RE: How much do you spand for groceries?

Collarspace Discussion Forums

Home Login Search

RE: How much do you spand for groceries?

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

All Forums >> [Casual Banter] >> Off the Grid >> RE: How much do you spand for groceries?

Page: << < prev 1 2 [3] 4 5 next > >>

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 5:15:06 AM

pahunkboy

Posts: 33061
Joined: 2/26/2006
From: Central Pennsylvania
Status: offline

Holly, when I shop at WEIS. Thats why I think that one spends more then first guess. Not that it is all on WEIS- as all the big names are the same. The only other thing is that people are VERY careful on spending per this group.

(in reply to pahunkboy)

Profile

Post #: 41

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 7:25:16 AM

Muttling

Posts: 1612
Joined: 9/30/2007
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: pahunkboy

I will re-ask when I go in next week. He must simply be trying to get me to think "budget".

I doubt it. They're typically pretty focused on your case don't get into that unless there's something way out of whack and that's not what I'm hearing.

I think he's trying to get you doing what you are doing. Tracking every penny you spend and documenting it so that he can defend the best budget possible in your case. By best, I mean the one that reasonably spends all your income so you don't have to give more to your creditors.

If you have excess income, you can still file a 13. It just means you'll have to pay back a higher percentage on your unsecured debts.

Another thing to look at on expenses are unexpected ones that have come up in the last year. Any home repairs, vehicle repairs, maintenance, etc. can be averaged out over the year and listed as a pro rata expense.

One last note, don't go to him saying "Mutt said...." I'm not the expert and I'm only talking generalities. For example, ask if you can count xyz your budget instead of telling him that you can.

< Message edited by Muttling -- 10/11/2009 7:27:47 AM >

(in reply to pahunkboy)

Profile

Post #: 42

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 8:19:13 AM

pahunkboy

Posts: 33061
Joined: 2/26/2006
From: Central Pennsylvania
Status: offline

ok- the water $70.

The 12 month budget for heat $108.

So 500 - 178 = 222. Not counting phone- net- electric, cost of auto- insurance, maintenance on house, or food.

(in reply to Muttling)

Profile

Post #: 43

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 8:42:42 AM

LaTigresse

Posts: 26123
Joined: 1/15/2006
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: pahunkboy

I am curious now.

What do you spend a month? For how many people.

Does $400 a month for one person sound like too much?

I rarely spend $400.00 a month and I feed more than one. For the holidays, I might reach $400.00 but that is because I also give food as gifts. And I will cook several big meals for up to a dozen or so people. With two full time occupants, plus purchasing some meat and frozen veggies to add to the whole food diet of my dogs, I average about $300.00 - $350.00 a month. That includes my annual side of beef.

PA.......learn to watch sales, read the newspaper to watch for specials........do more cooking around those sale items.

Examples......a local grocery had these huge hams on sale for $5 each. Normally a lot more. I will get 4-5 or more, meals from that one ham. Last night I made a cheesy ham and potato casserole. We had it for dinner and will eat it for lunch a few days this next week. The same store had the bags of frozen chicken breasts on sale for $3.98 a week ago. I bought 4 and tossed them in the freezer. I will use them for everything from chicken sandwiches, to a quick stirfry, to homemade chicken pot pies.

Making meat stocks and freezing them is a great way to be able toss together a quick soup. Pull a container of stock out, add a few frozen veggies and some noodles or whatever. I am currently exploring miso soup.

Learning to cook and freeze is a great thing. I've got containers of 3 different homemade soups in the freezer. If I get home from work late I can defrost one, toss a few frozen ciabatta rolls in the oven and voila! A crock pot is also great.

Watch for specials coming up for whole turkeys. I will and will buy several. I love to cook one up then freeze it in freezer bags.

There are some really great and healthy ways to eat for a lot less that $400.00 a person.

< Message edited by LaTigresse -- 10/11/2009 8:43:49 AM >

_____________________________

My twisted, self deprecating, sense of humour, finds alot to laugh about, in your lack of one!

Just because you are well educated, articulate, and can use big, fancy words, properly........does not mean you are right!

(in reply to pahunkboy)

Profile

Post #: 44

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 9:56:19 AM

einstien5201

Posts: 63
Joined: 9/29/2009
Status: offline

My wife does the grocery shopping for our house. It's the two of us and two cats, and we've got $100 budgeted every two weeks. We do sometimes go over, but I'd say we max out at about $300/month for groceries, not counting if we splurge and eat out. She does go to several different stores to get the best deals with sales.

