973beachbum
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Post by 973beachbum on Dec 14, 2011 15:01:57 GMT -5
MisBear - how/what do you buy for $40/month for just you? I am buy myself, and my budget is $40-$50/week for just me, and this is simply food, not HBA stuff. I use coupons for all my HBA and stock up when it's at it's lowest. But it's my "regular" weekly food that's a killer. I do not eat prepared foods, so most things in a box or can aren't part of my budget. I know that's setting me up for paying more. Here is what I routinely buy every week: Fruit - fresh or frozen, I buy what is on sale Veggies - fresh or frozen, again, whatever is on sale Eggs Greek Yogurt - I am not brand specific, I will buy the cheapest, but it rarely goes on sale Chicken - I stock up when it's on sale, will cook large chickens and freeze Turkey - Same when it's on sale, the other day I bought a 14 lb. turkey for $5.00. Cooked it, froze most of it in single size portions, this will help. Whole wheat bread - I buy a loaf, freeze 2/3 of it Canned products - will buy some here and there I know $50/week is better than what I was spending six months ago, I have stocked up on coffee, spices, oils, condiments, oatmeal, beans, all HBA items, etc. I shop at Hannafords and their prices are cheaper than most other stores. The fruits, veggies, and yogurt make up a big part of my weekly budget though, I'd love to reduce the cost more. Any ideas? At the risk of starting something have you thought of using coupons for just those items? I got Hanover frozen veggies last week for 0.50 cents a lb bag. I have gotten Birds eye 14 ish oz bags of reg and steamfresh for free a bunch of times. I buy yogurt based on whatever is on sale that week and has a coupon on and if it is good deal I try and buy 2-3 weeks worth. It has always kept well for most of month in the far back of my fridge. Other things lately I have gotten for free were Blue Diamond almond milk, barilla whole grain pasta, canned tomatoes and probably a bunch that I can't remember right now. For things like meat, fish, and fruit I rely on catalina coupons to wittle down those items. I have gotten good at finding my local grocery stores catalina promotions. They will have a promo where I buy something like a HBA product that is on sale and they will hand me a coupon good on anything in my next order. I can use manufacturer coupon on the item bought to get the coupon and the items I used it to buy to streatch it even farther. So for example a couple of weeks ago the big deal was Buy 6 Ziploc Sandwich Bags $1.59 each -(4)$0.55/1 coupons -(1)$1.50/2 coupon Pay $3.46 Get 2 – $2.00 catalina free + $0.36 Money MakerI then used those $4.00 to buy things like fresh fruit that don't otherwise normally get coupons. If you come over to the Grocery Game thread the woman over there are WONDERFUL about helping. Hope that helps.
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munjoyhill
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Post by munjoyhill on Dec 15, 2011 10:33:44 GMT -5
Thanks Beachbum for your suggestions.
I use coupons whenever I see them for yogurt. I prefer Greek yogurt, but use coupons for "regular" yogurt too. I will buy whatever is on sale, use coupons, but when it's not on sale, it adds up.
Hannaford's rarely has the catalina coupons, once in a while they will reward you a $1/off Q if you buy 4 of their store brand items. I do take advantage of this whenever I can, they offer it 2-3 times a year.
I won't give up, and slowly I am reducing my per weekly grocery bill. The other day I got some frozen raspberries, blueberries and strawberries on sale, the Hannaford brand, and I stocked up. I won't need to buy them for another couple months.
I do prefer fresh veggies over frozen, but this time of year when my local farm stand doesn't have good deals I switch to frozen. I haven't seen any coupons for birds eye, but I am keeping my eyes open.
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leanna
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Post by leanna on Jan 23, 2012 22:07:00 GMT -5
This past month we spent approx $420. It's approx, because I used my Visa statement. I added up all purchases from grocery stores and drug stores. There might be a few misc things thrown in, but it's probably fairly close to accurate.
There's just two of us. I'm an avid couponer, so I get most HBA things free. Scary to think what our monthly grocery/household costs would be if I didn't coupon.
It feels a little high, but I can't think of anything we'd want to cut out. Food prices have just risen so rapidly. I buy organic yogurt, and I get my sliced turkey from Whole Foods. And I do splurge on expensive cheese occasionally. But, outside of those things, most of our grocery bill is fairly ordinary - chicken, rice, veggies, etc.
