How much do you spend per month on food?

[Gooberlx2]

Probably ~$300/month for me and my wife.

 

[MrDudeMan]

$250 per month between me and my wife, sometimes much less depending on the overlap and the things that last more than a month. A lot of you either have no idea how to shop or buy very overpriced food. We eat very well and don't skimp on the things we like, but still manage to spend comparatively little. I'm a big guy, not fat but big, and I eat more than most people, yet we still manage to do this. We also hardly ever eat out because of how overpriced it is and my wife's food tastes better, so that is some of the savings.

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: KingGheedora
Don't know why I buy those, they are 12$ each, may as well get takeout which is faster, and more convenient. I've seen people here mention that they spend around 200-3-- a month on food and am just wondering how you do that. Do you just live in a cheaper city (I live in NY). It might be my market too, I go to a sort of fancy one called Union Market, because they deliver and it's either that place of Fresh Direct, because I don't have a car. I suspect they are not the cheapest grocery store around.

Yes, you live in an expensive area and do shop at quite high-end stores. There probably are some much cheaper stores around. A frozen pizza here (in the middle of no-where) ranges from $5 at a cheap store to $8 at a high-end store for the exact same pizza. I only shop at the cheap stores for that reason. There is no way I'd pay 60% more just to have a store that looks prettier. You probably won't find the $5 frozen pizzas, but maybe you can find $8 stuff.

So far: need to get three bottles of juice, one box of wheat waffles, 2 packets of smoked or roasted turkey slices, two things of greek yogurt, a small ass bottle of milk, a box of six granola bars, 2-3 containers of cooked food from the market's deli (this is where a lot of the money has been going to waste, this stuff goes bad fast but i've been trying out differnt things until i find stuff that I like that will also keep for at least 3-5 days in the fridge). I basically gave up and do not even buy fruit anymore because it always goes bad. I might stop buying salad for the same reason. Once I have my money habits in order i will try to improve eating habits. (eating from home is already not a bad start).

I think your paragraph there also shows why you are spending so much money on groceries. Pre-processed foods and fresh fruits generally are MUCH, MUCH more expensive. If you really want to save money, you have to change the format that you buy the foods.
[*]Canned fruits (in their own juice not in heavy syrup) taste the same as fresh and last forever.
[*]Frozen vegetables taste the same as fresh and last nearly forever.
[*]Frozen juice tastes nearly the same as bottled, are easier to carry home without a car, and cost abourt 1/3rd the price (you may need to try a few brands to find the best flavor).
[*]Waffles that you make yourself take about 5 minutes of work but will cost ~1/10th the amount of boxed stuff and they taste far better.
[*]Greek yogurt is good, but it is damn expensive. Regular yogurt isn't the same flavor, but it is far healthier and cost 1/3rd what Greek yogurt costs.
[*]Deli food doesn't usually have preservatives, and it goes bad right away. Deli food is intended to be eaten the day you buy it. That is, you buy it on your way home from work and eat it that day. The next day at the very worst. If you buy deli foods, you have to change the way you shop: buy just small quantities of it. Or get stuff with preservatives or make it yourself.
[*]With a bread machine you can make a pizza crust far better than frozen pizza for under 20 cents, then toss on a few toppings and you have the best pizza of your life for a couple of dollars at most. Or even those Jiffy brand pizza crusts in a blue/white box are quite good and that should be under $1.

The way you shop (convenience foods at high-end grocery stores), you are paying near-restaurant prices with all the added work of shopping and heating it yourself. You are getting the worst of both worlds.

I stopped reading after the bolded stuff..

 

[whattaguy]

Well, my gf just moved here to be with me, but refuses to shop and eat in. We spent almost $2k this past month on eating out. I keep telling her that we need to stop living like rock stars and live within our means.

Normally, I cringe when I spend more than $500 a month on food.

 

[Gothgar]

Family of four, we go to Costco once a month and spend around 300-400, then WinCo or Super Target two to three times a month spending around 100-150 each shot.

So about 500-800 a month on food.

This is just on groceries, we also eat out occasionally...

we have no budget, just buy what we need when we need it.

 

[adairusmc]

$120ish

 

[oddyager]

Originally posted by: Homerboy

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: KingGheedora
Don't know why I buy those, they are 12$ each, may as well get takeout which is faster, and more convenient. I've seen people here mention that they spend around 200-3-- a month on food and am just wondering how you do that. Do you just live in a cheaper city (I live in NY). It might be my market too, I go to a sort of fancy one called Union Market, because they deliver and it's either that place of Fresh Direct, because I don't have a car. I suspect they are not the cheapest grocery store around.

