Monthly food bill

[mums the word]

I need some help! We have 4 children and our monthly food bill is around $1500.! Do other families spend this much? Please let me know your monthly average and how many in your family. And if you have any hints or suggestions as to how to get my bill down, I'd love to hear from you. If I can't our bill down, I may have to go back to work, and I'm really not ready to do that!

[DB&O]

Our monthly food bill is always around $600.00 for the three of us (Me, DH & Liv) & two four legged friends (cooper & rooi). This includes meat, fruit & vege & anything needed for Liv, ie formula, nappies, cream etc.

[My3kids]

we spend around 100 a week (give or take) at grocey store ie, coles, woolies etc.

My Dad has a farm so we usually buy a calf watch it grow and than it off, The cow usually gives us 6 months of meat, and i get all my vegies off dads farm. So that's probably why we dont spend much.

[sugar n spice]

we would spend between $ 800 - $1000 mnth on food, nappies, wipes etc. thats 4 of us 2kids , 2 adults

[the_queen]

We're on one income too, I totally sympathise with you!!
My suggestions to you are:
* find a farmers market or bulk greengrocer place. Normally they are heaps cheaper than buying fruit and veg at the supermarket, plus they usually have eggs and things like that there too. Buy in bulk if you can, maybe go halves with a neighbour or something (eg I can get a big box of tomatoes for $6.00 at ours)

I spend around $450 a month, there's 3 of us (but my DH is the kind of man who gets up in the middle of the night and has an extra meal...) and we have a cat.
I have a fantastic greengrocer where everything is at least 1/3rd the price of the supermarkets (eg apples 69c/kg, grapes $1.99/kg) I generally spend about $40 a fortnight there. They also sell cheap pasta, cheap bread, cheap milk, cheap eggs, cheap dried herbs.
I also have a really great butcher who is very cheap too, i spend about $50 a fortnight there. I get everything else at Bi-Lo. I also find that our local bakery is much much cheaper on bread than the supermarket, and our local "on the run" drive-through servo has 2Lt soft drinks for $1.20 so I only buy soft drinks there.


Of course, our shopping budget is driven waaaay up because of DH's ridiculous nicotine habit :banghead: which is about $50 a week :eek:

:) Good luck!

[~Alicia~]

We spend about 900 a month all up.
food
vege
meat
baby stuff
animals too

[rynosmum]

We would spend about $700 per month for the 3 of us, a cat and two dogs (one big Rottweiler!).

I've started doing my grocery shopping online and weekly which means that I only buy what I need, don't get tempted by additional things (whether or not they are on special). I only buy enough fruit and veg for us to eat so for the past few weeks, we have had zero wastage which is a real achievement.

I cook up large pastas and stews etc and freeze them in individual serves (both adult and child size) so they are perfect for quick dinners or lunches.

I buy soft drinks in cans so they last longer and simple things like noodles for snacks. I cook muffins and biscuits rather than buy them.

We used to spend heaps on groceries so I'm really proud of where we're at. Although there's always room for improvement :)

[KiLLaKaZ]

just a few suggestions: always have a shopping list & STICK TO IT!! (sometimes it helps to have a 'DO NOT BUY list, too ;))

avoid convenience foods - they cost a heck of a lot more than preparing it yourself, & u don't end up saving time at all because for the extra money to buy it, someone had to work extra hours to cover the cost!!

last week i spent $0 on groceries because i decided i was going to live off what was in my cupboards/ fridge/ freezer for the week! & it was EASY, so i'm now in week #2 of it! though, i did have to go out & buy eggs & milk ($4 total!!). it's amazing how much food we store up & don't even realise it!!

[elissas]

We spend about $100 a week on food. I plan all meals including lunch and breakfast, and plan them so we get maximum usage out of what I buy. I have a list and stick to it.

I also use a lot of snap frozen veggies (a lot of the time their actually fresher than the fresh produce) and buy my meat in bulk and freeze it. A few years ago I found I was losing about $30 a week on wastage (fruit and veg that were getting thrown out, yoghurt that didn't get eaten etc)

When I buy anything like milk or yoghurt I buy the brand that has the longest use by date on it. You can sometimes get an extra few weeks and it actually gets used, rather than thrown out. I buy ham and turkey in bulk (for sandwiches), and freeze them in sandwich size portions. I take out what i need for the next day and make the sandwiches in the morning. I also freeze Helgas bread and take out slices as i need them. I was throwing out so much sandwich meats and bread it wasn't funny.

