This post contains affiliate links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for using my links to help support Pennies Into Pearls.
Nah! I don’t need a few extra hundred dollars this month. I am SO loaded that I really don’t care about those hundreds of dollars that could be sitting in my bank account right now!
Yeah right! Are you kidding me!?! I don’t know a single person, poor or well off, that would EVER say this!
Even if I could save just $100 a month I would totally do whatever it took. Wouldn’t you? Do you want to know why? Because that is $1,200 a year my friend! Talk about cutting expenses!
How Much Could I Really Save?
That is exactly what monthly meal planning has done for our family! We used to spend close to $900 each month on food. Now we are down to less than $400 each month for our family of 5.
If you combine that savings over a one year period, that’s around $6,000 we are saving each year! Simply by sticking to a meal plan!
YOU can totally do this too! Most families in the USA spend more that $900 a month on food. How much money could you be saving?
How Can I Start Meal Planning?
If you want more information on how to get started with weekly meal planning you can check out this article. Or if you are ready for the big guns and REALLY start cutting down your expenses, check out this article on how to start monthly meal planning.
Think about what you could do with that hard earned cash!
So every month over on my YouTube channel, (which you should totally subscribe to because it’s pretty fun over there) I give you guys a behind the scenes look at our monthly grocery haul.
Would you guys be interested in seeing exactly what we I put on our menu every month?
Are we Going to be Eating Boring Foods on Such a Small Budget?
I do like to mix it up a lot. I don’t repeat any meals within the month and I like to keep the cuisine types fresh and new. We aren’t eating mac and cheese every night, if you know what I mean.
Mexican, Italian, American, and maybe Mediterranean. I find ways to make delicious meals five times a week, all within our $400 monthly grocery budget! I can share the details with you guys if you would like?
Leave a comment below if that’s something that you would be interested in!
It’s More Than Just a Grocery Haul!
In each of my grocery haul videos on my YouTube channel, I do a lot more than just walk you through what we bought that day. We are better friends than that!
I LOVE to share with you price points that I look for while I’m doing my grocery shopping. One of the best things about shopping for a month’s supply of food, is that you can shop in bulk on more things, which usually gets you a really great price!
Within each video I also share my quick and easy tips with you to save even more money. I’m talking, saving MORE money then what you are already going to be saving by meal planning.
This month I am sharing with you my very favorite rebate app called Ibotta. You will have to watch the video to get more detail but the main reason it’s my favorite right now is because you can get rebates on off-brand items. So look for the product with the lowest price, and then get a rebate on top of that!
BONUS!!! If you sign up for Ibotta using my links here or by using the code: qybjrj you will get $10 instantly after you redeem your first rebate!
I just bought several new fall outfits using the money I have earned through using Ibotta! Seriously! Okay, I’ll do a video to prove it to you! Stay tuned for that!
October Grocery Haul
Without further adieu, here is a look at what our MONTHLY grocery shopping looks like! Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss out on the fun!
Copyright: <a href=’http://www.123rf.com/profile_maglara’>maglara / 123RF Stock Photo</a>
The LAST TIME You Will Ever Start a Budget!
Your FREE toolkit for creating a goal based budget to keep you motivated and start achieving a life you never thought possible!
Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party.
About Brittany Cooper
My name is Brittany and I am devoted to saving our family money in everything we do. Yes I do coupon but that is not the only frugal thing I do. I'm a bargain hunter, tester of all things DIY, trip planner, our family’s chef, and lover of all things chic. I may be obsessed with being frugal but I still love to add bits of beauty to our home. Decorating on pennies works, it just takes a little patience. I am a firm believer that with a bit of planning you can save your family a lot of money.
FAQs
On average, groceries cost between $290 and $548 per month for one person. However, expenses can vary depending on location, dietary choices and personal spending habits. If you don't budget for groceries and instead just buy what you need — and want — at intervals throughout the month, you could be overspending.
How can I maximize my grocery budget? ›
17 ways to save money on groceries
- Make a meal plan.
- Shop alone if you can.
