I saw toward the end of the thread on foodstamps that someone had serious questions on whether it was possible to feed my family of five on a grocery budget of $75 per week.

I was shocked that they were shocked! Aren't we all couponers (or didn't we at least start out as couponers to come upon these boards? )

The reason that $75 is very do-able for us is that we stockpile toiletries (I keep an endless supply of bathroom tissue, toothpaste, paper towels, laundry detergent, shampoo, soap, etc - ALL bought with coupons and on sale).

We garden, we cut coupons, we shop sales, and we eat food in season. We all eat healthy fresh food, and can EASILY do it on $75. We eat fish and chicken, no red meat (not sure that's relevant, but I thought I should include that info). In tougher times I've been able to keep my spending lower than that, and when we want to buy "above and beyond" we do that, too.

I'm sure there are plenty of MC'ers on our boards who can easily manage the same (or better) grocery spending, and still eat well.

So what about everyone else?

I just went last Wednesday, and spent $151.xx after $30.xx in coupons (no doubles). This is for 2 - 3 weeks, with fillins of milk and bread.

I could have done better,but, I felt like buying some Havarti cheese. I didn't even look at the price, I just knew I wanted it, and wanted to get out of the store. Got home, and do you know, that stuff was $9.99 a POUND. I got about half a pound. HOLY COW!!!! I bought one 12pk of soda. We're not big soda drinkers. I bought meat, vegs, fruit, etc. This amount also included tp, cat food, and some other non foods, that would not be covered by food stamps (this springs from the FS thread, right?).

I, too, think $75 a week is very doable. In fact, funny thing is, I had recently vowed to spend only $75 (or as close to it as possible) a week on groceries. I say we should challenge ourselves and really put the pedal to the metal and see how well you can do.

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BALLS...don't have some? GET SOME!!

TLJ Women United in Spirit!!!

We are a family of 5. My DH, myself, 18 yr old DS, 11 yr old DS and 9 yr old DD. I absolutely feed my family for 75.00 or less all the time. I have never spent more then that. I plan, use coupons, and shop the sale ads. I would say most weeks I easliy spend less then 75 on groceries.

Jen

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Mom to Jake, Zach & Meghan
SJCC STREAKS FOOTBALL!!
CLEVELAND BROWNS FOOTBALL!

We're a family of 4 and I think we average less than $75 a week. Occassionally we go over, but I didn't go to the store last week. Sometimes I go a couple times a week, but usually spend about $25-$30.

I try to buy most everything (except meat & produce) at WalMart. It's a lot cheaper.

Lately, I've been buying meat when they have the big meat sales. Tonight we're not even having meat, but beans in a salad. I think it's very doable, too.

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

"The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
they just make the best of everything they have."

We just upped our monthly budget to $350. It was $300, but things (with or without coupons) are too expensive here. I live in Northern Va. Everything here is more expensive.

Family of 5 - 2 adults, one 13 (5'9", 165), one 8 year old and one 5 year old. We don't have superwalmarts here, no bakery outlets or 2nd hand stores. A few stores will double under $.50, but usually on stuff we don't buy. I rely on Dollar Tree, Costco, Bottom Dollar and I get all my meats on clearance from Giant.

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"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God? " ~Epicurus

I'm not sure what I spend but it is a lot more then $75 a week. Now does this include non food items and pet food? I have a family of 5 with a ds 21, ds 12, and dd 11. I buy on sale and use coupons but I am not good at planning ahead. Can anyone give me some menu suggestions for dinners? How about some meatless dinners too? Thank you for any help you can give me.

Coupons, sales, stockpiling, and a planned course of action are a definite to feed a family of 5 on $75 a week. It can be done on less than that.

For example of coupons/sales/stockpiling, yesterday I did a very small run and got:

1 32oz jar of Helman's mayo
2 100pk Lipton t-bags
2 1lb tubs margarine
6 22.0z cans Bush bbq beans
1 jar mustard
4 suave shampoos/conditioners
8 cans cat food
8 bags cat treats

ALL for $5.72 Full price would have been $32+

We also buy most of our meats from a small grocery/butcher shoppe. I mostly use the big stores for the sale stuff I have coupons for or when they are having a good sale on meats or shrimp.

