What Do You Spend on Groceries?

We are a family of 6 (2 adults, 6, 4, 2 and 7 mo). We get fastfood maybe 2 times a month. Otherwise, we don't eat out. I spend between 150-180 a week. That includes cat food, toiletries, cleaning supplies. It does NOT include diapers (2 are in diapers). My rule of thumb is if I can't easily pronounce the ingredients, I don't buy it for my family. The occasional junk food is ok. But, we avoid overly processed foods for most meals. It would be cheaper to buy the less healthy food, but not in the long run.

Oh, and I don't buy my meat in the store (except fresh fish). We have an awesome meat guy that raises grass fed beef. It is super yummy and every cut is 90% lean. Here's his website: www.paidom.com We've been using him for over a year and have been very satisfied. Every other month, he makes a trip across Texas and delivers the orders. The next one should be in June. He has pork sausage without nitrites.

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For a family of 3 me, husband and 17 month old is about $100 - $200 weekly depending on what we need.

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We spend about $400 a month (family of 5 with 2 growing/hungry boys) and this does not include eating out. My new goal this year is to cut my grocery bill in half. So far, so good. There a hundreds of hints, tips, tricks of the trade online using coupons and sales. There are so many opportunities to find big time sales and free stuff. I'm working on bulking up my food storage and personal items (toothpaste, deodarant, shampoos, etc.) I've only been doing it for a few weeks now and I've already seen a difference! It's time consuming at first, but eventually you get the hang of it. It's fun and challenging! As a SAHM, you've got an advantage because you may be able to spend more time on the research. Google "how to cut my grocery bill in half" and see what you come up with. My favorite websites are http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ and http://www.thesavingsqueen.blogspot.com/
Good luck! Let us know how you do.

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$200 a week. I spend about $130 for the big trip then my hubby goes for the weekend trip and spends way too much. We budget about a thousand a month for food. I think we go way over since my husband makes alot of trips to the store. This is a bit of an issue but I appreciate it as well but I come home with bags and bags and always tell him look this is all I spent!!! He comes in with a few bags and it's $80. Can't wait to see other posts.

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I am a SAHM of 2 little ones and we have an outrageous grocery budget. If you include diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, etc., our budget is about $800-$900 per month. I do cook almost every meal at home though and my hubby takes his lunch to work, so our "eating out" budget is very small. When I look at other people's budgets, I think I should be cutting back! I also make meals for people at church and for Bible Study and stuff too, so some of it comes from that, but wow....I never realized how much it was until I just looked. We tried to eat on a smaller budget, but ended up eating less healthy foods, so we increased it. I like to buy fresh fruits and veggies and we sometimes eat elaborate meals since I like to cook. Anyway, I think that our budget is high, but for a family of 5, I think yours might be a bit low. Try to talk hubby into giving you a bit more to work with! Good luck! :-)

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I think you are doing great. Nowadays is very hard to spend less than that. I probably average 500.00 a month. We are a family of four and I pack school lunches almost everyday. I do not buy a lot of junk foods, we do not eat meats on a daily basis, and I shop at HEB and Sam's. Sams can be a money saver on cereal, milk, eggs, margarine, tp, paper towels and meats which I separate in ziploc bags. I also go to the farmers market at Airline. Bottom line, the way economy is doing I think you are doing great on your grocery budget.

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Hi S......We are a family of 5 (2 adults, 3 kids 9,7,3).....every monday we go grocery shopping at Fiesta Supermarket....there are not that many.....hope there is one close to you.....the one i go to is either Ingram/Callaghan or Bandera/Woodlawn....I purchase my meats, fruits & veg all for under $80....hope this helps....now let me tell you this....this store does not carry many products that you will find at HEB so you may just one day go just to look around....I live out by Culebra and 1604 and I go out there every week to get my groceries because if I go to HEB or Walmart I do spend well over $100 and my cart is not even 1/2 way full.

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You sound on top of things, so I hesitate to ask, do you shop with a grocery list? It saves you money.

It is just me and my husband and we spend about $450/month. Some months we spend much more and some months much less, depending on what staples we needed to buy.

We shop the bulk food store and freeze food into single meals. We only eat out about once a month. We eat high-quality, high-nutrition, mostly organic foods. We are conscientious of the chemical additives in our food and eat very few premade foods (ie, yogurt, ice cream, bread, etc). We mostly shop the perimeter of the store; most items in the center aisles are chemical-laden and expensive for the (little) nutritional value they offer.

