by Renita P.
Member since:
July 26, 2006

How much do you spend per month on groceries?

October 11, 2008 10:46 PM EDT
views: 642 | rating: 10/10 (11 votes) | comments: 23

I'm an "extreme" couponer and I save alot of money (50% usually) by coupon & sale shopping.  I actually taught on the subject at my church today. Someone else, who feels they are a frugal shopper, mentioned that she "only" spends $1200 per month to feed her family of 5 plus a dog.  That seemed high to me.  I normally spend $400 or less per month for my family of 4. I tracked my spending in July and had spent only $105.90 for the entire month.  Granted, that included mystery shopping, but even without that I spent only $274.

I'm curious to know what most people are spending. do you even know what you spend? If not, you should! Budgets are very very important - even more so with the current economic crunch

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Comments: 23

Melissa J Oct 11, 2008, 10:48pm EDT
I have a family of 5, 3 labs, a guinea pig, 3 small birds, a fish and an iguana. We average about $150 per week.

I'd like to know how you do the coupon shopping. I've checked out the sites like "couponmom.com" but don't feel like I want to spend money to learn how to save it. Doesn't make sense to me.
♠~Dnbuster~♠ ~. Oct 11, 2008, 10:52pm EDT
WE have a family of 4. 3 under the age of 18. i spend $250 to $300 a week:)
Donna T. Oct 11, 2008, 11:15pm EDT
Melissa -- couponmom does NOT charge you -- but The Grocery Game does. I'll tell you that you will save FAR more than the $1 a week you pay for the grocery game. I started with them, and learned how to spot a rock bottom sale to combine with my coupons form the grocery game. The problem many new couponers make is that they use their coupon on a sale that's not a very good sale. The grocery game teaches you when to use the coupon and when to hold on to it.

anyway..... I an also an "extreme" couponer -- I have 5 of us including a 20 yr old, an 18 year old and 15 year old sons -- all men -- plus three dogs-- I pay approx $75 - $100 per week. I haven't paid for dog food in years.
J W. Oct 11, 2008, 11:16pm EDT
Family of 2 about $350 per month
Pristina S. Oct 11, 2008, 11:21pm EDT
Family of 5-about $500 per month
APE 131313 Oct 11, 2008, 11:52pm EDT
Hard to judge what is actual grocery cost and what is all the other stuff available in modern Super Markets. The temptations to buy toys, lawn furniture, cosmetics, OTC drugs, etc make sticking to a list very important. Some spend more on cleaning supplies, paper goods, dusting wipes, diapers and wipes, storage bags, Swifters, toiletries and specialty items than food and bemoan the high cost of 'feeding' their family!
sharon SugarMomma is a wise woman, Oct 12, 2008, 12:04am EDT
Me - $160.00.
Alexis Newell Oct 12, 2008, 12:09am EDT
There are only 2 of us here, and we spend about $100 a month for everything, including dish soap, laundry detergent and cat food. That's still a little high, and I know I can get it down(at one point I was spending about $50 a month with the Grocery Game), but we moved recently and my coupon binder got lost in the process. Now that it has been recovered/resorted, I can go back to saving a lot more.
CC Miranda the artrat (or am i?) Oct 12, 2008, 12:22am EDT
before food stamps i was spending $40 a month since it's only me. with the food stamps i am able to spend $167 a month and stock up on dry and canned goods as well as actually get some fresh items that i couldn't get prior to that.
Lune Wolfsong Oct 12, 2008, 12:31am EDT
Family of five, we spend $650 a month. There are special issues, one can't have dairy and we have to take special care with his nutrition, another can't have any chemicals/dyes. I don't do coupons at all, at this point, but we shopped around until we found a store that both met our particular needs with their offerings and had the best prices, overall, for it. We make two large shopping trips a month and run up there (20 miles away). Otherwise we'd be paying a lot more.
Andrea H. Oct 12, 2008, 1:21am EDT
Too much. $600 a month for a family of 4 plus a dog and three cats. I want to save more, but I don't get the paper so no coupons. I do watch for sales though and try to stock up then.
sheila ~the hapless housewife~ j. Oct 12, 2008, 8:06am EDT
It goes up and down depending on the sales and the coupons. I have a stockpile so if something isn't cheap enough I don't have to buy it.
rainne chandler Oct 12, 2008, 9:51am EDT
i spend about 250.00 a month on food but i stock up alot on meats and dry goods for 3 poeple
DesertDarlene L. Oct 12, 2008, 10:50am EDT
I am just me and I have special dietary needs, so I spend about $140 a month on groceries. I don't use coupons that much because they just don't have coupons for the products I buy. Also, a lot of stores don't take internet coupons.
tammie p. Oct 12, 2008, 11:34am EDT
there is just 2 of us ans i usually spend $180 plus the soap,eic. i know that's high
Cathy N. Oct 12, 2008, 1:15pm EDT
I spend about $350 a month for 3 of us.
Victoria Preacely Oct 12, 2008, 4:50pm EDT
wow about 500 a month not counting all those gallons of milk
Steph-in-NE ..... Oct 12, 2008, 11:48pm EDT
we have a family of 3 and we do about $250 to $400 a month,, depend on season and little things,,,
Sarah P. Oct 13, 2008, 4:17am EDT
Right now there are 5 of us, a chihuahua and 3 kitties. Roomies don't pitch in for groceries, so hubby and I are spending about $500/mo. I have to eat whole natural foods only due to high blood pressure and diabetes. Their daughter is allergic to milk and dairy. It's very difficult when we're already on a tight budget as it is. I price match, catch 50% off stuff at the whole food store(Fresh and Easy) and use coupons as much as I can. It's hard, and we can't afford it and I can't work. We make do with what we have though.
.* Sandi * Oct 19, 2008, 7:10pm EDT
it seems to be more and more
Carla B. Oct 20, 2008, 10:25pm EDT
We usually spend about $300-400 each month, sometimes a little more, and sometimes a little less. We have a fairly large pantry that I keep pretty well stocked by buying things when they are on sale for a really good price. We also have two freezers. That price includes all of our paper products, baby supplies (our son is 2.5 and still needs diapers at night), soaps, etc. It also includes food and cat litter for our three dogs and two cats.
Mary (diet dr pepper junkie) T. Nov 16, 2008, 9:02am EST
we spend way too much, but we have started a budget that should help. I think as a family of 4 we should be able to bring it down to 500-600 a month instead of what we were spending at Sams & other places, yeek, like over $300 every week and a half. good grief. that's close to $900 or $1000 a month.
babsie wabsie Dec 9, 2008, 11:29am EST
there are 2 of us but my step kids (2 boys) are with us every other weekend. we spend about $300/month on groceries

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