If non-perishables are on special I buy in bulk (ie. toilet paper, laundry detergent, wipes). And don't be scared to buy a lot. Last time Quilton was on special (it was a BIG special) I made a special trip and bought a trolley load. That was in November and we're only half way through it :p

Also, if you have an Aldi in your area, shop there first. Then only go to the other supermarkets to get brand name stuff you absolutely need. That saved me about $40 a week.

And I gave up using meal bases and packet meals. They cost lots and end up sitting in the pantry for ages. I went back to basics - most nights its meat and veggies. I found a good cheap butcher and only buy the good cuts (chicken breast, lamb backstraps, eye or scotch fillet, premium mince). If you buy the better meat you feel better (physically, mentally and emotionally) and don't need to use as much to get the benefits. We eat well, I make chicken caesar salads, stir fries etc. It's just about keeping it simple.

One of the other things we did was invest in a water filter system. It wasn't cheap - in fact, we used the baby bonus on it - but we live on water. We only have soft drink, juice, tea or coffee or any other flavoured drinks on the odd occasion or when we have visitors. And it stops us snacking on junk food, because a lot of the time when people think they're hungry they're actually thirsty!!

Sorry for such a long post. Hope it helps.

[CJJHRA]

we spend probably about $350 a week on food, nappies ect, so aroun $1400 a month, we got 6 kids. but having said that, my mum will buy stuff for the kids alot, icecream, drinks (milo, up and go's) youghurt, cheese, and sometimes nappies, so without her doing that I would add on another $200 a month I would say.

We spend about $80 a week on milk and bread alone! :eek:

(oh yeah, theres 8 of us, no pets)

[shinebrite]

well Its just me and Dh at the moment but we spend approx $70 a week we goto the fresh fruit market and spend like $30 and then spend $40 at the butcher every 2-3 weeks and then once a month we buy all the things from cleaning to cans and things like that from Aldi so I rekon just by not buyin fruit and veg at woolies OR meat we save SOOOOOO much really if ur lookin to save i really would try that cause woolies dont buy from local farmers and they charge extra where as buyin direct from the markets u can save heaps $$$$$$ hope that helps a bit

[SixtiesChild]

In our family, there are three of us and up until about a year ago, we were spending about $200 per week on groceries.
We were buying a lot of highly packaged foods and decided to try to find a way to slash shopping bills as best as we could but without compromising too much on quality.
As we always shopped together when dh got home, that was the first thing to change. Since I am the one that prepares all the meals, we decided that I would be the best person to choose what goes on the shopping list.
I plan all the meals in advance including dh's work lunches because it works out less expensive, also I bulk buy non perishable items such as toilet paper, soap, and toothpaste, and this reduces the weekly trolley load.
I also do some freezing of pasta bolognaise and lasagne for emergency dinners.
Quick and easy soups and casseroles can go a long way. (Collect good recipes that have few ingredients) We use all leftovers.
I buy short dated yoghurt from NQR supermarket for around half the price of usual supermarket prices. Also, they have bread for $1.00 a loaf which can be frozen OK it's not Helga's but it's just as nutritious.
I take advantage of specials whenever I can.
Depending what is on your shopping list, you could probably slash your bill in half or even less if you swapped highly packaged foods for ones that are not as packaged, such as buying from the market and discount stores.
It requires a real change of habit and it takes time but if you persevere you can do it.
The interesting thing is that the quality of what we are eating is actually healthier that the food we were previously eating.
We now have a budget of $80.00 per week for groceries and there are times when there is some surplus which carries over.

Goodluck

[elissas]

Hehe, I agree. Not letting dh go shopping saves lots of money. He's banned from making any grocery or food purchases. Saves lots!! He just wants everything he sees and can't see why he can't have it coz he works so hard for it. Which is fair enough, but he doesn't even think of that stuff when he can't see it...

[onabreak]

I would spend about $1000 or more a month on food for 3 of us. We have people around all the time for dinner so that is why ours is high. Average I would spend $250/week on food.