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twinmama85
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Post by twinmama85 on Jan 23, 2012 23:05:46 GMT -5
I love to cook and for a family of 4 and 2 cats, including household stuff like TP, pulls up, etc, our budget is $300/month. I jumped on the Grocery Challenge and it has been one of the smartest things I have ever done, next to reading TMMO by Dave Ramsey ;D sarcastic can you please share the ratio for this I am trying to get into more of a all natural/homemade anything really...we already eat pretty clean but I seriously have a black thumb of death so I don't even waste money on plants anymore (plus the top soil here is 2 inches deep then the rest is sand/magnesium) and I just don't feel like spending tons of $$$ on a raise garden when I'm pretty sure Im gonna kill it lol I live in a HCOLA as well BUT I do have the commissary...its just sad thing is I shop there for meat and such but I can score fruits and veggies super duper cheap at foods co AND they are delicious and ripe...just the other day I got 2 loaves of 7 grain bread and 3 loaves of whole wheat bread for a total of $4.90 because thye were.98 a loaf because they expired that day..threw am in the freezer and pull em out as needed
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Jan 24, 2012 11:16:25 GMT -5
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aliciar6
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Post by aliciar6 on Jan 24, 2012 13:58:32 GMT -5
i never really put together a budget, but it always seems it costs more and more. I like to cook and I like to make really nice meals (enough so that BF says i need to open a restaraunt, i said i'll do a cook book but nothing more) i'm trying to do better with shopping and looking at different store and manufacturer coupons and their sales. our grocery store offers double coupons, so i'm hoping to save a lot this time.
it really helps that we don't have a red meat line item since BF hunts and we process the deer ourselves.
if i see a really good deal, i'll stock up, like we did on turkey, so i have to make him break out my Big Easy and make me another turkey so i can use it for pot pies, soup, and quesadillas.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on Jan 24, 2012 14:25:48 GMT -5
I love to cook and for a family of 4 and 2 cats, including household stuff like TP, pulls up, etc, our budget is $300/month. I jumped on the Grocery Challenge and it has been one of the smartest things I have ever done, next to reading TMMO by Dave Ramsey ;D twinmama: We're glad you feel that way. You've been an awesome addition to the group.
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Jan 24, 2012 14:30:15 GMT -5
i never really put together a budget, but it always seems it costs more and more. I like to cook and I like to make really nice meals (enough so that BF says i need to open a restaraunt, i said i'll do a cook book but nothing more) this is me, too. I love to cook really amazing meals and sometimes, ingredients are expensive. I try and limit the pricey stuff, or wait until it goes on sale... but when does truffle butter ever go on sale?!?! i stocked up on turkey as well, DH put a turkey breast in the rotisserie for dinner last night. the leftovers are going to be turkey pot pie! yum!!! i coupon when I can, but it is mostly on toiletry items/ paper goods. i'm not resorting to processed crap in boxes with a 2/$1 coupon unless i really have too.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on Jan 24, 2012 15:10:30 GMT -5
i never really put together a budget, but it always seems it costs more and more. I like to cook and I like to make really nice meals (enough so that BF says i need to open a restaraunt, i said i'll do a cook book but nothing more) this is me, too. I love to cook really amazing meals and sometimes, ingredients are expensive. I try and limit the pricey stuff, or wait until it goes on sale... but when does truffle butter ever go on sale?!?! i stocked up on turkey as well, DH put a turkey breast in the rotisserie for dinner last night. the leftovers are going to be turkey pot pie! yum!!! i coupon when I can, but it is mostly on toiletry items/ paper goods. i'm not resorting to processed crap in boxes with a 2/$1 coupon unless i really have too. You don't have to resort to processed crap. Many of us on the Grocery Challenge have survived the increasing price of food by saving money on non-perishables and then transferring those savings to what we spend on food, both in the present and in the future (thanks to what we have been able to stockpile when items were free or cost pennies on the dollar that we will use later). In addition, there are a lot of food items that we have been able to stockpile that most people keep in their pantry on an ongoing basis: all condiments, staples like coffee, sugar, and peanut butter, soups and broths, canned tuna, pasta, meats that can be frozen, etc.
