience meals (e.g., from supermarket delis) and very little fast food.
- Single servings, though (e.g., granola bars, yogurt), are great because we re always on the run. Well worth the money!
- House brands where it doesn t make a difference.
- Stock up on our favorite brands when they re on sale. (Obvious, I know ... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif )

Good luck and hope this helps!

[This message has been edited by Natasha (edited 07-13-2000).]

[alisome]

After reading your posts, I have decided to better plan my grocery store attack! But, Man I am tired! Like today, didn't have a clue what to make for dinner so bought gr.beef, pasta, salad stuff & drinks! Well, bought some new bread, cheese, all this stuff because I was hungry! Ended up spending $30.00 to make spaghetti!Ridiculous!and I still don't have a clue what we'll eat for the next couple of days.
I am a coupon clipper on the weekends but during the week it's like grab and run and I spend way too much for two people! But I remember those lean "college days" of a slice of cheese on a tortilla in the microwave was a gourmet feast!
I also agree with Mary Ann, how can you not buy wine by the case when your getting a discount?

[Vanessa]

Hi! I don't know the amount spent on groceries but I agree with the posts saying
1. check the sales flyer
2 detergents, paper products, soap etc you are better off buying on sale in quantities in places like walmart etc
3I get chicken breast (boneless) for $2.00 a pound on sale and use freezer bags to separate (always label date and whats inside)
4 The best advice I can give you is never to go shopping hungry, check various stores on sale items and plan your meals accordingly
5 You can freeze things too so when you are in a rush you can reach into your freezer and not have to go out and eat etc
6pasta, ground meat, poultry, soups are things that are not costly.
7 Cook enough for 2 meals saving you time
8 Places like Safeway etc have no clip coupons when you become a member you get member club dicounts.

[Mary Ann]

Susann--

We live in one of the southern suburbs, and unfortunately don't have any easy access to a Harry's. We did just get a Harris Teeter, which has helped the other stores improve their selection and service.

I was referring to the Dekalb Farmer's market in Decatur. If you haven't been there, it's really something to see.

[lorilei]

One of the things that I've always read about, and which REALLY works is to shop just ONCE per week -- keep copius lists and stick to those lists.

This requires a little bit of extra planning on my part, but I've found that it keeps me from spending too much on those little "extra" trips to the grocery store picking up things for dinner. I don't always plan meals ahead, but I try to plan meals each day around what I have so that I'm not running off to buy extras. I try to keep my home stocked with basics, and shopping "less" keeps me from impulse buys.

[BethH]

I spend about $70 every two weeks or so. My family consists of myself and my ravenous SO. He is not picky in the least, so I could save money and make tuna helper every night but,I have some gourmet tastes and try to do special meals. We also spend a lot of money on wine--we both love a good, peppery red. Totally worth the money!

The only thing that keeps my groceries under control is planning some things I'd like to make in the upcoming week, making a list, and then just buying those things (with a little leeway for any good looking fruit or veggie or Starburst candy at the check out line!) That way, I know that I have the ingredients on hand for dinner and won't have to make a last minute run to the store (which means at least $30 for me--I always end up buying random stuff).

For me, its all in the planning--without it, I'd spend twice as much and still have nothing to make for dinner!

[LynnSC]

Couldn't resist this one.....I have two boys almost 6 and 8 years. I am also married so I feel like I am feeding an army! It is hard for me to keep up with how much I shop but am trying to dwindle it down to once a week. I can get a bit impulsive with CL and decide to try a new dish that I have nothing for and end up spending way too much. I do consider cooking my hobby though and so I don't mind spending a bit more on food. I don't think I ever spend less than $100-$125 a week. I have a feeling as my kids keep growing, that will rise too! It seems the healthier I try to feed them the more it costs. They love yogurt and "gogurt". I look out for coupons and try to buy them on sale but yogurt goes out of date too quickly to stock up on it too far in advance.

Priceline.com is also a great place to save money! It is in our area now even though it wasn't listed . You might want to check and see if it is available in your area. I often save 30%-50% on purchases that way.
Lynn

[CillaB]

I would recommend PriceLine.com as well. It takes more time to prepare for shopping but the savings are well worth it.

[MrsReber]

My husband isn't a picky eater either. I think it's more me. Before we met and it was just me, I spent maybe $70 every three week on just myself. Then I met him and took over the household shopping. Now it all depends. I like to stock up on stuff so I only do a really big shopping trip once every 4 or 5 weeks. In between, we'll pick up milk, fruit and fresh vegetables. We don't skimp on the good stuff! I can spend up to $200 on a big trip, but the smaller trips are around $100. And I refuse to go every week! I guess my total for the month is somewhere around $300, but I bet we could scale back in some areas. I clip coupons and look for sales, too. I usually save around $25 per shopping trip.