Yes, you live in an expensive area and do shop at quite high-end stores. There probably are some much cheaper stores around. A frozen pizza here (in the middle of no-where) ranges from $5 at a cheap store to $8 at a high-end store for the exact same pizza. I only shop at the cheap stores for that reason. There is no way I'd pay 60% more just to have a store that looks prettier. You probably won't find the $5 frozen pizzas, but maybe you can find $8 stuff.

So far: need to get three bottles of juice, one box of wheat waffles, 2 packets of smoked or roasted turkey slices, two things of greek yogurt, a small ass bottle of milk, a box of six granola bars, 2-3 containers of cooked food from the market's deli (this is where a lot of the money has been going to waste, this stuff goes bad fast but i've been trying out differnt things until i find stuff that I like that will also keep for at least 3-5 days in the fridge). I basically gave up and do not even buy fruit anymore because it always goes bad. I might stop buying salad for the same reason. Once I have my money habits in order i will try to improve eating habits. (eating from home is already not a bad start).

I think your paragraph there also shows why you are spending so much money on groceries. Pre-processed foods and fresh fruits generally are MUCH, MUCH more expensive. If you really want to save money, you have to change the format that you buy the foods.
[*]Canned fruits (in their own juice not in heavy syrup) taste the same as fresh and last forever.
[*]Frozen vegetables taste the same as fresh and last nearly forever.
[*]Frozen juice tastes nearly the same as bottled, are easier to carry home without a car, and cost abourt 1/3rd the price (you may need to try a few brands to find the best flavor).
[*]Waffles that you make yourself take about 5 minutes of work but will cost ~1/10th the amount of boxed stuff and they taste far better.
[*]Greek yogurt is good, but it is damn expensive. Regular yogurt isn't the same flavor, but it is far healthier and cost 1/3rd what Greek yogurt costs.
[*]Deli food doesn't usually have preservatives, and it goes bad right away. Deli food is intended to be eaten the day you buy it. That is, you buy it on your way home from work and eat it that day. The next day at the very worst. If you buy deli foods, you have to change the way you shop: buy just small quantities of it. Or get stuff with preservatives or make it yourself.
[*]With a bread machine you can make a pizza crust far better than frozen pizza for under 20 cents, then toss on a few toppings and you have the best pizza of your life for a couple of dollars at most. Or even those Jiffy brand pizza crusts in a blue/white box are quite good and that should be under $1.

The way you shop (convenience foods at high-end grocery stores), you are paying near-restaurant prices with all the added work of shopping and heating it yourself. You are getting the worst of both worlds.

I stopped reading after the bolded stuff..

Yeah. A couple of things to keep in mind when someone decides between processed and fresh. Most, if not all, canned goods add preservatives which is unhealthy. Some are also loaded with sugar so they do not taste the same. If you are planning to eat cheap and not care for the health, then that isn't a concern I guess.

Frozen and fresh veggies also don't taste the same either but health wise I don't think they are very different.

 

[jonks]

600-700. I don't cook.

 

[ggnl]

Maybe $200 a month. The problem I used have is that I'd scrimp and save all week and then go out with friends on Friday night and blow $75 at a restaurant.

Expensive drink bills were a big part of the problem. Since then I've pretty much sworn off of drinking at restaurants and bars unless it's a special occasion. I also carry a hip flask with me if I'm going out drinking. It looks really cheap on my part and certainly doesn't impress the ladies, but I never have $100 bar tabs anymore.

 

[Svnla]

I spend about $200-$250 a month for groceries/lunch/diner (doesn't count eating out..cutting back a whole bunch in the last few months).

I am trying to cut it down below $200 (goal is around $150 or so).

 

[KingGheedora]

I will do this starting now:

Cut the disposable utensils and dinnerware to once a month or less (it's a convenience issue for me, I hate doing dishes, but the stuff I buy is actually reusable, so I'll use each thing a few times and dump it when I get too lazy to wash). This will probably save about $15 a month.

Adding frozen veggies will actually increase my weekly grocery expenses. I went shopping yesterday for $101 and didn't buy any salad or veggies. But, I will buy frozen veggies.

I'll stop buying the deli foods, and instead make chicken and pasta once a week myself. This should save about $10-15/week.

Buy two bottles of juice instead of 3.

Try to replace greek yogurt with normal (I for some reason thought th egreek kind was healthier, but if not then no need to spend more for that, they are 1.99 per serving).


Later:
Try to find cheaper markets (there's only one other within walking distance, not sure how the prices compare).


Ideally I could cut down to $70/week on groceries. We'll see if that is possible without being too much of a hassle.