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twinmama85
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Post by twinmama85 on Jan 24, 2012 16:10:32 GMT -5
sarcastic im a big time cooker too and what I do is I buy anything I can on sale or coupon, then for example, my fancy lettuce that I pay $3.39 a container, that is my splurge. IT never goes on sale and it never has coupons but since I save so much every where else, $3.39/week doesnt kill my budget..besides, it is not like you are cooking with truffle butter everyday so it shouldn't kill your budget
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on Jan 24, 2012 19:32:48 GMT -5
If you gals have any specific suggestions for low carb (meats, cheeses, nuts, low carb produce) grocery shopping, I'm all ears. ;D When I shopped a few weeks ago, the bill was high compared to prior months. Here's what I did: Sam's: 5 pack of canned chicken 10 pack tuna large bag (unsure of the ounces) pistachios w/ shell 12 cans green beans 6 cans olives Kroger: On sale fresh produce BOGO strawberries Cheese w/ a coupon Chicken sausage also with a coupon On sale ground beef Fish-bought catfish because it was lesser of the 3 choices Shrimp-I bought the medium size, which wasn't on sale Ham-bought a half ham and baked it because it is less expensive than deli/processed meat Almonds-bought a large bag as it was a better deal than a smaller w/ a coupon 10/$10 frozen veggies Thank you, Iggy Protein is expensive. Look for chicken to go on sale. I think it's just about the cheapest meat that you can buy. Look for different ways to cook it. A stir fry with lots of broccoli not served over rice perhaps.
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Jan 24, 2012 20:21:05 GMT -5
this is me, too. I love to cook really amazing meals and sometimes, ingredients are expensive. I try and limit the pricey stuff, or wait until it goes on sale... but when does truffle butter ever go on sale?!?! i stocked up on turkey as well, DH put a turkey breast in the rotisserie for dinner last night. the leftovers are going to be turkey pot pie! yum!!! i coupon when I can, but it is mostly on toiletry items/ paper goods. i'm not resorting to processed crap in boxes with a 2/$1 coupon unless i really have too. You don't have to resort to processed crap. Many of us on the Grocery Challenge have survived the increasing price of food by saving money on non-perishables and then transferring those savings to what we spend on food, both in the present and in the future (thanks to what we have been able to stockpile when items were free or cost pennies on the dollar that we will use later). In addition, there are a lot of food items that we have been able to stockpile that most people keep in their pantry on an ongoing basis: all condiments, staples like coffee, sugar, and peanut butter, soups and broths, canned tuna, pasta, meats that can be frozen, etc. I understand, totally. like i said... i use coupons and such when i can, on toiletries and paper goods. i buy extra on things when i can get a good deal, and coupon on any food goods i can get and shop the sales. we don't go through much that's pre-packaged, what we do use, we're often brand specific (not for things like sugar or flour), but any pasta, soups and PB. mostly for health/nutrition reason. it's not often that there's a chance to stock up, but i do it when i can. I've gone through the grocery thread, read several couponing websites, and it does save me a bit of money here and there, but nothing too substantial. of course every bit helps, so i'm certainly not passing up any deals that work for me.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on Jan 24, 2012 20:33:57 GMT -5
You don't have to resort to processed crap. Many of us on the Grocery Challenge have survived the increasing price of food by saving money on non-perishables and then transferring those savings to what we spend on food, both in the present and in the future (thanks to what we have been able to stockpile when items were free or cost pennies on the dollar that we will use later). In addition, there are a lot of food items that we have been able to stockpile that most people keep in their pantry on an ongoing basis: all condiments, staples like coffee, sugar, and peanut butter, soups and broths, canned tuna, pasta, meats that can be frozen, etc. I understand, totally. like i said... i use coupons and such when i can, on toiletries and paper goods. i buy extra on things when i can get a good deal, and coupon on any food goods i can get and shop the sales. we don't go through much that's pre-packaged, what we do use, we're often brand specific (not for things like sugar or flour), but any pasta, soups and PB. mostly for health/nutrition reason. it's not often that there's a chance to stock up, but i do it when i can. I've gone through the grocery thread, read several couponing websites, and it does save me a bit of money here and there, but nothing too substantial. of course every bit helps, so i'm certainly not passing up any deals that work for me. Every little bit helps and it does add up over time.
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Jan 24, 2012 20:34:01 GMT -5
iggy try edamame, greek yogurt, skim string cheese, skim cottage cheese, legumes. be sure and include healthy carbs in your diet too. Barilla makes a great pasta, it's Barilla plus, it has a great balance of protein and healthy carbs with omegas. Yum. also, throw a little granola in your yogurt, like 1/4 cup. I buy my chicken from a local poultry company that processes and raises their own chickens. The chicken is pricier, $2.49/lb but it's such a better quality, unlike the regular stuff i buy at the grocery store that is packed with liquid and the breasts are HUGE because they're filled with hormones. Since the chicken is pricier, we limit our portions, and it's fine because it is so YUMMY!