Another way that we save a lot of money and time is to spend a day a month making and freezing huge batches of premade meals (lasgna, chili, etc) into single meals. While they have the convenience of premade food, we know that every ingredient is high-quality and chem-free.

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We spend about $150/week on groceries with 3 kids and 1 still in diapers.

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We are a family of 3. We spend $400/month. We also eat out a bit and DH eats out at work with the guys 4X/week.

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I think we spend around $600 a month. Sometimes more. My husband drinks protein supplements and gets his own food sometimes(he is a trainer), pet food, I have two in diapers, baby doesn't eat food or formula. Eating healthy costs a lot. I am still trying to figure out how to better save on groceries. I do shop at about 4 different stores because some places have better prices on certain things. I quit going to walmart so much because I would spend so much money. I do get chickfila for my son and I about 3 times a week.

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I try to spend $20. per day for food.. That does not include, cleaning products, cat food and other items like toilet paper etc.. When we are all home there are 3 adults.

We eat a ton of grilled meat (always purchased on sale). Fish once a week, tons fresh veggies or frozen (purchased on sale at HEB, Fiesta, or Sunharvest, depending on what is on sale is what we will eat that day), our daughter has never had a canned veggie. And tons of fresh fruit. I cook almost every night and we are light breakfast and lunch eaters. We make it a game to always try to buy the "Meal Deal" at HEB.. Sometimes, It is not anything we would eat, so we skip a week. We make Thursday nights, leftover night, so sometimes, there is cereal in 2 bowls at the dinner table..

I have always shopped the sales based on Wed. newspaper. That is how I plan our meals. Lots of rice, beans, tacos, grilled chicken.. We have cut back on the pasta almost entirely, even though I love it. My family is tired of it... Sometimes, I think we will cluck... Eggs for breakfast....

When we eat out, no extras, we try to take a coupon or eat on a night that they have a special.. We just order the entree and sometimes we will share a salad. No alcohol, dessert or appetizers.

Can you tell I was raised by a tight wad? My mom was a single mom and she was extremely careful with every nickle..

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Hi Suzanne-

We also have 3 little ones (7, 5, and 18 months). Our "budget" is $500 but I have NEVER been on target! I average about $600 a month. I keep trying but it just never seems to come down.

Good luck,
K.

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We average around $700/month and that includes food, household, health/beauty and pets. Usually $150/week and the beginning of the month is an extra $100 for stocking up on meats and paper items at Sam's. We are a family of four plus I have an in-home daycare with 6 other kids. I use coupons and shop by what's on sale.

J.
Gold Canyon Candles Demonstrator

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Hi S.,

You are doing wonderful with that budget. We are a family of 3. Two adults and 1, 13 yo. We spend 150-160 a week on groceries, so keep up the good work.

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S.,

We are a family of 5 and I am a SAHM. All three of my little ones are still in diapers. We spend about $230/week on groceries and that includes diapers and household stuff. It ends up being about $700 a month on groceries and such and I do use alot of coupons and we do not eat much that isn't on sale. A big portion of my budgett has to be on the diapers because the kids get really bad breakouts if I use generic, and even loves causes problems.

Good luck getting the budgett changed
R.
www.roxannebruce.pureromance.com

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S., I used to be a SAHM, but then I bought Dream Dinners. I have helped alot of mom's just like you save money on groceries. Go to www.dreamdinners.com (I am at the 620 location) and check out the meals available. Most of our servings average out to about $4.00 a serving which is cheaper then going out and also provides your family 2-3 times a week a healthy meal. You can save time in the grocery store as well as money on expensive meats, not to mention adding variety to your nightly dinners. Call me if you have more questions. S. ###-###-####

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Wow, $450/mth is pretty amazing. We have two little ones (4 mos and 2.5 years) and we budget $250/week. I'd say you're doing very well at $450/month!

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We're a family of four and it's hard to keep it within $400/mo. for groceries. Esp. since they're so expensive! I think you're doing great for a family of 5! Wow! :-)

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We are living with my parents and technically have a family of 7(5 adults and child and an infant) I usually spend between $300 and $350. This doesn't include the few times we eat out on the weekends. My sister and I just started a shopping company where we'll do your shopping for you if your interested. We are both great at Bargain shopping so we may be able to help you reduce what you spend. Let me know if you are intersted in more information. Our website should be completely up soon.
M.

