How much money do you spend on groceries every week?
If you’re like most families, it’s far more than you should.
I know that on Mondays I usually post a reader question, but today I really want to talk about money, because I’ve seen firsthand among some friends recently that money is one of the biggest causes of marital tension. If we could get a better handle on our money, the chaos in our lives would diminish considerably, as would the friction.
So today I’d like to talk about how we can save money on one of the items in our budget that’s the most malleable–the one where people tend to spend the biggest range, from hardly anything to the moon.
It’s in the grocery area of our budget where there’s the most room to tighten things up and get smart!
Keith and I are in Texas with our RV right now, getting ready to drive it back to Ontario after a few speaking trips we’ve had down south this year. And while we’re together in the RV we often go on a Dave Ramsey binge, listening to Dave’s YouTube videos and YouTube rants and talking about money. (Dave Ramsey is the awesome founder of Financial Peace University!).
A few weeks ago I was talking to my married daughter about how much she spends on groceries, and she and her husband are trying to keep it to $25 a week each. And they’re managing to do it! And they eat no packaged foods, only real food. My other daughter tries to get by on $35 a week.
Keith and I spend more, but we have more disposable income. And I’m super proud that they’re managing their money so well!
Recently I got in a conversation with a good friend, though, who spends $250 a week for her family of five. I wondered, “What would Dave say?” I looked up his ratio, and he suggests spending between 5-12% of your income on groceries. So a family that makes $40,000 a year should be spending $170-$400 a month on groceries. Yikes! That’s hardly anything.
So I started to wonder, could you actually do it?
And if a mom could–if you could take your grocery budget from $1000 a month to $400 a month (or lower), how could that change your life?
I’m a big believer that stay-at-home moms can earn an income–not by getting a job outside the home necessarily, but just by spending a lot of time researching how to save money and how to get the best deals on things. Think about this:
If you’re a stay-at-home mom and you can bring your grocery budget from $1000 a month to $400 a month, you’ve now earned an income of $600.
How would that feel?
And if you work outside the home, if you could take your grocery budget from $1000 to $400, that would be like getting a $600/month raise! That’s like earning $7200 more a year!
But is it even realistic?
And could you do it without eating crap?
My blogging friend Tiffany from Don’t Waste the Crumbs has a new course out called the Grocery Budget Bootcamp, where you learn the best ways to save money in the grocery store. I got a hold of it and perused the whole thing yesterday (and I’m going back to do the worksheets over the next little while, too!). But it is awesome. And she makes me feel like cutting the budget like that may not be so unrealistic after all!
Best of all, Tiffany is a big believer in real food. A few years ago her husband asked her if they could start eating real vegetables instead of canned ones. Tiffany had been a big couponer, and so they had concentrated their food budget at canned things. When she decided to start buying fresh produce and quality meats, she found that her grocery budget didn’t actually change. She ditched the coupons, got smarter and bought things that were actually important!
Full disclosure: I’m an affiliate for Tiffany’s course, but I really believe in it. And I want to share with you what she has to say.
When you think of tips to lower your grocery bill, you probably think of some important tips:
- Meal plan
- Shop with a plan
- Buy in bulk when possible–but only stuff you actually use!
- Stay away from store brands
- Couponing
These are all key, and Tiffany certainly mentions them (though she tells why our ideas of meal planning are often wrong!). But her tips go much further than this into helping us dissect where our grocery money actually goes, and where we can get the most bang for our buck, so to speak, in cutting that bill.
For instance, she teaches:
- The 80/20 rule: 80% of your grocery budget will tend to go towards 20% of the things that you buy. So finding ways to save on those 20% is way better than trying to save on the 80%!
- The 40% rule: 40% of our food gets wasted. So what can you do to stop wasting food? And can you use the stuff you normally throw out?
- Why traditional meal planning often backfires–and costs you more than it should (and she shows how to backwards meal plan and SAVE!)
