Groceries - Saint Peters,MO

Updated on March 20, 2012
N.F. asks from Saint Peters, MO
18 answers

Hi ladies! I just figured out that I'm spending about $350-$400 per month on groceries. This includes household supplies and baby items, like toilet paper, diapers, soap, detergent, etc. Just about everything you can get at a grocery store except for my cosmetics (although, I don't shop for these items at a grocery store - I do use the discount stores). Anyway, we are a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children - twins that will be 3 next month). Does this sound too high, or low, or right in there? I'm trying to cut out what I can, but I was thinking that this amount was pretty good. Tell me if I need a reality check.

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B.C.

answers from Dallas on

I spend about $500 a month for a family of 4. My kids are 4 and 11. We do buy more now that my oldest eats as much as we do. I still have to buy diapers twice a month b/c my little one wets the bed.

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S.M.

answers from Kansas City on

we are a family of 5. 2 adults,2 boys ages 8,7 and 1 girl age 4. We budget $400 every 2 weeks and lucky if I stay in that budget! And I do go to discount stores like Aldi and such,use coupons and still spend that much. this was cut down from what we use to spend. I would love to know how to do it for less!! Maybe its my boys ages. They are always hungry after sports,practices,school,friends over. I dont know but I have been trying so hard to cut it down from $800/mo.

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K.B.

answers from Tulsa on

You are doing great!

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

OMG here in my city, that is REAL low/month.
Hawaii is expensive.

We spend, about $200 per week. Which also includes household items when needed.
A jug of milk here, costs about $8, when it is not on sale. For example.
Orange juice, costs about $5 a carton. When not on sale.
Of course, I shop sales. And I shop smart.
Still.

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

There are other threads like this. The costs vary WIDELY. I'd say you are doing well.

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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Sounds like a dream to me! And we're a family of 3!

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

Seattle & Hawaii & parts of New England are the most expensive / have similar pricing as far as food goes.

Here, 1/2 gallon of milk os $4 / gallon $7
Lunchmeat = $11 per pound (for the cheap stuff)
Hamburger (on sale from all the scares) is $5 a pound
Chicken is $9 a pound
Diapers (normal size / aka not travel and not 100ct box) are $30
Formula is $30

A SHOESTRING budget here is $600-$800 a month.
A normal one is about $1000-$1200 a month
A comfy on is well above

But I can take my son out to Illinois for a month, and eat better for $300 than we do here.

TOTALLY regional question!

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B.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

You are doing very well. My rule of thumb is $25 per person per week for the average frugal family. So $100 per week for a family of four is good.

My wife and I spend about $15 per person per week for us, but I buy what is on sale and then buy several weeks at a time. I always buy as much as I can afford and use in a reasonable time. Example, I know toilet paper goes on a real good sale twice each year. I buy six months worth at that time. I usually get 5 rolls of 2-ply for $1. I bought pasta about 2 months ago because the store put it on sale at $.25 per pound. (2, 2 lb bags for $1.) I bought 50 lbs. I spent $12 to $13 instead of paying $50 for the 50 lbs.

You are doing well. Keep up the good work. Good luck to you and yours.

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M.C.

answers from Detroit on

You're doing great. I live in MI and spend on average anywhere between $200-$300 per WEEK (not MONTH) and we are a family of four, 2 adults, 2 kids with one kid in diapers. Lately, though I've noticed prices have gone up. When gas prices rise, so does everything else:(

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S.E.

answers from New York on

wow thats rerally good were only expecting our first and i spend around 150 a week

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A.C.

answers from Atlanta on

That's a lot less than I spend a month for my family of 4, but we do buy mostly organic products.

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M.C.

answers from Cincinnati on

I would love to only spend 350-400. I think you are doing fantastic. We are a family of 3 (4 year old son) and two of us do not even eat meat and we double your spend. Good job!

R.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Sounds like you're doing great, i can't do that good here in SoCal : )

N.K.

answers from Minneapolis on

I knew prices varied but $8 for a gallon of milk? I will never again complain about organic milk costing $6 a gallon. That's why I don't buy it!

Everything else we buy organic and we spend anywhere from $300 -$500 on groceries a month, depending on the season and what's in our garden.

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B..

answers from Dallas on

I spend $200-300 a month for our family of 3 here. The cost of food is very low where I live. I'm not sure what it's like where you are, but it seems like that's a good number for a family of 4.

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M.K.

answers from Kansas City on

We have 3 boys and one on the way and we easily spend double what you do. I think you are doing great, ESPECIALLY since that number includes your household items and baby stuff!

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T.M.

answers from St. Louis on

You're doing great! I spend around $600 per month for my family of four (2 adults, an almost 5-year old, and a 2 1/2 year old).

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T.M.

answers from Tampa on

Wow,you are doing great. I spend $200-250 per week for a family of four. Of course, now my husband has to have everything low sodium low cholesterol so I am buying products that are more expensive...i.e. ketchup that is "no-salt" which is in a smaller bottle and more expensive.

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