What do you spend on food for a week?

[Judymae]

I'm trying to learn how to cut back too. I've recently found hillbillyhousewife.com and they have an emergency menu that feeds a family of 4-6 for one week for $45!!! That is 3 meals a day plus one evening snack. She also has a $70 menu that adds a little more luxury to it. The menus meet all nutritional needs and she lists the menu, grocery list, recipes and daily planner. It really is interesting. You should take a look around at the site. It has a lot of really neat recipes that are made from scratch. She has convenience foods also listed that you make ahead of time. Like rice a roni type recipes. You bag them up and have them in your cupboard for quick additions. The oatmeal muffin recipe is to die for. It was sooooo good. I make several dozens of them for the week and the kiddos eat them for breakfast and after school snacks. They like them so much they will ask to have them for dessert!!!

 

[derby]

We average about $160 a week including all food and personal products for a family of 4. I don't really know how we can cut back much more. My family says there's nothing to eat here - only ingredients!

 

[Hobbley_Farm]

We shop at two places mostly ALDI and Costco. we have a family of 6 and we buy food every paycheck. We get paid on the 1st and the 15th. So each payday we buy enough groceries to last us until the next paycheck. I can get groceries for us between 300 and 400. (That is just over two weeks worth) I buy a lot of BULK. I split it up into bags. We have a deep freeze that has saved us A LOT of money being able to shop this way. Also, If I see meats on sale, I will buy several. Thanksgiving time I buy turkeys for .12 - .30 per pound. (it will probably be more this year tho) I will buy 4 or 5 turkeys like this. I do the same with Leg Quarters or hamburger. Aldi's is the BEST place to get canned veggies and soups. Costco is the best for us to get bulk soy milk and cheese, dish detergent, laundry soap, and hygiene items. 6 person family on 1 income... you learn to pinch pennies.

 

[wendy]

Quote:
thanks judymae for the hillbillywife site! this looks like it will help save money ))

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

I spend 100.00 week on food (for four) but that includes toiletries and such. I spend that amount regardless of whether I need to or not. I always leave extra money in my account for good deals (I ONLY buy items we normally use, not cookies because they are on sale kind of thing) this is how I save and it works for us. I have 2 25#bags of flour in my freezer because they were on sale for $8.00. I use the internet for the sale ads for the week for the 4 local groceries and Target then I buy the loss leaders if it is an item we will use. For example I found a good sale on meat, hamburger was like 1.00 a pound and chicken breasts were 97 cents a pound. They had a limit so I used the self check out rang up maximum allowed at a time and bought 15 pounds of hamburger and 7 packages of chicken. To ensure that it does not go to waste or get freezer burn, I divide the breasts and usually split the breast in half and precut all the chunks, strips for quick preparation. I usually make all my marinades in advance and throw the chicken into them also(seal and label).I also do this with onion and veggies, I use my food processor to cut, chop slice and puree any extra and throw it into the freezer. I precook all the hamburger into crumbles which makes tacos, sloppy joes, spaghetti a breeze and a 10 minute meal to prepare on a busy night. We eat a huge variety of food this way and I have not bought meat since July. I usually have what I need in my pantry and my Mom says I have more spices than the grocery store. I have been doing this for more than ten years after starting out with very limited means when first married. A good read for the total beginner at doing these things is the Tightwad Gazette series of three books about getting by and using what you have. I love to see how far things can last. I try NEVER to take my Husband or Kids to the store or I overspend every time.

 

[AllChookUp]

BettyR - Sounds like you have it nailed. I wish we were in the same place as you.

We are trying to be economical, and my wife does a great job of keeping our food budget low. I take lunches to work, and we are as self-sufficient as we canbe living where we are (garden, chickens, etc.).


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[Buff Hooligans]

Except for the Chocolate Addiction.

 

[Bec]

We spend around 100 a week for our family of 4. It goes up a bit when it is time for dog food. we do all of our shopping at Super Walmart.

 

[La Banan]

I'm not too good at this yet but some stuff I know:

1. Shop the edges of your grocery store - not the center. In other words produce, fresh meat, milk, etc... not the other stuff.

2. Decide you will eat very little in the way of convenience foods - prepackaged stuff is expensive and hard on the environment. You can make KD cheaper than the store can and much much better.

3. Shop your farmer's market - get to know your farmers and they will tell you what's smart to buy when. Things that grow near and in season are better for you and cheaper because they don't need to be trucked.

4. Eat vegetarian a few nights a week. Eating such huge amounts of meat is just a habit - not healthy and not cheap.

5. Think about what your grandparents or great grandparents did...for my mom it was a big treat to have sugar on bread! We've all become so used to eating what we want and when we want it that nothing is special anymore.

 

[eggzettera]

My SIL says she does well with this site: http://couponsense.com/es/ExpertShopper.cfm

I haven't tried it yet...I go to Big Lots for cereals, toiletries, detergents and the like.

edit for spelling..