[KiLLaKaZ]

nadiah mentioned a fact that i saw on a time & money saving website: plan all your meals in advance.

if you shop weekly, make sure u have ALL your meals for the week planned & write all the ingredients on your shopping list & stick to the list! :) that way u won't be making additional trips to the supermarket, where u buy stuff u don't need!!

[mums the word]

Thanks for all the suggestions, looks like I need to buy a bigger freezer!

[MissSparkle]

Hey Im not sure where u live but we live in Western Sydney and go to the markets on a friday morning at Homebush and buy all our fruit and vegies and its sooooooo cheap! They also have alot of seafood which I sometimes like to indulge in! U can also get a packet of 56rolls of toilet paper for $12 so if ur going thru alot of the stuff that might be an idea.

There are only 3 of us and we spend $100 one week then $150 the next week on food. Its 2weeks rotating.
We sometimes do half our shopping at Aldi and then pop in a Coles to get the things we cant get at Aldi. We find this cuts our food bill down a fair bit.

[CrazyBeautiful]

Our grocery bill is astronomical. For two adults it's generally at least $600 per month. I do usually buy the good brands and buy a lot of organic stuff, so I guess it all adds up in the end.

[Mother Duck]

I have never bothered to worry about how much we are spending on what. Until now - I am actually in the process of creating a budget for our household (along with a whole heap of other financial stuff)

Anyway I found this chat great - some excellent tips here!

We live in a country town so we are really limited for sources but I still think I can do well if I be just that bit more aware of what we are buying.

Guys - I am about to start a Menu Planning thread - inspired by this one - Please feel free to visit it for me !

T'rah

[jasminesmum]

Great idea Jessie!

I have just starting menu planning last week. It works really well. Saves me money and I know what I'm having for tea every night.

[happychappies]

There are alot of things that you can save money on but they take a bit of effort.
treats like ice cream is very easy to make and costs next to nothing. one large container of cream, half a can of condensed milk. Mix with blender for about 5 minutes, or until thick and freeze. for flavours I add a few drops of vanilla or some chocolate sauce, you can also add any fruit(that is on its last legs) blend it and add it in.
I also get fruit that is on special(also on its last legs) get it home and blend it and freeze it. it makes for good smoothies and/or milk shakes.
Stock up on specials.
Canned goods keep for ages.
I cook for one extra adult each night and hubby takes that for lunch the next day.
To save time through the week, I cook pasta on the week ends (double the quantity I need for a meal) and make pasta bakes with canned corn and tuna, then freeze it for a day that I do not have enough time.
Home Brands are just as good in most cases. - Coles is generally more expensive than Woolies and both are more expensive than Franklins.
Other treats are made easily buy a bag of no name butter cake mix, to make a cake or cup cakes for the kids lunches as a treat, flavour it with the frozen fruit or a mashed banana.
I buy the big steaks ( two or three pieces) and cut the steaks up(just under half so you get two medium pieces and a small piece). you can get a steak meal out of it, as well as a stir fry out of the smaller pieces cut finely.
There are lots of little things that add to saving you $5 here and there. But they take a little bit of time, and sometimes just thinking of how you can freeze something for a later date makes all the difference.
Hope some of these ideas help.:chef:

[Mother Duck]

Yes - they very much do help

Thank you :kiss:

[pookiesossige]

I'm thinking that our monthly average would be, say, at least $1000. There are three of us and no pets... this is way too high! 2nd baby due in a couple of weeks also.. I'm thinking that I need to ALWAYS have a shopping list. And I need to remember to get some meat out in the morning to defrost so we have something to cook at night, because when I've forgotten we've just orded takeaway...This is stupid of me cos if I just get something out then DH will cook. I always seem to need to do 'top-up' shops during the week for more milk and bread, vegies... and, um, snacks...
Time to turn over a new leaf!

[Mother Duck]

Good On You Pooks!

I think the hardest thing is admitting where you are not doing so well (speaking from personal experience that is) - then it is just a case of working out how to fix it

If it is any consolation I was really bad at top up shops etc - I still have a million miles to go but am certainly getting better at it all - Also I would very rarely look at the prices etc - just do the shop - amazing difference when you start to look! (stating the obvious, I know :o )

Good Luck!!