I am insulin resistant and work to balance my low carbs with proteins. it's certainly not cheap, but it's doable!
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ses
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Post by ses on Jan 24, 2012 21:53:43 GMT -5
Anyone ever made slow cooker yogurt? (Greek yogurt-- you just drain longer to make it thicker with higher protein content) I have been reading about how easy it is (and cheaper) and you can even freeze it to thaw or eat frozen.
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Jan 24, 2012 22:26:19 GMT -5
have never heard of it... will have to google!
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saveinla
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Post by saveinla on Jan 24, 2012 22:50:43 GMT -5
kathyattraverse - a poster in the GC thread used to make the yogurt and also had a recipe posted on it once. It's easy to do.
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swtchks98
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Post by swtchks98 on Jan 28, 2012 18:16:48 GMT -5
We spend $30-$50 a week for a family of 3.5 (DD is with us 3 days out of the week). We buy just about the same items every week. Fresh fruit and vegetables (carrots, celery, bananas, apples or pears, bell peppers), fresh tortillas, bread, eggs, yogurt, cereal, milk, etc. I spend about another $20 a month on household items (body wash, laundry soap, paper towels, etc). We only eat out once or twice a month and when we do we use a coupon (luckily the only restaurant we have in town is on restaurant.com so the 4 of us can eat for $20).
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formerroomate99
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Post by formerroomate99 on Jan 30, 2012 19:03:08 GMT -5
You can make your own yogurt for a fraction of what store bought yogurt costs.
Just boil some milk, let it cool, add 4 tbsp of store bought yogurt and keep it lukewarm overnight. If you want to make your own greek yogurt, just add a bunch of powdered milk after boiling and keep it warm for 24-36 hours.
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kittensaver
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Post by kittensaver on Feb 1, 2012 14:05:39 GMT -5
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misplacedbrit
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Post by misplacedbrit on Feb 7, 2012 11:34:48 GMT -5
I am around $400 for 2 people and a large dog.
Since coming back from vacation in england (home!) I have tried to eat as healthily as we did there, but the costs are insane.
My DS loves Brussels Sprouts for instance. In the UK my Mum buys a pound for 99 pence. (approx $1.50) Here, Sprouts are between 2.99 - 3.99 a pound.
I just dont get it, produce, that is good for us, grown in this country is so expensive.
Fresh Eggs, Cabbage, good healthy Meals.. I just cant do that here.
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Feb 7, 2012 11:39:34 GMT -5
It is so much more expensive here than other parts of the world, that is certainly true. I can't wait to try my hand at gardening this summer. I don't have a yard, but a friend is letting me plant a garden in her back yard. i'm so excited!
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Feb 10, 2012 10:38:21 GMT -5
buying fresh produce tends to be less expensive in european countries. I've witnessed it myself, it's a more common way of life. It's common to grocery shop multiple times a week to buy fresh ingredients and fresh bread instead of preserved items. i'm not sure where you got your information that many people over there can't buy food... I don't believe europe is exactly impoverished.
americans are obese, not because of their wealth, but because of enormous portions and prepackaged foods. I rarely eat fast food, but last year I went to wendy's and ordered a medium drink... the thing was bigger than my head. A MEDIUM! the portions in an average dining establishment are exponentially larger than any meal i was ever served while traveling abroad.
the last thing i'd ever do is equate obesity with wealth in this country!
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973beachbum
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Post by 973beachbum on Feb 10, 2012 10:58:50 GMT -5
buying fresh produce tends to be less expensive in european countries. I've witnessed it myself, it's a more common way of life. It's common to grocery shop multiple times a week to buy fresh ingredients and fresh bread instead of preserved items. i'm not sure where you got your information that many people over there can't buy food... I don't believe europe is exactly impoverished. americans are obese, not because of their wealth, but because of enormous portions and prepackaged foods. I rarely eat fast food, but last year I went to wendy's and ordered a medium drink... the thing was bigger than my head. A MEDIUM! the portions in an average dining establishment are exponentially larger than any meal i was ever served while traveling abroad. the last thing i'd ever do is equate obesity with wealth in this country! My Mom goes to Europe every couple of years and she always remarks how they walk everywhere. Where I live I can walk around the block for exercise but that is about it. The nearest grocery store or even a convenience store is 5 miles away. Most shopping requires a trip on a Toll road that doesn't even allow pedestrians or bikes on it.
