I am an organizing wanna-be. Some things I love to get all uptight and organized over and then there are other areas of my life where I pretty much look like a slob. But meal planning is one of my favorite things to get all obsessive about.
I map out a months worth of meals, write up the grocery list for all my items and then make one major trip to Costco. Then each week I hit the local grocery store and get produce, milk and small items. All in all, this plan has really cut back on our grocery expenses because I always know what I’m making for dinner and everything is already in the house. It’s when I DON’T know what to make that we usually go out to eat and end up spending too much.
So, here’s my big question. I’ve managed to keep my grocery budget between $700 and $800 per month for my family of six. Now before you gasp at that huge number, know that it includes food, cleaning supplies, paper products, cosmetics, and toiletries. Now, I thought I was doing a good job but I really have nothing to compare it to. So, will you tell me what your monthly budget is? My husband gasps at the grocery bill every month and I try and squeeze it tighter and tighter but this is coming from a man who hasn’t bought his own groceries in over 13 years…..back when milk cost $1 a gallon. So let me have it ladies……what’s your budget look like?
I map out a months worth of meals, write up the grocery list for all my items and then make one major trip to Costco. Then each week I hit the local grocery store and get produce, milk and small items. All in all, this plan has really cut back on our grocery expenses because I always know what I’m making for dinner and everything is already in the house. It’s when I DON’T know what to make that we usually go out to eat and end up spending too much.
So, here’s my big question. I’ve managed to keep my grocery budget between $700 and $800 per month for my family of six. Now before you gasp at that huge number, know that it includes food, cleaning supplies, paper products, cosmetics, and toiletries. Now, I thought I was doing a good job but I really have nothing to compare it to. So, will you tell me what your monthly budget is? My husband gasps at the grocery bill every month and I try and squeeze it tighter and tighter but this is coming from a man who hasn’t bought his own groceries in over 13 years…..back when milk cost $1 a gallon. So let me have it ladies……what’s your budget look like?
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14 comments:
Hello, I have been reading your blog for awhile. We are a family of six too. I would say yes your otal is right on. That is about what we spend. :)
Nikki
Hi Gayle-
We are a family of six that actually spends less than $500 a month - sometimes considerably less than that and that includes all that you mentioned - but don't feel bad because we are blessed with a wonderful grocery store called Winco which is a full grocery store just like any other but beats the competition by leaps and bounds in price (Yes - even Costco and Walmart!) because you bag your own groceries - they can cut the prices since they don't hire near as many clerks - they also have an enormous bulk bin section. Just thought I would mention for any of you living in the Northern states of Washington, Idaho, Nevada, California, and Oregon (notice how the first letter of each state together spells Winco)You can check their website to see if their is one near you - well worth the hour long trip we take to get there!
I think mine (with eating out and toiletries and all that you are also including) for my family of 6 is probably about $650. And I ALWAYS feel strapped with that. It is really tight and I don't buy anything name-brand (except Diet Coke with Lime and toilet paper!) and I do freezer cooking and we don't eat out much, etc. I am REALLY good at spending whatever money I have.
I live in the midwest, too, and I know other areas are much more expensive. Aren't we brave talking about money?! :)
I am gong to add this up from last months credit card and get back to you. I like the pics below, we probably get abouth the same weather as you down there- we are not that far away I don't think.
If I don't buckle down it's $800 for our family of 6. That includes eating out though. I try and do $150 per week at Winco. That's totally do-able. So, actually I think I could get it down to $600. BUT, (there's always one of those) My husband usually wants something 'specific' that I didn't buy. OR we all want ice cream. OR we zip over to Applebees. There's always some thing we want 'extra'. Which ends up being $50 dollars a week.
That would be the only thing I could cut back on. The $50 fun money. So, $600 would be about right for us.
Not that we haven't discussed this. :)
Your grocery budget sounds cheap to me! Of course, we both know that I have, the last time I checked, what seemed like 12 more kids than you, so my grocery budget is way higher than yours. We also eat organic, and R has the doggone corn allergy, so that leaves out buying just about anything on the planet!! Listen to me rationalize!!! I would like to keep my spending in the grocery area down under 800 a month, but it's higher than that. That's it. That's all I'm sayin'!! Good job keeping your expenses down!! Love Leanne
Hi!
We are a family of six too! We have lived in Washington state and this past year moved to Montana! Our monthly budget for food, cleaning supplies, diapers, cosmetics, light bulbs and the like, is $400.
Shari
Ours is about $500 for a family of 6.
Hey Gayle,
I just wrote a post about this SAME thing a few days ago. We were at $400 -$500 (not including eating out), but now, it's more like $600 - $700. Oh how I miss those $1 a gallon milk days. When Chris and I first got married, we could eat for $30 a week. Can you imagine????
I have absolutely no idea...just know that I spend a crap-load at Wal-mart every month:0
Hmmm...for our family of six, I would say we spend between $500 - $600 if you include diapers for Gabe and pullups for Levi.
Hey also family of 6 here in Texas we do all of our shopping at Walmart or HEB (wanna be walmart) and we stay around $350-400 but I have babies so you could say I have a family of 5. LOL but my husband says he is eating for two...I don't even want to think about the grocery budget when they are all teenagers...YIKES!!!!
Gayle- Thank you for your encouragment! It is exciting. I actually lost a lot of weight last year but when I got pregnant again I used it as an excuse to eat, eat, and eat. But the Lord has conficted me that I need to offer my body as a living sacrifice Holy and pleasing to him and that I should not live as the world does. But should follow in the spiritual and physical example of Christ and not indulge in eating or excerising nor starve or be idle.
We are a family of 6 but my family is very young so I don't have to buy a lot of groceries. We do a lot of Chicken recipes...chicken and rice, chicken dumplings, chicken spagetti, roasted chicken. I buy a few whole chickens at the store everytime I go they cost hardly anything and I can make a big meal and usually have left overs or can share with another family. I hardly ever buy pre made things or frozen items, they are just to expensive. But also God stretches our money really far. I am always so surpised when we only have a certain amount for groceries I go and fill a buggy with our needs (many times overflowing) and it always equals the amount of money we have to spend.
I am a stay home mom and a homeschooler also. I am new to the homeschooling thing next year I will have a 1st grader and a kindergardner and a preschooler (shes almost two but she really likes to do school with the big kids...lol)
Take care!!!
Hillary
Hi! First time reading here. I was intrigued by your question on how much money for food. We are a family of 7. Our children are one teenager and the rest tweens. We live in the midwest. I wish we spent as little as some have put here. Our budget in this area for food, pet stuff and household supplies usually runs close to $1,000 or little over. However people in this area have had increases for services. In our area the utility bills have doubled, the water bills have tripled, the gas (as everyone knows) is way to expensive; so they raised all the prices at the store. I don't buy anymore than what I used to buy 5 years ago. Now I just pay way more than it used to be($650). I dread going to the store. Last week when I went to the store and wanted to purchase bacon. It was $5 a pound! Nuts!!
Mom with 5 children
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