How are grocery bills so low

Littlejen22 · February 2014

Seriously I have no idea how people only spend $100 for grocery and household goods a week. What do people eat? I have a 7yo and 5yo and we probably go through $30+ in fruit alone! add in milk, eggs and cheese and we are way over $50 already. And those are items that don't really have coupons.

formerlyGDaisy09 · February 2014

We shop the perimeter of the store (fruits, veggies, milk, cheese...) buy generic when possible, shop in season, frozen veggies are often cheaper than fresh ones out of season. shop by unit price. we eat pasta at least once a week. buy meat on sale, buy more than you need and freeze the extra. we also do egg-based dishes for dinner a lot of nights and do vegitarian meals 4-5 nights a week.

hoffse · February 2014

The trick for us is to buy expensive stuff in bulk when you can. I know not everybody has a Costco, Sams, or BJs near them but if you do you might want to really consider a membership. Costco's membership is $55/year for the basic one. We buy the $110/year membership because it gives us 2% back on all our purchases (except gas and alcohol). We spend enough there to make up the difference and then some.

H and I buy virtually all our meat from costco, including lunch meat (except the rare times we have steak - that comes from a local butcher). We try to buy meat when it's on sale. Costco's sales rotate.

We buy a lot of our dairy from Costco, including fresh parmesan and feta, and all our bread comes from Costco. Bread is usually sold in 2-loaf packs, so we freeze the second loaf. It's MUCH cheaper than the grocery store.

Our "snack" food comes from Costco - nuts, hummus, yogurt, etc.

We buy the produce we are able to consume in bulk from Costco - for us that means avocados, strawberries, and sometimes spinach and apples. If/when we have kids, I think we'll be able to buy more produce there because we will be consuming more of it.

The things we don't buy at Costco are simply things we can't eat fast enough - potatoes, onions, carrots, and fruits that we can't eat fast enough like pears and oranges. Plus basic ingredients that we don't want in bulk - flour, sugar, baking soda (though I do buy some spices in bulk at Costco). In the summer we also keep a small garden on our porch with tomatoes, peppers, basil, rosemary, and mint. That makes salads, pizzas, and pastas less expensive. In the summer we also make our own ice cream and sorbets.

Last weekend I spent $63 at costco and bought four loaves of bread, half n half, a 12-pack of turkey burgers, a 4-pack of pork loins, a massive thing of greek yogurt for smoothies, a 14-serving pack of frozen tortellini, and a gallon of milk.

jtmh2012 · February 2014

On a weekly basis we come in under $100 with an occasional exception. The first thing that helps is that it is just the two of us. No kids. We use coupons and the store vip/discount cards. One of our local grocery stores (Food Lion) actually does give store coupons on meat and produce if you wave your card under their coupon kiosk. We also somewhat plan our meals out for the week and for the most part only get what is on the list to make those meals. Like the other poster above, we also have a Sam's Club membership and are considering a Costco membership (my company covers the cost of a warehouse club every year).

maple2 · February 2014

I think a key factor for you is probably the kids, though COL may factor in as well. Our kids are only 2 and 5, but they can eat as much as an adult at some meals, which obviously has a significant effect on our grocery bill. When it was just DH and I we were always under $100. We also live in a HCOL area, and I have definitely noticed the increase in grocery prices relative to other places I have lived.

I don't even try to come in under $100 a week. We do tend to buy organic, but switching to conventional still wouldn't bring us in under $100. We spend most of our money on fruit and veggies, so I don't feel like there is an obvious thing to cut without making trade-offs in terms of the quality of our diet. Since we can afford our grocery bill on our income, we don't feel like making those trade-offs and are okay with spending more than $100 a week.

smbenevides1989 · February 2014

My family is DH, a 4 year old and myself. I spend $100 biweekly and $20 in between to pick up milk, veggies, and bread (if need be).