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we are around that mark also

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Hey Susanna!

I too budget that amount. If there is a special occasion (like Mothers or Fathers day) then I add a little bit more but typically, we can make it with that amount. I also have 3 little ones so it's tough but my business has given me great recipes that are real time savers as well as affordable. Good grief....I wish the rest of the country would adopt a similar plan! We'd all save a ton! LOL!

Hope that helps!

Good luck!
A. S.

www.pamperedchef.biz/annaquanschmoldt

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For a family of 5 that sounds about right.

Our household is a tad smaller than yours, but in order make the most of our grocery budget we do several things:
- We clip coupons - this saves between $50-$80 each shopping trip
- We are members of an online coupon / grocery store price comparison - this saves another $20-$30 each trip when I use it properly
- We shop at Sam's and stock up on most used items - chicken nuggets, pasta, frozen goods, etc
- We purchase produce - veggies / fruits - at the Farmer's Market on Airline - you get a better product that lasts longer, tastes better and is cheaper than in the store

I don't spend a lot of time grocery shopping. I go to Farmer's Market early on Sat AM - around 7-8 - and I'm in / out in 30 minutes.

I clip coupons while I'm watching TV - have a sorter by category - and I keep it handy to grab on my way to store. The coupon site takes about 10 minutes to look through.

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I spend about the same. It's usually between $100 and $120 per week. It definitely has gone up in the past two years, but don't stress out, you and your family have to eat. And I don't really have time for coupons. I do try to buy generic when I can. Mostly everything is the same now, but there are a few things that I just have to buy the brand name.

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You are in the range for a family of 5. I have a family of 5 and I spend that much. Especially since the kids take their lunches to school. For the summer it reduce some, except for those special occasions when you wake up and decide to BBQ and now you have to go spend about another $100. But definitely use coupons it helps. HEB sends out a coupon book, with alot of free items and dollars off. I used it about a week ago and it was at least $25-$30 off alone. The cashier even asked me did they come in the mail. What was a $70.00 bill came out to be about $40 or so. Sunday coupons and catch the weekly sales at the grocery stores will save money. Using some of the generics is also a big savings. Then what is higher at the grocery store is $1.00 at the Dollar Stores.

Good Luck!!

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We spend about 400 for 2 adults and about 700-800 when two college kids are home. Hope that helps. We eat lots of fresh fruit and veggies.

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Hi S. you need to start comparing coupons from other stores, I get the specials from several grocery stores every Tuesday and I compare which items are on sale even if I don't need them like cans goods it's always a good idea to stock up on them. I pay half of what you pay per month with the same amount of people but older. Good luck.

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I think we spend, on average, around $850 a month on groceries. That would include Sun Harvest, HEB and Sam's Club. (And, S., you know we buy 95% organic.) I pray you have a great day! Love ya.

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We are a family of three (one two year old who loves to eat) but we eat mostly fruit, veggies, cheese, and meat and very little carbs for health reasons. We spend about $150 per week.

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We are a family of four (parents, 4 yr old, and 2 yr old) I spend $150 a week, sometimes a bit more or a bit less. We eat very healthy, I buy very little meat (fish, free range chicken). I buy a lot of produce some organic and some not (some organic is not always better...and you really have to wash your organic produce). I do not buy very much processed foods. So, I have always felt that our food budget was on the high side, but if we want to eat as healthy as we do then we have to spend a bit more for some of the healthier alternatives. I do use coupons and store specials. I can't wait to read the other responses.

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We spend $135 wkly and we only have 3 so I think you are doing awesome. That does include paper goods, personal items, diapers etc. When I break it down I spend between $90-100 on actual food. Hopefully we will be out of diapers soon and have a few months break before baby number two shows up! We came up with our amount using the Dave Ramesy financial tools. You can go online to DaveRamsey.com and do a budget for free. It gives you categories and tells you what percentage to use for different areas. For instance, groceries can be like 5-15% of your monthly income. I am not sure if that is the right percentage anymore bc it has been a while, but you make a budget based on what you find most important and then you stick with it. It was awesome for us and helped us to know what our funds were doing. Hope that is helpful, have a great day!

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We are also a family of five, my oldest is 11 years old, and she is usually hungry all the time, the same as my 8 year old boy,we spend the most $300.00, our budget is $1000/month, we try to spend 250/week or less. I work 35 hours a week. I most clarify that we buy a lot of organic food.

