Thursday, June 19, 2008

Grocery Budget

I am reposting this for Dana (Elijah's Mom). This is how we do groceries........

We have a grocery budget of $350.00 (as of January 2008) per month. it used to be $300.00 but with milk and things going up we had to increase. We are a family made up of husband, wife and 21 month old twin boys (that are little piggies). (The boys are now 27 months old.)This includes:


  • cleaning supplies (we try to make most of ours)
  • diapers/wipes
  • paper products
  • cosmetics/ health & beauty aides/toiletries
  • all food products

  • We try cook almost all meals at home. We usually eat out twice a month.
  • I try to bake a good bit for snacks and all.
  • I stockpile every chance I get.
  • We use Angel food Ministries (check out http://www.angelfoodministries.com/). There is no age, income or government restrictions.
  • Hubby takes lunch to work each day.
  • Only buy things on sale and use coupons.
  • I also use http://printable-coupons.blogspot.com/. I find great coupons on there.
  • I buy coupons from coupon sites and E Bay.
  • Comparison shop.
  • Use CVS to my advantage. (check out http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ for more info).
  • We grow almost all of our fruits and vegetables.
  • I can and freeze those. I make almost all of our canned tomatoes, green beans, peas, salsas, jams, jellies, butters, chutney, bbq sauce, spaghetti sauce, soups, taco sauce, preserves, relishes, pickles, applesauce, ketchup, okra and tomatoes, and so on so forth. Canning can be economical if you can grow your own and/or get your produce cheap.
  • I freeze okra, corn (on the cob and cream style), green tomatoes, peaches, blueberries, strawberries, freezer jams and so on so forth.
  • We deer hunt and eat the venison. We try to have a freezer full by the end of deer season, around January 31.
  • We buy some things in bulk.
  • We try not to buy much processed food, soft drinks (although,hubby takes a Coke each day in his lunch), pre-packaged foods and things of that nature.
  • I almost never pay over $2.00 per pound for meat. This includes b/l s/l chicken breast, center cut chops, roast, steak, bacon, sausage, ground chuck, tenderloin, cubed steak, ham, fish. The usual things. Hubby has to have meat with every meal.
  • We have 2 yard sales each year. 2 huge ones, at my parents home. They last 2 days and there is usually n o less than 7 families. The stuff is good things. No stains, broken or not usable items. All clothes are on a hanger and so on so forth. Everything is always priced with the person's initials on it. We advertise well and everyone knows we usually have one around the 1st part of March and somewhere between October 1 and November 1. On average each person usually sells around $500.00.
  • Now, to say my say here. All of the things I get for free or almost free from CVS and the like (that we don't use or have way too much of) I sell at the yard sales. For instance last year alone I got over 150 tubes of toothpaste fro free or no more $.25 each. I sold what we did not need for $1.00-$1.50 per tube. What does not sell I donate to the local Children's center or a women's and children's shelter. I also do stocking for each niece and nephew with toothpaste and toiletry items for Christmas each year. I make extra money and this supplies groceries for my family throughout the year.

I hope this helps someone needing to save a few dollars here and there. Please feel free to ask questions or email me. I can always use help and suggestions!

Blessings!

7 comments:

Nico said...

Great tips Marva! I've been trying to get my grocery budget down further, but it is getting pretty tough. I'm really noticing all of the price increases at the stores, so I guess I'll just have to save where I can with coupons.

Marva said...

Thanks nico! Hang in there and blessings on your grocery budget!

MyKidsMom said...

Great post! I feel kindof guilty not mentioning before we are part of a gleaners program that provides about half of our weekly groceries. We pay $45. dues each month, but I would estimate we get about $200+ in groceries a month as well as extra misc. we wouldn't normally buy. I spend about $50. a week (for 5) otherwise. I wouldn't say we eat luxuriously, but we always have fruits, veggies and healthy breads. I have to buy the dairy and meat. It has been such a blessing to our family. I am definitely going to check out the sites you listed. The more I read your posts, the more I want to write about thriftiness on my blog. Hardly any of my friends are into thrift and discount shopping like I am, it would be fun to have an outlet to talk about it. I think I am actually ADDICTED to thrift shopping! LOL Guess there are worse things I could be addicted to.

MyKidsMom said...

Okay- I had to come back. I just jumped on Ebay and could not believe all the coupons listed- and this is coming from a BiG Ebay fan (I'm more a seller than a buyer). I stayed home today from church with my daughter (who is now sleeping) so I think I'll do a little coupon shopping. Thanks so much! PS. I promise not to pester you any more today. LoL

Marva said...

That is great that you are a part of a program like that mykidsmom!

I love to shop on the cheap as well. I think it is bored in me. I am really proud of it though. I like to think I am being a good steward of God's money.

I encouage you to write more about it on your blog and who knows it might just influence someone else!

Blessings!

Marva said...

Great deals on Ebay! Amke sure you get the most and spend the least for shipping. Always ask questions and combine shipping.

Oh and pester away (you're not though). I enjoy this. Thanks for all the great comments!

ADMIN said...

We love angel food ministries!