i usually spend from 75.00-100.00 depending on what i have to buy.
if we are out of milk chicken im only talking food though i bought clenaing supplies last week and spent 40.00 just on that.but it will last a long long time as i usually use baking soda and vin. and occasionally use mr clean or lysol when someones been sick or has a cold.
i have a 8yr old and a soon to be 5 yr old they eat school lunches and like to have 1 snakc when they get home.
i dont like to buy junk food but do cause i remember having little debbie cakes when i was younger and so i do the same for my children but they are limited to 1 a day other than that its fresh fruit when i can get it on sale and i buy what ever is on sale i will not buy strawberries when they are 4.00 for a small package ill wait till they are 1.98 regardless of how many times im begged i use coupons and buy on sale i wish krogers would have thier dollar double but its been awhile since they had one here.walmart is the cheapest but ill get alot of stuff from bilo and kroger if i have coupons that can double up to 0.50 instead of pricematching.its not bad going between the 3 stores as the zoning committee here has put everything on one rd lol

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i'M THE TYPE

OF GIRL WHO WILL BUST OUT

LAUGHING ABOUT SOMETHING

THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY

did they double your coupons and which store
i see some stuff on your list i need to go pick up lol
also do you seem to find the butcher is cheaper on meats?

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i'M THE TYPE

OF GIRL WHO WILL BUST OUT

LAUGHING ABOUT SOMETHING

THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY

Yep, $75 is easy if you do it right. What I spend varies because I don't shop weekly

Assuming 4 weeks in a month, you spend $300 a month

I get our meat delivered once every 6 months and pay $158 a month for that
Milk is delivered once a week for $60 or so a month

So milk and meat is roughly $218 a month. Then you have $82 to spend on the rest. I stockpile, coupon, shop sales, buy in bulk when it's feasible to do so, buy at Amazon's grocery store because a lot of the items I use all the time are much cheaper. Then it also saves me the sales tax and gas money because it's delivered to my door for free

So I can spend $500 in one month and then $200 or less a few months because of the stockpile. It's all how you manage it

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

They double but not multiples, but most of my coupons were $1 off of course at Martin's/Giant + they had 4 $1 doubler coupons in their ad.

I find that the prices are much better on meat at the small grocery stores than the chains. The same pack of 5/6 chicken breasts would be $7-9 at the bigger store. I pay $3.00-$4.50 depending on sale prices and I will buy for the month if its in the $3 range. Lately I've been buying these round steaks for around $3 and 1 steak is big enough for 2 servings Plus I like the fact that its local meats(I'm afraid of Walmart meat)LOL

Another thing that has really helped us cut the grocery bill is portion control and using up those left overs.

I may buy a $7 pack of 2 steaks, but, that will feed alll five of us, with a little left over, which I throw into scrambled eggs for DH the next morning. We don't eat a lot of steak, it is not good for you, or the planet.

Ok - I am doing something VERY wrong...

There are normally five of us...

I spend $70 A WEEK on MILK and BREAD alone.

I easily spend $200 every two weeks that doesn't include milk, bread or eggs (I get those at a different store and more frequently.)

Where are you ladies getting these coupons? We used to get the paper, but the coupons were no better than the generic, or were for things we didn't use. I shop sales...I plan meals...we use leftovers...where am I going so wrong?

Ending comments...

I live 45 minn away from "stores". I buy milk and bread from a farm stand (picture the cows) more often since I need it more often and the savings of going to the bigger stores would be eatten up byt he gas used getting there. I have been told, and I guess I should check that kids up until 8 need three glasses of milk a day - which is what I give them. They are good water drinkers - and would drink more. DH and I don't drink milk. The bread I buy is only for sandwiches, one for each me and the three kdis, each Mon - Fri for lunch. I have a huge pantry, so I can stock dry goods to no end, but only the little freezer in my fridge, which is usually full with stuff for the next two weeks, so I can't really freexe much more than our meats.

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saraedawson@yahoo.com

Mommy to Jake, Alexis, Abigail and Baby Frog (Arriving Summer 2008), Wife to Matt

I get our milk delivered by a local dairy but for the 4 of us we use 1.5 gallons a week. If I need it for anything other than drinking or cereal, we use powered milk (much cheaper and I can't tell the difference). My kids like to drink water so they get milk with cereal and then milk in their lunches and water when they get home. I either make bread homemade (I make a boule about 3 times a week so that is super cheap and SO GOOD. I get our sandwich bread at a Orawheat outlet down the road. Bread that sells for $3-$4 a loaf sells for 3/$4 there plus they have a punch card and freebies. Bring in your own sack and get a freebie. I freeze it. I got enough bread for the month but 2 Enterman's desserts for $7 the other day.

Is there a way you could cut down and/or sub out your milk and bread? Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day (I got it at Amazon) has been a lifesaver for me. I would occassionally splurge on those $4 bagettes or boules at Whole Foods or Panera and now I make my own easily (which I never thought I could do!)

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

Just wondering why steak isn't good for the planet?


There's only 2 of us and I probably spend maybe $50 a week on groceries. I watch the sales and use coupons. Some things I don't/can't compromise on but that's not to big of a issue. I guess it helps the budget that I only cook 2 days a week but I always make extras so the DH can have left overs.

