General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Average monthly grocery bill? Rss Feed  
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2007-05-16 9:53 PM

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Veteran
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Calgary, Alberta
Subject: Average monthly grocery bill?

WOW! My fiance just told me that between him (relatively unactive, 5'10" 185lbs) and me (training for IM, 5'7" 126lbs) our average monthly grocery bill is.... over $950!!!!!! Holy crap!!!! That doesn't even include training food/recovery supplements!!

What's the damage for everyone else?



2007-05-16 9:57 PM
in reply to: #803952

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Champion
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MA
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?

I have 5 kids (twin sons 18, daughters 12, 11, 8)  so 7 of us in our family and we spend way less than you...maybe $600-700 a month and we all bring/make lunch from home.

What are you guys eating?

Do buy stuff other than food at the grocery store? 

2007-05-16 10:02 PM
in reply to: #803952

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Pro
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Hailey, ID
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
ch2626 - 2007-05-16 8:53 PM

WOW! My fiance just told me that between him (relatively unactive, 5'10" 185lbs) and me (training for IM, 5'7" 126lbs) our average monthly grocery bill is.... over $950!!!!!! Holy crap!!!! That doesn't even include training food/recovery supplements!!

What's the damage for everyone else?

 

Quit eating out or buying meat wrapped in gold.


Thats seriously insane.  My family (wife who is preg, and I) and our two boys probably max out at $400

2007-05-16 10:02 PM
in reply to: #803962

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Veteran
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Calgary, Alberta
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?

We eat lots of fresh fruit and veggies (but are cost conscious, or so I thought!). Chicken when its cheap, lean beef, pasta, etc....all healthy choices....

We only really buy food there, sometimes shampoo and stuff. We shop at Safeway. We rarely eat out, so its covering essentially all of our meals, but STILL..............!!!!



Edited by ch2626 2007-05-16 10:02 PM
2007-05-16 10:02 PM
in reply to: #803952

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Pro
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Hailey, ID
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
$950 --> is that in that fake Canadian money?
2007-05-16 10:15 PM
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Extreme Veteran
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Horse Country
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
About $250 but thats just me ... 6'0" 180lbs training for an Olympic.  Id check your fiance's math skills :P


Edited by grit_nugget 2007-05-16 10:16 PM


2007-05-16 10:49 PM
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Master
2125
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Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?

2 adults and 2 kids.

$550/month in groceries.  $150 in dining out.

We both have our own misc funds and we buy little things which sometimes includes dinners out so our dining out budget is probably a little higher.  

2007-05-17 12:36 AM
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Veteran
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San Diego CA
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
Me and hubby (pretty hungry, big guy) and 4 ravenous, sport playing sons. By the way, the boys usually eat two dinners, one before practice and one after. Including sundries like TP, laundry deterg.... we probalby spend $800. And I'm pretty big on those double coupons. You must be eating a lot of yummy gourmet stuff? Can I come over for dinner?
2007-05-17 12:37 AM
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Master
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Tyler, TX
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
Your future hubby is pulling a fast one on you.  He's spending $300 on food and pocketing $650 for golf, saving for a Harley, credit card debts he's hiding, etc.
2007-05-17 12:52 AM
in reply to: #803952


24

Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
Wow. I'm a 20 year old female and I can buy a week's worth of food with $30, easily (and a lot of that is diet cokes and envigas). I spend at the most $200/month. Thank god for Trader Joe's though, because without it I'd spend a lot more (you can't get 99c whole wheat pasta at the grocery store!)
2007-05-17 1:41 AM
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Expert
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Denver, Colorado
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
I spend $200 (if cooking stuff) to $300 (if lazy about cooking) per month on just me. But I'm perpetually training for long-course races, so I get hungry. Since someone brought up Trader Joe's, I think I'll add that I recently STOPPED going there and my shopping bills got way cheaper. You have to be careful in that place.


2007-05-17 7:15 AM
in reply to: #803952

Veteran
137
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Forestville,NY
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
Me and my girlfriend do around $500 a month. Tons of frozen fruit for the blender, fresh fruit and veggies, whole wheat pasta, yogurt, and lots of chicken and fish. We get bags of frozen fruit and most other things at BJ's in bulk. The fish we get at the local "discount" store. Its $4.00 for a 3 week supply. Good luck on bringing down your bill. How much "organic" are you eating. That can triple a bill in a hurry. I read an interesting article on organic and open range food. Some of it they said is not worth it at all.
2007-05-17 7:23 AM
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Master
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Tiger's Den
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?

Our budget for food is about $800 or so for 3 adults. But we eat a few cheap suppers in there (scrambled egg sandwiches, etc) if not for that it would probably be $900/month. One adult is diabetic so there are a lot of sugar free foods that are higher, and that includes gatorade, energy bars, the all important diet coke, and lots of fresh fruit. I like to buy the kind already cut up. It's so worth paying extra for....

Edited to add: I buy free range eggs and the no-hormone meat whenever possible. I just can stand the thought of those poor little hens stuck in cages where they can't stand up. I'm a sap for animals.