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misplacedbrit
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Post by misplacedbrit on Feb 11, 2012 0:20:52 GMT -5
In the US we are obese because healthy food, things that are good for us, are expensive.
In the UK (as an example) basic foods, good foods, vegetables dont cos what they do here.
Yes we walk, there is no fighting for the closest parking space. Its a way of life.
While home I have never eaten so much in my life. Morning tea/coffee, breakfast, morning snack with a drink, lunch, afternoon snack.. with a drink.. something to drink when you get home, dinner,and a drink before bed. My DS said said, "save me, I'm going to drown" But.. while it seemed a lot,it was a lot of veggies, fibre, good food - and I lost weight.
I come back, cut down on the eating, and put weight back on...
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hopetoberich
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Post by hopetoberich on Feb 19, 2012 15:36:39 GMT -5
Right now i am spending around $130 a month on food. DH also buys food but i don't know what he spends. I just walked in the grocery store without a plan looking for deals that may go with my coupons. I found nothing, so i walked right back out. I have enough at home to eat so no one will starve and maybe next week they will have a decent sale that i can match up and buy 5-10 items. Unlike a previous poster who said that cannot not buy something just because it is not on sale, i cannot bring myself to pay full price for anything. It is bad when i walk out empty handed but that's how it it now. I treat is as exercise, not much but better than watching TV.
Let me jump in on the UK thing. Yeah, its WAY cheaper to eat fresh fruit, veg and breads there. When i left, most things were .49 LB and bread was .69 a loaf. Potatoes in the range or .25 lb. I haven't been for 7 years but believe it still to be way cheaper than the USA.
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dividend
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Post by dividend on Feb 21, 2012 13:28:30 GMT -5
I thought I was doing pretty well with my food budget. I budget $200/month for myself ($400 if I'm feeding a live in BF) for food and HBC items, and then an additional $120/month that goes into a fund to pay for my meat / veg CSA subscription in the spring. (Meat is a monthly delivery of beef/chicken/pork/lamb and eggs all year, veg is a weekly pickup for 26 weeks.) I try not to compromise on quality - I like a particular coffee from a local roaster that runs ~$15/lb, but I only use 3 tablespoons of it for my daily french press pot, so it lasts a long time. I buy milk in glass bottles from a local-ish dairy that costs more, but tastes amazing. I like fresh, in season produce. Right now, I'm gorging myself on citrus. I walked around Whole Foods yesterday looking at all the beautiful varieties. I bought a few to try, but resisted the $10 box of clementines that I like and opted for the 4 lbs of regular oranges for $3.99. I love to cook from scratch. I love to have people over for dinner. I don't like to skimp on quality. I feel like I eat pretty well, and I mostly stay within my budget, which I really thought was reasonable for a $63k/year income. But, the new DBF has really been making me feel bad about my food budget/choices. He used the words, "wasteful and extravagant" to describe how I shop/cook. He's been eating at my house mostly since I bought it a month ago, and I like having him around, so I told him I'd appreciate it if he'd chip in for groceries. Once he knew my grocery budget, he started making snide comments like, sure, it's only money, I'll just absorb this lavish expense. He refused to drink the nice milk I buy, saying he has a "moral opposition" to paying $1.99/quart for milk (we both drink maybe 1/2 cup a day), and that he'd just rather by the cheap milk in the paper carton for himself. He makes fun of me for shopping at Whole Foods, instead of the cheaper grocery stores where the produce looks much worse, claiming that I'm letting my "passion change my reality", and that there actually isn't any difference and I'm just wasting money for silly reasons. Groceries are getting more expensive, I can tell that. But now I'm questioning whether I'm actually doing a good job at this, or whether I should buckle down, sacrifice either things that I really enjoy, or quality, to trim costs. This week, including a coffee restock, I spent $77. We're eating a huge pot (8-9 lunches worth) of minestrone soup and good bread, 2 meals each of red curry chicken, 2 meals each of pasta with Italian sausage and bok choy, 1 meal each of Italian sausage in red sauce over polenta, plus breakfasts and 2 daily snacks (fresh fruit, nuts, cheese, hummus, etc) for each of us, plus probably feeding my brother a couple of times. I felt good about this, before he started getting into me about it. Do I really have a "wasteful and extravegent" grocery budget? Should I care? Should I make an effort to spend less if there's not a compelling budgetary reason for me to? Advice, please...
