How much do you spend on food, etc?

[arkienurse]

I used white cloud with this last baby. They work great, and are just a bit more xpensive than the walmart brand. I found myself changing more often if I used the walmart brand than white cloud.

[whatamess]

I am so glad I didn't have coffee in my hand when I read this one this morning.

ROTFLOL
I nearly fell off my chair here too.
That was hilarious!


BTW , we figured we saved mucho bucks breast feeding longer with daughter #2, it was tough at first but it gets better. I pumped and stored. I even used cloth diapers during the day to save money and all. ( I bought the "wally world" brand for nightime and they did fine.) Who knows what we saved, but I'm sure it was at least $50 a month easy. We tend to be a bit kooky though in others eyes...lol...It baffles me I got in this situation, as I grew up a poor sixth child of an auto mechanic turned prison minister who ate whatever grew in the garden that day or whatever meat was on super sale.
Run, better be carefullllll, as AK is sounding real fine right about now. Ive only been there on two layovers to Asia, but I may get off next time and not board again....
WAM

[JollyGG]

We bought diapers at Sam's club to save a little bit. Whenever anyone asked what we needed for the kids we weren't shy about telling them the kids sizes for clothes and diapers. I do remember using cloth diapers a time or two with our first when payday was still too far off to get more disposables.
We discovered that most people get pretty sick of the totes of baby clothes living in their basements and are thrilled with the opportunities to pass them on to you. We even got hand-me-downs from people we barely knew (my aunts sister-in-law, and one of my husbands coworkers). So make sure people know that you would be thrilled with anything they want to get rid off. I got tons of clothes, but also baby bottles, toys, a swing, a sacuer, and other baby stuff this way. Also make sure people know what you still need before any showers that get thrown for the baby. Be sure to check out the garage sales as well.
We also made our own baby food. It is really easy. We just cooked whatever fruits or veggies were in season, on sale, or in the garden and blended it up in the food processor or blender. We then froze whatever the kids wouldn't eat that week. We usually made a batch or two once a week. Squash, carrots, green beans, broccoli, apple sauce, pears and peaches were all very easy to make. If some of the fruit are a little runny we just thickened them up with a little bit of baby cereal.

[manglicmot]

Just back from grocery store - this weeks grocery bill total: $39.01. My lowest weekly bill in many, many years.

[CoCoChanel]

How Much Do You Spend on Food?

I try to stick with buying essentials stuff and no junk stuff even though I have fallen off a couple of times. I buy things like milk, bread, cheese, sugar, butter, rice, potatoes, chicken, cooking oil, eggs, coffee, seasonings, pasta, sauce for pasta, corn, peas, carrots, fish, peanut butter, jelly, juice, Kool Aide, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, garlic cloves, grapes etc. I usually spend anywhere a month on groceries from 200.00 to 300.00 with 4 people in the house. Is that a lot you guys?

[lrprn]

I usually spend anywhere a month on groceries from 200.00 to 300.00 with 4 people in the house. Is that a lot you guys?

You are doing very well to feel 4 people on $2-300/month, CoCo. Do you coupon? Any other secrets to share?

[Shalynn]

Food spending

I spend about $300 a month on groceries ($400 if I'm stocking up on meat sales) for a family of five (I just wanted to add that I'm sure some of this has to do with where you live. I know food prices have a wide range depending on what you are buying and where you live) We do have two older teens who work and spend their own money eating some of their meals out. So, I'm sure that cuts down on some of the spending.

I think our biggest savings comes when I buy a lot of meat when it's on sale and put it in the freezer. My weekly grocery trips usually don't include much meat.

We are big on "recycling" food here too. For example, I'll buy the boneless, skinless chicken breast, and make several meals out of it. The first night we might have it with baked potatoes and steamed broccoli. Leftovers might be chicken tacos, or grilled chicken in a salad. I do the same with pot roast. I put it in the Crockpot with potatoes, onions, carrots, etc. We have that the first night, then after eating on it a day or two we take the left overs and mix them them with mixed vegetables, and tomato juice and have a good vegetable beef soup. I do similar things with other cuts of meat. We do eat at least one meatless meal a week also. Plus, I don't serve big cuts of meat, and usually use other foods to help us get more protein.

