How much do you spend per week on groceries?

[schnupi]

Hey guys..

I'm still a student and so my parents provide me with money.They have recently been complaining that I spent too much money on groceries (don't really spent money on anything else really, dont eat out either..only cook myself)

So I've been spending around 80€ (according to google - 120usd or 72 pound) a week..that excludes supplements simply because they last longer than a month..How about you guys?!

[muddy]

I really don't think we spend even $100/person/week, just sketching out what we buy on paper. I've not carefully analyzed it. It could be things simply cost different amounts between here and there, though. We tend to get milk (lots), cheese (some), chicken (lots), pork (some), fish (some), vegetables (lots), fruit (some), nuts (some), eggs (some), and then misc (occasional oil, spices, butter, yogurt, whatever).

[lionize]

When I was a student (before the summer) I would spend around £40 a week, now I'm not sure because I share with my parents on a lot of basics foods.

My usuals: frozen vegetables (green beans, mixed veg, corn, broccolli), pasta, noodles, rice, potatoes, dry beans, canned tomatoes and soy milk.

Not the typical stronglifts diet though. I've been vegan for awhile, I'm questioning it now, but I still stay away from animal products because of the cost.

[Mehdi]

150€/month since doing fasting. Before that it used to be close to 250€/month. I don't look much at spendings on food anymore, going for the healthy stuff and trying to buy more on impulse instead of sticking to plan. I think there was a time I got away with less than 100€/month (basically rice & tuna all the time).

Make sure you read this: http://stronglifts.com/20-simple-ways-t ... -a-budget/

[vhalros]

I spent about $120/week on groceries, this doesn't count eating out which I do once or twice per week. Its not like I'm eating anything fancy, although I guess its not the cheapest stuff in the world. Mostly whole foods; beef, chicken, vegetables (frozen and fresh; lots and lots of them), fish, eggs, pasta, rice, and an absurd number of apples. I sure do eat a lot of it though.

[tenkev]

I spend alot on food. Too much.

[iCookie]

Yea, it's expensive to have a healthy diet. Sort of stupid if you think about it...

[mjh]

It's hard for me to guess at what I spend per week, as I tend to buy meat and veges day to day rather than once a week. There's a shopping centre with a butcher and vege shop nearby my home, which makes it easy for me to do that. I will stock up on oats, nuts and seeds, oil, quinoa and other bulk items at the bulk foods store about every 1-2 months.

At a rough estimation I'd say about $60-80 NZD should see me eat very well for a week.

Ground beef: $5 per 500g
Steak: $5-10 per 300g, depending on the cut
Chicken breast: $8 per 500g
Tuna: $2 per 180g tin on a good day
Veges: very cheap... a couple of dollars per meal
Milk: $3.50 per 2l bottle
Cheese: $5 per 250g block
Eggs: $6 per dozen
Nuts and seeds mix: $35 for a month's worth
Oats: negligible

To the OP: I don't know much about the supermarkets in Ireland, but I assume they're similar the world round. Watch the mailbox for advertising and pick out the good specials. Buy them up in bulk. At home, portion them into single serving sized freezer bags and put them in the freezer. Also cook in bulk. If you're making pasta sauce, make 2-3 the volume you normally would and refrigerate or freeze the extra.

And when your folks start moaning about your healthy but somewhat pricey nutritional needs, point out to them that many members of your generation are spending their money on tricking out their death-trap cars, pouring petrol into said cars, paying of fines accumulated in said cars, stocking up on piss and pills to consume while driving said cars, and paying child support for kiddies conceived in said cars. That will put things in perspective for them.

[TakeFive]

About $100 a week for a family of 4, and we eat well. Add another $20 for wine/beer.

If the OP needs $120 a week for one person, something sounds out of whack. Are you buying wagyu steaks for breakfast?

[vhalros]

@TakeFive

About $100 a week for a family of 4, and we eat well. Add another $20 for wine/beer.

Really? $100/week for a family of four? Where do you live? Maybe I should move

[TakeFive]

Really? $100/week for a family of four? Where do you live? Maybe I should move

Southern California.

Milk is 2 bucks a gallon, eggs 18 for $1.87. Usually buy the meat that hit the sell-by date, so it's 50% off (BBQ'd some fantastic salmon last night, about $8 for 3 lbs). This is at the major supermarkets like Safeway/Vons.

I buy produce at Superior - a hispanic oriented warehouse store. The fruit and veggies are VASTLY cheaper, better quality (i.e., have flavor), and the selection is greater. You just have to bag your own groceries (Waaaah! ).

[coroho]

^Ha, that's like Sack'n'Save here (Texas). Speaking of getting deals, I just watched The Gleaners and I today, about people gleaning/finding edible food throughout France.. the stuff supermarkets and people like us throw away for example.

Anyway, I spend about $65/week and I'm a vegan, but it seems kind of high. I'm trying to cut it down more.

[schnupi]

Ok I maybe should have been more precise with the figure. I forgot to deduct my other expenses from that figure. The €80 would include other things such as electricity bills (in our dorm our electricity system is prepaid, don't ask.. really sucks), the occasional pint or two(mind you, these are quite expensive here if you are out over the weekend..usually 5 euro per pint) etc..

So I guess it would be more around €60-€70. One should note though that cost of living in Ireland is very high. I'm German, so I am only in Ireland for the two semesters and when I am back my weekly expenses would be a lot lower. I've been trying to get a proper track of my expenses.I am on a mission to reduce the amount I spend to around 50euro though.

Oh and wholesalers like Costco, like you would get them anywhere else in the world dont really exist in this country. Ikea just opened their first store 3 months ago. Maybe I also should ve added that I am bulking right now..

[PhoenixAD]

Really? $100/week for a family of four? Where do you live? Maybe I should move

Southern California.

Milk is 2 bucks a gallon, eggs 18 for $1.87. Usually buy the meat that hit the sell-by date, so it's 50% off (BBQ'd some fantastic salmon last night, about $8 for 3 lbs). This is at the major supermarkets like Safeway/Vons.

I buy produce at Superior - a hispanic oriented warehouse store. The fruit and veggies are VASTLY cheaper, better quality (i.e., have flavor), and the selection is greater. You just have to bag your own groceries (Waaaah! ).

I'm guessing that the milk isn't organic and that isn't wild salmon. I think it's worth paying for quality for quantity sometimes.

[Bman1]

Milk $2 per gallon and eggs $1.87 for 18. Wow. I guess that helps make up for housing prices.