SoupNazi2001 said:

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YouBet said:

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Tumble Weed said:

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My expenses haven't changed. Don't know how everyone is saving money now?

Doesn't matter if there are 4 horsemen bearing down on us and I am viewing the armies below Tel Megiddo, my wife can still find a way to spend it all.

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For us it's restaurants. We spent a sh^t load of money per month eating out. We are DINKs so it was major easy button spend for us.

I'm on pace for $160 this month to restaurants. That's normally pushing $2k which I realize is a ridiculous number regardless of your situation.

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$2K on restaurants for 2 people! Eating at Bob's every meal.

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Actually, $1K of that was alcohol between wine and margaritas (actually it's more like 60-40 alcohol to food). And it's almost solely spent at the same 3-4 restaurants right around our house which are all mid level restaurants - IOW no Bob's type places.

The irony in all of this is that my wife is a total badass in the kitchen. Her true calling is cooking and I've eaten well during quarantine. So, we've spent stupid money at restaurants all the while I'm harboring a Top Chef in the house and I knew this going into WFH. It will be hard to go back to pre-COVID, personally. I'm spoiled when it comes to home cooked meals.

up 20% over Feb bill....we took a vacation for Spring Break, only to have skiing cancelled when we got there. Had access to a remote house in the mountains for a week, so stayed in hiding there for a bit, bought groceries and kept the rental car for a few extra days. Got home and seem to be buying tons of food at HEB. Had to buy some furniture so everyone has a desk to work on, and we seem to be catching up on buying random things for DIY projects around the house. So not a typical month and I suspect we will be 20%-30% less for April, maybe 50% as we are halfway through the month and 50% is about where we are. Strange times.

IrishTxAggie said:

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The number of people I know that are in their 30s and 40s that don't know how to cook might shock some.

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I would love to see a study of people that lived in dorms (meal plans) for four years versus people that lived off campus, and how many don't know how to cook vs. do.

I still have 90 miles left on a tank of gas I bought almost a month ago.

cbr said:

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not to mentoin frontier regularly rips me off. I checked and their ****ing rates went up to 23c/kwh without notifying me.

I changed providers today, hopefully that will help. still dont know how we could be using that much power.

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Yeah, that is almost certainly the biggest driver in all this. Your usage is not crazy enough to warrant those bills. Your cost per kwh might be slightly more expensive given your remote location/rural homesite, but I've been consistently paying in the $0.06-0.09/kwh range the past several years in the Houston area. The REPs love people who go month to month. A former colleague who used to work in the finance group for Direct Energy called them "a case study in the elasticity of demand" -- basically how much can we jack up the rate and screw these people over until they start to notice how high their bill is and switch providers.

$30,000 Millionaire said:

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It's called being prudent. Maybe there will be a wave 2 with food shortages?

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nah just to be blunt it was obviously a dumb move in retrospect but also a dumb move at the time

12 months worth of food would be needed for alien/zombie infestations, biblical floods, countrywide radiation leaks, other stuff out of movies

this stuff has a 30 year expiration timeline. I just decided to invest in it now.

tamc93 said:

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tamc93 said:

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Too many oddities this month...taxes, vacation refunds, etc... to get a good data set.

Short answer is - we have cut back heavily since we expect Q2/Q3 income to be cut drastically. Thank goodness for a good Q1.

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Now that there is almost 30 days of this ... a better number would be 40% reduction in "non-essential" (e.g. excluding taxes, utilities, insurance, etc.). It is probably higher, but there were oddities with vacation refunds etc that I excluded.

My guess is if I look at April in the same way, it will be closer to 60% since we started the slow down in late March.

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Late April update (+/-30 days of data) ... 35% in non-essential (30 days vs 12 month average). I expected it to be higher, but we saw upticks in "boredom" projects around the house that off-set some of the earlier month thoughts.

The only "essential" one that odd was "medical" related expenses were down 98% (rolling 12 month average may skew the data, but it was way down.

Was on track to have one of my best savings months ever, and was expecting to have a great year since our big trip to Alaska got cancelled and I'll be getting a refund for that.

And then...

The %#*! coil in my A/C is leaking again! And I have to pay FULL replacement cost because the company who replaced the original defective coil 5 years ago screwed up the warranty.

