According to the Government-How much should you be spending on groceries?
A friend posted this information at one of my favorite places on the web- Frugal Families. This is a paid member site that I visit daily to get advice, tips, and good counsel on all things frugal. The membership is only $10 per year; what a bargain! But I digress. . . .
According to the US Government, the average cost of food rose 4.8% last year. Other studies I've seen indicate that prices went up more than 10%. I know that many items, especially dairy foods, went up much more than that. Eggs almost doubled in price and milk is to be treated like gold at our house. The good news is that the goverment says even though prices are going up it is possible to eat a healthy, balanced diet even at the poverty level. Really? Poverty level people can eat a healthy diet?
The government has four levels of spending plans for individuals and families. The categories are: The Thrifty Plan, the Low-Cost Plan, the Moderate Cost Plan, and the Liberal Plan. My family of 6 on the Liberal Plan would spend $1,333 per month on food! Holy Cow Batman! That's as much as my mortgage payment! I would say that is very liberal and it doesn't include any other items besides food- no toilet paper, laundry detergent, etc.
At the other end of the spectrum my family on the Thrifty Plan would be expected to spend $763.60. While that is much lower than the Liberal Plan, it is still much higher than what I expect a family on a low-budget to spend on groceries.
My goal every month is to keep the entire budget (including all non-food items) at $400 or less. Some months I spend more, and some months like this one, I will spend less. If I spent $763.60 per month I'm not sure where I would put all the food. I might be forced to eat filet mignon or crab legs weekly.
I'm really not sure how I feel about this government analysis. I am floored that families spend so much on groceries but I have to remember that many people are not really following a budget, have no idea where their money goes, and are in debt up to their eyeballs. I have to also remember that prices are different across the country and many families face dietary restrictions due to health and allegeries.
So, what plan would your family fall under? Check out the table here.
If you would like, please leave a comment about how much your family should be spending according to the US government and how much you are really spending. I am very curious to see if the readers of my blog fit the "standard" or are much more frugal with their grocery spending.
Also, how do you feel about the governments numbers? Are they in touch with reality or far off from reality like usual?
32 frugal friends said:
Do they really believe this is what we should be spending? Where do they live? "Planet Money" LOL! I have a family of 6 (DH, self, 10 yr old, 8 yr old, 5 yr old and 2 yr old) They say our spending should be:$679 for Thrifty ; $1187 for Moderate ; and $1445 for liberal. Good Grief! I spend less than $400 per month and that includes cleaning, personal, and paper products. Wow is all I can say! Our government sure is into over spending, arent' they?
~Juile
My comment would be this to our government if the Thrifty plan says the average household spends about $500 or $700 on groceries perhaps they would like to do another study to figure that if families spend this on groceries and a fair amount on housing, medical etc, perhaps then they would realize why all of america is in debt ! Wages do not equal the totals added.
I didn't do all the math, but it looks like for our family of nine we should spend between $1000 - $2200/ month on food? If only.
Our budget for 2008 is $400 for all household/grocery. We are feeding the rest of our money to our big van, I guess.
Are they counting meals out? They must be. We only eat out about once a month, but I imagine that some families eat out several times a week.
I think we all need a big raise this year. The standard of living went up way higher than in the past.
MAN! Well, seeing how my DH works for the State and our governor ran on the law enforcement ticket to get into office... HOWEVER hasn't given my Dh a raise, how are we suppose to afford those prices!!! He hasn't even gotten the 3% cost of living for 2007 and has already been told he won't get one for 2008! Food prices rise and pay checks don't, YET we are suppose to go out and SPEND out stimulus check to help out retailers!!! MY GOSH MAN!!! Don't even get me started on the gas money it takes for my DH to get to work!!! Ut-oh, I feel my BP rising, let me step down from my soap box and start over......No, my family can not spend $561 a month for the Thrifty plan to feed a family of 4. My 3 and 7 year olds do not eat that much anyway. Some of those plans are more than my dh pay check, after taxes of course.