 

[Aikouka]

I spend about $120-200 at a grocery store per month. I usually go and eat out with my friends each weekend for about $20-25 (gratuity included). Lunch at work is usually $5 a day, so say 20 days would be $100. So I spend about 300-400 a month. The difference in grocery prices are usually whether or not I buy "extra things." I usually just buy things to drink, maybe some fruit and stuff to make for dinner. But those little extras that I go "ooo, I haven't had those in a long time" tend to add up .

Hmm I could really drop the price on going out if I wouldn't order beer. That can easily be a fourth to a third of the cost.

I also used to bring my lunch into work, which was a huge cost savings and I also ate the same thing at home. It was good for a diet as well, but I got tired of eating it .

I don't worry about it too much though as I don't spend a lot.

Originally posted by: whattaguy
Well, my gf just moved here to be with me, but refuses to shop and eat in. We spent almost $2k this past month on eating out. I keep telling her that we need to stop living like rock stars and live within our means.

Normally, I cringe when I spend more than $500 a month on food.

Get her in line man... that is ridiculous.

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: Homerboy
prob $700 for family of four. Not much eating out. Maybe a fast food joint here and there and 1 decent ($50) sit todwn dinner a month.

same here. lately its been more weekend eating out, which i noticed last week is killing my budget. time to quell that.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: whattaguy
Well, my gf just moved here to be with me, but refuses to shop and eat in. We spent almost $2k this past month on eating out. I keep telling her that we need to stop living like rock stars and live within our means.

Normally, I cringe when I spend more than $500 a month on food.

Her stuff on the sidewalk, now. That's ridiculous.

 

[Muse]

Probably $125/month all things included. Well, including utilities for cooking, maybe $150.

 

[ParticleMan]

Groceries for my wife and myself, around $100/wk and eat out usually just once a week, so around $500/mo for two.

 

[whattaguy]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: whattaguy
Well, my gf just moved here to be with me, but refuses to shop and eat in. We spent almost $2k this past month on eating out. I keep telling her that we need to stop living like rock stars and live within our means.

Normally, I cringe when I spend more than $500 a month on food.

Her stuff on the sidewalk, now. That's ridiculous.

I guess I could do that...but it'd be kind of weird since we don't live together. She's slowly getting the picture.

Well, when I lived by myself and cooked, I spent about $250/month on food and eating out.

4-5lb bag of stir fry veggies at Costco - $7
4-5lb bag of frozen chicken breasts at Costco - $15

Saute some chopped garlic in oil,
add 1 chicken breast cut up in cubes and fry until white on sides
add about 2 cups of veggies.
Makes about 2 servings.

Eat with rice or pasta for carbs.

This would feed you for a week or 2.

 

[meltdown75]

approx $320 per month for my wife and i

 

[brtspears2]

About $350. More than half of that is spent going out on dates. It is sure one expensive hobby.

 

[KingGheedora]

Originally posted by: brtspears2
About $350. More than half of that is spent going out on dates. It is sure one expensive hobby.

Britney Spears should not be paying for her own dates. Dump K-Fed.

 

[nanette1985]

I guess I could do that...but it'd be kind of weird since we don't live together. She's slowly getting the picture.

Well, when I lived by myself and cooked, I spent about $250/month on food and eating out.

4-5lb bag of stir fry veggies at Costco - $7
4-5lb bag of frozen chicken breasts at Costco - $15

Saute some chopped garlic in oil,
add 1 chicken breast cut up in cubes and fry until white on sides
add about 2 cups of veggies.
Makes about 2 servings.

Eat with rice or pasta for carbs.

This would feed you for a week or 2.

I did that for a while back when i was in school. I've never been able to face chicken-rice-veggies since them. Ewwww.

 

[thomsbrain]

Holy shit. You spend way too much on food! :shocked:

I have a $3/meal average rule. My meals must average out to $3 each, more or less. This is actually pretty easy to do, and I don't feel like I deprive myself of anything I want. Breakfast usually costs less than a buck for bulk oatmeal, milk, and protein powder. I just don't eat out too often, and my lunches are usually at the Costco food court if I don't pack it myself. That's less than two bucks. Now I can spend $6 on dinner, which is pretty easy if you're cooking yourself.

Buy bulk, freeze stuff, do some of your own cooking, don't drink too much booze.

We probably spend $300/month for food and booze for two people, counting eating out.

 

[dquan97]

About $400/mo for family of 5

 

[Geekbabe]

Hubby informs me that we spend about $100 per week, for us and
my 21 yr old son. I'm a bit of a coupon queen though, that figure
also includes dish and laundry soap, aluminum foil,garbage bags,
paper towels toilet tissue,Visine, shampoo/conditioners, bodywash,
razors, makeup,light bulbs and just about everything else that goes into
running a house and personal upkeep

 

[mchammer187]

i prolly spend about 600 a month between eating out and groceries