We buy very little frozen, or processed food. I also buy fruits and vegetables in season. We have three groceries that are very close to us and we shop the ads. The stores are all within five miles of each other, so we don't waste gas.

I just wish I was able to do as well in other areas of my budget.

[Shalynn]

Just back from grocery store - this weeks grocery bill total: $39.01. My lowest weekly bill in many, many years.

Good for you!! What's your secret? I spent $56 dollars last week, I thought that was pretty good too for five of us.

[CurtInKS]

We can't get ours under $150.00 a week for food/bathroom stuff/paper products, stuff like that. We've cut back to practically no variety in our meals, and nothing name brand, but 3 meals a day, for 3 people, is what it is. At some point, stressing whether I spent too much on a pack of hotdogs isn't worth it.

[manglicmot]

Good for you!! What's your secret? I spent $56 dollars last week, I thought that was pretty good too for five of us.

The biggest cuts came from bacon/eggs and from frozen dinners. I replaced them with bulk ramen, which I also got on sale, and with PBJ. My grocery store has membership cards which allow you to get things on sale, so I don't have any brand loyalty, I get what is on sale that day.

[SinkingFast]

We eat lunches at home. Usually sandwiches. Unless we have left overs. And dinners most every night. Between groceries, TP, paper towels, toiletries, and such, I spend about $150/shopping trip and go at least 4-5 times a month.

Has anybody else noticed the price of items at the grocery jumping??

All at Wal-Mart:

Milk here has gone from right at $2.50/gallon to right at $4.25/gallon.

Coffee went from $5.49/3 lb can to $7.12/can.

Bologna and Hot Dogs have jumped $0.50/package each.

Every once in a while, we'd treat ourselves to Dean's brand sweet tea. It's jumped $0.17/gallon.

Fish sticks,........... Gorton's Fish sticks,....... 44 count. Jumped over a $1/package.

Beef has gone up. Chicken has gone up. Everything is increasing. And it's not pennies here, a nickel there, or a dime increase. Prices are jumping $0.50 to $1, or more for the same items.

Do they think we don't notice??!!

[JollyGG]

Has anybody else noticed the price of items at the grocery jumping??

Do they think we don't notice??!!

We deffinatelly notice. Expecially about the milk. I have a toddler and a preschooler and we easiely go through 3 or 4 gallons a week.
Sunday I made the weekly menu and there was alot already in our pantry. I was pleased thinking that it would be a cheap grocery week as I only needed an item or two for each meal. I get to check out and it was $130. On the drive home I'm trying to figure out what cost me so much and realized that milk alone was 10% of that. The other items added up pretty quickly as well.

[CurtInKS]

Has anybody else noticed the price of items at the grocery jumping??



Do they think we don't notice??!!

It's all about the gas prices. All that food gets to stores on trucks, and so long as gas companies are continues to make Billions, with no regard to it's customers, it's only going to get worse.

[Granny]

I can promise you that the increased cost for fuel for the trucks was not being passed to the trucker. Sure we got a small fuel surcharge added to the revenue for the truck but it wasn't enough to cover the total increased cost of fuel. That's why we are no longer in business.

Milk and all dairy has gone up because corn, that used to be fed to the cattle, is now being used to make fuel. Good ole supply and demand, the demand for corn increases so does the cost, and it's affecting cattle.

[Minnymouth]

Wait till you see the minimum wage go up............then you'll see some hiking of pricing......

A lot of it is pure "price gouging" and more than covers the fuel charges these stores are being charged for delivery......

The only way to stop most of it is stop buying it.... only buy necessities....

When the meat lays on the shelf and rots, believe their prices WILL COME DOWN....

Its up to John Q Public to "help" maintain a cap on the prices rising..... if we don't buy (and a lot of things we can do without).... then they are forced to come back down on their prices.....

It can also be done on gasoline............say for 1 day - NOBODY buys any gas..... can you imagine the millions of dollars they would loose and can't re-coup.....

The consumer plays a "big role" in consumption...... no comsumption, product doesn't sell..............nobody makes any money!!!