Your Grocery Bill

FarmerChick

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yikes to the grocery store!

I cut back on shopping big time. I cut all snacks mostly and do not hardly ever buy any chemical cleaning products.

I buy value packs and store brands now whenever I can....I love buy one/get one free deals.

Being that grocery bills have increased, have you cut back on shopping and are you buying and eating different?

I was about $120 for 2 adults and 1 child (3) and I cut back wtih coupons and bargains to about $80-100 tops.

So I am trying....anyone else working on cutting this bill? Any tips we have post them so we all can save money!! :)
 

Beekissed

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Is that $120 per week or per month? ;) If its per month, I can't top that!

For my family of 4, I can get by on less than $400 per month and that would be even less if I didn't have two very persnickety eaters that won't touch much from the garden! Once they are gone from the house, my bill will be practically nothing....staples like rice, beans, some flour (not much, as I have found a good, free source of wheat), spices, oils, etc. If it were just me and my oldest, we would eat almost exclusively from the cellar, garden, the woods, the orchard, etc.
 

Nuggetsowner:)

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We have a family of 5. Three of them are growing boys. I do not buy meat at the grocery store and this time of year I shop alot at the farmers market. Plus we have a large garden and I can and freeze what I can. We shop about once a week at our local food coop and once a week in a larger grocery store. I try to keep our total grocery bills -not including meat to around $100.00 a week. Although I had not been able to get to the larger grocery for about 2 and 1/2 weeks, I went yesterday and used my coupons and watched the saled and I spent $206.00 I did not think that was soo bad. Our grocery bill has gone up quite a bit in the last 8 -12 months. It stinks! That is why I am glad I jumped on the SS wagon when I did!! If I was just learning to garden and "put up" food I think it would be worse!!
 

enjoy the ride

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It's harder for me to tell what I spend as I think the animal feed needs to be added to the food cost. Also, garden costs should be added to that- I can't believe I spent $3.15 for some vegetable seed this week- not a large packet either.
But yes I have cut back. I try really hard now not to have anythign go to waste. I do not try a lot of new things and buy virtually no premade foods except for ice cream bars - and I really shouldn't do that.
 

me&thegals

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I don't watch the numbers closely, but this time of year is around $50/week for a family of 4, kids 6 and 8. The kids actually usually eat as much as we do!

But, almost all our meat comes from hunting, fishing and raising our chickens. We have our own eggs and get milk free from a cousin's farm, so then I also make my own buttermilk, butter, yogurt and ice cream for very minimal cost. Our garden is huge and we have gobs of wild blackberries and black raspberries, plus access to in-law's blueberry bushes.

Come to think of it, it's a bit shocking that we manage to spend that much per week! We don't buy alcohol, soda or meat, very rarely get chips or other snacks. I buy generic for anything that doesn't really matter for flavor, buy the in-season items for fruit.

One big cost of the season is all the ingredients bought for canning--lids, sugar, salt, spices and herbs, sometimes jars and freezer containers, etc.

I'll look forward to reading all the ideas on how to cut grocery bills!
 

FarmerChick

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hey bekissed
Is that $120 per week or per month? If its per month, I can't top that!

**** that was about $120 per week.
managed to cut it down to about $80-100 per week.

I tend to spend money on Nicole--like buying new fruits and different items for her to try. I like to keep her experimenting with diff. foods that I don't normally buy just to see if she loves them or not.....so in a small way I "waste" (not really waste, but not the usual buys)---about $10-15 on items I want to introduce to her. That will eventually stop of course.
 

FarmerChick

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Nuggetsowner
Our grocery bill has gone up quite a bit in the last 8 -12 months. It stinks!

****I hear ya on this one big time. The jump in the food bill is alot for me also! and I don't like it one bit..HA HA

Do you have a big pantry to shop great sales and stock up on items when they are super low cost?

I don't....I have trouble finding storage for stocking...ugh....I wish I had a basement or walk in pantry or ANYthing..LOL
 

FarmerChick

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I do not try a lot of new things and buy virtually no premade foods except for ice cream bars - and I really shouldn't do that.

********ENJOY those ice cream bars. We can't cut back on everything good in life..HA HA
yummy!!
 

FarmerChick

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me&thegals
don't watch the numbers closely, but this time of year is around $50/week for a family of 4, kids 6 and 8. The kids actually usually eat as much as we do!

******now that is a low bill for a family of 4---you are doing very well I think!!
 

FarmerChick

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Does anyone have a discount grocery store near them?

Real close I have a discount/salvage grocery and prices are wonderful. I just bought like $120 worth of stuff for $50.
I got tons of things!!!!

Example is my Hellmans mayo....cost me .50 In the store this is at least $3.29

another example is soy sauce, cocktail sauce etc...these are all priced at .55 per bottle. you can't go wrong.

I am just careful to check expire dates, etc.

So I loaded up on things and I got some fancy expensive cookies that are delish and retail about $3.89 for 10 cookies....drum roll....for .75 per package.

They are molasses and cinnamon cookies and Nicole is eating one now..LOL

So I love my discount/salvage store.
Anyone else have one to shop?
 
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