What is your monthly food budget?

mamie329 · June 2010

After finally combining finances and setting up the new joined/house budget, this is my first month looking at the tracking. We've already gone over the food budget (this is groceries + eating out). Oops. Needless to say, this will be something I'm going to work harder at keeping under control.

How much do you spend on groceries + eating out a month?

Philly6*6*09 · June 2010

$500 - 600 depending on the month.

ETA - sorry - first attempt was weekly.

Leigha12 · June 2010

I wouldn't say this is our budget because that would indicate some sort of self-control and restraint, but currently we spend about $450-500 a month on food altogether. I'd like to get that down below $400 consistently, which is why we're adjusting our eating habits. Other than our anniversary dinner, I'm hoping June will be much better.

ETA: I just checked, and we're already at $450 this month NOT including the money we spent our anniversary weekend out of town. Fail! July must be better!

Don't Hassle the Hoff · June 2010

On average, probably about $300 grocery shopping. It really differs from month to month. In the summer I feel like we buy more meat to grill so it goes up a decent amount. This does not count going out to eat, which is probably like another $250 a month or so

hawkilady · June 2010

We average about $400 a month on groceries but that includes a little money for doing some catering stuff as I dont separate it but that isnt more than about $50 a month in general. I also tend to have a group of people over for dinner/BBQ/games at least once a month so that includes a party probably costing about $75 each time. This also includes toiletries, paper/cleaning products, beer, and dog food (assuming I buy them at the grocery store/Walmart).

Restaurants we spend another $100 - $200 a month on average (it really varies based on whether we are travelling or if there was something to celebrate - meaning we went somewhere nicer than the Mexican place where its $15 for both of us to eat). I would say we go out to lunch about once a week and out to dinner once every other week in a normal month plus maybe get takeout/pizza once a month.

Leigha12 · June 2010

My failed attempts at limiting our food budget are now weighing on my mind thanks to this thread! (thanks, Mames Wink

) DH and I really need to curb our spending but it's not going well. I'd honestly love to do the envelope method, but since I get paid weekly, it?s not really feasible for our overall budget. But I?m thinking it may be feasible for our food budget. It just seems like 2 people should be able to eat for less than $100 a week. Right? Or am I wrong? Is that not reasonable? I?m going to propose this to DH tonight: envelope method for ALL food purposes; we?ll put in $100 a week and figure out how to make it work. Maybe watching the cash dwindle away in the envelope will help me make better spending decisions.

mamie329 · June 2010

Leigha... I'm in your boat, dude. I budgeted $500 for food (this also are some household supplies we pick up at the grocery store - paper towels, TP, some cleaning products, hand soap, some shampoo/condition), but already we at $450 in grocery store spending.

It's hard for me to regulate right now since ... you'll love this ... DH and I buy groceries separately. We each buy our own breakfast/lunch/snack foods and then kind of split up dinner food items. Yes, it's weird but we've been doing it this way for so long. So I think we need to do a lot more meal planning and looking at store circulars and ::gasp:: clipping coupons.

sarajoy12345 · June 2010

Our target is $800/month. That includes all food AND alcohol, including groceries, bars, restaurants, fast food, entertaining, etc.

It is still way too high, but that is better than it used to be. We live near the city, and love to try new restaurants. Surprisingly enough, I do meal plan, grocery shop, and cook about 4 nights/week.

Oh yeah, and we love to drink booze

SBS0628 · June 2010

Well, we used to spend a lot more...read my WWYD follow-up above...

I think we spent about $300-$350 at the grocery store (not including Target, which is where household items and such factor in, as well as things like soda...) and about $300 more on eating out.

Leigha12 · June 2010

mamie329:
Leigha... I'm in your boat, dude. I budgeted $500 for food (this also are some household supplies we pick up at the grocery store - paper towels, TP, some cleaning products, hand soap, some shampoo/condition), but already we at $450 in grocery store spending.
It's hard for me to regulate right now since ... you'll love this ... DH and I buy groceries separately. We each buy our own breakfast/lunch/snack foods and then kind of split up dinner food items. Yes, it's weird but we've been doing it this way for so long. So I think we need to do a lot more meal planning and looking at store circulars and ::gasp:: clipping coupons.

I'm such a SS on all those other items! We buy our TP and paper towels at Costco a couple times a year. Handsoap comes from the BBW outlet. I buy my shampoo and conditioner ($$) at the salon, but even small bottles last me forever (perk of short hair), and DH uses whatever leftovers I no longer want to use. So my grocery store spending is primarily food (with the exception of the occasional household/kitchen need, i.e. foil, ziploc bags,etc.). Even Rufus's food comes direct from PetSmart, so I don't even have that excuse for my high food bills. Sigh.

Coupon clipping is good (sometimes I save up to $10 a trip) and meal planning seems to be the way to go. It also seems like this vegetarian meal planning will help. Monday's veggie stir fry was delish, as were last night's pancakes. I seriously suggest watching Food Network's $10 dinners with Melissa D'Arabian. Not only does she show good recipes for cheap, but she also gives food shopping tips during the show.