I shop at two different stores: Priceright and Walmart. I buy most of my products at Priceright, which is like an Aldi's or Price Chopper depending on the area. I make a lot of meals myself, and DH loves to make smoothies. We try to eat as healthy as we can so I buy ground turkey meat instead of beef, chicken tenders or breasts, tilapia, wheat pastas, and fruits and veggies. DH loves smoothies and egg sandwiches so I make those myself. I buy him a container of yogurt, some frozen fruits, and buy some fresh to cut up and freeze.

I also meal plan for two weeks. Most of my meals are one night meals, so I cook daily. I do buy some snacks and extra items (like pizza) for those nights I have no time to cook, but in all I always manage to stay under the allocated budget.

cbee817 · February 2014

Littlejen22 said:

Seriously I have no idea how people only spend $100 for grocery and household goods a week. What do people eat? I have a 7yo and 5yo and we probably go through $30+ in fruit alone! add in milk, eggs and cheese and we are way over $50 already. And those are items that don't really have coupons.

You're not alone- I have 2 LOs and we try to only buy organic (averages $130/week for just food). DD#2 goes through $14/week of milk alone. We meal plan and try to pick cheaper and more seasonal fruit/veggies during the winter months. We also get some frozen stuff- organic peas, corn, and blueberries are more reasonable and usually last 2 weeks at our house. Trader Joe's has some organic meats that we're going to start buying- our grocery store, Wegman's, is more expensive. We also have a local co-op that has an awesome organic bulk food section (rice, quinoa, pasta, flour, nutritional yeast, nuts, etc) and pretty good weekly deals on certain items. We also have a farmer's market every Saturday right down the street in the summer. For the most part, we know what we're giving our girls, so that helps me stomach the big grocery bill every week.

Xstatic3333 · February 2014

I think if we had a 5 and 7 year old we'd definitely spend over $100 a week. We'd want organic milk, and that's the killer right there. What keeps our bills low now is that I'm a vegetarian and H will eat what I cook happily (I'd cook him meat, but I don't really know how!), that we do a lot from scratch, and that we get our fresh veggies from a CSA instead of the grocery store. All in all though, I've found that splurging a little on groceries is worth it to keep H from getting takeout. I recently experimented with a $200/monthly grocery budget and found it cost us by keeping us from stocking up during sales.

JuneMrs · February 2014

I think you'll find food quality impacts that number quite a bit. I buy organic meat, dairy, produce, etc. that adds up (especially living in a HCOL area) ! We don't buy processed foods and I do a lot of cooking and freezing but our family of 6 (2 adults, 2 kids, 2 dogs) still spends around 800 a month for food, paper products, etc.

brij2006 · February 2014

Xstatic3333 said:

I think if we had a 5 and 7 year old we'd definitely spend over $100 a week. We'd want organic milk, and that's the killer right there. What keeps our bills low now is that I'm a vegetarian and H will eat what I cook happily (I'd cook him meat, but I don't really know how!), that we do a lot from scratch, and that we get our fresh veggies from a CSA instead of the grocery store. All in all though, I've found that splurging a little on groceries is worth it to keep H from getting takeout. I recently experimented with a $200/monthly grocery budget and found it cost us by keeping us from stocking up during sales.

This is us exactly. When I read everyone's budgets on here, it makes me squirm to share ours. I am trying to stay in the $400 range for the 2 of us (this includes toiletries too), and it's taking a lot of work. I tried doing $300 in January, but found that it kept me from stocking up on things while they were on sale and now our cabinets are bare. So now I'm buying things we use regularly and am paying full price for them. I would rather spend a little more and know we won't eat out because there are options at home.

blondie42107 · February 2014

Family of four: dh, myself, 3yo and 17 month old. We average $75/week for groceries.

