OK so here's something I am just really curious about. When I was a kid, I remember my mom telling me that she spent $100 a week on groceries for our family of 6. She also had an in-home daycare/preschool, and I think she may have fed breakfast, snacks, and lunch to those children out of the same budget.
Now, I understand that it's been over 10 years since I lived at home and prices always rise due to inflation. I also am painfully aware of the huge jumps recently in dairy prices, grain prices, etc. But I can't help but be dumbfounded every time we grocery shop when our total comes, and today was no exception:
$221.74
I did not buy lobster. I did not buy steak. I did not buy Pull Ups. I did not buy makeup, cleaning supplies, pesticides, or school supplies. I bought bread, milk, eggs, yogurt, lunch meat, and produce. And maybe some pizza. And Blue Bell ice cream. And stuff to make a key lime pie...let's move on, shall we?
My point is that this was not some unusual grocery week -- nothing major, nothing fancy -- and I guarantee that before the week is out I will run back out "for bananas", which will end with an extra $20-$30 being spent.
It gets worse. On the weeks we go to Sam's Club we can drop over $300 without trying.
Anyway, my question is this:
What do you spend on groceries? Are we abnormal?
14 comments:
My mom's grocery budget was also around $100 a week for a family of 6. I remember she used to calculate how much she had in her cart by counting the number of items and valuing them each at $1. Can't do that anymore. I went to the grocery store the other day (and this was the commissary, mind you) and spent $221. That was down from $268 the previous week. Granted, we're starting from scratch here, and I had to buy every condiment known to man, and a whole slew of cleaning supplies. Chicken, however, was $5 a pound, and milk was $2.25 for 1/2 gallon. I was in shock. I don't know how we would have survived dental school had grocery prices been as high then as they are now.
Yes, when I was in high school (and you know approximately when that was, so I don't need to out myself to the rest of your readers...), I remember Mom had $400/month for our family of 10. We shopped twice a month with small runs weekly for bread, bananas and milk. We'd go grocery shopping at 9pm after the little ones were in bed. Each of us would take a cart and half the coupons. The pile we used was always about an inch thick. No lie. I wish I were that diligent. I need to be.
Nicole ... granted we only have a family of 3... but our biggest help is ONLY buying things on sale AND COUPONS (even online coupons ... blue bell usually has one on bluebell.com)... but we are on the dental school budget. So we don't get bananas alot ... unless they are the read tape ... or we go to Sam's where they are cheaper ... there's always some type of fruit on sale ... we just can't be picky We also stock up on the shelf/freezer items when they are on sale ... we still spend a lot when we go ... so I don't know if any of this helps at all... food just keeps going up-up-up! I have another Kroger hint ... but won't put it on the internet! I'll tell ya Sunday!
I almost did a post on this very thing! I can't believe how much food costs these days! I swear sometime during my move here, prices jumped way up or else the commissary in Maryland is way cheaper! I know a lot of it is inflation but it is getting ridiculous. We don't usually buy anything fancy either, just the basics and last week I spent almost $200 and then we went to Sam's (which by the way is so ghetto)and spent another $100. You are not abnormal. You just made me feel more normal. Thanks.
Okay so maybe I am the abnormal one. I do only have 2 kids and they really never eat. I'm not really sure how they grow but we usually spend about $75 a week on groceries. Since prices have been going up it has gone up to maybe $85 or $90 at the most. I only buy certain things when they are on sale and when I buy those things, I go a little crazy. Like I have about 12 boxes of my favorite cereal in our food storage closet because they were like $1.99. No lie. Anyway, maybe you should just not feed your kids. That might help. Or- I saw an Oprah about freegans who dumpster dive. You could probably save some money by eating trash.
Hey Nicole! I got the link to your blog from facebook. I HATE grocery shopping. I think every extra dollar we have is spent on food! I'm not a good grocery shopper. I go and buy what I want and need, usually nothing exciting but it is always expensive.
You know the other thing that stinks? When you make the effort to eat nutritiously you pay for it through the nose!
It has taken me years to get my kids enjoying produce, and now that they do, I find myself saying in the store, "It's worth it to me to spend the money to buy healthy foods if my kids will eat them."
Of course, this means that I have spent over $18 on one bag of cherries more than once -- that may have been a little excessive.
But dang, I really freaking love cherries, and if I have them it keeps me from digging in the kids' treat bags in the pantry. Priceless.
I love my Mom, with that being said and understood. I was raised in SLC (Blessed land, hand to my chest and a big sigh NOT!!!) and we had to deal with every new Home Making idead good or bad. We had No sugar, No goodies, No snacks that we would really eat so when I left the home it was burgers, frys, candy, and every other item I was not allowed to eat. Now that I am done with that period of life I am happy to say we eat good, we have sugar in the house, stuff the kids will eat and if Anne does the shopping its half of what I spend. BOOO YAAAA Not really to your dollar point but I feel much better.......PS When are you moving to the blessed land of Colorado?
you should buy them here in hawaii we are spending way over 800 a month hopefully when our stuff gets here i can cut back(they forgot to send it) hope to see you soon lucy email me lucygilbert89@hotmail.com
I think Mom spent like 100 per week on our family and another 100-150 per week on the daycare... just FYI so you don't feel totally excessive...
And um, yeah, just read a study about how people who eat canned/processed foods spend $3.00/pound average versus people who buy fresh spend $18.00/pound on average.
So yeah, the fact that you aren't some obese family definitely contributes to your higher cost...
how many times do you remember having fresh vegetables (other than lettuce salad) versus canned????
Or even fresh fruit....
Or brand name anything?
Yep... never... Mom was pretty much super strict and an amazing budget-shopper. Out of necessity, of course.
Yeah, we've NEVER been able to consistently grocery shop for less than $500 a month... kids or no kids. But I have found that cutting meat portions reduces our weekly expenditure tremendously... oh filet mignons... how we miss you.
Aloha Nicole!
Try this: Milk (quart) $5.79
Gas: (gallon) $4.49
shall I go on?
The price you pay for paradise.
oops I meant 1/2 Gallon on the milk.
okay, you know I am all about the food and am a grocery snob. I hate shopping at stores that I have to bag my own groceries. I have two kids that are ready to go as soon as we get in the store and would be screeming if I had to bag each item. I will not shop around to find the deals. It's not worth the gas.
I am not a spoiled brat! I grew up in Utah...huge family...I learned to eat what you get. You know the favorites; tator-tot Casserol, chicken noodle casserol, chicken and rice casserol, taco casserol.
I am probably spelling casserol wrong, but you get the idea.
We don't play the cassserol game and I have had to teach myself to eat non casserol foods. Those reading may love the casserol life and go right ahead, but I am about taste and enjoying food. Fresh food, yeah it is more expensive, but it is so good and better for you. I so agree with you about the cherries, but mine is what ever is in season. Bring on the $6.00 2oz blue berries. My kids get to eat blue berry pancakes that are awesome!!
I hear you Nicole! My grocery bill doubled in the last year alone. I am a little bit abnormal though, I usually spend more than $100/week, but less than $200/week. Although there was one month where I actually tallied up the total 5 times because I thought for sure that I had messed up my total of $900 that month just on food. That was a big shock.
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