I bow in the AWESOMENESS of all of you ladies!

Wow-wow-wow - y'all really do great!

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*~*~*~*~*~*~*
*~* Ambrianna *~*
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This is what I got today for $95 (from Giant, CVS, & Costco):

5 count pkg loratadine (for my allergies)
Toothbrush
8 count Scott paper towels
3 50 oz bottles detergent
Allergy eye drops
3 gallons milk
1 qt half & half
Veggie tray
3 dozen eggs
2 lbs monterey jack cheese
Bakery rolls (6 count)
2 pkgs bagels
2 boxes hamburger helper
3 pkgs Lipton noodle sides
1.8 lbs chuck steak
1.53 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
.84 lb beef stew meat
5.86 lbs pork chops
2.48 lbs cube steak
2 lbs ground turkey Italian style (no clue what this tastes like, lol)
1.46 lbs top round

I still have $20 to use up tomorrow for the last few things, and I don't remember all I bought w/ the $40 I used @ Bottom Dollar last week. But my normal grocery amount for 5 people (2 adults, one HUGE growing 13 year old, 8 year old and a 5 year old) is $350/month or $87.50/week. That includes paper goods and cleaning supplies. But since we were talking about it last week, I thought I'd post my amounts today. I only had one coupon for the lipton. The meat was on clearance of course.

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"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God? " ~Epicurus

I envy you ladies I really do. I spend in one week what you all do in a month. But in my defense I am feeding my family and my in laws as well as they are older and don't cook anymore. That also includes pet food and non food items.

My DH family is very strange they will not eat left overs at all no way, now how. So I have to cook a brand new meal each day. DH father lives by the old rules and you must have meat, veggie and starch with dinner and they can't be mixed. Only thing I get away with mixing is shepards pie. I have tried many times to get them to eat different things but it is not worth the mumbling I get. Nights they go out to dinner DH and I will eat whatever we can find. I am lucky he is not quite as picky as his dad though he will not eat any meal with cheese. His parents are also diabetic so I try to serve fresh cooked veggies and light starches which add to my food bill as canned veggies sometimes have things that raise their sugar.

On the bright side though his parents have been very good to us and have helped us in so many ways the least I can do is put up with cooking for them and helping them anyway I can.

I quit couponing a year or two ago, I found the coupons to be mostly for convenience items. I dont buy any mixes like hamburger helper or frozen dinners, most of our vegetables are home grown. I make fried rice and pilaf from a 50 lb bag of rice I buy and I go thru a 25 lb sack of unbleached flour every three to four weeks. But I dont buy cake mix, bread, rolls, or snacks. I make cookies, brownies, and home made pretzels (mall style) for pennies. I am planning what I am taking and preparing beforehand for our camping trip this weekend, I will be baking rolls, bread, premaking pancake mix (I will store in the fridge), Catt's home made brownies, M and M cookies, and a Tandy Cake. We are also taking healthy foods too (carrot sticks, apples, watermelon and raisins), we will be having a bunch of people and kids coming and going.
Also making potato salad (I bought lots last week when I was getting them for 1.69 for ten lbs), and maybe pasta salad. I have chicken frozen in the marinade I bought for 1.29 lb for boneless skinless breasts (I had to buy 40 lbs to get this price, but we use it all the time)
I guess the secret is to stockpile staples, then you can make whatever you want.
I spent over $100 in that warehouse store last week, but got enough of some items (cheese, chicken etc) to last until the fall.
This week, I need milk...I might also pick up a big bag of chopped romaine at Sams for 3.59. I always make sure I have enough money to take advantage of a deal, but if I dont come accross any this week, thats all I will be buying, so its hard to figure...One time, at WM, I came accross Nathan's Kielbasa and nathan's small smoked links for $1 a lb. I bought 25. They dont expire until the end of July so they are in the extra fridge)...we take these camping, so when we get closer to July I will freeze whatever we have left...Also use these to make jambalaya from my 50 lb bag of rice. I dont buy baked beans, I buy dry beans and make them from bacon, molasses, and tomato sauce (make a huge batch and freeze for extra meals, this is one item I am going to try to can in my pressure canner)
I guess the secret is to shop to stock your house, not make specific meals. I can make almost anything, or come up with a pretty good substitute.
So my freezer has tons of chicken (40 lbs boneless skinless and several bags of parts)
1 whole chicken (oven stuffer)
several hams
25 or so lbs of hamburger, some precooked and crumbled for quick tacos
7 or 8 lbs butter bought on sale cheaply
the kielbasi in the fridge
a pkg or two of steaks and beef cubes left over from our last steer purchase
8 or so lbs of Kunzler hot dogs (these are pretty good Pa Dutch ones
3 lbs scrapple (gross, I know, but I love the stuff and it was on sale)
ten lbs bacon
ten or so lbs italian sausage
a few bags of venison steaks
Bags of trout we caught and bags of other panfish, like perch, my family caught as a hobby
huge box of tilapia
various other stuff, like ice cream and my veggies