2 gallons of milk
2 tubs of Greek Goddess yogurt ($4 each)
Fresh fruits and veggies (what's on sale)
Bananas - usually 3 to 4 lbs
Chicken, pork, bacon
Eggs
Butter
Frozen fish
Bread
Peanut butter and jelly
Pasta and sauce
Frozen veggies
Coffee & creamer
1 jug of apple juice
Occasionally cereal (Mom's Best O's, etc)
Granola

We really focus on the produce, meat and dairy coolers/sections. We do get beef from a farm (sometimes we pay, sometimes as a gift).

I'm not a strict meal planner but I shop sales.

We use our store loyalty card and coupons. Coupons for fresh foods are tough. Usually store e-coupons.

I do stock up on sale items. Not long ago there was a cart full of my favorite organic coffee k-cups marked half off. I bought 16 packages. I also buy organic veggie and chicken stock when it's clearanced after the holidays.

Erikan73 · February 2014

For our household it's my, DH & a roommate. I managed to do it because we shop a lot of at the wholesale club for meats & paper products & cleaning supplies. We have fresh salad but steam frozen veggies which helps save money. Also when we make smoothies, when it's out of season frozen veggies help us save money. I've been getting better about planning out meals based on what we have at home already or what is on sale and use coupons when possible. It's not easy at all, but it's slowly paying off.

vlagrl29 · February 2014

we spend about $400-$450 a month on groceries for a family of 3. I only go every 2 weeks. Buy some off brands, buy meat in bulk, and use some coupons.

shortycake · February 2014

we spend around $700 a month in groceries for me, DH, and 8 yo son. I only buy organic or local foods. The quality of our food that is put in our bodies daily is super important to me and my family, so we adjust saving elsewhere, not with our food.

moonprincessd · February 2014

I spend under $100 a week, but it's just my husband and me. Kids are expensive...

Anyway, I use coupons and go on double coupon days. I use all the saving devices given to me (Example: target cartwheel + coupon + card (5%) + store sale = huge savings). I stock up when things go on sale as well. I also travel to multiple grocery stores depending on who has the better deals. Target tends to be my go to, but Rainbow is 2nd for their double coupon and Cubs is sometimes awesome with their in store deals. Luckily we have 3 grocery stores near us so I don't waste money on gas.

Wulfgar · February 2014

I spend roughly $480 a month in groceries for a family of 3. I don't buy organic and I tend to make sure that we have extra when a 5 weekend month comes around. My wife and I get paid twice a month. I do most of the grocery shopping and with coupons from the grocery store I can spend buy more based on coupons especially when they give me $5 and $10 dollar off coupons.

It also helps that we eat at my in laws at least once a week.

We do go to BJs, a warehouse club when we are running low on laundry detergent, dishwasher soap, etc which is usually 4 to 5 times a year to load up on these items.

nodito · February 2014

Yeah, $100 sounds low to me, too. It's me, DH, 3 yr old son and a baby (who isn't eating, but I think I eat more while nursing). We probably average $130 on food alone, not counting things like toilet paper or kleenex. I shop at Market Basket which is a lot cheaper than most of the alternatives (Stop n Shop or Shaws). We have a Walmart but it's a drive. Our most expensive items are usually salmon, which we eat every other week and seedless grapes, which I buy a ton of and eat like candy.

CMichele11 · February 2014

hoffse said:

The things we don't buy at Costco are simply things we can't eat fast enough - potatoes, onions, carrots, and fruits that we can't eat fast enough like pears and oranges.

FYI: Onions can be stored for up to eight months if you do it right. We garden,too, and have had great success with storing them for several months!

blondie42107 · February 2014

CMichele11 said:

hoffse said:

The things we don't buy at Costco are simply things we can't eat fast enough - potatoes, onions, carrots, and fruits that we can't eat fast enough like pears and oranges.

FYI: Onions can be stored for up to eight months if you do it right. We garden,too, and have had great success with storing them for several months!