[Anne]

I am amazed that some of you can live on such low grocery budgets. You must really be good at planning/shopping. We spend about $250 per month for our family of 4. We hunt and fish so don't buy meat. We also have a big garden so don't buy many vegetables (fresh stuff for about 6 months and root crops, squash, and frozen veges. for winter). We bake our bread, make our yoghurt, and generally don't but much processed foods other than cheeses and canned tomatoes. About $125 per month goes to a food co-op for organically grown bulk grains, pasta, dried fruit, canned tomatoes and paper products (recycled). The other $125 goes to local grocery stores, primarily for fruit and dairy. I live in Alaska and I think our prices are a bit high compared to national average (example $4/gal for skim milk or $4 per loaf of bakery bread) but I am astounded that anyone can get by on less than $50 per month per person.

[laden]

I've really enjoyed reading about how much everyone spends in groceries a week. For me I don't have a clue. I go to the grocery three to four times a week and spend a fortune but it's my hobby.

Several years ago I really had to watch my money, the things that helped were:
-buying whole chickens on sale
-buying fresh vegetable, (not prepackaged)
-generic brands
-use coupons on already reduced items
-stock up on necessities when they're on sale

[5forme]

It's kind of fun to see what everyone spends. I usually come in around $75/week for a family of 2 adults and 5 kids. I garden and can/freeze alot of veggies. we also try to keep meat to a 2-3 time a week thing. I could get by for less but milk is killing me. Maybe I should buy a cow!

[TamiK]

I spend about $200 a week for 4 adults and one child. However, that also includes such things as baby formula, dish soap, toilet paper, dog food, etc., as well as any meals eaten out. In other words, I guess I don't really know what I spend on food!

I do know that we could spend much less if I took more time to plan. Unfortunately, during the school year just getting food on the table without worrying about what it costs! Sometimes I think I should get applause for hamburgers. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[food girl]

When I was in grad school I had a budget of $11 per week. It can be done. Lots of dried beans and large amounts of rice were involved if I remember right.
My husband and I spend $70 -100 per week. I cook 6 nights a week and we take our lunches to work. We eat very little meat. The grocery bill seems to be dictated by how much breakfast cereal we buy. Forget gas prices, why is breakfast cereal so darn expensive???

Ps I am a registered dietitian and my patients actually call me the "little food girl" uggg!

[JeanneW]

I'm a big believer in buying in bulk and on sale. My freezer gets a lot of use. I also buy whole chickens to make my own broth and then use the meat for casseroles or salads. Buying whole chickens and cutting them up yourself is labor intensive but saves $$$$. Another suggestion is to buy fruits and vegetables only when they're in season. Asparagus in September (assuming you can find it) will cost lots more than asparagus in April!

[cookboy]

Hey Cookgirl, actually, I am from Texas, but have been transplanted to Alabama for the time being. Full-time student, part-time cook, I have lots to learn!

Wow, lots of good advice and wisdom being dished out here. I'll have to see if any of these tips can save me some dough. Thanks for all the great advice on this post!

One of my residual bachelor tendencies is to cook huge meals, and to eat leftovers for lunch and dinner throughout the week. Not only does this save on $$$, but its a lot easier when I am pressed for time. I tend to lean towards pasta and rice, which also helps on the cash flow, and is easy to mix with almost anything. This is of course, if I am not trying to wine and dine. . .

[This message has been edited by cookboy (edited 07-18-2000).]

[Kristilyn1]

Well, I wasn't going to weigh in--cause I feel guilty about how much I spend. Two adults and two children it is between $75-$130 a week. It really fluctuates depending on which CL recipes I am planning on trying. Our one extravagance is food. I like freshly ground coffee and real cream. I buy the best steaks and the extra trimmed chicken. We rarely eat out and I always bring my lunch to work, I think I could save more $ if I planned a little better--I don't always take into account how long leftovers will last--so some of the fresh produce I buy almost always goes bad before I can use it. Otherwise, we are not extravagant people, but after being brought up by a single mom on a shoestring budget--I vowed I "would never go hungry again!" LOL

Kristi

[lorilei]

Kristi - I really don't think you should feel bad for spending that much on a family of four! After all, if you read through this listing, you'll find that most of us couples spend nearly $70 a week (and that's minus two children!!)

