What is your grocery budget?

[samm07]

I'm curious where I'm matching up. I feel I can do better but maybe not? Currently I spend between $100-$120 a week. We are a family of 4 hubby and I, our almost 3 year old, and almost 1 year old. When hubby is laid off (trades problems... Blah) I can get us bare bones $50-$70 a week but my stock pile, pantry, and freezer takes a serious beating. So I'm curious I've cut out almost all packaged foods and focus on the outside of the stores. With the odd exceptions here and there!


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[momof5boys]

I'm curious where I'm matching up. I feel I can do better but maybe not? Currently I spend between $100-$120 a week. We are a family of 4 hubby and I, our almost 3 year old, and almost 1 year old. When hubby is laid off (trades problems... Blah) I can get us bare bones $50-$70 a week but my stock pile, pantry, and freezer takes a serious beating. So I'm curious I've cut out almost all packaged foods and focus on the outside of the stores. With the odd exceptions here and there!


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That does sound about right in terms of frugality. We are a family of three now (but have quite a bit of company during the week for dinner - especially Sundays it is common to have 10 - 12 around our dinner table) and spend about that much. This would be just food. I do bake all our own breads/cookies/cake so that keeps the cost down.

[sweet sparrow]

I think it really depends on so many different factors.

Prices are going to vary depending on where you are in Canada (east coast, west coast, urban city centres with Asian grocery stores, northern Canada...).

People have different food preferences, so people who love their beef will have different costs than vegetarians, etc.

People have different storage capacities. For example, we don't have a freezer, besides the small one at the top of our fridge. We have no room for frozen pizzas, not a lot of bulk meats, prepared meals, etc.

Then there are diet restrictions, etc.

I've tracked our budget for years and the times when there's a lot of produce available, I go on insane spending sprees. When there's less produce or sales, I buy a little less. There are seasons I spend a lot, and seasons where I don't.

With all the factors above, we're near the urban GTA, and DH and LO (nearly 3) love their meat, shrimp, etc. There's pretty much no meal planning and we usually eat fresh.

In January, we spent $356.56.
In February, we spent $206. 03.
So far this month, we've spent $170.28

[walkonby]

Plus one on what sweet sparrow has said. ^^
There are just so many variables to all our budgets. I do applaud you shopping the perimeter of the grocery store, THAT in itself is a huge savings. The processed and often unhealthy items found lurking in the middle will ding your bottom line and your waistline, so bravo for that effort.
Our family of 4 consists of adults now ( 2 parents, 2 kids ) but because we still send our eldest home with groceries when he visits I find I'm still shopping for 5 at times. It is tough to estimate what I spend on JUST food becuase my budget includes all, so cleaning stuff, paper products, light bulbs, etc but it would be in the ballpark of $125.00 a week, but then I tend to do a few smaller shops in the week rather than the one large $125.00 trip.

[samm07]

I mostly just wanted to see where other couponers were at. I find sometimes I hesitate on say stocking laundry detergent (my weakness lol) because it will throw me over budget. But then I think, it's saving money in the long run. So I'm glad to see I'm in a similar ballpark as everyone else.


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[sweet sparrow]

I should add that the totals above don't reflect points, cash back, etc. in case the point system devalues by the time I use them. I'm trying to get better at counting my chickens before they hatch! If there are coupons, I do deduct them from the food expense. The totals above are only food/snacks and anything else I pick up at the store has it's own category.

However, if I cash in PC points, Air Miles, SDM points, etc., I still include the full total in case I buy things like toilet paper. I don't want to break down the discount by percentage and allot -$X for those cough drops, and -$X for eggs to find the "actual" cost. Savings from point values and cash back go into a separate fund for planned spending.

Sorry, my system is a bit complicated...

[PurpleBunny89]

We average $200-$350 for two adults. We have begun buying less and less meat from the supermarket. We now buy meat from a local farm unless I can get it free (maple leaf/Schneider's coupons anyone?!) as well we get our eggs from there that are $4 a dozen which some people would never spend but its quality over price that we're getting into.

Each month I pledge to spend less and then can't help myself with the sales. This month alone I spent $100 at the farm for meat and eggs but we are now good for meat for about 6 months with all the free meat we've also been getting.

Also because of the increase in grocery costs lately is why we are spending so much. For example I made broccoli soup last week. Broccoli was $1.50 each but because they were so tiny I needed to buy 5 (!!!) of them just to make the darn soup. How is someone supposed to eat healthy at prices like that?!

[lilo0003]

I am watching our grocery budget go up, but with a teenage boy and another one soon to be a teen and a husband that does triathlons it will keep going up. Currently I am keeping us at about 500.00 a month. We try to do meatless once a week and eat produce in season or whatever is on sale. PC points are a huge bonus as I use them to reduce the grocery budget.

[samm07]

I am watching our grocery budget go up, but with a teenage boy and another one soon to be a teen and a husband that does triathlons it will keep going up. Currently I am keeping us at about 500.00 a month. We try to do meatless once a week and eat produce in season or whatever is on sale. PC points are a huge bonus as I use them to reduce the grocery budget.

I'll soon be there one day with two boys. I'm scared lol.


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[coupon girl]

i average 90-125 a week and that's for 2 of us -but again I am always stocking up also
-I always price match and use checkout51 and caddle to help out -coupons are getting harder to find or smaller values and groceries just keep going up in price

[samm07]

i average 90-125 a week and that's for 2 of us -but again I am always stocking up also
-I always price match and use checkout51 and caddle to help out -coupons are getting harder to find or smaller values and groceries just keep going up in price

It's so depressing I have friends always asking to teach them how to coupon and it's just not the same as when I started 6 years ago.


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[wimbly11]

We are a family of 3.5 (step daughter with us half time lol). We average from $90-110/week depending on sales etc. I will stock up on essentials when I can. Trying hard to coupon and watch points etc to get the best bang for our buck as we are trying to save money, work on the house etc. It's tough to do though. It's time consuming, and even though I enjoy doing it, finding the time can be hard!

[Ermain Claire]

I am a mother of two. I bought meet and grocery in a local store, so I can't use different coupons for discounts in the huge supermarkets...
I spend around $ 180- 220 a week.I suppose when you have little kids - you spend much more, because there so many tasty things you want to pamper your children...

[lecale]

Just the two of us, $70 a week ($300/month) for all food household and personal care. I try not to buy any ready-to-eat stuff (cookies, granola bars, yogurt, chips, that sort of thing) because they are the budget busters and if we already have meals we don't actually need snacks. I bake once a week instead.

[Ermain Claire]

I do need to implement you advise!!!! Thanks!
I need to find time to bake and make yoghurt myself!!!