- Why you should focus on foods that your family actually likes
- How to handle the grocery store like a boss (including what sales are worth watching for, and what ones are worth ignoring)
- The best substitutions you can make, to avoid buying things you’d only use a tiny bit of
- How to create a price book–and why you should!
- And so much more.
Tiffany really believes her goal is to change lives. And if people can cut their grocery bill in half–think of how fast they could make a dent at paying down dent!
When you buy the Budget toolkit, you get access to the 13 lessons for 12 months, plus a 250 page PDF workbook, and tons of worksheets! It’s all online (so you can watch it any time, anywhere!)
You can also upgrade to a program with a Facebook group, lifetime access, extra videos, and more! The VIP package includes lifetime access (not just one year), and a ton of extra videos (which I watched yesterday!), including:
- Should you pay with cash
- Budgeting for bulk purchases
- What not to buy at the grocery store
- Why keep a stocked pantry
- Grocery sales to ignore
- What to include in a real food pantry
- Shopping with food allergies
- How to eat less meat
- How to be a smart shopper
- How to stockpile produce
- Stretching meat at home
The Grocery Budget Bootcamp isn’t a quick fix. You have to do the work. You have to analyze what’s in your pantry, see your spending habits, look at what eats up most of your budget, and adjust. But when you do that work, it pays off. Big time.
She even deals with pesky problems like food allergies or picky eaters. You can still buy good quality food that satisfies everyone–for far less than you are likely paying now.
And it really does work! Jamie is on the GAPS diet (no grains, no fruit, no lactose, because of food intolerances), and her husband is on it too because it helps his ADHD. They were spending $850 a month on groceries before taking this course. Now, she says:
I got our budget down to $550. I’m actually finding that I can do even better and I believe I can shave our budget down to $400-$450. This is buying pastured eggs and meats and 90% organic veggies and fruits! If I can slash our budget in half while doing GAPS (most people claim it’s a very expensive way of eating) I believe anyone can, special diets or not.
And mom Rebecca from Ohio says:
I spent over $1000 December, $555 in January and just $330 in February. At this rate, I’m saving $738 every month!
That’s great!
So let me ask you: How much money are you throwing away every month in your grocery budget? And what would happen to your family if you could cut your grocery bill in half?
Honestly, I’m tired of seeing couples’ marriages fall apart because of stress, and so much of that stress is due to money. Too many people don’t have a handle on how much they’re spending, and don’t see a way out of huge bills. But what if there were a better way? What if you could feel empowered when you shop, instead of feeling discouraged like every week you’re getting further and further behind?
I heartily endorse The Grocery Budget Bootcamp. It was created by a mom just like all of you who simply wanted to get out of debt while still eating healthy food. She knows what it’s like to have kids not like what you prepare. She knows what it’s like to be rushing around so much one day that you realize you don’t have time to cook dinner. She knows what it’s like to have all your best laid plans fall apart because of emergencies.
She’s just like you. And she wants to help YOU find major savings and take control of your budget, too.
The Grocery Budget Bootcamp is only available until Tuesday at midnight PST. It doesn’t go on sale very often, so if you’re thinking of getting it, don’t procrastinate!
Laura from Illinois said:
In just two months, I’ve trimmed my grocery budget by 43%! This course is worth the investment… I’ve saved nearly 10 times what I paid before the course was even over!
I just want couples to stop having needless stress. I want us to put our money on important things, not throw it away. I want families to get ahead! And I think this is a simple way where women can make a HUGE difference in their families. So check it out!
And share with us: What’s your biggest challenge in keeping your grocery bill down? Do you waste a lot of food? Let’s talk in the comments!
Sheila Wray Gregoire has been married for 29 years and happily married for 24! She loves traveling around North America with her hubby in their RV, giving her signature "Girl Talk" about sex and marriage. And she's written 7 books. About sex and marriage. See a theme here? Plus she knits. Even in line at the grocery store.