edited to add...I dont buy paper towels. I was raised without them, and never bought them before. I use rags for dirty stuff to be thrown away, and have cloths to clean up spills etc that I wash. The only paper goods I buy are TP and napkins (cheapest I can find, usually holiday print target napkins)Also, in January, I was in Dollar Tree, and they had Clear Eyes allergy eye drops (made in USA, I checked)...I bought two, one for home one for camper, as I knew we would be needing them and they dont expire for a few years.
When I yardsale, I try to look ahead at what I will be needingfor next year (I already have some back to school shopping done, (shirts and hoodies) ...I have a list of what size sneakers I have on hand and how many pairs. Everything goes into the washer and out in the sun to dry. I got myself four ladies sz 16 (ashamed to admit that) like new Old Navy jean shorts for 25 cents a pair last week. I hope to lose weight (and know realistically I probably wont) so a 1 dollar investment isnt a big dealand if I dont, I have nice new shorts for the summer.

Brenda, 2 questions. Are you close enough to me that I can come over for pretzels? What is Tandy cake?

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"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God? " ~Epicurus

I spend about $30-$50 a week (depending on sales) for a family of 3. That is mostly spent on meat and fresh veggies or some fruit. Other stuff we use double coupons and get alot for free, like we don't pay for things like shampoo, soap, lotion, mustard, dog treats, sausage, chips/snacks, most of that I can get free all of the time using double coupons. Other things I wait for a sale and stock up, one of our stores periodically has a 10lb meat sale, you have to buy 10lbs. in order to get the sale price the most recent meat items that have been cheap were pork ribs $1 a lb, pork steak $1 a lb. then with current coupons I have been getting bacon for .50 a lb, sausage totally free, and ham steaks and slices for .88 a lb. Normally we are not huge pork eaters, but since we can get that really cheap right now, that is what we will eat. I have 120 lbs of cheap/free pork in my freezer. Then I will supplement that with chicken and beef when it goes on sale. With the recent rising cost of food, we have gone to one meatless meal a week, like baked potatoes and salad or something like that, or having "breakfast for dinner" eggs and bacon, or eggs and sausage one night a week. We all take our lunches, DH takes leftovers or whatever I can get for free or cheap using coupons (luckily he is not a picky eater), DD takes a lunch to school 4 days a week and buys one day a week. When I was working I took my lunch everyday, usually leftovers or a sandwich. We buy a gallon of milk a week, we are not huge milk drinkers. This does not include pet food. We have an apple tree, peach tree and 3 Mulberry bushes, so we don't have to buy fruit when those are ripe. This year we are growing our own strawberries, tomatoes, blueberries, potatoes, green beans to supplement our budget fresh fruit and veggies. Usually I give away extra apples and peaches or let them rot on the ground, but this year since I am not working I will be freezing the extras, making applesauce, that type thing.

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visit my homepage http://penny.mycoupons.com/

Nicole, I know you are in VA now, we went to Jamestown area last year for one of our vacations (stayed at a state park for about $15 a night ) If you ever come up north, let me know and I will fill you up with lots of home canned goodies.
A "Tandy cake" is a spin off orf a regional favorite. If anyone has ever had tasty cakes (I think they might be a PA thing,) they make tandy cakes, butterscotch krimpets, jelly filled krimpets, little pies and lots of other stuff twinkie and Dolly madison cant even compare to tasty cakes...
A tandycake is a small round yellow cake (you get three in a package, all the better to wolf down), topped with a thin layer of peanut butter, dunked in chocolate.
Heaven

Here is my recipe for a home version

Tandy Cake (use a 10x 15 jelly roll pan, it will be a thin cake) preheat 350 degrees
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
2 tsp margarine

beat these together well
sift together and mix into the wet ingredients
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder

grease jelly roll pan, pour in the cake and bake at 350 for 20-25 mins, until cake springs lightly back.
While still hot, spread 1 1/4 cup peanut butter, then top with chocolate chips. you can put the cake back in the oven to melt the chips (I use about a bag and a half). Spread with a butter knife, and allow to chocolate to harden, and cut in squares.
Dont even bother making this unless you want to use an entire gallon of milk lol
enjoy

OMG Brenda. Rick is going to LOOOOVE you. I'm going to make this for him tomorrow. Thank you!

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"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God? " ~Epicurus