[spinky]

We used to spend about $250 a wk (2adults+3dogs). I wrote out a meal planner for the week, lunch, tea and snacks for DP. I now shop at bi lo, and i spend no more than $80 a wk! I couldnt believe it! Plus I leave DP at home....he costs too much!:smiliedance:

[Rell]

We shend about $400 a mth and that feeds all 4 of us. I keep it down by:
- buying mostly no name products
- Buy meat from a discount butcher ( whole rumps $6.99 per kg)
- Buy fruit and vege from a fruit and vege shop
- avoid prepackaged meal mixes and sauces
- Don't buy packaged snacks. snack in our house are, fruit, yogurt, corn thins, vitawheats or best of all home made:thumbsup:
- get milk ($2.89 for 3L) and bread (89c) from fruit and vege shop

[EskimoMumma]

for my household
its about
110 dollars in MEAT shopping alone (A fortnight)
291 dollars at the grocery store
and then thats not including cigs which is bout 250 a fortnight alone (Trying to get that down)
and its just me and my dp, my 4.5yr old DS whos only hear half the time and my daughter who is only on formula atm

so all up 1305 dollars a month roughly :laughing:

[the_queen]

Plus I leave DP at home....he costs too much!:smiliedance:


:yelclap: GREAT suggestion! We decided to not register the car a while back (just before I got pregnant) because I don't work, we have great bus routes right near us, etc etc. The only problem was going to be the fortnightly shopping. So DH agreed that he would do it. Well, the first night, he came back with only enough meat for 3 nights (but each package of meat was over $15/kg!!!) no fruit, heaps of things like marinated octopus, sardines, mussels, etc etc (ie stuff that only HE likes) and a BBQ UTENSIL. One of those $15 "barbi-mate" or something. Oh and no milk. :banghead: Idiot. From then on, I just did a little bit of shopping each day.

[antoniasmum]

just a few suggestions: always have a shopping list & STICK TO IT!! (sometimes it helps to have a 'DO NOT BUY list, too ;))

avoid convenience foods - they cost a heck of a lot more than preparing it yourself, & u don't end up saving time at all because for the extra money to buy it, someone had to work extra hours to cover the cost!!

last week i spent $0 on groceries because i decided i was going to live off what was in my cupboards/ fridge/ freezer for the week! & it was EASY, so i'm now in week #2 of it! though, i did have to go out & buy eggs & milk ($4 total!!). it's amazing how much food we store up & don't even realise it!!

Yes that is what I am doing now... living off what is in the cupboard and freezer... just have to buy milk and bread and some fresh vegies! I have heard so much about how good Bilo is as a supermarket.... I should give it a go. It's been years since I have been to a Bilo... I go to Aldi when I can and then to Coles... but I find I spend so much more at Coles... I always have a shopping list and stick to it, but there are always the impulse buys, aren't there?

[antoniasmum]

I was going to nick out to the supermarket, but it's pouring with rain (here in Melbourne)... I am like a cat... hate the rain hehehe :D Think I will stay home and keep warm and dry LOL :yelclap:

[spinky]

BBQ UTENSIL. One of those $15 "barbi-mate" or something.

I had to laugh at that one! Typical man!

DP eats about 3 times as much as me, he is always looking for something to eat.
When we shop together he wants party pies, sausage rolls, pizza, chips chips and chips, plus about 4 different types of breakfast cereals.
But its amazing how they can adjust to what is now available and in the fridge and manage without all that junk.

I just go shopping after work without him..... when he least expects it!
Plus...I thought kids were the only ones who get excited about grocery shopping!

[MummyCharmzy]

Sticking to a shopping list halves our shopping bill every time, its amazing. We spend about $750 a month all up for 5 people and I have two in nappies but one wears cloth full time (the other refuses to) and we use cloth wipes, I make all my own baby food, we buy everything we can in bulk - love the deep freeze...

heres my tips for keeping the bill down.... hopefully not going over things others have said cos i didnt get to read ALL the replies yet!

Shop around - don't just buy all your groceries in one supermarket because theres different sales on all the time.

Basically all cleaning products - incl things like windex, disinfectant, laundry powder are much cheaper to buy in bulk (especially when on sale) from Big W. Godfreys the vacuum shop sells 6 rolls of toilet paper for $1 too.. I always stock up there lol Snugglers nappies can be bought in there largest bulk pack at Big W which works out cheaper than almost every other nappy incl the homebrand ones...