My grocery budget used to be $100 per week for a family of 6, but that included household chemicals and goods, and otc meds. It is now up to $120 per week, because my boys eat a LOT more now, my hubby has a few special requests, and my daughter has a more specialized diet. It is tough at times, especially when I don’t want to rely on cheap carbs all the time. I grew up malnourished because of this.
I find Dave Ramsey a bit unrealistic if your income is within the working poor or poverty levels. I have tried his methods and percentages and found they don’t quite fit into that realm of reality.
I could get my grocery budget lower if my family wasn’t so picky and if I had more time to cook everything from scratch. I cook most from scratch already, but I can’t live in the kitchen.
Thank you! I feel like that too. I also think that food availability and price really varies by area. In the rural South, terribly unhealthy food is dirt cheap, meat is quite expensive, and organic produce is 2x the price of regular food. I try to keep our diets balanced so I purchase a lot of fresh produce. I spend about 180-200 bucks a week on groceries. My family is traditionally Southern and our palates fall in line with this. I have a food saver machine which has really helped us save our meats and poultry, even deli meats and cheeses, so that they can be frozen and used later. I know though, that the bigger cities in my state have far more options for healthy foods, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, etc. but they are several miles away and again, price makes it out of my range.
My new solution is to patio garden my produce at this point, which tastes tremendously better, and what I can’t grow myself, I travel to the Farmers Market to buy local. It is not all organic, but it is local and fresh and I’m praying over it anyway. They also don’t tend to have industrial growth retardents sprayed on them so I can save the seeds or regrow a lettuce head in water.
Oh, I’d love to start patio gardening! I’m going to do all my herbs that way this summer because I LOVE my herbs.
Totally agree. I’m also in the South, and my food costs are SO much more now than they were when I lived in southern California. This surprised me at first, but it actually makes total sense now that I’m no longer in a major city with lots of stores where I can find deals and also don’t have access to ethnic markets where I can buy things super cheap. In a country that’s as big and varied as the US (and maybe Canada too, I don’t know) there really isn’t a set number for a grocery budget that is going to be doable for everyone. I think it’s far more important to make the amount of money that YOU have work for you. My mantra is “Do the best you can until you can do better.” That includes not feeling guilty for not being able to stick to someone else’s (arbitrary) percentage!
I hear you! I was really shocked when I saw the numbers from his percentages. But I guess the point is: if you don’t have a lot of income, that’s all the more reason to spend as little as possible on groceries! And I think $120 a week is awesome for a family of 6!
I think Dave’s percentages would probably go up a bit when you are super low income. Whenever he has people with really low income calling in on his show, he spends a lot more time talking to them about upping the income, rather than crunching the budget.
On the ‘organic’ thing, it is worth researching what gives you the most ‘bang for your buck’ health benefits when eating organic, as with some foods organic doesn’t make as much difference. And if your budget is really tight, don’t bypass fruit and vegies just because you can’t buy organic, they are still going to be so much better for you than the boxed, processed cr*p!
Just curious, does “grocery” include stuff like supplements, shampoo, diapers, cleaning supplies, etc, or is it strictly food? I’m looking to cut down on grocery budget. I’m on a special food sensitivity free diet, and so far I haven’t noticed that it’s driving up our grocery budget that much, so that’s good.
No, strictly food! She advises buying that other stuff elsewhere since it’s usually cheaper elsewhere. 🙂
Yeah… she recommends buying it in “box stores” like Walmart and Sam’s Club– which is where I also buy food! I have no idea what this alleged “grocery store” is that she talks about in her videos, but I already buy household goods and paper products from the places she recommends… places that I think of as “the grocery store.” Because I buy groceries there.