(in reply to LaTigresse)

Profile

Post #: 45

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 10:14:59 AM

TheHeretic

Posts: 19100
Joined: 3/25/2007
From: California, USA
Status: offline

PaHunk, I have had my food budget down as low as $15 a week, but that was based on being able to drop in on friends or family at dinnertime one or two nights. It's tough to get a solid number, because we have a freezer, and tend to stock up on sale items. Let's say $400 a month for two humans who like to eat good food.

Are you calculating booze into the food budget, maybe?

_____________________________

If you lose one sense, your other senses are enhanced.
That's why people with no sense of humor have such an inflated sense of self-importance.

(in reply to pahunkboy)

Profile

Post #: 46

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 11:04:04 AM

soul2share

Posts: 7084
Joined: 12/18/2007
From: somewhere out there.....
Status: offline

Just a side note, I do my shopping at Wal-Mart......they are by far the cheapest place to get groceries and household items. For those who do the run around for the best price thing....Wal Mart will match any competitors sale price in the identical item.....all you need is the flyer. I've always found that running from store to store looking for bargains ends up costing me in gas what I've "saved" from shopping around.

I love Aldi's, and wish I could find one here...I thought they were in Florida, but so far, I haven't located one here. I can spend $400 a month on food and household groceries, but don't do it often. I stock up on things when they go on sale, and freeze stuff. Once the cupboards are full, it's usually just basics, bread, lunchmeat, cat food.....that's probably what I spend the most money on...between food and litter, it does add up.

Cooking large meals and living on them is a great way to save money. I'm like LaT, I make pots of soup that will feed 4-6 people, and live on it a week, or freeze single batches for meals at work and stuff. Your freezer is your friend......learn to use it!

_____________________________

I have to stop saying "How stupid can you be?"...people are starting to take it as a challenge!

*Not a fuck was given.*

(in reply to TheHeretic)

Profile

Post #: 47

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 11:05:32 AM

VampiresLair

Posts: 1307
Joined: 9/3/2008
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: pahunkboy

I am curious now.

What do you spend a month? For how many people.

Does $400 a month for one person sound like too much?

We spend about $200 a month for 2 people, so yeah that sounds a tad bit high for me. Granted I am an incipient bargain hunter and coupon user, but still.

_____________________________

Separately we are DiurnalVampire and DVsFox

10/18 Wedding date. 1 year and still blissfully happy

10/13/10 3 year anniversary of his becoming my Fox

Talk impolitely to me, baby - Thanks sunshinemiss

(in reply to pahunkboy)

Profile

Post #: 48

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 11:43:00 AM

popeye1250

Posts: 18104
Joined: 1/27/2006
From: New Hampshire
Status: offline

PaHunk, I spend probably $80-$100 per week.
I belong to Costco so I save a lot of money there. For two giant bottles of Heinz ketchup $6.67 which will last me a year, $14 for a 5 gal pail of powdered laundry detergent which will also last a year, 3 huge bottles of bleach for $6 things like that. I do laundry about every three weeks or so, I have probably 50 pair of socks and underware so I don't need to do laundry every week.
Costco costs $50 a year to belong to but you can save that much on the first trip.
I buy cases of Coke and Propel bottled vitimin water to take to the gym with me and it's much cheaper than the market. Buy canned soda, it doesn't go flat like the big bottles.
Plus they have all kinds of frozen stuff that you can fill your freezer with and milk, eggs and cheese too that's cheaper than regular stores.
And, they have a great bakery and meat dept and fruits and vegetables! I just bought about an 8 pound box of seedless grapes for about $8. So much I had to give half away to the neighbors.
Also they have a pharmacy that's (usually) cheaper than the corner drugstore.
Check it out, I'm sure you'll like it.
I don't go out to eat that often even though I could.

_____________________________

"But Your Honor, this is not a Jury of my Peers, these people are all decent, honest, law-abiding citizens!"

(in reply to pahunkboy)

Profile

Post #: 49

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 12:00:37 PM

servantforuse

Posts: 6363
Joined: 3/8/2006
Status: offline

PaHunk, If you are planning on filing bankruptsy, I would talk to some folks that have actually had to do so. Some lawyers have their own interests in mind and will not tell you of everything that goes with a chapter 7 or 11. It has not been a good thing for those that I know who have gone that route. A court will be in charge of your life. I would be very carefull. Many times it is not the answer.

(in reply to popeye1250)

Profile

Post #: 50

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 12:47:26 PM

pahunkboy

Posts: 33061
Joined: 2/26/2006
From: Central Pennsylvania
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: servantforuse

PaHunk, If you are planning on filing bankruptsy, I would talk to some folks that have actually had to do so. Some lawyers have their own interests in mind and will not tell you of everything that goes with a chapter 7 or 11. It has not been a good thing for those that I know who have gone that route. A court will be in charge of your life. I would be very carefull. Many times it is not the answer.