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Feb 21, 2012 17:54:26 GMT -5
If you have the money for it, do it. I do not think $400/month is outrageous. I like nice stuff too. What's the point of making the right financial decisions and working hard if we don't have some things we enjoy? You aren't spending willy nilly, you have a budget. Frankly I think he would be shocked at what it cost him per month to eat "his way". Whole Foods is like any other store, there are good deals and bad deals.
When I'm in MD, 95% of my food comes from Wegmans and Whole Foods. For me Whole Foods is often cheaper on produce than Giant/Safeway.
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Feb 21, 2012 17:54:32 GMT -5
Dividend I like your style... I too love to cook from scratch and will pay more for better quality. but i won't pay a higher price unless I can tell the difference. I'm a foodie and generally hate cooking things out of packages. I love to try new recipes which often means new ingredients. With what you've listed, I think $200 is a perfectly reasonable budget. I'd tell DBF to hush big mouth and leave me alone about the budget! If he partakes in your amazing meals, he should pay. if he doesn't want to fork over the money then he can buy himself some ramen noodles while you dine on your yummy curry! The one thing i have gotten into is making bread at home. Instead of spending $4 on an artisinal loaf I can make a dutch oven bread for like $0.30 and it is AMAZING!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2012 8:31:36 GMT -5
I thought I was doing pretty well with my food budget. I budget $200/month for myself ($400 if I'm feeding a live in BF) for food and HBC items, and then an additional $120/month that goes into a fund to pay for my meat / veg CSA subscription in the spring. (Meat is a monthly delivery of beef/chicken/pork/lamb and eggs all year, veg is a weekly pickup for 26 weeks.) I try not to compromise on quality - I like a particular coffee from a local roaster that runs ~$15/lb, but I only use 3 tablespoons of it for my daily french press pot, so it lasts a long time. I buy milk in glass bottles from a local-ish dairy that costs more, but tastes amazing. I like fresh, in season produce. Right now, I'm gorging myself on citrus. I walked around Whole Foods yesterday looking at all the beautiful varieties. I bought a few to try, but resisted the $10 box of clementines that I like and opted for the 4 lbs of regular oranges for $3.99. I love to cook from scratch. I love to have people over for dinner. I don't like to skimp on quality. I feel like I eat pretty well, and I mostly stay within my budget, which I really thought was reasonable for a $63k/year income. But, the new DBF has really been making me feel bad about my food budget/choices. He used the words, "wasteful and extravagant" to describe how I shop/cook. He's been eating at my house mostly since I bought it a month ago, and I like having him around, so I told him I'd appreciate it if he'd chip in for groceries. Once he knew my grocery budget, he started making snide comments like, sure, it's only money, I'll just absorb this lavish expense. He refused to drink the nice milk I buy, saying he has a "moral opposition" to paying $1.99/quart for milk (we both drink maybe 1/2 cup a day), and that he'd just rather by the cheap milk in the paper carton for himself. He makes fun of me for shopping at Whole Foods, instead of the cheaper grocery stores where the produce looks much worse, claiming that I'm letting my "passion change my reality", and that there actually isn't any difference and I'm just wasting money for silly reasons. Groceries are getting more expensive, I can tell that. But now I'm questioning whether I'm actually doing a good job at this, or whether I should buckle down, sacrifice either things that I really enjoy, or quality, to trim costs. This week, including a coffee restock, I spent $77. We're eating a huge pot (8-9 lunches worth) of minestrone soup and good bread, 2 meals each of red curry chicken, 2 meals each of pasta with Italian sausage and bok choy, 1 meal each of Italian sausage in red sauce over polenta, plus breakfasts and 2 daily snacks (fresh fruit, nuts, cheese, hummus, etc) for each of us, plus probably feeding my brother a couple of times. I felt good about this, before he started getting into me about it. Do I really have a "wasteful and extravegent" grocery budget? Should I care? Should I make an effort to spend less if there's not a compelling budgetary reason for me to? Advice, please... nevermind the food budget, why on earth do you want to be with someone who belittles your choices?
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