I have seen the price of groceries go up about 25% here in So FL. For example my son drinks organic apple juice and I use to get it at BJ's 2/$3.99, well the other day I went and nearly fell over.It was 2/$5.50 and I had a $1 off coupons. But that wasn't the only thing or only store. I went to Super Walmart and Super Target and saw the same thing happen. Alot of items went up between .25-1.25. We are a family of 3 and I use to spend anywhere from $250-300 a month (for everything-food-note I buy organic milk and juice and few other items so it costs a little more, household, pets) depending on if I need to stock up on something if it is on sale. But now I am having a hard time doing that, even with BOGO, coupons, rebates etc. I can't afford to spend more then we already are spending b/c my mortage has gone through the roof thanks to Ms. Hurricane Wilma and the homeowners insurance being crazy. We are paying 3x's the amount for our home then when we purchased it over 15 years ago. I don't know if anyone else is the same as us. I'd like to know.
Deb
For my family of 3 (DH, me & 2 yr old), they say our spending should be $824 for Liberal and $424 for Thrifty. Right now, my goal is to spend $75/week or about $400/mo on groceries and household items. With me staying home, there is no way we could afford $824/mo. on groceries. However, if I hadn't quit my job we could have, and probably would have, b/c I wouldn't have paid attention, shopped sales or use coupons like I am learning to do now. These numbers are probably fairly realistic (maybe not for "should be" spending but "are" spending) for those who don't take the time to plan and shop smart...which is easy to do if you aren't naturally inclined to be frugal, don't have time to shop around, and don't make saving $ on such things a priority. I used to be one of those people, and continue to kick myself for all of the $ I could have saved had I paid attention more.
Well, according to this site, my family of 6 (children 8,7,6 and 3) should be spending $177/week. We spend about $50/week! How is it even possible for people to spend that much if they are in the poverty level. Makes NO SENSE!!
I think government numbers are a bunch of hogwash. I remember in jr. high (and it infuriates me to this day) learning about 'the cost of a child'. Now, I know, the goal was to get kids to realize that babies cost money and that they shouldn't have babies as babies themselves. HOWEVER, the costs were staggering and foolish. That was if you bought ALL name brand clothes, ALL the time. If you bought formula instead of breastmilk, yada yada yada. Kids soak these things up because they don't know any better.
THEN, what we have on our hands are a bunch of 40 year old women scared to have a kid because it means them going to the poorhouse to do so! ACK!
Can you tell this BUGS me?!?!? ;-)
A dear friend of mine was in a situation a few years ago where she became a single mom to 2 children ages 1 and 4--according to the plan "Thrifty" would be around $300 a month. She was not technically on welfare, but she received $10.00 more than what she would have (from welfare) had she not been getting money from her ex-husband.
Basically she was living at the level of a welfare recipient with 2 children and she did get food stamps for her family. They gave her nearly $450 a month! She remarried two years later and when she met her second husband she still had over $1000 in food stamps she had not yet used! She said they simply could not eat that much!
For the first time in her life she was buying name brand steaks and boxed name brand cereals. She told me her budget when she was married to her first husband was for $200 a month total. Now she found herself single, with two little kids and twice as much "food" money.
She said she felt more "poor" when she was married to a person serving in the military than when she was living off the govt. assistance
I get $573/month disability and $11/month food stamps. If the gov thinks we need money to eat, it would be nice if they helped us wimpy people out a little more. I miss having the body required to have my own organic farm! Those were the yummy years :-) Now I really can't afford food, let alone organic food for a whole month.
She said she felt more "poor" when she was married to a person serving in the military than when she was living off the govt. assistance
I can see this considering how little our military is actually paid. (Coming from a military wife)
We spend about $500 a month for a family of 6 (5 right now). If we go hog wild and eat out lots, it can be about $600 a month. I didn't look at the chart, but I know we're WAY below average.
If that's their thrifty plan, it's no wonder the government has never balanced a budget.
On the thrifty plan they say we should spend 733.60. On the liberal plan we should spend 1446.10. My actual grocery envelope contains $800 every month and includes anything I get at the grocery store; cleaners, paper products, detergents, deodorant, razors and other personal care items. I actually feel like I have allowed myself a fairly liberal budget, too.
We had friends that didn't heed the 'get out of debt' warnings and had to go to required 'budget counseling' when they finally went bankrupt. They were told their grocery budget was not out of whack which struck me as odd. After I see these federal numbers I realize that is what these 'counselors' must have been comparing it to. What a crock!!!
For my husband and I, they say we should spend more than $70/week on the thrifty plan. I spend about $50/week and consider that a luxury plan, we have PLENTY of food and eat a lot of meat, etc. I imagine the numbers are inflated to allow for a lot of packaged items and prepared foods, which we don't eat. I wish the govt would do a better job at educating people about buying food and preparing healthy meals - I sometimes cringe at what I see others buying in the grocery store! And then I immediately pray that God would forgive my judgmental attitude...
