Comments on: How Much Are You Spending For Groceries? http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/ About finding balance in your life, connecting with who you are, and creating a lifestyle where you wake up each morning eagerly anticipating the day ahead. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:29:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Pam http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-29354 Pam http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-29354 This website is full of interesting info. It's great to know there are normal people out there. I live in San Diego and the mindset here is way beyond extremely different than the comments I am reading here. Thanks for the great recipes and tips. I'm always looking for ways to cut spending, but at the same time enjoy life. This website is full of interesting info. It’s great to know there are normal people out there. I live in San Diego and the mindset here is way beyond extremely different than the comments I am reading here. Thanks for the great recipes and tips. I’m always looking for ways to cut spending, but at the same time enjoy life.

]]> By: Ali http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-18381 Ali http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-18381 This is a great chart! My husband and I fall in the thrifty category. Pretty good considering we eat a lot of meats and fresh veggies (shopping around the perimeter of the store). Healthy food is never the cheapest option but we can make it work. This is a great chart! My husband and I fall in the thrifty category. Pretty good considering we eat a lot of meats and fresh veggies (shopping around the perimeter of the store). Healthy food is never the cheapest option but we can make it work.

]]> By: Trish http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-17035 Trish http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-17035 Thanks for this. We have been living pretty tight as a few here seem to be as well. It was good to have a dollar amount to work on. This is generous in the amounts given. Our tally for the family of 5 was $208.30. Which is about what I spend. Thank you for your useful guide. Thanks for this. We have been living pretty tight as a few here seem to be as well. It was good to have a dollar amount to work on. This is generous in the amounts given. Our tally for the family of 5 was $208.30. Which is about what I spend. Thank you for your useful guide.

]]> By: Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-4923 Shirley http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-4923 Christina, the information comes from the <a href="http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/USDAFoodCost-Home.htm" rel="nofollow">USDA</a>. I have just posted a <a href="http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries-now/" rel="nofollow">new chart</a> with adjusted prices for the month of November 2008. Christina, the information comes from the USDA. I have just posted a new chart with adjusted prices for the month of November 2008.

]]> By: Christina Turpin http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-4874 Christina Turpin http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-4874 I would like to know where you were able to get these facts on the national average for grocery spending, I would like to research more info on this subject. Can you point me in the right direction, please? Thanks I would like to know where you were able to get these facts on the national average for grocery spending, I would like to research more info on this subject. Can you point me in the right direction, please? Thanks

]]> By: sealander2008 http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-4497 sealander2008 http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-4497 Wow, I converted the table into New Zealand dollars, and our household of 4 barely spends half the thrifty budget, even if I include one restaurant visit a week. And food is more expensive here than the US...gotta wonder just what that hypothetical budget is being spent on? Looks like I can shop at the farmer's market and buy grass-fed beef and lamb (actually you can't buy any other sort here) on half the budget needed to feed an American family. Wow, I converted the table into New Zealand dollars, and our household of 4 barely spends half the thrifty budget, even if I include one restaurant visit a week. And food is more expensive here than the US…gotta wonder just what that hypothetical budget is being spent on? Looks like I can shop at the farmer’s market and buy grass-fed beef and lamb (actually you can’t buy any other sort here) on half the budget needed to feed an American family.

]]> By: Nicki http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-4430 Nicki http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-4430 Wow...I am spending too much. My husband has a special diet and needs to have a lot of fruits and veggies. They are pretty expensive here lately, even in season. I shop at a local farmers market when I can, but they are not that much cheaper and have a limited selection. Any suggestions? Wow…I am spending too much.

My husband has a special diet and needs to have a lot of fruits and veggies. They are pretty expensive here lately, even in season. I shop at a local farmers market when I can, but they are not that much cheaper and have a limited selection. Any suggestions?

]]> By: Mrs. B http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-3813 Mrs. B http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-3813 I make almost everything from scratch (including condiments). I shop a produce co-op for fresh fruits, and dry goods co-op for grains and beans, we grow a vegetable garden, and we raise rabbits & chickens and my husband and sons generally harvest two deer per year. But even with all that, I still have to purchase dairy products, cooking oils, spices, etc. I spend around $55.00 per week for a family of 5. If we didn't do the above, according to the thrifty plan I'd spend $173.00 per week! Thanks for this providing this comparison, It's helped remind me that all the work we do is worth it. I make almost everything from scratch (including condiments). I shop a produce co-op for fresh fruits, and dry goods co-op for grains and beans, we grow a vegetable garden, and we raise rabbits & chickens and my husband and sons generally harvest two deer per year. But even with all that, I still have to purchase dairy products, cooking oils, spices, etc. I spend around $55.00 per week for a family of 5. If we didn’t do the above, according to the thrifty plan I’d spend $173.00 per week! Thanks for this providing this comparison, It’s helped remind me that all the work we do is worth it.

