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Am I a Grocery Splurger?
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justforfun87




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, May 09 2019, 11:41 pm
We are also a family of 5 with little kids. Our grocery bill use to be 250 but now it is at least 300 a week. I wouldn't say we eat steaks but I do get some prepared food and lots of snacks for lunches. Food is my biggest spending I don't buy much else.
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baby12x




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 1:08 am
AmGold wrote:
I don't spend a lot on clothing. We came to terms that grocery is where I spend. I think every person spends a lot somewhere else. I spend approximately same as you


And some people dont spend a lot anywhere.
The question is, can you afford it? Are you in debt? Are you putting this on a credit card and not paying it off? Are you saving at least 10% of your income? Are you giving maaser? If you are good then spend the money. If not, then you are spending too much.
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amother
Amber


 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 1:28 am
Family of 6 I spend about $300 weekly.+ Once a month BJ's for paper products/detergents/ soap shampoo/pampers such type of stuff.
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dankbar




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 1:33 am
amother [ Royalblue ] wrote:
I usually spend under 2 for 6 ppl. but I am admittedly frugal in this area, never bought takeout in my life, and make most things from scratch (for health reasons). But it seems like you and DH need/are used to your lifestyle and don't want to change it. If you can afford it, it doesnt seem to me over the top. If you can't afford it, maybe it would be a good idea to see where you can cut.


That's very little. How do you do that?
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DVOM




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 8:18 am
We spend about that much for our family of 6. I like to start the week with 350.00 cash, and I don't go over it unless there is some sort of emergency. This includes everything: food, paper goods, cleaning supplies, occasional pizza. My kids eat like kids, but my husband and I eat very healthfully, and protein and fresh fruits and veggies and gluten free grains are expensive, even with sticking to eggs and tuna and plain bulk yogurt for many meals. It can be a creative exercise some weeks to stay in budget, so your numbers sound very normal to me. I save by shopping for produce at a farmers market most weeks, and by buying protein based on what's on sale. If I run out of cash, we try to eat out the fridge, freezer and pantry build up. It's actually kind of fun sometimes, trying to make up meals based on what we've got.
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Mommyg8




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 8:56 am
Off the topic DVOM, but where is there a farmer's market near Lakewood? I'm always looking for good deals Smile.
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imasinger




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 9:09 am
For high ticket items, we have a few tricks.

We look for sales on larger cuts of meats, like roasts. Then DH cuts them into steaks and freezes them.

We look for online (subscribe &save) or local sales on chocolate, then stock up. Chocolate gets hidden away from small, greedy hands, and one or two are opened on Shabbos.

Cooking larger quantities and freezing can take the place of prepared foods.

Any DH who complains about food costs should be involved in these tasks.
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amother
Brunette


 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 9:17 am
My family of 5 I spend about $200-250 a week.
I buy meat only for yom tov. Chicken is for shabbos and then one night a week either chicken or chopped meat. Otherwise we eat only milchig or pareve meals.
I plan my week's menu including shabbos one night and order all my groceries from Walmart and get them delivered. Saves me tons of money to not step foot in a store. I also get all paper goods/cleaning supplies... from there. Once a month I'll go to the kosher store to stock up on what I need. I'll keep chicken, meat, cheese...in the freezer so I don't need to go every week.
$350 does sound like a lot, but so much depends on your location, stores you shop in and buying habits. I definitely think there's room to cut back a little if you try one thing a week to be more conscious of
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Zehava




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 9:21 am
I grew up with the Hungarian motto of “never be stingy when it comes to food”, my parents saved on clothes, furniture transportation, my mother would make regular trips to the mall and do alterations, but never ever did I hear a word about the price of food. Maybe it’s the holocaust I dunno.
But it’s pretty much how I live my life as well and many people I know. I’ve never seen anyone in the grocery store look at prices.
While I can’t bring myself to buy a pair of leggings for 15$ I won’t bat an eye at a 30$ cut of meat. It’s just a different section of my brain I guess.
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Mommyg8




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 9:25 am
Zehava wrote:
I grew up with the Hungarian motto of “never be stingy when it comes to food”, my parents saved on clothes, furniture transportation, my mother would make regular trips to the mall and do alterations, but never ever did I hear a word about the price of food. Maybe it’s the holocaust I dunno.
But it’s pretty much how I live my life as well and many people I know. I’ve never seen anyone in the grocery store look at prices.
While I can’t bring myself to buy a pair of leggings for 15$ I won’t bat an eye at a 30$ cut of meat. It’s just a different section of my brain I guess.