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We are a family of 6 and we spend around $450-$500 a month on groceries and I have managed to build up at least a 1 month supply of food for emergencies or when the budget is a little tighter. I think you are doing fine. The best thing to do is shop with a list. Make your menu ahead of time and shop for that weeks menu. That way you are not going back to the store for one more item. How many times do you go for 1 item and come back out with 10? Find out which items you just have to have name brand and which ones it really doesn't matter. Buy the store brand to save money. Don't forget, WalMart will price match. Just take the other store ad in with you.

J.
Independent Scentsy consultant
www.scentsy.com/21237
www.homemakeretc.com

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Hi S.,
sounds to me like you are doing a great job with your budget. There are two of us , we are retired, and I spend around 300 350 a month-
I try to use coupons when I can and I go on line for extra specials etc- Keep up the good work- and bless you for staying home with your children.
blessings

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I'm a sahm, too. We have a 4 year old and a 2 year old. I average about 400 a month. Including diapers.

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if we really atock our house up--then it's about $600 a month and that doesn't include bread and butter runs--- i also have been known to spend $750.00 at the grocery store--but that also lasted about a couple of months.we have the same family size except i have a 14yo, 8yo(who eats almost as much as the 14 yo)and a 5 year old. and now summer is coming.......

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We spend about 200-300 a month. We do shop at the Save - A - lot store. We buy caned foods, and other staples there. Its usually much cheaper. We buy a basket load of grocerys and spend half the money we would if we were to go to HEB or Wal Mart. In bigger citys they also have things like double coupon days. Kroger card where its cheaper if you have one. Internte has coupons, you can even go to the brand site and find coupons most of the time. Good luck.

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I spend $75 to $100 per week for a family of four. We eat mainly organic food and don't buy a lot of packaged or pre-made foods, so our bill may be higher than some people's. That figure does not include diapers.

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We only have a 2 year old, my husband and myself, and we spend about $170 a week. It is so expensive, and we really aren't buying a lot of junk.

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We spend around 250-300 a month on groceries when I plan our meals. When I am at the store hungry or just really busy I am sure I go over those amounts within the month. We are a family of 3 right now.

I buy fresh on sale in season fruit. For veggies unless it is a good deal, I buy mostly frozen. I used to buy fresh veggies and they ended up going bad before I had a chance to use them. They even sell frozen onions! (I do keep carrots and bagged salad in stock in my fridge)

We do not eat a lot of prepackaged foods or sodas or convenience items. When I crave something sweet, I make it from scratch. I usually buy the store brand items instead of name brand. I cut coupons and read the circulars to see who has the best deals. I buy a lot of turkey because it is cheaper than beef or chicken. I keep dried beans, peas and lentils in my cabinet just in case we need a quick, easy meal.

I am in nursing school and mostly stay at home with my son.

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I have a family of 5 also (3 children that are 4 and under). We budget $250 a week. But that includes things like gas for my car, little extra thngs like if I see shoes or something the kids need. In other words not just strictly food. Anyway, sometimes I go over, but most of the time I'm under that amount. So it pretty much evens out to $250 a week.

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It's hard to say what I spend on just groceries as I shop at WalMart, and my grocery cart might have an exercise trampoline in it one week and a pair of jeans and a t-shirt the next! That said, I never get out of WalMart for under $100 a week for my family of 3 (me, my husband and 27-year-old special needs son). I have tried to take advantage of WalMart's policy that they will match the ads for the grocery stores that surround them; so every week I go through the ads for HEB, Kroger, Randall's, Fiesta and Food Town, marking the items they have on special and putting them on my list for WalMart. (One word of caution: I DO NOT buy WalMart's meat--except for fish, pork & whole chickens. The cut-up chicken is so tough, and the beef is riddled with gristle.) It's hard to say why my bill is so high, other than the fact that my guys like a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Yes, I am a SAHM, as well, but thankfully my husband makes a good salary and I am paid to provide foster care for my adult son. I know that sounds wierd, but that's how the state of Texas cares for him.

I wouldn't "obsess" about over-spending. You have growing children, and it's expensive to keep them fed. Just be careful and try to save where you can. Food warehouses (like Sam's and Costco) are good places to buy in bulk if you have a freezer to keep your meats. Just be sure to figure out what the per item price is. Sometimes I can buy six cans of a WalMart brand of green beans for a LOT less than a six-pack of Green Giant or Del Monte green beans at the warehouse store.

