What is your monthly Grocery budget?

DH and I are living paycheck to paycheck lately and I'm trying to put us on a budget. We eat out WAY too often- it's neither healthy nor cost conscious.

If you eat at home most of the time (and/or bring lunch to work) what is your weekly or monthly grocery budget?
Do you budget any amount for the occasional night out?

Thank you!

Re: What is your monthly Grocery budget?

About $150 per week. we do not go out to eat and we bring lunch..i'd say 4 out of the 5 days a week.

Re: What is your monthly Grocery budget?

as a general rule, my weekly soup-to-nuts budget is $300.

that includes the grocery bill (anywhere from 100 to 150) any drug store needs, take out or a dinner out and anything else I need to stock the home for the week.

I try to keep it less than that. some weeks I am under, some weeks I am over.

but planning a menu and sticking to what is on sale/fresh will save you money.

Re: What is your monthly Grocery budget?

We go out to eat maybe twice a month, if that.
Grocery store is $100 per week or less, we can usually keep it under $400/month for DD, DH and I.

I menu plan for the week every Saturday/Sunday off the store sale catalog and my recipe websites. I make DH a lunch every day with snack and drinks so he doesn't have to buy anything or hit the vending machine.

Message edited 7/5/2011 12:41:03 PM.

Re: What is your monthly Grocery budget?

I don't have a budget - but when I did, I found making a menu using a weekly calendar made a WORLD of a difference. Making your own meals from breakfast to dinner saves tons of $$$$$. When I shopped, it was only from the menu ingredients I needed and therefore, there was no over spending and no food wasted, especially produce. Start with that and see what your budget SHOULD be.... I was also never a coupon girl, but planning a menu based on sale items also saves cash!

Re: What is your monthly Grocery budget?

I figure $100 a week for the food store.

I bring coffee, breakfast, lunch to work.
occasionally buy something instead.

We always get pizza on Fridays and usually eat out atleast one meal on the weekend. This money is not included in the $100.


I try to make something for dinner that will either last 2 nights or I can have for lunch the next day. That saves a lot of $.

Re: What is your monthly Grocery budget?

we spend about $200/month for a family of three, toiletries/cleaning supplies included.

Re: What is your monthly Grocery budget?

Re: What is your monthly Grocery budget?

Posted by CaidensMommy

Posted by memi7206

we spend about $200/month for a family of three, toiletries/cleaning supplies included.

$200 a month, REALLY??? Please share your secrets!!!

Re: What is your monthly Grocery budget?

Groceries to me means just food and drinks, so I'm not including diapers in this (although it wouldn't add much, as I buy BJs brand and only go once a month, so maybe an extra 30 bucks a month). I try to limit myself to $125 a week for a family of 4. I find that if I shop on peapod I get more for my money because the impulse buying is not an option. HTH

Re: What is your monthly Grocery budget?

we spend roughly $650/month at the supermarket (combo between whole foods and stop and shop) and this includes paper goods and laundry detergent, etc...

we also spend about $150-$200 a month eating out.

we bring our lunches most of the time and I try and cook dinner at least 5 nights a week.