Wow, according to this, on the "Thrifty" Plan, DH and I would be spending $335 a month on groceries. Instead, we spend $250 a month on all groceries, toiletries, household cleaning items, and some misc. Hmmm... I concur with the idea that the government isn't too thrifty. I kind of wish we had the available disposable income on the liberal plan, I could think of lots to do with that extra money. ;o)
For our family of five, the Thrifty Plan would be $706 per month. We spend around $400-500 per month, including eating out, toiletries, paper goods and cleaning supplies. We tend to eat meat-focused meals at least twice a week, so we are not living on the beans-n-rice, rice-n-beans plan either. Even in December, when we hosted my parents and a family of friends for Christmas, our cost for groceries was around $600. (*And* I fixed a prime rib for Christmas dinner.)
Tonight we are having Asian Honey Chicken, stir fry vegetables, brown rice and salad. We had eggs and toast for breakfast and leftovers/sandwiches for lunch. I would really like to see the process by which they get these numbers. Who are they talking to?
Wow, those numbers are fascinating. But, they seem so high! For our household of 7, on the thrifty plan, we should spend $835.70. Our goal is $550. This includes our cowshares of $88/month. We try to eat within our means, but to spend as much money as we can on healthy food due to health issues, etc.
We have three kids ages 5,7, and 9 and according to this we should spend $151.20 per week for the thrifty plan. I aim for about $65 per week and we are not going hungry! Of course we aren't eating much processed food, either, and I think that's where you can get snagged. Breakfast cereal alone full priced can run close to $5 per box in our area.
I just read all these posts and WOW! It sounds to me like we need to send this to our government leaders! They sure could learn a thing or two! I'm sure we all think we are doing pretty well and are managing to take care of our families at the same time. However according to the gov't we aren't spending enough and sound like we are in poverty. I tell ya, I've learned so much from Angie's blog and all the readers that post comments! I've never saved so much money on groceries before!
Humm...I think we need a stay at home mom with couponing expierence on the budget committee!
Oh good grief. That's ridiculous. I have half a a mind to call up that guy on the press release and ask him how in the world they got those numbers.
My husband and I would be spending $330/month on their thrifty plan. Liberal plan: $650. We're at less than $200, usually.
I don't understand how they're calculating their prices. Makes no sense.
I just quickly looked at our 'grocery' numbers on Quicken for last year and it came out to roughly $700 a month, but that includes pet foods and we run a rescue. So I think that we, as a family of four, are way below what the 'government' says in any way, shape or form.
According to the chart we would spend approx $400 a month on the thrifty plan for our family of 3. Before coupons and cvs, I did spend 400 a month. It was actually a struggle to stay under that. My $400 did include diapers and cleanning supplies, and other house hold needs. But most people I have ever talked to about this always spent way more than I do. So it is most likley very accurate.
Since coupons and learning how to shop wiser I no longer spend more than $50 a week, and I spend that so we can be comfortable. I could make it lower, but don't feel the need yet.
What a thought provoker! Our household was (I think) $563 per month for thrifty. With my work in the past three months, we are down to that including household products and school lunches. It inspires me to get it down to where that includes any eating out too. Wow, wouldn't I love to be able to afford their liberal!
This family of two + a baby is spending way less than even the thrifty plan. The numbers aren't accurate for us.
I think what you spend on groceries may depend a lot on the age of your kids too. We are a family of six and we spend on average $800 a month. That is everything with 2 dogs included. But I also have teenagers and teenager friends hanging out at my house. I would rather have a higher food bill and the kids be at my house. Not to mention milk is out of this world. We do buy some convenient foods, but our schedule is crazy busy and it is cheaper than eating out!
Are they kidding? Some families I know don't even make $700 a month. Seriously. They supplement with WIC and such and that helps but still, those numbers are rediculous.
I've been feeding my family of 5 (two adults, 2 teens, 1 toddler and 2 cats) for about $400 a month for the last six months and we eat very healthy meals.
Good gracious! This is insane! On the "thrifty" plan, we should be spending a little over $132/week! I spend half that on a BAD week! My sister, who's husband is a sheriff's deputy, has had to cut their grocery bill to $35/week. They have a 10 month old and she's expecting again. I'm not sure where the government gets their info from.. except that the only way I can figure it is that they're calculating 2 person family incomes?