Hi Susanna! There was a time when box stores didn’t carry food, and when grocery stores didn’t carry supplements and toiletries, but these stores have blurred the lines because as a society, we want convenience – and sadly, we’ll pay for it! A grocery store historically and primarily sells food (i.e. Albertsons or Kroger or Safeway). A box store historically and primarily sells non-food, household items (i.e. Target, Walmart). There’s nothing wrong with buying food at a box store, so long as you’ve done your due diligence to ensure that’s where you’re getting the best deal. 🙂
Yes… the advice struck me as odd because it seems so dated: there are a few true “grocery stores” remaining with the best food prices, but in the three different states I have lived in, the best quality and price was very often a box store: Meijer, Walmart, Sam’s, Fred Meyer, etc.
So the traditional definitions are no longer a great fit, and the advice, “Never buy these products in a grocery store!” rings a little hollow.
At least that’s my 2 cents. 🙂
Actually, in the course Tiffany really does go through that–where you should buy paper products, and how it’s fine to buy your food at Wal-Mart if you like. It’s just that she encourages you to budget separately!
People with the same name think alike apparently. I think of the big box stores as “grocery stores” as well and while I acknowledge that Kroger (or whatever your local grocer is) is a grocery store if that’s my destination I say I’m going to “Kroger” if I’m grocery shopping I’m headed to a big box – Meijer or Walmart. I include household products in my grocery budget as well for the same reason. If those are to be separate what should the budget be for household-non-food items?
When I stayed home I devoted A LOT of time to grocery shopping, looking for coupons, going through all the ads online to find the lowest prices, and then going to multiple stores (3-5) to buy those items. Now that I work I do not have time to do that but I also feel like our grocery spending has gotten out of control so I’m going to have to look for a happy medium.
I so love you Shelia, and this blog has helped me so much to keep me pursuing my husband instead of letting us drift, but I really balk at the idea that I need to pay more money, to learn how to save money in my grocery bill. The $70 I could spend for this workshop I could just spend on groceries.
I think those on a higher income plane just don’t really get people on a lower income plane. Because most of us with less that 6 figures a year are not going to spend money on a workshop to teach us how to spend less money on groceries, there are plenty of free blogs and podcasts from some of the leading finance personalities (who were poor and built up wealth) that to me is more feasible.
Again, I really like pretty much all you do and I think you are a great resource in so many things, I just find this one a bit silly. It makes me uncomfortable to see you plugging something like this.
I’m inclined to agree with you on this. Sorry Sheila, but this post really felt like an ad for a product that is probably not necessary for most people. I didn’t really like the format. I think a blog post from Becca on how she keeps her grocery budget so low would be helpful to ‘young marrieds’ and other couples without children.
But most of the time I really love your stuff!
I understand, but here’s how I figure it: if there are people honestly spending hundreds too much on groceries–then they really could afford this. They really could. And I went through the whole thing yesterday, and I honestly think it’s great! It’s SUCH a good resource I wish so many people could get.
If it’s outside people’s budget–that’s fine! And if people are already keeping their budget low–that’s fine, too. But I just really think this is a great resource, and I didn’t want people to miss it when it can make such a tremendous difference. And Tiffany put a ton of work into it, so I do think she deserves to paid for it. But if people don’t want it–that’s honestly okay, too. I was just really impressed, and with all of the friends I know who are so terribly in debt, I think this could make a real dent in it.
Yeah, I sorta scratch my head when presented with one of these “pay money to save money” type of things. I don’t think that’s a good strategy, generally speaking. Plus, the target audience doesn’t strike me as particularly appropriate for pushing something like that: most readers of this blog are already probably pretty budget-conscious, and therefore it’d be quite awhile before the course pays for itself. (Especially considering it likely wouldn’t be feasible to implement *every* suggestion the course makes.)
I too am curious about how Sheila’s daughter spends only $25 a week for two people. I’d love to hear more about that. I think it’d be really enlightening.
Hey, Sharon:
I actually spend $25 PER person, so $50 a week. 🙂 And we eat 85% vegan, and my husband has the metabolism of a horse haha.
