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Forum
-> Household Management
-> Finances
JRKmommy
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 Tue, Apr 24 2007, 12:26 am
Around $150-$200 Canadian (around $135 - $180 US) per week, for family of 5 plus nanny 5 days/week, and we usually have some guests for Shabbat. One kid is still in diapers, which we buy with the groceries.
I shop at a large discount grocery store (No Frills), and buy occasional items at an importer/wholesaler near me (FoodEx). It would add a few dollars if I only bought cholov yisroel. So far, one of my biggest money saving tricks is simply to do the shopping after 9 p.m. on a weeknight, when dh is home with the kids. With no kids, I can shop at No Frills instead of the more expensive but kid-friendly stores. I race around and do all my shopping in 20 minutes, so I stopped strolling around and thinking about things to buy. I'm also alone, so the kids aren't begging for treats as I shop. When I was on mat leave, grocery shopping was one of my major activities with the kids, and our grocery bills were considerably larger.
Otherwise - we used to be totally vegetarian, and even now, don't eat beef and only have chicken 2x/week. I try to buy fruits and veggies in season, or just get frozen. I know the best store brands to buy - like the 2 litres carton of President's Choice grape juice with a hechsher for only $2.99. It drives me bonkers if someone else does the groceries, and I notice expensive national brands and outrageous out-of-season produce, like $5/pint blueberries.
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bashinda
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Tue, Apr 24 2007, 9:11 am
| mirisimma wrote: | jba, whats your normal shopping trip look like, maybe if we knew what youre buying we can give you tips on what to cut.
my only general advice is: buy bulk, shop cosco and Kmart target etc, generic brands when possible, buy cases of mesat chicken and freeze, bake at home when possible. turkey is cheap. someone else posted similar question and there was thread with great money saving advice a few months ago |
buying wholesale is a little difficult when you need to rely on a friend to take you there. (no car!) but when it works it works great.
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amother
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Tue, Apr 24 2007, 9:20 am
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As an aside, chocolate moose, exactly where is Pigtown???
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chocolate moose
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Tue, Apr 24 2007, 9:46 am
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And you think I'm gng to respond to an anonyous Amothr because . . . .
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jba
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Tue, Apr 24 2007, 12:00 pm
now that I got all these responses I guess I am more or less right in the range. where we live now we have no kosher grocery. so unless I can get to bklyn I buy chicken and meat where I can (and it's more expensive). but I know that produce is much much more expensive, and we eat alot of fruits and veggies. I do try to cut corners but at the same time I hate to feel like I can't get what I need to cook with ex: olive oil and such.
how does one get a cosco membership? I thought you had to be part of a company?
thanks though!
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Mitzvahmom
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Tue, Apr 24 2007, 12:25 pm
There is something I learned about these warehouse memberships, while working in michigan..
YOu can share the membership cost with someone!
If you know of someone that wants membership, so you pay half and they pay the other half... it's quite amazing! Little tricks
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greenfire
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Tue, Apr 24 2007, 12:40 pm
| Mitzvahmom wrote: | There is something I learned about these warehouse memberships, while working in michigan..
YOu can share the membership cost with someone!
If you know of someone that wants membership, so you pay half and they pay the other half... it's quite amazing! Little tricks |
not allowed here ... they ask for ID
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amother
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Tue, Apr 24 2007, 12:43 pm
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If you share membership then you have to always be the one to go shopping and you could never send your husband. I like the fact that my husband can go to Costco for me to shlep the heavy stuff like water. Also, Wal-Mart is a lot cheaper for diapers. Costco is actually very expensive for things like diapes and formula.
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Mitzvahmom
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Tue, Apr 24 2007, 12:43 pm
No NO, you do not understand...
They give u two cards with two names right??
So one name is yours, the other name is someone else..
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GramaNewYork
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Tue, Apr 24 2007, 1:22 pm
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I think that JMto2 has the right idea because she prepares menus before she shops. Whenever I do that I spend so much less money because you know what you need and you don't have to buy stuff that you "might" need. It takes some discipline to do this, of course, because you have to take time to make up the menu and then stick to the menu more or less during the week. That can be tough sometimes if you're tired or out of time for a reason you didn't anticipate.
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greenfire
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Tue, Apr 24 2007, 1:27 pm
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another thought - where do you store it all ... not everyone has storage room for extras ... and also when you think you have a never ending supply ... sometimes you actually get stuck!!!
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amother
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Tue, Apr 24 2007, 3:18 pm
yikes - I am embarrased to see how out of control our groceries have become. I used to be very careful and track all expenses and was spending on average between $850 to $1,000 per month (depending on how much we at out that month). lately I see that it is adding up to closer to $2,000 and sometimes going over...OUCH!!
I am noticing it is a lot of the cholov yisroel milchigs yogurt, cheese, etc. and also the israeli nosh and ice creams. I think its the snacks and increase in ready to eat prepared stuff since ive been working longer hours, but im noticing we really have to tighten up since this can get out of control (I think it already has). I have never wanted to feel like we are scrimping on food, which is likely what it will feel like in the beginning as we have to scale back to some sense of control, but I think there is a huge difference between being practical and scrimping (trying to talk myself into this one folks).
oh - and I try to limit trips to costco as I buy lots of things we dont need.
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amother
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Wed, Apr 25 2007, 11:21 pm
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I don't understand how making a list helps. if you buy a little extra sugar then it doesn't go to waste you just use it for the next week. I have to always have one extra in my house so in case I decide to make something in the spur of the moment then I will have all of the ingredients.
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queen
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Wed, Apr 25 2007, 11:51 pm
| amother wrote: | | I don't understand how making a list helps. |
This just helps you be more focused in the store... and makes sure you have what you need- eliminating last minute reruns to the store. Each time you go back into the store you'll end up spending more than you wanted to due to impulse buying.
Making a menu is not to make sure you have sugar or flour in your house but rather main ingredients which you don't always stock or might be running low on.
It's just a way to be more organized.
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queen
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Wed, Apr 25 2007, 11:52 pm
| amother wrote: | | yikes - I am embarrased to see how out of control our groceries have become. I used to be very careful and track all expenses and was spending on average between $850 to $1,000 per month (depending on how much we at out that month). lately I see that it is adding up to closer to $2,000 and sometimes going over...OUCH!! |
I'm losing sleep over this=====
How many kids are in your family??????
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amother
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Thu, Apr 26 2007, 12:00 am
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queen - 3 kids + a babysitter......tell me its not that bad - youre making me feel like I spend way more than normal (which I admit I spend more, but I feel like its not TONS more than if I was more careful)
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queen
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Thu, Apr 26 2007, 12:06 am
| amother wrote: | | queen - 3 kids + a babysitter......tell me its not that bad - youre making me feel like I spend way more than normal (which I admit I spend more, but I feel like its not TONS more than if I was more careful) |
well you're spending $500 a week (plus....) on groceries.
That does seem like a lot of money for the amount of people you're feeding.
Am I the only one who feels like that?
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amother
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Thu, Apr 26 2007, 12:17 am
hm, even if that includes making shabbos? ? other than the nosh and ice cream, im not sure what we could easily cut out, and cutting just that wouldnt be that much I dont think.
evey month I say im going to be more careful, and then the next month's bills come, and I see that if I did better it wasnt by much
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queen
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Thu, Apr 26 2007, 12:19 am
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you have to sit down and try and break up that 500/week to see where it is going, bec. Yes, it does seem alikt lot for a family of your size.
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