If you dont think you could use one of the big deep freeze packs that your butcher does (they're normally $200-500 depending on the packs) then get together with your friends and go halves or even 1/4's if that suits.

Talk to your local fruit and veg market and see if they will do a discount if you buy in bulk from them - then get your friends together and do one bulk shop and share it out so you're all getting the savings then and the fruit and veg is always better at the markets!

Cloth nappies and wipes are ALWAYS cheaper.... its just personal choice if you're going to spend more on them because my basic set up cost $26.50 for 24 neon coloured brand new cloth nappies, 2 snappi nappies, 9 plastics and homebrand napisan which lasts at least a month. I have bought AIO's and other nappies as well but thats my personal choice - if you really need to save money you can go basic and they really do just as good.

For wipes I cut up some flannel baby wraps I was no longer using and 3 of my terry cloth nappies, cut them into 'wipe sized' squares and overlocked them together. I paid $2 for 200 chamomile teabags at a local discount shop and make up a cup of chamomile tea and pour it over the wipes in there container.. this lasts a week at a time so is obviously a lot cheaper than the $10 a week on wipes we had been spending previously for the two kids.

Make your own biscuits and cakes - they taste better anyway and are cheaper

Don't buy yoghurts in the little tubs, cheaper to buy the big tub and spoon it out, if you're taking it out with you just put it in your own little container. From 6 months plus babies can have yoghurt too.. I just add pureed fruit to isobellas yoghurt and she loves it... and its heaps cheaper than the 'baby yoghurts'

Anyway have rambled on enough.... a few months ago we were spending twice what we do now because we were buying nappies and wipes, nothing in bulk and not shopping around... I spent a few days searching for tips on saving on the net and have since halved my shopping bill and I'm still working on bringing it down further seeing as we have a new bub arriving very shortly (whos not going to cost a thing for the first 6 months as will be having breastmilk and using cloth nappies and wipes that we already have :D)

[Rising Angel]

We go shopping once a week but generally have a big shop week and a small shop week.

Big shop week we spend approximetly $150, whereas the other week is around $100!

We will buy generic products such as baby wipes, daytime nappies (though we use Huggies for night time) etc. Otherwise we usually grab whatever is on special each week.

Woolies have their bulk buying option atm which is great, products on the shelf advertised as 3 for $3 or what not.

:)

[Mum&bubs]

Well theres only 3 of us & we spend around $200 a week on groceries. I agree with sticking to the shopping list. We always write a shopping list out on the things we NEED and we get everything on the list but are constantly chucking in stuff (espeically my hubby) that we dont need we just "want" and that usually runs up the bill!! So i need to take my own advice here & stick to the list!!

[Kaycee]

I shop at Coles weekly and spend $1000 a month for a family of 5.

[2littleprincesses]

I never kept check on how much $ I spent on groceries when we were both working, but since DD1 came along and I'm not working, I try to take $350 out of the bank a fortnight and stick to it. I was doing really well and then after DD2 was born we changed our mortgage to a credit union and it's a little out of my way to get the cash out so I went back to putting all on credit card. I started spending more than $350/fn so I'm back to cash. I usually buy meat from Woollies (because the butcher next door sells off meat I usually end up throwing out) although there is a new butcher opened up about 5min away I might actually try him tomorrow. I was buying F&V from the shop down the road but found that I had to go every 2-3 days to buy "fresh" F&V. I've found a better alternative. A lot of you have mentioned farmers markets. In the Wollongong and Campbelltown areas, NSW, there's a delivery service called Flemington Direct. I can buy different sized boxes, get a variety of F&V, and I can say what I do or do not want for the week and they supply it. It also lasts me the week, plus the produce is FRESH! Sorry, not trying to promote, but I am impressed with the quality. They're online, too.

[sharvs]

For 3 of us, we usually spend $120 a week. Most of that is dog food, fruit & veg & meat. DF is about to go away so I should be able to cut it down to about $50 a week.