SBS0628 · June 2010

Leigha12:
I seriously suggest watching Food Network's $10 dinners with Melissa D'Arabian. Not only does she show good recipes for cheap, but she also gives food shopping tips during the show.

I was so stoked when she won "Next Food Network Star" last season. (Sorry, side tracked...)

Leigha12 · June 2010

I don't watch the show she won, but I knew about her because she's friends with one of my best friends. Melissa is from Texas but her H went to grad school with my friend's H in Chicago, and they all met there. I only watched her new show for that reason, but now I dvr every episode.

Don't Hassle the Hoff · June 2010

sarajoy12345:

Oh yeah, and we love to drink booze

This is my downfall. I wasn't really including booze in my number. We usually go out drinking once a week. This usually ends up being about a $50 bar tab each time, so I suppose you could add another $200 a month for our drinking habit.

hawkilady · June 2010

Meal planning really does help a lot... as does truly taking stock of what you have on hand and using it up.

2 months ago I actually only spent $219 for the month on groceries because I planned meals based on what we had on hand and cleaned out the pantry. This month, I've already spent $350 and I still have 2 weeks to go (I go from the 8th of the month bc that's when my CC statement cuts and its easier). I have been really bad at meal planning and I bought a ton of extra baking stuff for the 12 dozen cupcakes I did for my sister last weekend for free.

A couple of the things that work when I do try to cut costs:

I also try to only buy meat when its on sale and stock up. Then I freeze it in individual meal portions (often along with a marinade so its ready to go - makes weeknight meal planning easier too). You can also make any marinade for much cheaper (and healthier) than you can buy a jar in the store. Same goes for basic items like pasta salad, hamburger helper, couscous, etc. Buying it in the box costs about 4x more in general than making it from scratch (although there may be some upfront costs for spices, etc to do it from scratch).

Also plan your meals around produce thats in season or use frozen, things like bell peppers are often about $1 a piece or more in the grocery store but you can buy a whole bag of diced/sliced frozen peppers for under $1.

mbd62709 · June 2010

$500-$600 a month before Ayden

$400-$500 a month currently...we don't go out as much anymore!

Kellybeth124 · June 2010

We probably spend $400ish including eating out and alcohol. My goal for making dinners is for them to cost around $5. I manage this by using ingredients in 2 or more meals, making the most of what I have on hand, and planning meals by the week. I bought a whole chicken ($3 on sale) and roasted it for one dinner last week, saved the leftover meat and made enchiladas 2 days later, and got 4.5 quarts of chicken stock from the bones/skin/fat/icky bits. The chicken more than paid for itself considering the cost of the pre-made stock that I don't have to buy now.

Leigha12 · June 2010

Kellybeth124:
We probably spend $400ish including eating out and alcohol. My goal for making dinners is for them to cost around $5. I manage this by using ingredients in 2 or more meals, making the most of what I have on hand, and planning meals by the week. I bought a whole chicken ($3 on sale) and roasted it for one dinner last week, saved the leftover meat and made enchiladas 2 days later, and got 4.5 quarts of chicken stock from the bones/skin/fat/icky bits. The chicken more than paid for itself considering the cost of the pre-made stock that I don't have to buy now.

Pardon my ignorance, but what will you use the stock for? Do you freeze it?

Kellybeth124 · June 2010

I froze it in quart bags. Used one today for slow cooker chicken and dumplings. I use stock for soups, stews, sauces, etc. I know it sounds like it's too hot out to eat those things but it was so nice to only use the crock pot to make dinner and not have to turn on the stove.

mamie329 · June 2010

I wish KB and hawki lived down the street so I could mooch off their dinners 24/7.

anelms · June 2010

Groceries: $300/month this includes toiletries, cleaning supplies, cat food, paper products.

Eating out: $100/month this is a strictly budgeted item while we are trying to save money. After our efund is complete this will go up as we enjoy going out to eat.

angelfire0412 · June 2010

We need to get waaaay better at this. I think we're somewhere between $1000-1300 a month on grocery store/eating out. This does not include my beloved trips to Target!

We are a family of 4 though.

Don't Hassle the Hoff · June 2010

Andi, I am super curious about this.

Do you guys eat out a ton or buy all organic? That seems so crazy to me. If you eat out a lot, it makes perfect sense.

angelfire0412 · June 2010

We do eat out a lot. Probably lunch 2-3 times a week and dinner once or twice. I spent $65 today at lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, that shiite adds up I need to watch that.

I also do buy a lot of organic, whenever possible. My son is a Milk freak, he goes through a gallon every two days and his organic milk is almost $5 a pop! We spend roughly $200 at the grocery store a week + meals out.

ETA: Plus we're insane 30-35% tippers and my husband is super generous and always buys meals for the guys who work for him, our friends etc..

Don't Hassle the Hoff · June 2010

angelfire0412:

ETA: Plus we're insane 30-35% tippers and my husband is super generous and always buys meals for the guys who work for him, our friends etc..

Yes

What is your monthly food budget?

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