[Marcie]

Kristi, I spend as much as you do for the same size family - but one isn't even eating food yet! That includes diapers, stamps and film developing but also includes coupon clipping. And I thought I was relatively frugal! I value having a full spice rack and all kinds of sauces and vinegars, etc. so that I can easily try just about any recipe that comes my way. My pantry is obnoxiously full, but I like it that way.

[Kristilyn1]

I like your comment about your pantry being obnoxiously full.....I am guilty of that too! I could probably make an 8 course gourmet meal out of the stuff in my cupboards right now.....but I would be missing something like salt or flour. I HATE running to the store for one thing.

Kristi

[Natasha]

Originally posted by Marcie:
Kristi, I spend as much as you do for the same size family - but one isn't even eating food yet! That includes diapers, stamps and film developing but also includes coupon clipping. And I thought I was relatively frugal! I value having a full spice rack and all kinds of sauces and vinegars, etc. so that I can easily try just about any recipe that comes my way. My pantry is obnoxiously full, but I like it that way.

Am I ever glad to see your comment and Kristi's! We always have a lot in the cupboards AND a pretty full fridge. In fact, the fridge repairman who came around a while ago had this to say: "Boy, you guys sure like to eat." What can I say ... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif


[This message has been edited by Natasha (edited 07-19-2000).]

[lorilei]

Natasha, Kristi, and Marcie -- I have to bow my head in agreement with all of you!

Even as a couple without children, my husband and I have a well-stocked pantry and a fridge which is always overflowing with wonderful things. I like to have enough food around so that I can make almost anything I have a hankering for -- obviously, I'm not a heavy meal planner http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

When I was still single and moved into one of my first apartments, my sister came over to visit. She was busily peeping into all of my cupboards and drawers, when she came upon my canned goods cupboard in the kitchen. "Whoa!" she exclaimed "We're definitely cutting you off!" http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[Gwenniver]

lorilei, that is funny! I have a friend like that (who has an army's worth of canned veggies in her cupboard).

I feel a lot better than I did before. I budget about $150 for a single grocery trip per month, and probably spend $50 or so on little in-between trips a month. My husband thinks this is outrageous, so I was feeling guilty, but then he'd probably live on peanut butter, crackers, and Mr Pibb if he could get away with it! Sounds like I'm right in line (it's just the two of us), as this includes some cleaning products, kitty litter and food for 2 cats, and some drug items.

Speaking of cats, did any other cat owners notice that even if your cats have ignored you all day, they suddenly get really affectionate when you're trying to type? <deleting the gibberish my cat Tori is typing>.

[Beth H]

I spend about $60 - $90 a week for my husband and me. I try to use coupons and my Harris Teeter VIP card, but I obviously do not budget as well as I could by looking at some of the responses here. My husband is not a big leftover fan, so perhaps that is one reason our bills are relatively high. Plus, I buy a lot of fresh produce each week and meats as well.

[Dns]

Well all these posts definately make me feel better about spending between $100-$150 every two weeks. What is frustrating for me is that bread and fruit seems to go bad so much more quickly nowadays.

denise

[RosemaryR]

For just my two of us, I spend about an average of 60-80 dollars a week. We live in Chile so the fruits and veggies are out of this world and for the most part, very inexpensive. You buy what's in season because otherwise it's not available. (No celery in November for Thanksgiving stuffing! Yikes!) Items like meat, chicken and fish are not overpriced and the fish is excellent. We pay high prices for things like mexican food (salsa, mole sauce), cleaning products, junk food (chips, etc) and any canned and imported items. Mostly everything is purchased in a specialty store or a hypermarket. Unfortunately no Costco or Sam's here. Chilean wine is fabulous! Is a overwhelming selection of lower-priced, very good wines to tempt your taste buds.

[debj]

Have got a great cheap meal suggestion. Although we spend $150-175 per week for 2 adults, 2 teens, and 9 year old (who outeats us all), we all love Goya Black Bean soup in the can. I used to make my black bean soup from scratch but the Goya is so fabulous, I don't bother anymore. I "doctor" each can with 1 tsp. sugar, 1 tsp. white vinegar and sprinkle Goya Adobo seasoning on top. Pair this with brown rice, add a green salad and I'm in heaven!! Our biggest expense is organic produce and organic milk (free of hormones and antibiotics), and the freshest seafood from the fish market. No red meat, mostly veggie meals. Anyway, hope you can find the soup; it's terrific! Texas Deb

[cookgirl]

DUH! Guys, I realize that I posted this message, but I got so distracted by everything else on the board, that when I went to find it again...I couldn't remeber the title!!!

I'll do better next time! Promise!

Thank you every body for your posts. It's good to know that I'm not alone with my budgeting woes, and its'nice to hear how you guys go about grocery shopping. Thanks for your tips!