Aldi
1 Red Grapes – $1.58
1 Celery – $1.29
1 Tortillas – $0.99
1 Strawberries – $0.99
1 Cauliflower – $1.69
2 Cantaloupe – $0.99 each
1 Roma Tomatoes – $1.49
1 can Crushed Pineapple – $0.89
1 Italian Dressing – $1.29
1 gallon Milk – $1.99
Total with tax ($1.01) – $15.19
Dillons
2 Chobani Champions Yogurt – $2, used 2 $1/1 printable – $1 each after coupons
1 Breyers Ice Cream – $2.99, used $1.50/1 e-coupon (no longer available) – $1.49 after coupon
1 lb Simple Truth Ground Beef – Marked down to $2.99
2 Imagine Organic Chicken Broth – $2.50 each, used 2 $2/1 printable – $0.50 each after coupons
1 Kroger Unsweetened Coconut – $2.19
1 Kroger Brown Rice – $0.89
1 Kroger Chow Mein Noodles – $1.15
3 Navel Oranges – $0.69 each
0.77 lbs Broccoli Crowns @ $0.99/lb – $0.76
$0.93 lbs Red Plums @ $0.99/lb – $0.92
1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99
1.82 lbs Organic Bananas @ $0.67/lb – $1.22
4 cans Kroger Green Beans – $0.39 each
2 Moms Best Cereal – $1.99 each, used $0.75/1 e-coupon (x2) – $1.24 each after coupon
2 Brut Deodorant – $1 each, used 2 $1/1 coupon from the 8/11 SmartSource insert – Free after coupons
2 Ramen Noodles – $0.20 each
Total before coupons and sales: $49.63
Total with tax ($2.15) after coupons: $24.26
Total for all grocery items: $39.45
Menu Plan for this Week:
Breakfasts
Cereal, Homemade Bread, Bananas
Lunches
Leftovers, Fruit, Tossed Salad, Scrambled Eggs, Cheese & Crackers, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches
Dinners
We ended up having leftovers once and also went to my parents for dinner last week, so I’m using 2 meals from last week’s menu for this week.
Pop-Up Pizza Casserole, Steamed Broccoli, Cantaloupe
Spaghetti with Garlic Gravy and Lemon Chicken, Gluten-Free Oatmeal Spice Muffins, Green Beans
Italian Chicken Drumsticks, Biscuits, Tossed Salad
Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs, Fruit Salad
Taco Beef Skillet, Cornbread, Steamed Cauliflower
Hawaiian Haystacks, Bran Muffins
Out to eat
Jennifer says
Thank you for the replies. I do alot of what each of you are saying and rarely will I spend $10 on a meal unless it will make leftovers. My husband doesn’t complain and we are not in a position to “have to” cut back. I am just always curious on how others do it and am always looking out for ways to save. I guess I will just keep saving money other ways and feed my husband what he wants!!! Thanks again.
Jennifer says
Just curious….. I spend $20 on my husband’s lunches alone each week! We have a 11 year old and 1 1/2 year old at home, husband packs lunch every day, we eat out maybe once a week (always under $20), and I am still budgeting $300 biweekly for all grocery/household! This includes diapers, wipes, ($25 per month for these), personal care items (bought on sale and with coupons) and groceries. I just can’t seem to spend less. We have a decent stock pile of things, but it just seems with feeding my family from the kitchen 20 meals a week this is the lowest I can go! Anybody else who has a similiar dynamic care to share what they are spending? When I read these $40 and $50 budgets I guess I just feel like I must be doing something wrong:)
Amie says
I don’t think this means you are doing anything “wrong,” but you are probably eating or shopping differently than someone who spends $50 per week. My first thought is… Are you buying things on sale and stocking up or buying what you like as you run out? I think this makes a huge difference. I used to shop by buying my “staples” whether they were on sale or not and paid more than twice what I do now. Another thought is… What are you making for meals? I see a lot of ‘$10 meal’ recipe ideas in magazines that are supposed to save the average person money. I never spend $10 on a meal. I usually spend just a $1-3. Meat can make a huge difference in a budget. I usually shoot for meats that are $2 or less per lb. I stock up and freeze it. I don’t see that Gretchen lists any separate meals for a husband… my husband and I do not budget extra money for lunches. We eat left overs or make casseroles that we freeze into meal portions. I buy all my diapers and wipes on sale with coupons – usually at drug stores, shop multiple stores, I’m not brand loyal at all, I cook from scratch and eat some free/cheap packaged foods, and I plan all my shopping trips around coupons & sales and manager’s specials. I have an infant, three year-old, five year-old, and several pets. We spend $50-$80 per week depending on whether it is a pet food week or not. This works for us, but probably wouldn’t work for everyone.
The Prudent Homemaker says
Amie brought up some really important points.
The “maybe” once a week is important, too; cut that out as a big slash for starters.
Your diapers and wipes budget looks about like mine for a child the same age. I have two children those ages plus 5 more in between, and a much lower budget for food. My guess would be that you could make some changes to your food budget to lower your expenses. You can change your meals, what prices you’re paying, and how much you’re buying of an item.
I have a series going on my blog right now that may give you a few ideas; it’s called Eat for 40 Cents a Day (which was our budget for our family of 9–$100 a month–for the last two years–for food). You can find it here: http://theprudenthomemakerblog.blogspot.com/search/label/40%20Cents%20a%20Day
I used to think I couldn’t get my budget lower, either, but then I had to, because our income was cut, and cut again, and again, all the way to 75%. I made different choices, changed my menus, and did things differently to get it as low as I have. You can do it!
Diane says
Great work! I’m jealous of your Breyer’s coupon!