]]> By: Linda http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-3205 Linda http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-3205 Hi Shirley! :) Thanks for your reply! As to answer your questions.... groceries are pretty much dirt-cheap here in the Netherlands. Which is strange, because we're doing 'pretty well', according to European standards. We're one of the wealthiest countries on earth, with the MINIMUM income for one person being about $1800. I hear the Dutchies always complaining when food prices go up, but really.. we have nothing to complain about. I've recently been to Italy and Ireland, and noticed the prices were MUCH higher there, and the national income was lower than ours.. Now, as for the examples you mentioned.. let me give you the price of a few staples, so you can compare: (I'm giving you the cheapest option, no name-brands, ok?) flour - 1kg - $0,70 milk - 1 quart - $0,90 rice - 1 kg - $0,70 dried beans - 1 kg - $1,50 cheese - 1 kg - $7,00 (real cheese though, not that melted-with-milk-and-salt-added kinda gunk) eggs - a dozen - $1,50 chicken - 1 kg - $5,00 beef - 1 kg (for stew) - $8,00 cheap coke - 1 1/2 quart - $0,50 coca cola - 1 1/2 quart - $2,00 bananas - 1 kg - $2,00 apples - 1 kg - $1,50 Well, that's about it I guess.... I have no idea how these compare to prices in the US.. one thing I know though.. is that whenever you guys complain about the gas price, think of us.. we're paying over 10 bucks a gallon! (mostly taxes, of course) ;) greetings from the netherlands! Hi Shirley! :)

Thanks for your reply! As to answer your questions…. groceries are pretty much dirt-cheap here in the Netherlands. Which is strange, because we’re doing ‘pretty well’, according to European standards. We’re one of the wealthiest countries on earth, with the MINIMUM income for one person being about $1800. I hear the Dutchies always complaining when food prices go up, but really.. we have nothing to complain about. I’ve recently been to Italy and Ireland, and noticed the prices were MUCH higher there, and the national income was lower than ours.. Now, as for the examples you mentioned.. let me give you the price of a few staples, so you can compare:

(I’m giving you the cheapest option, no name-brands, ok?)

flour – 1kg – $0,70
milk – 1 quart – $0,90
rice – 1 kg – $0,70
dried beans – 1 kg – $1,50
cheese – 1 kg – $7,00 (real cheese though, not that melted-with-milk-and-salt-added kinda gunk)
eggs – a dozen – $1,50
chicken – 1 kg – $5,00
beef – 1 kg (for stew) – $8,00
cheap coke – 1 1/2 quart – $0,50
coca cola – 1 1/2 quart – $2,00
bananas – 1 kg – $2,00
apples – 1 kg – $1,50

Well, that’s about it I guess…. I have no idea how these compare to prices in the US.. one thing I know though.. is that whenever you guys complain about the gas price, think of us.. we’re paying over 10 bucks a gallon! (mostly taxes, of course) ;)

greetings from the netherlands!

]]> By: Kelly http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-3191 Kelly http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/how-much-are-you-spending-for-groceries/#comment-3191 Well yes and no on it being high, it depends on how you cook and what you have avalible to cook. I had a penpal when I was in highschool who lived in innercity New York and the only place to by groceries with in a reasonible distance was one of two convenace stores, and her and her Mom where paying $3 for a half gallon of milk $1 for a can of instant soup and $1.50 for a loaf of white bread (and this was in the late-90s). So when calculating these figures (that they use to calulate food stamps and welfare) they had to take situations like that into account. Just saying... Well yes and no on it being high, it depends on how you cook and what you have avalible to cook. I had a penpal when I was in highschool who lived in innercity New York and the only place to by groceries with in a reasonible distance was one of two convenace stores, and her and her Mom where paying $3 for a half gallon of milk $1 for a can of instant soup and $1.50 for a loaf of white bread (and this was in the late-90s). So when calculating these figures (that they use to calulate food stamps and welfare) they had to take situations like that into account.

Just saying…

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