What's your food budget?

[Hack&Lube]

This would work well as a poll but unfortunately that feature was removed.

Lately there has been a lot talk about layoffs, foreclosures, excess consumerism on credit, and advice thrown around regarding frugality, savings, personal financial planning, etc. In the other thread there was talk about people spending excessively on entertainment, vacations, food etc.

The most transparent daily cost to me is food, it's the one thing I need to have every single day. I was curious what the daily or monthly food budget of the average CPer was. What do you spend every day on food for yourself? What about for your family per person?

I've been trying to live a little more frugally in order to pay down my mortgage. I've limited my work day food expenditure to under $10 during weekdays ($3 coffee to $10 fast food combo - these things are getting expensive!). I'll usually spend about $100 on groceries per month. I will eat out at a sit down restaurant on average of twice every month ($50).

$10 x 20 workdays = $200 /month
$100 groceries / month
$50 x 2 restaurant & dining / month

That's $400 on average or about $13 a day. I have no idea if that's excessive or frugal. It seems like a big number to me. Do you guys buy food every day when you're at work? It's the convenient thing to do.

[polak]

$300 a month.

I need to start cooking more at home.

[peter12]

$100 on groceries per month? What do you eat? Sand?

Wife and I spend $600 to $800 on groceries and going-out.

[undercoverbrother]

$1500, we aim for a 62% spoilage on all food.

[PsYcNeT]

Yeah I'm more or less right there with Peter.

600-800 most months for food/dining for 2 people.

We make our own cheap lunches, but eat out 8-10 times a month, and enjoy cooking elaborate meals. I generally avoid generic brands.

[PepsiFree]

I suppose when you break it down I spent roughly $15 a day ($2ish cereal and milk, $3ish sandwich, $5ish dinner with $5 extra accounting for eating out or more expensive dinners.

$450 a month, give or take.

[the_only_turek_fan]

We eat at home almost every day and pack lunches hence our grocery bill is high.

We probably spend in the $600-$800 a month at Superstore. That is for a family of 3.

[Tyler]

I'd say the $600-$800/month is pretty close to what my girlfriend and I spend. That's not including on meals at restaurants either.

So expensive to buy food in Calgary.

[GGG]

So my non-eating out food budget for 2 adults 2 kids is $150 per week. What do you eat that you are $25 per week on groceries? that's $3.50 a day including breakfast even if you don't have lunches.

I try to limit myself to eating out twice a week at work and no coffees and packing lunches the other days. Eating out at real restaurants twice a month. But I have difficultly sticking to those goals and probably double that. Eating out is my number one source of potential budget reduciton

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Way too much, frankly. I have no idea how Hack & Lube can spend $100 on groceries a month. Are you living off Ramen? I spend more than that on one trip to Coop. This weekend I bought the ingredients to make about 6 dinners; it cost $150.

[calumniate]

Does this include booze?

[Huntingwhale]

I live by myself and according to the RBC finance tracker I spend just over $800/month on food. I eat out maybe once or twice a week.

[Weitz]

Do I include beer in said budget? Greatly swings the pendulum...

[bc-chris]

i do most of the grocery shopping and i find we're around $150 per week

that's for my wife and i, a 3 year old and a 1 year old

it will be higher if certain cuts of beef or chicken are on sale - stock up a bit and throw it in the freezer

most of what we buy is fresh produce

[Knut]

Do you just eat Rice and canned veggies for $100/ month ?

Our family is close to $1000/ month for groceries. Family of 4. That is without the organic tax on our veggies.

We probably spend $200/ month eating out. I spend about 5-6$ day on eating/snacks. I bring coffee from home and usually take leftovers for lunch.

It adds up quick.

[V]

We spend about $1500 a month on food and it keeps climbing as the boys get older. We never eat out. Well, maybe once a year. Family of 6.

[Peanut]

Family of 5 (One is still a baby though). We spend about $800/month at superstore. Restaurant soending is variable but we've basically stopped going out in the past 6-12 months in order to save more money. We also only eat meat/poultry about 2-3 times per week.

My superstore spending includes diapers and household necessities (paper towel, laundry detetgent, etc). Actual spending on just food is probably around $650-700.

We used to be ridiculous with restaurants and take-out. $400+ per month. But no more!!

[calgarygeologist]

We are close to $1000/month on food for a family of four (2 adults, kids aged 6 and 3.) Primarily eating at home with pizza about twice a month and eating out maybe once a week.

[V]

Originally Posted by Peanut

Family of 5. We spend about $800/month at superstore. My superstore spending includes diapers and household necessities (paper towel, laundry detetgent, etc). Actual spending on just food is probably around $650-700.

Wow, that's crazy low. We try very hard to spend frugally and we can't touch that. I'd love to know how you accomplish that, unless you just decide each day which kid isn't going to eat. Rock paper scissors?

[calgaryblood]

I spend easily $800-1000 on food every month. And I'm only feeding myself.

Going out to eat $300 a month.
Fast food $100
Groceries $400-$600

I don't know how some families do it.