Ok, that makes more sense. Thanks for clarifying. $50 total is still great though! Hats off to you 😀
We used to be able to keep our grocery budget down quite low, but since switching to a much more healthful low-glycemic eating plan (no sugar, potatoes, white rice, etc.) with almost no processed foods, our grocery budget has jumped up significantly. This has also been coupled with two of our kids hitting ages where they eat like horses :). I can’t even remember the last time we threw out any food! We know all of our prices really well, buy in bulk, shop sales, and only purchase groceries that we actually eat. To us, though, it’s worth it to have our budget go up a bit and enjoy the changes that our family has seen since changing the way we eat.
Yes, I’ve recently done the same, and my grocery budget has gone up. But other items in my overall budget have gone down (some due to the lifestyle change, and others to accommodate the lifestyle change), and I really think that the bit extra I am spending on groceries will be worth it in the long run.
Mark Something from the website “The Daily Apple” promotes a Paleo diet. I’m not into the Paleo diet, but I know that even he recommends feeding your “bottomless pit” teenagers things like white rice, in addition to the nutritious things you buy.
He says that white rice as little nutritive value but also has very little that could be considered harmful. It’s a good filler.
So if you subscribe to the low-glycemic approach, there still might be some cheaper options. 🙂
It’s been a while since I actually tracked our grocery spending for a month. Probably a year. But we are within the percentage allowed by Dave Ramsey. That includes food, toiletries, etc. I do some couponing. (The Krazy Coupon Lady is an incredibly helpful resource for that. There are great retail deals on their app too. ) I think my biggest challenge in saving more on groceries is that my husband doesn’t mind just shopping for snacks on his own without caring about the price. However, he has gotten pretty good at turning in his receipts to me for scanning with my rebate apps.
I’ll have to check out the Bootcamp. I like to stay away from packaged foods, so food couponing is hard. I’d love to learn how to save more!
I plan our meals, making sure to include meals that can be made from what I have in the pantry and freezer so that if our schedule changes, I can defer the meals to the next week and not waste any food. We rarely throw anything out because the shopping list is generated by the meal plan.
I stock up on stuff on sale, and my price book is in my head for things we eat a lot of.
I’m super impressed that your daughter can feed herself on $25/week – that’s what I used to spend in university 20 years ago! Our budget now for a family of 4 is easily over 1,000/mth, which I used to feel bad about but my husband keeps telling me not to worry about it. We buy good food and what we want to eat – we spend a small fortune on fresh peppers and berries alone, and my children will eat a pint of cherry tomatoes as a snack. We just make up for it in other areas.
Is there any chance you could use another phrase instead of “real food?” Canned and packaged food isn’t fake – it has calories and nutrients and things people need to survive. Calling some food “real” and other food “fake” creates a kind of icky elitism and class division that is really unnecessary. There are a range of other options, like “whole foods” or “cooking from scratch” that don’t have the same ring.
Right there with you, Girl! Good call. 🙂
When we were newlyweds, our grocery budget was practically non-existent – I just used whatever cash payment I received that week, and the average was $40 to $50. I remember using a lot of canned beans and chick peas, rice, tofu, canned salmon and tuna and pasta. Fresh fruit and veggies were bought carefully since they were the big splurge. I used a lot of spices and garlic.
Some of the cheap tips are going to vary by region and season. Most fresh fruits and veggies are going to be more expensive in Canada in the winter, except for some staples (bananas and apples don’t really change). I’m a fan of using frozen fruits in smoothies and muffins, and frozen veggies in soups, stir-fries, casseroles and some pastas. The texture is a bit different, but that doesn’t matter for those dishes. They are often just as nutritious and keep for longer, so there is less waste. Frozen spinach at No Frills is also $1 per package, and you can stick it in the pan while roasting chicken, with some garlic and olive oil, or use it with cottage cheese to stuff cannelloni. Canned diced tomatoes are good for quick cooking, and usually cheaper than buying fresh tomatoes.