Question

So I’m looking at my expenses for this month. I have never tracked my money this way and I’m already blown away by how much we’ve spent on groceries this month. We haven’t ate out but one time this month and so I thought the food/grocery budget would be on the lower end. in JUST groceries this month we’ve spent $1072. 79 for a family of FOUR. Is this normal?!? I could throw up! *edit: I have two boys (13 & 10) and twice a week we eat dinner with my in-laws. I also have to pack breakfast, lunch and dinner for myself several days a week because of my work schedule. We shop at Aldi, Walmart and Publix. I budget for $600 a month but was just blown away that it was a lot more than that. 2nd edit: household and toiletries are included in this amount. I think next month I will budget them out separately and see if that helps. Also, hubby is just now learning to cook due to my life/work changes to help keep us from eating out so much.  

Answer 1

I am in Spokane WA and I do about 400 a month for 3 people. Usually closer to 350, but I plan for 400 and if we are under we occassionally will do pizza night

Comments

@phage481 pretty close to us as well in Spokane. Family of 3

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@supercilious833 I do one Costco run and two walmart trips a month

Answer 2

IKR?! I just spent $80 on a quick trip to the DG for a few things!  

Answer 3

We spend $1000 minimum just at the grocery store.  

Answer 4

Family of 5 here, 2 adults and 9 yo , 4yo, & 15 month old. we are from New York, everything is super expensive here. we spend about 750-800 a month but eat out way too often and I can say 800 is not enough especially once I cut out the eating out. so it seems expensive but I'm not surprised

Answer 5

Family of 5, we don’t have and Aldis, Sams Club, etc around and I spend about $500-600 a month on groceries.  

Answer 6

$1200 use to be my normal for 4. I’ve managed to get it down to $850

Comments

@guillerminaguillerm we’re around $800 for 4 as well. In CT.  

Answer 7

Normal. uh, depends on what you eat. we spend $150 monthly for 2 and cook all but 6 dinners/meals per month

Answer 8

I spent $450 today on my family of 5 (BJ'S bulk & Walmart grocery pick up) this will last us until the middle of the month and I'll do another $250 I have 2 picky eaters and 3 non picky eaters so sometimes we make 2 meals a night  

Answer 9

Family of 4 (2 adults, 5 year old boy, 2 year old girl) & I budget $200 every 2 weeks. I do Walmart grocery pickup

Answer 10

I have two boys (13 & 10) and twice a week we eat dinner with my in-laws. I also have to pack breakfast, lunch and dinner for myself several days a week because of my work schedule. We shop at Aldi, Walmart and Publix. I budget for $600 a month but was just blown away that it was a lot more than that.  

Answer 11

We are a family of 4 and spend around $350-400 per month. Aldi was a game changer for us! Meal Plan every week and only buy what’s on the list! It has helped us a lot!  

Answer 12

I would definitely try meal planning start small and just do one week at a time and go to the store for that week and stick to your menu. Make a realistic goal for that shopping trip for yourself. Good luck hope this helps

Answer 13

Family of 4 - I meal plan and shop off that plan by doing Walmart pick up. we eat dinner at home 5 nights a week and all take packed lunches. I do sams once a month for all paper products and cleaning supplies, etc. Groceries: $250, Sam’s: $125, formula/diapers/wipes $125.  

Answer 14

Family of 4 and i spent $754 for the month of January. budget is $600 including diapers bc i do wal mart pick up w it. I tried to shop at aldi’s but can’t get on board w it  i tried to love it. I meal plan and everything but my 2 sons and husband eat so much food and snacks lol also there’s some things i won’t compromise on like our meats and produce. Also idk what it is but i don’t shop all generic. i feel like i always have to buy name brand stuff (basically not great value brand) and idk if it’s a mental thing or bc my parents always bought name brand so just a habit but i know i could cut down if i did buy all generic. (Also i shop at wal mart & Kroger)

Answer 15

We used to be like that. It hurts just thinking about it again.  