Hope these thoughts help you a bit.

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You are doing an amazing job. We are a family of three and we spend $800 a month. We do eat all of our meals at home and buy mostly organic everything.

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I would say that is on the skinny side, especially if you are counting diapers. I run between 80 and 120 a week (about 400/month)with family of four (boys ages 7 and 4). It would also depend on how much you eat out. We don't eat out at all since around October because of a budget crunch. I also make and pack my sons lunch each day. I would think stayin under $550/mo would still be very reasonable if you don't go out to eat a lot. Hope this helps.

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We are a family of only three (me, hubby, and 10 year old) and I spend on average $150 a week - sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more. Although, this does include entertaining friends or family once every couple of weeks. For five - I definitely think you should increase your budget guilt free if you have the means!

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I liked your question, because I had fun reading the responses. I need to let my husband read this, because he thinks i spend too much! It is just the two of us, and I am a bargain shopper. I don't mess with coupons, I buy the store brand on most items. I shop both Walmart and HEB.I don't buy meats at WM except for their "steak house" brand. most of their other products are cheaper than HEB. But there are somethings besides meat that i prefer at HEB. So I shop one week at one and one week at the other and that usually works out. I don't include diapers toiltries ( except TP,soap,toothpaste, and shampoo in my grocery budget) Also i help feed my stepson who is out of work. I also feed a crowd of 10 about every 6 weeks and I manage at around $250 a month! Much less than most of the posters that i read. I pretty much won't buy anything that I think is too expensive. it's hard to stay in that $250 budget, but I mostly do! We do use a little deer meat( only one deer a year) so it's not the real reason my budget stays low. Careful planning is the real reason!

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Hi S.,

I spend about $500 a month on groceries and I have 3 kids - 2 teenagers and one 12 year old...if you count stepchildren - we have them too every other weekend! It is rather hard to stay within that budget, but I try to always used coupons and save anywhere between $5 - $20 a grocery trip depending on how much time I have to get organized!

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I am also a SAHM with 2, 3, and 8 year old plus husband. We spend about $500 per month including the 2-year olds diapers. (Praying for potty training intervention soon.) With the economy shaky recently we have stopped shopping at Target though for groceries and reluctantly switched to the big W store! I can't stand going there because it is always too packed. Good luck.

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Have you ever heard of Angel Food Ministeries? You can go online and look at it. Basically, it is government subsidized and open to everyone. A church or organization sponsors it as a host site for food delivery and pick up. A basic box is $31.00 and has enough food in it to feed 4 people for a week. It is not brand name but is good food. They have other box specials at varying prices. But you have to order a basic/standard box to order the others. Take a look at it online; you can also find a host site near you. It has really helped my grocery budget.

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I try to buy a lot of organic, local food, so mine is higher than others. I spend about $200 per week and have a family of three ( my husband, daughter and myself)

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I'm a SAHM, my kids are 5 and 3, and I spend about $200-$250 every 2 wks on everything (food, toiletries, OTC medicines, dog food for 4 large dogs, and my little one is still in diapers/pull-ups and my older one has to have overnight pullups). I do all my shopping at Walmart Supercenter and buy mostly Great Value brands

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On average i spend $60 a week, but I used to spend $200 plus. Two adults and 3 Toddlers.

This and many other questions have prompted me to share my saving techniques I use when shopping at HEB and some easy recipes. I post sales, coupons, coupon stacking techniques as well. I hope this helps you as it's been a wonderful thing for my family.

http://sanantoniomoms.blogspot.com/

Wow i spend 400 a month too and its me my husband my daughter that is 5 and my son is 10 months old. I think im spending too much but what i do to not spend more than my budget i take 100 dollars cash that way i dont go over my limit...i leave the credit cards at home!!!!

We spend about $200 a week and there are only two of us. We eat a lot of organic and shy away from pre made food or packaged food. It goes way up when we have the grandkids or family visiting. And that is just for food.

For you and any other moms who would like to save money on your groceries go to thegrocerygame.com you will be amazed at how much you can save. It goes on stockpiling, sales and using coupons at the right time. I have paid pennies for everything from cereal to toothpaste. Its all inclusive and you can try it for $1. Also the message boards are wonderful!! My budget has decreased from 150.00 week to 80.00 and keeps going down! I have a huge pantry and freezer totally full!!