- Shop during the quietest days of the week.
- Swap expensive cuts of meat for cheaper options.
- Buy generic products.
- Avoid buying hygiene products at the grocery store.
- Stick to the store's perimeter.
- Pay with a grocery rewards card.
How do I calculate my grocery budget? ›
If you're wondering how to create a monthly food budget, another tool to use is the 50/30/20 rule. This simple and intuitive grocery budget formula suggests that you spend your net (after-tax) monthly income this way: 50% for living essentials (e.g., groceries, housing, transportation, healthcare, etc.)
What is a good monthly grocery budget? ›
According to the USDA guidelines, you might spend $979 a month on a thrifty plan, $1,028 on a low-cost plan, $1,252 on a moderate-cost plan and $1,604 on a liberal plan. The USDA guidelines can provide a starting point for a food budget, but they don't consider all the variables that can affect cost.
What is the 50 30 20 rule? ›
The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.
Is $50 a week enough for groceries? ›
Planning out your meals so you use all of the ingredients, both raw and cooked, plus pantry staples and frozen goods means you can make a week's worth of dinners for around $50 in groceries.
What is the 6 to 1 grocery method? ›
The 6-to-1 grocery method entails buying six vegetables, five fruits, four proteins, three starches, two sauces or spreads and one treat. Continue to shop carefully while at the store to get the best deals. Flexibility with your purchases will be a key to making this method a success.
How much is a week of groceries for one person? ›
According to the most recent data released from the Household Pulse Survey, American households spend an average of $270 on groceries a week. Broken down by household size: One person - $156.02. Two people - $220.82.
Is Aldi's cheaper than Walmart? ›
Regardless, the prices don't lie. Aldi is considerably cheaper than Walmart in almost every instance (or they were about the same).
What is the average household grocery bill? ›
The average American household spends an average of $475.25 a month on groceries, according to the most recently available dataset from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2022. That's a total of $5,703 spent on groceries in a year.
According to a recent GOBankingRates article, average grocery costs range from $250 to $550 per person, per month.
How to make a grocery list on a budget? ›
- I pick recipes with ingredients that can be used for multiple meals (and in multiple ways). ...
- I prioritize what's on sale. ...
- Clip your digital coupons. ...
- I buy the cheapest store brand most of the time. ...
- I ask my kids to help me. ...
- I shop AT the grocery store, I am not THE grocery store.
Which country spends the least on food? ›
The US spends the least at 6.4%, Singapore spends the second lowest amount at 6.7%. Canada spends 9.1% on food, while Australia spends 9.8%. Nigeria spends over half of household income on food, and there are nine other countries that spend over 40% on food.
Is $100 a month for groceries enough? ›
To stick to a budget of $100 a month, or $25 a week, you'll have to eat for less than $4 each day. For breakfast, try a bowl of oatmeal with half a banana and a scrambled egg, which should cost less than a dollar. Get into the habit of repackaging ingredients from dinner for lunches the next day.
What counts as groceries in a budget? ›
The grocery budget includes anything you could find at a neighborhood grocery store. We're not talking Costco or Super Walmart where you can buy anything from dog food, to bed sets, to coffins, and lawnmowers. We're talking your standard, neighborhood grocery store.
How much should groceries be per month for 4? ›
In 2020, the average US household food expenditure amounted to $609.7 per month. In 2023 the average household spends between $1,047 to $1,576 on a groceries per month. Safe to say.
What is the average amount of money for groceries? ›
Average Cost of Groceries Per Month
The average household grocery cost per month is $475—which totals to $5,703 a year. And that number is likely to increase as overall food prices continue to go up. In fact, Americans spent 1.3% more on food at home (aka groceries) in December 2023 than they did in December 2022.
What is the average monthly expenses for a family of 4? ›
Average Expenses for a Family of Four
According to the most recent data, U.S. households that consist of four people spent an average of $8,640 per month in 2022. In 2021, the average four-person household spent $7749 per month. This works out to average annual expenditures of $101,514 in 2022, up from $92,989 in 2021.