WOW - I'm mildly surprised by this, but then I don't think of charts like this as being what people "should" spend (as in going out and purposely spending this much) but more as something to tell people this should be a goal to hit - in other words, they should analyze what they are spending and go DOWN to numbers like this. Even that thought is scary, frankly. LOL
I added up our numbers - they don't have anything on their for infants, presumably because they assume breastfeeding, or because they didn't want to do ages in months. I counted my son (on formula and in diapers) at the one year old cost, and the rest of the family at the applicable costs: came up with $506.20 for the thrifty plan and $988.40 for the liberal plan. WOW. The $506 is close to, tho still higher than, what we spend a month including diapers, ready-to-feed formula (which is the high end on that cost and rarely has good sales or any coupons other than the occasional $5 Similac check), health/beauty aids and pet food - we run about $400 or so. If I take out those items then I'm looking more at about $75 a pay period, or $150 a month for groceries, not counting formula.
WOW. No wonder cashiers are so shocked when I hand them a big pile of coupons and then they see our final total - and foot-long receipt. :-)
Wow.
We're a family of four, but I didn't include the baby in my calculation. According to the site, with the thrify plan, it should cost $394.40 (again, I left out the baby, to fairly include him I guess I could bump it up to an even $400). I spend between $200 and $250 a month! I think I'd have to actually try if I were going to spend $400 a month on just food!
We are a family of 3, and my son is 2 1/2. We spend $300 cash on all household stuff every month. That includes everything--diapers, wipes, all cleaning supplies, paper goods, all food, and even some candles, pretty things for the house, dishes or Tupperware from time to time. We shop Sam's Club, Aldi, our local health food store and sometimes Walmart. I don't have time to coupon, plus mostly we try to eat as organic as possible. I do garden and can as much as I am able, and I'm sure that helps. We just don't eat out much.
We have 7 children. The liberal plan is over $2000 a MONTH! The "thrifty plan" is over $1000. In January, I spent $690 for everything (including two children in disposable diapers, birthday presents, and all household spending.) This month I am going to up it to $800 a month. I think we eat fairly luxuriously! We have fresh fruit every day. We eat boxed cereal with fresh milk. I cook with olive oil and butter. I select every day which kind of meat to prepare - chicken? fish? beef? The only limitation is what *I* feel like cooking!
Someone else bakes our bread, and slices it. Someone else prepares our yogurt, and packages it. Someone else grows our vegetables and freezes it for our convenience.
I think it's a matter of perspective. Most of the world would agree we are very rich and eat like kings!
Ok I want to know where you guys shop if you are eating healthy. Fruit around here is expensive and so is meat if you want the healthy no hormone stuff. For example Blueberries are $4.00 for maybe a cup. (I've measured them.) The only thing that is cheap are bananas. They are 89c/lb. Apples are even high. I don't have gas money to drive around to all the different grocery stores I would spend my savings on gas. So I do go where I get a discount card plus if I spend $100 I get 10c off in gas at the store. There are 6 in my family. Mostly boys and they are hungry all the time. Plus if I try to fill them up with healthy pasta it's even $2.00 a box and we go through a whole box. Maybe we need to ask the government Senators/Gov for an itemized list of their spending just like the schools systems have to provide. I'm sick of paying for state employees lunches. I know this because I used to work for the state and certain one's get their "lunch" paid for. Don't know if this would help but maybe my taxes wouldn't go up every year like they have.
Well, According to the Liberal Plan my family of 7 should be spending about $1722 a month. I can honestly say that until about a month ago I spent every dime of that and then some on food alone. I had it to spend and just didn't take the time to find good deals or use coupons, and that didn't include us eating out several times a week. According to the Frugal Plan my family should be spending $1001 a month. Well last month I started couponing, watching sales, and stockpiling. In the month of August I spent about $800 on all of our groceries, laundry, cleaning, HBA, etc.. After only 1 month I have seen over $1000 in savings, I think it's all about the way you think. Until recently, I had so I spent it. Now I have it, and I want to keep it! Most Americans like the ease of shopping without restrictions, and very few have a budget that they follow and most are up to their eyeballs in debt.. I have no debt, well except the cars and the house, and I plan on putting my extra saving in groceries towards the principal of my home.
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