No decision to as of right now. But I do have a free consult set up - and I wanted to make the most of it.

Basically- I do not want my house taken from me. That is the goal. I note that if I did it myself the fees begin at $300 for the forms....

I will not have enough information to make a decision until I go in to meet.

(in reply to servantforuse)

Profile

Post #: 51

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 12:49:15 PM

divi

Posts: 11109
Joined: 9/4/2007
Status: offline

I spend way too much

_____________________________

( imho )

I really could use a wish right now

(in reply to pahunkboy)

Profile

Post #: 52

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 12:51:52 PM

pahunkboy

Posts: 33061
Joined: 2/26/2006
From: Central Pennsylvania
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: LaTigresse

quote:

ORIGINAL: pahunkboy

I am curious now.

What do you spend a month? For how many people.

Does $400 a month for one person sound like too much?

I rarely spend $400.00 a month and I feed more than one. For the holidays, I might reach $400.00 but that is because I also give food as gifts. And I will cook several big meals for up to a dozen or so people. With two full time occupants, plus purchasing some meat and frozen veggies to add to the whole food diet of my dogs, I average about $300.00 - $350.00 a month. That includes my annual side of beef.

PA.......learn to watch sales, read the newspaper to watch for specials........do more cooking around those sale items.

Examples......a local grocery had these huge hams on sale for $5 each. Normally a lot more. I will get 4-5 or more, meals from that one ham. Last night I made a cheesy ham and potato casserole. We had it for dinner and will eat it for lunch a few days this next week. The same store had the bags of frozen chicken breasts on sale for $3.98 a week ago. I bought 4 and tossed them in the freezer. I will use them for everything from chicken sandwiches, to a quick stirfry, to homemade chicken pot pies.

Making meat stocks and freezing them is a great way to be able toss together a quick soup. Pull a container of stock out, add a few frozen veggies and some noodles or whatever. I am currently exploring miso soup.

Learning to cook and freeze is a great thing. I've got containers of 3 different homemade soups in the freezer. If I get home from work late I can defrost one, toss a few frozen ciabatta rolls in the oven and voila! A crock pot is also great.

Watch for specials coming up for whole turkeys. I will and will buy several. I love to cook one up then freeze it in freezer bags.

There are some really great and healthy ways to eat for a lot less that $400.00 a person.

Ok- good points. :-)

I picked out a template from here-->

http://www.budgetsaresexy.com/2009/07/free-budget-templates-sites.html

(in reply to LaTigresse)

Profile

Post #: 53

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 1:10:24 PM

popeye1250

Posts: 18104
Joined: 1/27/2006
From: New Hampshire
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: pahunkboy

quote:

ORIGINAL: servantforuse

PaHunk, If you are planning on filing bankruptsy, I would talk to some folks that have actually had to do so. Some lawyers have their own interests in mind and will not tell you of everything that goes with a chapter 7 or 11. It has not been a good thing for those that I know who have gone that route. A court will be in charge of your life. I would be very carefull. Many times it is not the answer.

No decision to as of right now. But I do have a free consult set up - and I wanted to make the most of it.

Basically- I do not want my house taken from me. That is the goal. I note that if I did it myself the fees begin at $300 for the forms....

I will not have enough information to make a decision until I go in to meet.

Yeah PaHunk, don't do a bankruptcy! Try all other avenues first like those cos. that advertise on t.v. about "debt consolidation" etc.
A lady who I know did a bankruptcy 6 years ago, owns her house outright (no mortgage) and *still* can't get an equity loan on it because of the bankruptcy and her house is worth conservatively $250k. So, she's sitting on $250k that she can't access.
But, she has no monthly payment so that's a "good" thing!
Bankruptcy should always be a *last resort!*
If you do a bankruptcy the credit reporting agencies , banks and other lenders can fuck with you for ten years!

< Message edited by popeye1250 -- 10/11/2009 1:12:57 PM >

_____________________________

"But Your Honor, this is not a Jury of my Peers, these people are all decent, honest, law-abiding citizens!"

