I've heard a frugal general rule of budgeting $25 per person per week for groceries. Our monthly grocery budget is $500, but I can usually keep it closer to $400, even with the higher cost of organic foods, formula and diapers.
When I ran across this blog post from a mother of three teens who spends $300/month on groceries, I was intrigued. One of her suggestions was to make a price list for the groceries that you purchase most often.
So I began putting together a price list. Some of these prices I've kept in my head, but now that I've switched to organic milk and grass fed beef, I've started losing my confidence that I am getting a good deal.
Instead of sticking one price to each item, I wrote down "good, better and best." The "best" price is produce in it's peak season, baking goods at Christmas, free condiments (after coupons) around BBQ time, things like that. The "better" price is the best price I can get using coupons during a sale in the off-peak time and the "good" price is a decent sale price without a coupon.
My price list includes all of my kitchen staples: what I keep on hand in my pantry, fridge and freezer. I'm not going to share my whole list, partly because it's huge and you might make fun of me, but mostly because prices vary so much from region to region. But I will share a few things:
My main staples include the following "best" prices:
- whole grain bread ($2/loaf through my co-op)
- organic milk ($2.50/half gallon)
- hormone-free eggs ($1.50/dozen)
- natural chicken ($1.97/lb)
- ground turkey ($3/lb)
- grass fed ground beef ($3.99/lb)
- grass fed steak ($4.99/lb)
- wild Alaskan salmon ($8.99/lb)
- natural peanut butter ($.13/oz)
- unbleached flour ($1/5lb bag)
- whole wheat flour ($2.50/5lb bag)
- white sugar ($1.50/5lb bag)
- brown and powdered sugar ($1/bag)
- Nestle chocolate chips ($1/bag)
- oats ($.50/lb)
- dried beans ($1/lb)
- apples ($1/lb)
Some of the things I don't pay for (because they're available for free after sales and coupons) are:
- pasta
- bottled salad dressing
- bottled marinades
- mustard
- frozen vegetables (specifically Steamers)
- liquid hand soap
- toothpaste
- deodorant
- paper towels
- most cereals (can usually get for less than $.50/box, Kashi for $1/box)
- fresh pineapple (in season, it goes on sale for $1 and Del Monte often has coupons)
- bagged lettuce (same as pineapple - Dole and Fresh Express coupons make them free)
For those of you who belong to Costco or another warehouse club, don't be tricked into believing that their bulk-price is the best you can find. Especially if you shop the sales and clip coupons.
A few items that I buy at Costco (because they are priced ridiculously low*) are:
- pure vanilla extract ($3.50/16 oz)
- yeast ($3.24/2 lbs)
- baby formula ($16.49/36oz)
- natural peanut butter ($7.59/56 oz)
- raw, whole almonds ($9.69/3 lbs)
- bottles of water ($3.45/30 bottles)
- trash bags ($12.49/200 tall kitchen bags)
- pesto ($7.79/24? oz)
- feta cheese (can't remember, but it's cheap)
- hummus ($6/32 oz.)
- deli turkey slices ($3.85/lb)
- bananas ($.33/lb)
*Keep in mind, prices vary by region.
What are some of the price points where you live?
When I ran across this blog post from a mother of three teens who spends $300/month on groceries, I was intrigued. One of her suggestions was to make a price list for the groceries that you purchase most often.
So I began putting together a price list. Some of these prices I've kept in my head, but now that I've switched to organic milk and grass fed beef, I've started losing my confidence that I am getting a good deal.
Instead of sticking one price to each item, I wrote down "good, better and best." The "best" price is produce in it's peak season, baking goods at Christmas, free condiments (after coupons) around BBQ time, things like that. The "better" price is the best price I can get using coupons during a sale in the off-peak time and the "good" price is a decent sale price without a coupon.
My price list includes all of my kitchen staples: what I keep on hand in my pantry, fridge and freezer. I'm not going to share my whole list, partly because it's huge and you might make fun of me, but mostly because prices vary so much from region to region. But I will share a few things:
My main staples include the following "best" prices:
- whole grain bread ($2/loaf through my co-op)
- organic milk ($2.50/half gallon)
- hormone-free eggs ($1.50/dozen)
- natural chicken ($1.97/lb)
- ground turkey ($3/lb)
- grass fed ground beef ($3.99/lb)
- grass fed steak ($4.99/lb)
- wild Alaskan salmon ($8.99/lb)
- natural peanut butter ($.13/oz)
- unbleached flour ($1/5lb bag)
- whole wheat flour ($2.50/5lb bag)
- white sugar ($1.50/5lb bag)
- brown and powdered sugar ($1/bag)
- Nestle chocolate chips ($1/bag)
- oats ($.50/lb)
- dried beans ($1/lb)
- apples ($1/lb)
Some of the things I don't pay for (because they're available for free after sales and coupons) are:
- pasta
- bottled salad dressing
- bottled marinades
- mustard
- frozen vegetables (specifically Steamers)
- liquid hand soap
- toothpaste
- deodorant
- paper towels
- most cereals (can usually get for less than $.50/box, Kashi for $1/box)
- fresh pineapple (in season, it goes on sale for $1 and Del Monte often has coupons)
- bagged lettuce (same as pineapple - Dole and Fresh Express coupons make them free)
For those of you who belong to Costco or another warehouse club, don't be tricked into believing that their bulk-price is the best you can find. Especially if you shop the sales and clip coupons.
A few items that I buy at Costco (because they are priced ridiculously low*) are:
- pure vanilla extract ($3.50/16 oz)
- yeast ($3.24/2 lbs)
- baby formula ($16.49/36oz)
- natural peanut butter ($7.59/56 oz)
- raw, whole almonds ($9.69/3 lbs)
- bottles of water ($3.45/30 bottles)
- trash bags ($12.49/200 tall kitchen bags)
- pesto ($7.79/24? oz)
- feta cheese (can't remember, but it's cheap)
- hummus ($6/32 oz.)
- deli turkey slices ($3.85/lb)
- bananas ($.33/lb)
*Keep in mind, prices vary by region.
What are some of the price points where you live?
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4 comments:
Hmmm...I need to do this. Since Henry has been here I have been terrible about spending a LOT more at the Grocery store. I've get to get back to being organized with this.
I live in AL, milk -$3.50/half gallon whole wheat bread - $1.88. That is all I can think of off the top of my head.
Where on earth are you finding coupons to get organic milk for $2.50 around here?
Chandy - Shamrock organic milk comes in a 3/4 gallon container for $3.68 at Walmart ($3.99 at Sprouts) and half gallons of Horizon go on sale for $2.50 at Fry's. These prices are for a HALF gallon, not a whole gallon.
$1 bag for Nestle? Where can I find that coupon? I thought I was doing good at $1.49 on sale. :( Great list!
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