Answer 16

$125 is my weekly budget for groceries, laundry, personal care. I shop with coupons for laundry and personal care and aldi for groceries

Answer 17

We are at about $1100 for groceries but that includes 1 Costco run, and anything we need from Walmart including paper goods, toiletries, batteries ect. we are a family of 6. I feel like I spend hundreds of dollars on snacks for the kids

Comments

Right! I went to Sam's last week, I priced it all at Costco first too but cheaper at Sam's. Spent $50 on snacks only. We roadtriped to Nashville from Houston with some, sent some to work with my husband, and are just reaching the bottom of them. That was 2wks ago. 6people. I will be doing this more often.  

Answer 18

Family of 3 and we spend around $1000 for food  I buy all organic when I can though. I won’t budge on that (yes I know most think it’s a hoax, but I do not)

Comments

@cadelle83080 same

Answer 19

We’re at about that for our family, but it has to do with where we live too (& includes household items like toilet paper and dish soap).  

Answer 20

Same happened to me. Family of 3 hubby, son 12 yrs old and me) I never really tracked before my expenses and I discovered that we spent around $500.  I shop at Aldi and whatever I don’t find there at Walmart. We eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack at home this month and that was the bill. Crazy  

Answer 21

I think a major determining factor is what type of meals you make. We eat oatmeal or eggs for breakfast. Soup or sandwiches for lunch and things like spaghetti, tacos, stir fry, or burgers and fries for dinner. We use the $1 frozen veg bags, and mostly Great Value brands. Budget is around $550 for 3 adults and a 2 year old, including toiletries and dog stuff.  

Answer 22

Yeah that is close to our monthly food budget and we are a family of four as well. We have two girls 10 and 7. My daughter has some food allergies which increases our budget but the girls has to eat!  

Answer 23

That’s about ours also

Answer 24

My average is $500 with family of 7 but some months will be up to $1000. Those are the trips I buy in bulk

Answer 25

FREEZE if you have veggies or fruit going bad and make smoothies also frozen food is just as healthy and cheaper than fresh

Answer 26

Family of 6, spend $800-$1000 a month on groceries.  

Answer 27

I think a general rule could be $100/person. So for my family of 7, we spend $700

Answer 28

It is excessive and you have plenty of room to bring it down. $600 seems reasonable to me. We are a family of four and eat all meals at home or pack them. Our household, dog food, bath, beauty, and diapers are included. You got this  

Answer 29

First of all yes it does seem a little high. However you do have teenage boys. I have one son (16)and one daughter(17). My son easily eats five meals a day. I mean you have breakfast, 1st lunch, 2nd lunch, dinner and I guess 2nd dinner. And sometimes throw second breakfast in there. There are four of us and usually I budget $600 per month. However I also cook more than I know we will eat simply because I never know how many if my kids friends will be eating with us. I can have four teenage boys eating a meal or two or twenty in any one weekend. Do your best and maybe be sure to allow for cushion.  

Answer 30

I was the same when I started. down to 500-600 a week with really good meal planning

Answer 31

Yup! I have 4 kids and we always seem to hit $800-$1000  

Comments

And sometimes more if they drink a lot of milk! Milk in Hawai’i is about $9  

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Wowza's! That's so wild. Milk here in Houston, depending on the area, can vary from 1. 98-3. 22

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Yup! Hawaiians can’t simply go to the store in the mainland without yelling how cheap everything is before getting it.  

Answer 32

We are a family of 5 and pretty close to 1000 a month. This also includes toiletries too. It’s crazy how much my husband and son eat haha

Answer 33

We are a family of 6. My husband works out of town all month every month so he gets his own food/toiletries budget of $200 a month. Some months he's over a little but it's fine. But my kids and I are 5 at home at we spend $800 a month for household and groceries. That includes our Cosco and Sam's items.  

Answer 34

3 people: we spend 450

Answer 35

We spend a lot too! I have 3 boys too, so they definitely eat a good amount!