(in reply to pahunkboy)

Profile

Post #: 54

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 1:10:45 PM

divi

Posts: 11109
Joined: 9/4/2007
Status: offline

I need to go on a budget

_____________________________

( imho )

I really could use a wish right now

(in reply to pahunkboy)

Profile

Post #: 55

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 1:58:55 PM

Toppingfrmbottom

Posts: 6528
Joined: 6/7/2009
Status: offline

One visit, and what we get usually lasts us about 2 weeks.

quote:

ORIGINAL: pahunkboy

quote:

ORIGINAL: Toppingfrmbottom

We spend about 100 dollars, and we don't get much for that price. about 10 -15items, and yeah most of it is microwavable tv dinner type foods, so that's why it's so expensive for less, but neither of us are interested in cooking so that's the price you pay for convenience

$100 for 1 visit? Or a whole month?

(in reply to pahunkboy)

Profile

Post #: 56

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 2:19:29 PM

Muttling

Posts: 1612
Joined: 9/30/2007
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: popeye1250
don't do a bankruptcy! Try all other avenues first like those cos. that advertise on t.v. about "debt consolidation" etc.
A lady who I know did a bankruptcy 6 years ago, owns her house outright (no mortgage) and *still* can't get an equity loan on it because of the bankruptcy and her house is worth conservatively $250k. So, she's sitting on $250k that she can't access.
But, she has no monthly payment so that's a "good" thing!
Bankruptcy should always be a *last resort!*
If you do a bankruptcy the credit reporting agencies , banks and other lenders can fuck with you for ten years!

You are VERY misinformed my friend.

Your friend owns her house outright after 6 years.   You say she can't get a loan against it. What is wrong with this situation?   You don't mention whether or not she has other debts.  Being debt free is a GOOD thing. Just message me if she's debt free and needs a loan, I can give you the names of several lenders who will loan to her in less than a day (really piss poor rates, but they will loan to her.)

You advocate debt management companies, but fail to mention that creditors aren't required to cooperate with them. You will pay a hefty fee to these companies, but your creditors aren't required to play by their rules.   They can suddenly decide that they want their money NOW and you will have no legs to stand on.

I'm not playing what if games here, I'm talking reality.   I speak to several clients every week who gave a few thousand to a debt management company only to have their creditors say NO. The money is gone and they have nothing to show for it.

Filing bankruptcy comes with its negatives, but it makes the black marks of being in over your head go away much more quickly than will happen otherwise. If you're so desperate that you need to go to a debt management company, you should talk to a bankruptcy attorney as well.

< Message edited by Muttling -- 10/11/2009 2:23:21 PM >

(in reply to popeye1250)

Profile

Post #: 57

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 5:35:55 PM

porcelaine

Posts: 5020
Joined: 7/24/2006
Status: offline

mine varies a great deal. i purchase my meat from a butcher and fish and seafood from a fish monger. produce must be organic and i make an earnest attempt to get my other grocery staples this way as well. the majority of my items can be purchased at whole foods or trader joe's. specialized cheeses and wines are secured from a wine store instead. i secure my spices from a purveyor and make my own infused oils and dressings.

my costs are relative in relation to others because i eat seasonally. i prefer consuming food in its rightful cycle instead. i'm also a slow food enthusiast and remain fully committed to whole living. my diet is largely vegetarian with small amounts of meat, primarily protein and fish, very little red meat. my body has responded favorably to these changes and admittedly i feel better as well. i purchase fresh bread or will make my own.

i generally make several trips to the market during a given week. i plan my menus ahead and avoid purchasing things i don't need. i don't enjoy having large amounts of food in the house. you can only consume so much at a time and i find it usually goes to waste or i might overindulge. processed foods and other quick preparation goods don't enter my home. they're horribly overpriced and i enjoy the rigors of making a good meal. i have learned that you eat far less this way. i apply the same philosophy to snacks as too.

cost isn't a big deciding factor for me as much as quality and convenience are. i am apt to patronize vendors that are within walking distance. in the future i have contemplated utilizing community supported agriculture for my produce and dairy products, but for now i'm satisfied with our local merchants.

porcelaine

_____________________________

His will; my fate.

(in reply to ThatDamnedPanda)

Profile

Post #: 58

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 5:36:42 PM

servantforuse

Posts: 6363
Joined: 3/8/2006
Status: offline

You are correct. Debt consolidation companies are bad. They charge a fee to do everything you can do yourself for nothing. Every one should have a budget. A place for every dollar coming in and a record of every cent going out.

(in reply to Muttling)

Profile

Post #: 59

RE: How much do you spand for groceries? - 10/11/2009 5:58:47 PM

pahunkboy

Posts: 33061
Joined: 2/26/2006
From: Central Pennsylvania
Status: offline

I prefer not to pay for something I can do myself.

Sometimes an attorney is worth it as the money saved by not making a mistake can be great. On the other hand one has to know when to pull the trigger.

(in reply to servantforuse)

Profile

Post #: 60