Edited by SuzanneS 2007-05-17 7:25 AM
2007-05-17 7:54 AM
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Master
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Cumming, Georgia
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
I am single and my monthly budget is $325 ($75/week). I have tried and tried to figure out how to get this lower and still eat relatively healthy but I can't. I don't buy anything out of the ordinary that I think of. Lot's of fruits and veggies, chicken, fish, snacks(animal crackers, graham crackers, wheat thins, etc), milk, orange juice, etc. No filet mignon or $20 salmon filet. A package of chicken breast and bottle of orange juice alone comes to $10+. I could surely eat for less but I would have to cut out many of the fresh foods that I like.

Edited by csharp1171 2007-05-17 7:58 AM
2007-05-17 8:00 AM
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Sneaky Slow
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Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
ch2626 - 2007-05-16 10:53 PM

WOW! My fiance just told me that between him (relatively unactive, 5'10" 185lbs) and me (training for IM, 5'7" 126lbs) our average monthly grocery bill is.... over $950!!!!!! Holy crap!!!! That doesn't even include training food/recovery supplements!!

What's the damage for everyone else?

You don't need to have filet mignon and lobster tails EVERY night.    Myself, my wife, 2-year old, our bill is around $375 a month with a lot of careful planning.  We buy certain organic foods which pushes the amount up.

P.S.  When I first read your post I misread "relatively unactive" as "relatively unattractive" and I was like, "geez, that's not a very nice thing to say about your fiance, and what does that have to do with the groceries?"   

2007-05-17 8:03 AM
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Master
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Falls Church, Virginia
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
My husband and I average about $400 a month at the grocery store, and that includes non-food stuffs like TP, razors, sunscreen, etc.


2007-05-17 8:40 AM
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Champion
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Out running or enjoying a fine glass of red...
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
ch2626 - 2007-05-16 10:53 PM

WOW! My fiance just told me that between him (relatively unactive, 5'10" 185lbs) and me (training for IM, 5'7" 126lbs) our average monthly grocery bill is.... over $950!!!!!! Holy crap!!!! That doesn't even include training food/recovery supplements!!

What's the damage for everyone else?



I'll stand up for you & your fiance (particularly because I also thought you called him "relatively unattractive")...

We are a family of 4, two adults (one triathlete, one active but tall guy), two little people (2&5), and I easily blow $250 a week at the grocery store, so in the same neighborhood/month (although that does include protein powder & mojo bars). The problem is that eating clean isn't cheap. Other than buying occasional kids food & diapers, the rest of that is spent on fruit, veggies, eggs, dairy, and meat...meat...meat...and we don't eat lobster & steak. We eat chicken 4-5x a week, fish 1x a week, and beef or pork for the rest. The only "convenience" food I buy is some cooked chicken strips for salads/snacks and some stuff for the kids (organic poptarts & the like). We bring our lunches. The rest is raw food.... We also go out for about 2 meals/week.

I honestly spent less when we were eating like crap.

Kristen
2007-05-17 8:44 AM
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Master
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New York
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
For me and my wife, it's probably around $300/month. Generally go to the store 2 or 3 nights a week for fresh veggies and/or meats, 1x per week for a mid-sized shopping trip, and generally 1x per month to really load up. Our eating out bill has gone way down, and now probably at about 150-200/mo.
2007-05-17 8:49 AM
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Regular
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Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
Im 5'10" 210lbs and i would sya i spend anywhere from 400-600 a month on groceries and food but that includes all my nutritional stuff even with sponsorship discounts
2007-05-17 8:51 AM
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Master
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SMIBville
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
enders_shadow - 2007-05-17 9:40 AM

I honestly spent less when we were eating like crap.

Kristen


Either spend the money now on eating healthy food or spend it in 20 years on a quadruple bypass.

Your choice.
2007-05-17 8:57 AM
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Champion
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Butler
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
I spend way too much, between me, my wife and 3 yr old we spend over $1k but we do not plan and eat out way toooo much. 


2007-05-17 9:06 AM
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Pro
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Hailey, ID
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
It's amazing how much less you'll spend if you do a written budget.
2007-05-17 9:17 AM
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Veteran
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Sarnia
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
Either groceries are WAY cheaper in the U.S. or you're not counting all the little quick trips to pick up that one thing. I live in Ontario, Canada and I account for every penny using Microsoft Money. For a family of 3 I budget $150/week for groceries and we spend another $150 on eating out. So we spend around $750-$850 / month.
2007-05-17 9:24 AM
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Elite
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Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
Do you shop at Whole Paycheck?
2007-05-17 9:24 AM
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Alpharetta, Georgia
Bronze member
Subject: RE: Average monthly grocery bill?
For me alone, I spend less than $200/month. This includes stuff like paper towels, clorox, toothpaste. Also includes specialty (expensive) stuff like gluten free breads, pastas and waffles.

Tips:
- Cut out meat a few times a week (or all together!). Make someithing like a pasta dish loaded up with veggies and a good sauce and you won't miss the cow/chicken/pig.
- Don't buy name brands. In most cases, the generic is the exact same thing. There are exceptions.
- Look at the small print on the store's price tag (Kroger does this) - where it tells you how many cents you are paying per ounce or whatever. Pretty eye-opening when comparing brands and sizes of packages.
- Make a list of meals for the week and what you need to buy for those meals. Don't buy anything that's not on your list.


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