How Much is Your Grocery Bill?
Several of my friends have been discussing with me how they are tightening up their monthly budgets. We have been doing the same in our house. We live in a pretty small house for having three children and I am happily trying to spend less money so we can move into a little larger home hopefully soon after the first of the year! One area of our family’s budget which we have a lot of control over is our grocery bill. We include diapers, toiletries, and cleaning items in our grocery bill and have budgeted about $500 a month on grocery items. While that is not very much money for a family of five, with one on Pediasure, it’s a very doable number for our family. However, I am trying to get that number even lower!
For the last two months, I have come in at $430 and $450 on our grocery bill-saving $80 and $50 dollars those months, which I think is great! Both of those months, we had some unexpected expenses come up, so it was nice to have the cash already saved to spend on those unexpected expenses. Here are some ways I’m lowering my grocery bill:
- Buy more generic.
I’ve always been a generic shopper, but there are some brand name items I prefer over generic. On those items (like tomatoes, for instance), I’m halfing Hunts with generic and am not noticing the difference in the taste of my spaghetti sauce!
- Cook less meat.
There are a lot of great meals that do not require expensive beef and chicken. For example, instead of taco night, I’m making bean and cheese chalupas. We also ate a lot of chicken and rice and I have been replacing those meals with rice, bean, and vegetable varieties. We still eat meat, but we’re just eating less of it.
- Try not to throw anything out.
I will typically buy fruits and vegetables and let them go bad in my refrigerator. I am trying not to let that happen as often.
- Plan meals and shopping trips.
This is probably the hardest step for me, but it really makes a difference. My grocery shopping time is Sunday nights now and I try to get everything I need for the entire week that night. I find that I spend too much money on things we don’t need during my quick trips for milk or bread. By eliminating those quick trips, I’m spending a lot less money! I also have found that I spend less money when I don’t have the kids with me.
- Compare prices.
Bagged beans are way cheaper than canned beans and while they require a little more work, the little savings here and there make significant dents in your grocery bill. Our grocery store has the price per ounce on the price sticker. That is a very convenient tool to use when shopping. Since some brands will package their items in different quantities, you can use this part of the price sticker to know if you are really saving any money by buying a little more bulkier of an item or a different brand.
These are just a few things that have helped me in my quest to lower my grocery bill.
Are you a coupon shopper? What are some tricks/tips you have to save money on groceries? How much does your family budget or spend each month on groceries?
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I love this topic!! We are a family of 5 and our grocery monthly bill was about the same. Just a few months ago I started using coupons. Now I love it. It also helps that we are military and are able to shop at the commissarry for some awesome deals. But we live in a small town and don’t have many other places to shop. I started by reading sooo many blogs of moms who are coupon freaks. And I say freaks in a good way! They have taught me so many tricks. A few are shop somewhere they accept doubles. Albertson’s and Publix are a few of the stores that I have seen these ladies rack up some savings. There is a whole other system when you shop at drug stores. I tried using the savings program our local drug store uses but found it was too much work for me. I simply take my binder(yes I have a 3 ring binder) of coupons and scan the clearance section to see if I can find a deal. I could go on and on about this topic. One last tip I will give you is buy coupons on ebay!! It is worth it once you figure out all the tricks. Once you start using coupons you won’t be able to pay full price again.
Some examples of my savings:
Chex mix bag: sale price .99 – .75 coupon = .25 final price
Fusion razor: sale price 5.00 – 4.00 coupon = 1.00 final price
Gillette body wash: 4.50 – 2.00 coupon (double)= .50 final price
When I find deals like these this is when I stock up and buy more on ebay.
We are on a $50 a week grocery budget, which is cutting back from our average of $90/week over the last year. (I don’t count diapers into that amount).
I think you are dead on about meal planning being a big help in keeping costs down. I plan ahead with the store sales & coupons, and stick to my list at the store.
I also shop with cash and use a calculator to add up my purchases as I shop. That lets me know how much I have left to spend, and helps keep me from adding those little impulse purchases to my cart!
We spend around $440 every month for a family of 4. I just got one out of diapers, so that will help. I also have to buy formula and that adds a lot!
I also use a calculator and only shop with cash. It helps a lot and I am able to see exactly where I am at each time. I use coupons and try to take advantage of HEB’s meal deals. I also will buy things that can be used as left overs. (BBQ Chicken, Brisket, etc) There are so many different recipes out there that don’t require “expensive” grocery items and I have also found that buying your fruit and fresh vegetables on a weekly basis will help you save.
My family struggles with getting so busy that we just eat out sometimes. We recently made the decision to cut back on our eating out budget and put it towards debt. It forces us to eat at home, which is healthier anyway!
It must be going around because we have set a goal to get our grocery bill down to $100 per week for a family of five (children ages 7, 11,14)I have been blogging about this challenge, and was excited today to come in under budget! woo hoo! I am hoping to keep it up, but going from $125 to $100 has been so hard. It is only $25 but I was feeling challenged at that amount. I would LOVE to go down to $85 per week but am not sure if I can do that and buy healthy foods. We shall see!
We have gone down from $600 a month to around $400 a month for a family of 4 (2 in diapers). I am really proud of saving my family $200 a month. Mostly I shop meat sales and freeze some. Eating what we have – no matter what! Meal planning and sticking with a list. Also not taking my husband to the grocery store helps!
PS I was totally going to write about this too…
Husbands can be a little bit naughty at the store (especially if you’re trying to stick to a budget), can’t they?
I don’t take hubby to the store for that reason. We end up with all sorts of strange items in our cart!
Also, it helps with the meal planning if you branch out (ethnically speaking). The rest of the world tends to cook with a lot more veggies and grains than people in the US or Europe. Meat dishes are reserved for guests and special occasions. Indian dishes are particularly easy to do; all it takes is an initial investment in the spices (which aren’t all that expensive), but the rest of the ingredients are very cheap and great for a budget-conscious family.
I agree with the meal planning. We’re doing it ourselves and using Dream Dinners. Then there’s less impulsive items we can buy at the store.
Do any of you have favorite generic brands that you buy? I’ve been purchasing a lot of the HEB brand and Costco’s Kirkland…
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