OK friends- I added a fun little poll over there --------------------->.Take a minute to respond!
If you want to get more specific (tell us how much you used to spend compared to now, how disgusted you are with how much you spend, or how crazy expensive it is to feed your family... whatever...), feel free to let loose in the comment section.
EDITED TO ADD:
If you're at the top of the range and wish you spent less- don't feel bad about it. I used to spend $250 a week EASY on groceries. Just get real about it, check the little box, and move forward. We'll help you cut that budget. :)
Posts
16 comments:
I just want to let you know that yesterday James ate 1 pb&j at home, breakfast lunch & snack at Kelly's house, and 3 pb&js when he got home. This was all before 12:30.
Amy, dude- that's a LOT of PB&J.
I find a grocery budget hard to stick to, so I am going to switch the the "only cash, envelope method" that I have heard about via Dave Ramsay.
I budget $80 for two weeks worth of groceries (only me and the hubs right now), but it always seems as though I end up spending closer to $150 because of not having a "strict" budget. I need to get better. But most of the time when I hit the store it is right around $50-$60.
Oh, and if you can...will you help me out with some Walgreen's issues. Specifically having to do with register rewards. I find myself getting great deals there, but having to pay a lot because they have restrictions on the rewards...when you can use them, how many you can use, etc.
Any thoughts?
Hey Marie- I used envelopes while we were tightening our belts It helped a lot. I have a HARD TIME parting with my cash, and I really stuck to that type of a system.
As for Walgreens, the only snag I ever hit was with not being able to use my RR for the same deal again- so you can't roll them like Extrabucks. Oh, come to think of it, a LOOOOOONG time ago I had an issue with a deal- I didn't get as much RR as I thought I should and it had to do with using coupons.
Walgreens can be random. I think when you're about to turn a huge deal, ask an employee first... because sometimes their rules can be shady.
I'm averaging about $100/week so far this year. Last year, I spent about $9500 on groceries, so I'm doing MUCH better now that I'm paying more attention to sales and using coupons!
I just started doing a weekly average - and I'm currently at $69 a week!
I have myself on a $75/week budget right now. I'd like to get it lower but my kids eat a lot! It's my goal to get down closer to $50 by the end of the year.
I am still higher than I would like because I am in the stock-up stage. I hope within 3 months I can get to where cutting our budget is more doable without us running out of the basics. Plus, I am still trying to figure out if the whole coupon thing is worth it since Utah stores don't double and most times the generics are cheaper than the sale+coupon items. I'll get there!
Full disclosure...I am one of the 150+ people. We buy alot of organic and don't spend much time in the 'inside aisles' at the grocery store and lets face it, everything on the periphery costs a-friggin'-lot.
THought you might be interested in this from the washington post:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/mighty-appetite/2009/02/eating_down_the_fridge_save_th.html?hpid=features1&hpv=local
I am a $100-150 gal. I spend way too much since I buy organic milk and produce. However, i feel like reading your blog is a step in the right direction!!
Well I spent $230 at Costco today. I did have to stock up on TP and paper towel this time though and that's $40 right there that I only spend every 3-4 months. We've been stocking up on things right now though with deals. So this wasn't a normal trip.
Otherwise I only shop at Costco once a month and then pick up misc fresh items the other weeks.
The usual budget is about $125 every 2 weeks for groceries. So this one while planned was still HUGE :( But I shouldn't have another one like this for MONTHS.
I haven't got through the $150-$200threshhold. BUT this always includes non-grocery items too (diapers, detergents, etc.) I wonder what the other poster's numbers mean? Simply groceries or other non-food staples as well? Urgh. I am discouraged...
Shannon - my $69 average (down to $67!) does include crazy stuff like garbage bags, detergent, cat litter, diapers, etc. Before this year, I'd tell people I averaged $70 a week at the grocery store, but I'd never take into consideration my crazy BJ's trips (that were always about $100 a trip), CVSing, and other random places like Target or Walmart. I add all that stuff in now. It really helps tracking every single penny and putting it out there for the internet world to see. That's my motivation.
And another thing that I realized today - I was doing laundry and ran out so I grabbed a new detergent from my stash. Now I haven't bought laundry detergent at all in 2009 yet. So I have this new one I just opened this morning and 7 more sitting there (all about 32 load size). I'm slowly realizing that we have a pretty large stock of a lot of basic stuff. This probably helps keep my average down.
Hope this helps! I wouldn't be discouraged!! I think most people spend closer to $300 a week on groceries (including everything). Remember too - People reading bargain blogs aren't average people.
Hannah- You will see the amount gradualy start to fall after you have a good base.
Mel- consider shopping for paper goods at CVS, Walgreens type places too- sometimes, you can catch a really good sale combined with a coupon!
Kara and Celeste- are you girls near me? I thought I saw you might be... If you are at all South of Boston- Roxies (in Quincy) is worth the trip- VERY fresh, mostly local (in the summer) produce (although not organic) at insanely good prices. You can't beat the meat prices, either.
DC- Thx for the cool links! I'm off to read now...
Post a Comment