Every month, Sluggy asks on her blog, "How much did you spend on groceries this month?" or some such question that I can never answer. This month, I will know, dadgummit. I saved every receipt for everything and now only need to add it up. Since I cannot change focus and adjust to the light well, because of cataracts, I will have to go through and write all the figures down on paper first. This will be an ordeal! I will make several categories--groceries, eating out, other stuff like shampoo/cleaning supplies. What other categories?
I have to say her questions nag at me. I have "known" her since 2007, but I have no idea how long she has asked this same question. So, I will settle this once and for all. Oh, one category has to be stocking up. I bought 8 8-ounce -packages of Kraft cheese, so it should go in the total, but a notation made as to the fact it is not for eating now. Or, should I not do that? Nope, then I will be eating it but not including it in the next month's budgets. I don't know.
The other annoying thing she does is make a menu each week and ask what our week's menu will be. For me, I have cooked chicken or turkey, my sweet potatoes, fresh vegetables and fruits. Plus, I will cook up a big pot of beans, two dozen sweet potatoes so I will not have too cook often. I doubt I will ever have a menu for a week. The way I cook and plan works for me. Exbf is only here one day each week and he does not mind taking huge portions home and eating those same food for another three days during the week. He is the only person that is in this leftover eating.
Go on over and read her methods for saving money and eating well. As for you, Dana, that is if you really want to. I think she thinks I am bossy, telling her where to go.
Your turn
Do you know exactly how much you spent on groceries each week and month?
Well since I nag at you....lolz.....if you are going to continue to track your spending on food/toiletries every month, just include everything you bought this month as spending for this month, even if you won't eat something until the following months.
ReplyDeleteIt will all even out that way.
But if you want to see how much of what you buy per month actually gets used in that month, then break the spending down into "consumed in Jan." and "not consumed in Jan.".
Have fun!!! lolz
Ooops, lol, You weren't supposed to be listening. I will have to see how I do that. Every month I feel like I need to figure this out. I will probably continue to track the amount I spend now that I have figured out how to keep up with the receipts.
DeleteThe nagging is probably going on more in my head than from you.
Your questions nag at me, not you.
DeleteI've asked this question before too, so I'm super curious to see your results :)
ReplyDeleteI don't break down the #s that specifically, but I give myself a grocery/eating out/household/personal care allowance (either cash or debit card/manually deducting from my budget every day so I always know what I have left). I average about $100/every 2 weeks, $200/month. I sometimes have to pull from categories I have leftover cash in, but I think I'm doing pretty well.
tlc,
DeleteI would imagine that $200 is about right for me or less. I think I have a solution to absolutely keep it at that or less. One week, I think I only bought milk because of specials I found the week before. The last week, I bought very little because I had very little money.
Linda,
ReplyDeleteSeveral months back Denise also inspired me to track our food expenses. I am nowhere near disciplined enough to track all of our expenditures as she is able to do.
I tracked 4 months and when I made adjustments for Thanksgiving and Christmas (we hosted 6 extra people for 4 days during both holidays) I discovered that we spent right around $500. I think that I can do better and will attempt to track this month too. I did not track wine, pet food or cleaning supplies in my total. Half of the months we were a family of three but now we are only 2 (until Frank returns in April or May)
Here is how I kept track. I am a list maker. I carry a steno pad in my purse almost all the time. I keep a running grocery list in it and I simply turned the pad over and began my food list on the back pages. Here in California we do not pay tax on food so as I put food items on the belt I group all the food first then place one of those dividers on the belt and ask for a subtotal. I then enter this number in my steno pad and when the transaction is completed I just tuck the receipt in an envelope in my purse. This way I already have my amounts written down without having to go through each receipt and add the food items up. If I need to refer back to a receipt I have it and if I don't need it I just set the whole envelope aside for a few weeks until I am certain that I won't need it. I tracked my total each week....that way I knew where I stood budget wise. This system is easy and worked for me.
Janet,
DeleteWe do pay tax, 9%, for food in my town in Alabama. I probably SHOULD carry a pad. That is interesting about asking for a subtotal before they ring up non-food items.
Tonight, I spent $35. It was $40 until I found two mistakes to the tune of almost $5. I am trying to see if I can live on $100/month. I probably already know this won't happen, but I can try.
Thanks for sharing this.
Dividing everything into categories got waaayy to tedious for me so I started just having 1 lump sum for all non bills. Bills, medical, fuel and business expenses are not included. All food, household, entertainment, pets, misc go into this pile.
ReplyDeletePatti,
DeleteThe more I think about it, the more tedious all those categories seem. Thanks for the thought.