My husband and I are both from Galiciana/Russian origins (no Hungarian roots that we know of) and we were both raised the same way. You save everywhere else but not on food.
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amother
Lemon


 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 9:32 am
amother [ OP ] wrote:
My husband is quite frustrated and feels I spend way too much on groceries - and the costs are rising!
At this point, I easily spend $350 per week for my family of 5. My kids are young. Included in that is: produce, paper goods, meat, poultry, fish and the occasional cleaning product.
I am not frugal by any stretch. I don't think twice about buying a treat, certain semi-prepared foods, steak on occasion, bakery items for Shabbos, but I'm wondering if I really spend that much.
Oh, and on top of that is a separate Shabbos chocolate purchase and the occasional takeout supper.

I'd love to hear how much the rest of you spend and if I should think about cutting back a bit.


The dollars spent isn't really relevant.

Would you DH prefer you don't purchased treats and semi-prepared foods? Bake your own Shabbos stuff? Limit takeout?

These are lifestyle choices.
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southernbubby




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 9:42 am
Food is so cultural that when I suggested to a struggling friend that she could save money at the bakery by buying day old bread she reacted in horror. She was raised by European parents to only serve fresh food. She was literally afraid to bring day old bread into the house.
If people need to economize, there are ways to do it. I like the idea of ordering pantry items from Walmart and filling in once a month from the kosher store
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mrsjay




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 9:45 am
I have a family of 5 as well and I spend the same amount $350 my kids are always able to grab a string cheese, yogurt, cucumber out of the fridge ....it’s things like that that add to my bill..... I really love the poster who has physical cash of 350 and that’s what she gets to spend I feel if I did that it would really help me budget more frugally going to try that!
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SuperWify




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 10:18 am
singleagain wrote:
I work in a grocery store office. And we have been getting so many price increase notice from our vendors. Even an increase of twenty-five cents can mean needing to raise our price. It sucks... But that's business.

One thing I'd suggest. Shop sales, and but what you can in bulk.

Also, if you find that your problem is impulse shopping, see if you can do your shopping online.. Many grocery stores deliver (even like Wal-Mart/Target) that way to stick to the list and aren't walking on the aisles saying "ooh potato chips"


So interesting.

For my family of 3 we used to spend around $150 a week, recently though my bills have been around $200 per week.

I wonder if this is a contributing factor.
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singleagain




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 10:23 am
SuperWify wrote:
So interesting.

For my family of 3 we used to spend around $150 a week, recently though my bills have been around $200 per week.

I wonder if this is a contributing factor.


It very well can be. Especially, if you are more it less buying the same items.

Also certain items can fluctuate daily. For instance, the produce prices is largely based on the produce market.
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greatfulmom




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 10:34 am
I am in awe of all of yous being so meticulous with your grocery budgets. I have no inkling as to what our weekly grocery shopping ads upto and I'm the one mostly doing it

I am pretty sure I spend double than most if yous that posted your totals here and we're a family of 7.

Now that I am on this thread u am going to rethink what I buy and will definitely start buying less ice cream 4x a week, etc.
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Zehava




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 10:51 am
Mommyg8 wrote:
My husband and I are both from Galiciana/Russian origins (no Hungarian roots that we know of) and we were both raised the same way. You save everywhere else but not on food.

Maybe it’s a holocaust thing. Or a Jewish thing?
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Notsobusy




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 11:07 am
Mommyg8 wrote:
Off the topic DVOM, but where is there a farmer's market near Lakewood? I'm always looking for good deals Smile.


I don't know where she goes, but there's one on Rt 9 north in Freehold, on the way to the mall. It's in the same shopping center as Burlingtons. They have a huge, gorgeous selection, and their prices are amazing. I can walk out of there with a full wagon for $30-40. And their stuff is so fresh that I can stock up on some things that locally I only buy enough for a week. I don't get there often, but I love going there and there are always other frum people there.
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Amalia




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 11:13 am
Notsobusy wrote:
I don't know where she goes, but there's one on Rt 9 north in Freehold, on the way to the mall. It's in the same shopping center as Burlingtons. They have a huge, gorgeous selection, and their prices are amazing. I can walk out of there with a full wagon for $30-40. And their stuff is so fresh that I can stock up on some things that locally I only buy enough for a week. I don't get there often, but I love going there and there are always other frum people there.


That sounds amazing!
Is there a farmers market anywhere near Passaic/Clifton area?
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Amalia




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, May 10 2019, 11:18 am
Zehava wrote:
Maybe it’s a holocaust thing. Or a Jewish thing?


This is very interesting.

Both myself and my husband are from the former Soviet Union, and whenever my parents or his parents visit, they always bring us food - tons of it!

My husband said to me, in bewilderment, “we can go to the store and buy the same things!”

But I think it’s not the rational part of the brain that does that. They are just programmed from many, many years of deprivation.
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