Yes on the onions! Potatoes can be stored for quite some time too.

bingbongsmama · March 2014

Our grocery bills are also quite high but TBH we like to eat. We're not drinkers, just enjoy food

We could cut down and buy less and eat less, or eat cheaper things.

sparklerose · March 2014

blondie42107 said:

Family of four: dh, myself, 3yo and 17 month old. We average $75/week for groceries. 2 gallons of milk 2 tubs of Greek Goddess yogurt ($4 each) Fresh fruits and veggies (what's on sale) Bananas - usually 3 to 4 lbs Chicken, pork, bacon Eggs Butter Frozen fish Bread Peanut butter and jelly Pasta and sauce Frozen veggies Coffee & creamer 1 jug of apple juice Occasionally cereal (Mom's Best O's, etc) Granola We really focus on the produce, meat and dairy coolers/sections. We do get beef from a farm (sometimes we pay, sometimes as a gift). I'm not a strict meal planner but I shop sales. We use our store loyalty card and coupons. Coupons for fresh foods are tough. Usually store e-coupons. I do stock up on sale items. Not long ago there was a cart full of my favorite organic coffee k-cups marked half off. I bought 16 packages. I also buy organic veggie and chicken stock when it's clearanced after the holidays.

____

I added up all these items for what I would spend and got $125. It can really depend on where you live. We buy some produce twice a week, so shopping every two weeks would never work for us. Things like Kale, lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, zuchini ect dont last long.

We spend $200 a week and we have a 4 year old but he eats quite a bit, that inlcudes cleaning/paper/personal products. I dont really buy anything that you can use coupons for unless its cleaning/paper/personal products but i usually find the store brand cheaper. No stores double coupons were I live also, and they limit transactions pretty strict.

I think this depends a lot on what you eat too. We buy chicken breasts, salmon and cod at Costco. But we buy the wild fish and each bag is around $30. Chicken is around $25. That lasts us close to two weeks, but right there its $85 with no produce or anything else.

Food is one area I dont try to save on much, by always having things we really love to eat we save on dining out and grabbing take out.

jtmh2012 · March 2014

Just another thought. It also helps to not be picky about brands unless you have a reason to be (medical issues, etc). There can easily be several dollar differences between brands for the same product.

mzad22 · March 2014

I use a lot of mobile apps to save money.
Ibotta: http://ibotta.com/r/baX79A

Checkout51: http://www.checkout51.com

Shopmium: use referral code GMYYUYRU to get a free Lindt chocolate bar (not fruit I know, but still free

All of these sites give rebates for certain products and you can cash out through paypal. These deals stack on top of whatever coupons you may already have for products. If you shop at Target, the Cartwheel app also can help save a lot of money and often has deals on fruits and veggies. Finally, find a money saving blog that covers stores in your area to find good deals. I myself like Hip2Save and TotallyTarget but there are many others out there. They work out the deals for you and then you can just print or get the coupons and buy the items.

vlagrl29 · March 2014

mzad22 said:

I use a lot of mobile apps to save money. Ibotta: http://ibotta.com/r/baX79A Checkout51: http://www.checkout51.com Shopmium: use referral code GMYYUYRU to get a free Lindt chocolate bar (not fruit I know, but still free All of these sites give rebates for certain products and you can cash out through paypal. These deals stack on top of whatever coupons you may already have for products. If you shop at Target, the Cartwheel app also can help save a lot of money and often has deals on fruits and veggies. Finally, find a money saving blog that covers stores in your area to find good deals. I myself like Hip2Save and TotallyTarget but there are many others out there. They work out the deals for you and then you can just print or get the coupons and buy the items.

I didn't know about this. I'm gonna check it out!

spalko · March 2014

For just my husband and I, we spend about $80-90 each week. I can usually get 7-8 meals each week plus I make about 20 pasties every couple of months which I freeze. We aren't big snackers or drinkers. We don't spend money on beverages like pop of juice and we buy store brands. I meal plan and stick to my list when I grocery shop. It helps to take the time to plan ahead and stick to that plan. I also keep track of what I am spending while shopping so I know if I am going over my budget or if I can splurge on something.

How are grocery bills so low

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