How much do you spend on groceries?

[momof5boys]

Total grocery (food only) for month of May $484.44....a bit higher than I would have liked but still within the $500 we allow ourselves per month

[momof5boys]

June and July grocery totals (food only)

June $484.51 which included fruit, snacks, hamburgers and condiments for 25 guests
July $312.93

[jasperandchar]

Well when I signed up in February 2012 to this site I was spending $800-$1000.00 a month on groceries.

I am now pleased to say that I spend maybe $400.00 so I am over the moon with the savings....funny thing where did that $ go (lol).

Thanks to all SC'ers who have guided me along the way and to amazing trades & people.

[Nettie]

I've just started to try and tackle our ridiculous grocery bill. It's just DH and I (and two cats). We eat what I think is "normal", not huge eaters. We struggle to keep our grocery bill under $500-600 a month. Our goal used to be $400, but we were never able to meet that, so increased the budget to be more realistic. I would *LOVE* to spend $300/month. We hardly ever eat take out (maybe once a month?), and always pack our lunches.

I coupon, and have recently increased my coupon use. About a month ago I started to build a "stockpile". I've researched it, and found you can save approx. 25% by just having a stockpile alone. WOW!! So far, I have all the deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, laundry detergent, shampoo/bodywash, all purpose cleaners, dish soap, etc, that we will need for a year. All of these items purchased at amazing prices.

I stocked up on pasta at Lawtons a few weeks ago, and pasta sauce from TBS a few weeks ago, so have enough now for a few months. I have a couple extra containers of peanut butter (for $2.99), and found olive oil super cheap (and had a coupon).

This week Sobeys has a good deal on paper towel, and I have a few coupons, so have bought enough for 4 months. ( I HATE buying full price paper towel!!). I'm currently trying up build my pile of toilet paper, because buying that at regular price is another pet peeve of mine.

This is a whole new world to me. I know to only buy for the stockpile when prices are amazingly low, so I'm trying to make a list of what to keep an eye out for. I am waiting for items like tuna, canned soups, cereal, oats, canned beans, canned tomatoes, shake-n-bake, sugar, etc.

Oh - and this year I am canning. I have one batch of pickles made, another flavor of pickles being made this weekend, plan on making homemade salsa and homemade pizza sauce when my tomatoes are ripe. We eat (and buy) all of these all year, so this will help somewhat.

Anyone have any tips or want to share what they have in their stockpile? I'm new to this and could use advice!

[dreamcatcher1962]

Watch out for sugar when it goes on sale. I have seen it anywhere from $1.67 - $1.99 for 2kgs on sale.
You could also try making your own Jams/Jellies for your stockpile.
2 years ago we picked 11 x 4L containers of wild Blackberries and made Blackberry Jelly. I stocked up on sugar when it was on sale as well.
This made a lot of blackberry jelly and was great for giving as gifts at Christmas as well as through the year and was very inexpensive. Much cheaper than buying jam or jelly at the grocery stores.

[krysta lynne]

Last night i dropped a staggering $225. but i had to stock up on stuff. i usually spend around $400 a month for two kids and two adults. (after the use about $100 or more in coupons and price match like a mad woman) but this price includes all the diapers, wipes, toiletries and all that stuff. so i think i do pretty well

[momof5boys]

Grocery totals (food only) for:
September 2012 - $333.99

We are using a lot of harvest from our garden which has done wonders to our grocery bill Now, if only milk were less expensive!

[Mia001]

how do guys manage with this much of money on groceries? i spent way more than all of u but considering that i spent almost neart to zero on take out i do everything at home ! but still my bill is way higher and it is not organic or high end stores!
what do u eat for main meals and snacks if i may ask?
am not a big eater very normal!

i would say we (our family) spend way too much on grocery.....even with a stockpile built with non perishables or far 'best before' date.....canned tuna, salmon, tomatoes, tomatoes juces, spag sauce, pastas, hygienics products....and we don't eat a lot of meat + we always seek for pink (50% off) stickies and other rebates.....i wonder what would it be if we didn't have a stockpile?.....grocery is costing more and more every month.....

[Mia001]

do you guys count non edibles products in your grocery ?.....like TP, soaps, shampoos, ...etc

and when you say....x amount in grocery and y in stockpile.....is it x+y or y is include in the x ?

thank you for precisions and hints

[sweetmomma]

Last wk I did groceries for $75 and hoping this wk will have a nice savings too!

I typically don't count toiletries/hygiene etc in the weekly budget as I have a small budget($100 a week)to work with anything above and beyond comes from a different source. My DH knows the prices of things are going up but yet still sticks to this same budget which is the same budget we had 4 yrs ago and now we have 2 small children. I think he is getting the hint the past few wks though when there arent any extra treats(ie/cookies, chips which he enjoys)and I simply explain it wasn't in the budget! I do my best with coupons and a small stockpile but I don't have control over the uprise in costs for groceries!

[Mia001]

sorry , i think i didn't read all the post.....

[sweet sparrow]

do you guys count non edibles products in your grocery ?.....like TP, soaps, shampoos, ...etc

and when you say....x amount in grocery and y in stockpile.....is it x+y or y is include in the x ?

thank you for precisions and hints

I don't count non-edibles in my groceries, because those can be stored for much longer than food items. I have a few items recommended by my doctor that I can go well over my limit with. One purchase and it will throw off the entire month.

My y's are included in the x's, as in, I don't differentiate food stockpile from perishables. I figure there will always be sales and because the fresh foods always need to be replenished, the amount with stockpiling should average itself out over the year.

[lecale]

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[momof5boys]

Grocery total for month of October/2012 (food only) is $412.78. I'm happy with that but aiming for a lower total in November. That may not happen if I buy too much discounted Halloween candy lol

[PurpleBunny89]

Grocery total for two of us was $265.53 for October and that includes basically anything you can buy at WM/RCSS, so there may be some health and beauty stuff in there, kitty food/treats/litter, various things.

I track our spending by keeping every single little receipt and if something doesn't have a receipt (like our cats hair cut) then I write it on a little piece of paper and keep it with all the others.

At the end of the month I track all our variable expenses as well as our fixed expenses, add them together for total "outgoing money" and then add all our income for the month as "incoming money" (if I worked for 1 week and don't get paid until November that doesn't count because that money did not come in in October) and subtract the two to see how much money we profited/saved.

This month I was very happy with DH and I as we got our variable expenses down to 1/3 of what they normally are