:: ranch mustache/goatee ::
does anyone else hate spending money on groceries?
every monday I feel like a failure.
I am in charge of buying the groceries for the house. I plan the meals. I try to buy and make healthy foods, but I am not completely a health-nut, washington hasn't claimed me completely. I try to keep unnecessary snacks to a minimum, but sometimes I feel a bag of m&ms to be a necessity, don't you?. Every sunday night I start getting a pit in my stomach and as monday morning rolls around, and I start planning meals for the week, and putting together my grocery list, I get downright sick to my stomach. The list always seems so long, and when I hit the register the total always makes me cringe. You would think I would get used to the number week after week, but I just keep hoping that it will drop a little bit. but if anything, it gets higher. I hate coupons because I feel as though they are never for the things that you need. Sure I could buy five cans of refried beans for the price of four, but then what would we eat? I shop at the cheapest store around. We eat most (weekday) meals at home. I make most of Jeff's lunches. I look for deals. I try to eat all of what we buy. Petra and I eat lunch at home almost every day. Yet I never feel like I am sticking to the budget. I am real (fer real, fer real) tired of feeling guilty for any splurge of any kind.
maybe I could plan ahead better?
maybe I can look for more deals?
maybe I could just eat less?
on average we spend about $150 dollars a week on groceries and incidentals.
may I ask, what do you spend?
I am dying to know if I am in the average range, or if I really need to get my shhhtuff together.
13 comments:
we're around $600 a month total for food/etc. but we're a family of 5. (and we eat out a lot more than i'd like, she whispers sheepishly.)
i think you're fine, as in "girl.... you fiiiiine." :):)
um. sar? that means I spend the same as you. for a family of three. does your $600 include eating out? because I didn't even include that.
I am pathetic.
but thanks for the compliment :)
What you need is a Fresh&Easy. I've learned a trick. It's called collecting weekly $5 off coupons from my siblings and neighbor who don't like to shop there. Every week, my total comes to about $80 and then I have four $5 off every $20 coupons and voila! it's only $60. Nothing makes me happier. And I can justify buying myself some fresh flowers every once in a while.
So that's what I spend, but I don't have a darling baby girl to feed. And, if I calculated how much we spent on eating out every weekend with people, I'm sure I'd be over $150 total a week. So don't feel bad. I'm guessing you're in the average range.
I feel the same way every week. Every monday I, like you, go grocery shopping and it stresses me out! My main stress is planning the meals, as I said earlier today I feel like I always make the same thing. But I guess what I make is pretty cheap I barely ever go over a hundred dollars a week for groceries. But we do eat out a lot, and Kendall hardly ever takes lunch. So that adds up too. I guess we could stress ourselves out thinking about it, or we can just be happy to have food to eat!
I'm all packed and ready to go! Can't wait to see you tomorrow.
i hate grocery shopping too! i know how you feel. we spend about $100 a month on groceries. but it is just the two of us and that is all we can afford to spend. i am jealous katie is going up there to see you! have fun!
ohhhhhhhh. i don't want to talk about this. it kinda makes me sick to my stomach.
but because you asked, and because i like you so...
we spend about $80/wk at the grocery store, and spend maybe $30 eating out during the week.
i feel guilty about it too.
and so i always ask myself..."do i really need the mr.salty's 100 calorie pack of chocolate covered pretzels?"
and the answer is always yes.
go figure.
angela ... I was so sad we left AZ before the fresh and easy on the corner of mckellips and gilbert was finished. I watched it being built from the ground up... sigh.
k8 - you are so right. I try to remember that it's good to have food on the table. yeah! just hours till I see your pretty mug.
jess :: $100 a month? do you ever eat? thats insane. wish you were coming up...
jaime / I know, right? always guilt, yet always yes. go figure indeed.
I will say this for myself (seeing as I am indeed spending more than everyone) that WA is about 20-25% more expensive than AZ. I don't think that justifies my totals completely, but maybe it helps a little....
of course, I can't imagine CA being any cheaper.
oy vey.
no, that $600 does not include eating out. including excursions, our food budget blows yours out of the water.
It seems like planning your meals and shopping according to your plans would be the best way to save money on food. And it seems like you're doing that. And yeah, everything is more expensive on the coast. I guess you could look through the Sunday ads and plan your meals according to the sales.
When it comes to groceries, I figure that eating is a necessity so I try not to worry if I spend more than I would have liked. I hate having to spend so much money on food, but that's life.
hate, hate, hate the grocery bills. we used to spend around $100 every week, but i got it down to about $125 every 2 weeks. (i know, right!) i've gotten in the habit of buying the bulk of our food that's the 10 for $10 at fry's. so i don't go with a real list. i just buy what's on clearance and make it work.
(but then we spend about $40-50 on eating out every week.)
I too stress about buying food! I have some friends that do the Pinching Pennies thing and go shopping at like 4 different stores to get "all" the sales-- I just don't have time to do that!
i think i spend about $100 a week, but i'm not sure. i don't really keep track, i should but i don't. we have been eating out a lot lately, though which isn't helping our budget at all. my problem is that i don't plan out meals, so i just go and buy the basics and few extra things but have to make a quick trip to the store mid-week for one or two things. i need to plan ahead more.
I think flour and mike said it best.stock up on what you know you need when on sale and try to allot an amount mine is 500/mth not including eating out....
-on the outside looking in-
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