[tyhleigha & izaiah's mum]

theres 2 adults and 2 children in our house and we shop every 2-3 months spending no more then $400 and we get everything

but each week we buy 5, 3 litre milks and 3 loaves of bread

but we get our meat from my partners parents there farmers

im so glad i dont have most of these shopping bills everyone else has

[Kaileysmum]

There is currently 3 adults and 1 baby in our house. We spend around $150 to $200 a week at the moment. I buy everything from Wollies. We also have two cats and 1 dog, so they are included in that. We are hoping our grocery bill go's down when my brother leaves for the army, as he doesnt eat vegies so it becomes expencive buying lots of meat and things like 2minute noodles and packs of pastas. Im hoping it go's down to at least $100 to $150, that would be much better. Wish I could have some of you ladies shopping bills as they sound nice and cheap.

[Jem]

Our household consists of 2 Adults and 3 kids,

on average i spend $160-$200 a week on groceries, although half way through the week, i will usually top up :rolleyes: spending another $40-$60.

I go through the junk mail on saturday, and check out all the specials, between woolies and coles.

So roughly a month.. anywhere between $800 - $1040.. :thumbsup:

[MumsieMel]

We (or shall i say I) are very strict on the budget, we spend $250/ fort.

With 2 adults and 2 kids.

[Cade's Mum]

We have two adults and a child and I spend between $100-$200 per week The higher amount when I buy cleaning products etc or sometimes if Woolies or Coles have heavily discounted houshold items like storage containers and bowls. We also have people over a bit as well.

I look through the junk mail as well (Looove junk mail) and go to wherever the product I want is cheaper, I'm on a bit of a loo paper mission at the moment, stocking up all over the place :laughing:

I have also started shopping at Aldi first and only going to Coles for something I couldn't find. This has saved a bit.

I also try and buy a toy or something each grocery shop which goes into a big chest I have for birthdays and Christmas presents. We have a very large family with lots of kids so this eases the need to go present shopping and spending too much on that as well.

I have just started baking as well which has been good, saved a little bit there as well.

[jessgray]

we buy our meat in bulk from a small butcher we get enough meat to last us about 8 or 10 weeks for $55

we spend about $100-200 a fortnight on groceries coz we tend to do a big shop everyfortnight. we shop at coles and bilo coz they are in the same street lol as our butcher so our bill never seems to creep up that high although if i let DP do it all by himself it would be wayyyyy higher :laughing:
i buy fresh fruit and vege froma local fruit and veg shop which is cheaper then the supermarket :) DS loves going for walks to the fruit shop

we buy our loo paper in bulk from godfreys we get like 12 4 packs for 22 dollars or something and that last us ages :laughing:

[Hectic House]

Reading all the replies for saving on groceries has been great. Shown me how well
I am doing and what more I can do to save on Groceries.

This is some of the things we do (some repeats from previous entries)

* Do a stocklist which has all the products you use regularly on it. eg food, cleaning products, personal items, pantry stock - alfoil, oils and flours etc and stationary the list goes on.
* Write a menu planner for the period of shopping you are doing.
* Write your shopping list using the planner and by checking the stocklist.
* Consult the junk mail when doing the planner and the list.
* If you are going back to just grab the milk etc take just $5 with you so you can't buy more.
* Stocking up of loo paper, tissues, paper towels, pads, meds and nappies when on special if you can.
* Stocking up on food items when on special may just lend to more of that food being eaten that week. Especially snack foods.
* Woolworths markdown their inhouse breads at night (or they toss them) and their roast chickens also. Usually half price.
* Stipulate how much you will spend and don't go over it. This just means you may
have baked beans one night etc so be it.
* With the cost of Fruit and Veges and the moment it may pay to use frozen and tinned foods. Have used homebrand frozen peas and beans and the fine.

Sorry for such a long:ecomcity: reply I just couldn't help myself. Goodluck saving money.

We have 5 in our house inc 7mths, 2 and 4

[Starlet]

We spend about $900 a month. That 2 adults, 2 kids full time and 2 kids part time(aprrox 3 days a week).

[Mother Duck]

Hectic House - I LOVE your list - thanks

I have transferred it to a word doc

Alot of you guys have mentioned shop around stuff - unfortunately for us we have more expensive shopping as there is really only two small (more like convenience) stores in town - IGA is probably the best but still $$$

BUT

I was shocked when I went to the butchers at K'roy to stock up on meat (only for the weekend) - I bought three very large pieces of steak, two pieces of fillet mignon (not all that big either!) and one bag of bones for my canine babies - $50.20 thank you very much!

Unfortunately I was feeling really sick - otherwise I think I would have given it all back to him!

Thanks again guys for your awesome tips!