I'm fortunate that I have more than enough savings to cover this, but geez, I'm feeling empathy for people who don't. Because just when you think you're doing better than ever, *BAM* some unexpected expense hits you square in the face!

Spending still way down overall. Way way up on groceries. I guess I should stop cooking prime filet twice a week.

hypeiv said:

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IrishTxAggie said:

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The number of people I know that are in their 30s and 40s that don't know how to cook might shock some.

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I just microwaved 1/4 can of chili then mixed it with Fritos and shredded cheese... is that cooking?

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That's good eatin' right there I don't care who you are.

Spending is down a little, but mostly just shifted. Been buying lots of wine as there are some great deals. With restaurants not doing well, wineries are hurting for sales. Good time to buy. Restaurant and vacations down obviously.

We have a family of 5. Two boys, 9 and 7, and a 9 month old girl.

Our groceries have gone from around 500 a month to probably 800. What are you all spending? I am trying to determine if I am high, low, or average on this cost.

Hi Wheat, I also have 9 year old boy, 7 year girl and 8 month old girl. We are spending 650 to 700 a month at HEB.

Y'all sound like you're doing great to me!

I'm a household of 2 - myself and a 15 year old boy. My bill has gradually crept up from $800 a month to $1000 over the past couple of years.

It's a combination of price increases and the fact that my son is now eating lunch at home (he's doing online school), so I am purchasing more groceries.

That number does include alcohol and a lot of non-food items, like cat food/kitty litter, personal care products, household cleaners and laundry supplies, and the occasional trip to Walgreens/CVS for OTC meds and random supplies.

I don't comparison shop or clip coupons. I buy what we like, and some of our favorites are a little pricey. But we aren't eating filet mignon every night, and only about $50-$100 of that total is alcohol.

Got any tips on what to buy?

We usually spend between $450-$500 per month for a family of three (me, wife, 2 yr old). There are months that we'll spend $700 or more if we eat a lot of steak and seafood or host a meal or two. $800/mo with at least 2 school age kids seems very reasonable to me.

Family of 5 - boys are 7,9,12

Spend about $1400 per month. This does include vitamins, OTC medicines, toiletries, dog food/treats, cleaning supplies, etc.... as well as the kids lunch money at a school.

We cook a lot at home, do not eat out much.

When I see what others spend on groceries per month for families with kids it makes me shake my head at what my wife and I spend. It's just the two of us and we consistently spend more than most families from what I see.

Part of that is because we mostly shop at Whole Foods because it's the closest store to us, but damn.

YouBet said:

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When I see what others spend on groceries per month for families with kids it makes me shake my head at what my wife and I spend. It's just the two of us and we consistently spend more than most families from what I see.

Part of that is because we mostly shop at Whole Foods because it's the closest store to us, but damn.

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Don't worry. This thread is largely dominated by people who are very focused on saving (not bad, probably a good thing), with the added ability to squirrel away money due to COVID (lower gas bills, more time to prep food at home due to no commute). My wife and I are also DINKs (for now), and probably spend about the same you do based on your prior comments.

Pre COVID, probably $2k/month in meals out counting alcohol. During COVID, still almost $1k/month in meals out or Uber Eats. We have substantially increased tipping during this time, although I'm not sure it is always appreciated by waiters who are probably getting more frequently stiffed or low-tipped by many others. Grocery bill has also gone up - I don't keep track, but I assume it is probably $1k/month right now. We have people over frequently, and generally purchase food and drinks for everyone.

Sure we could lower spending in many places, but we have decided that we don't work the jobs we do to save every penny we can. Hell, we save a large amount just by eliminating (i) her parking in downtown Houston, (ii) most of my state income taxes in other states since I'm not going there as frequently, (iii) a substantial amount on dining out just because the atmosphere is sort of depressing sometimes, and (iv) overseas vacations, just because it is so difficult to execute right now.

EDIT: Also saving because we only take our dog to camp 1 day per week right now, instead of an average of about 2.5x per week. At $30/day, that has added up over the COVID months.

topher06 said:

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YouBet said:

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When I see what others spend on groceries per month for families with kids it makes me shake my head at what my wife and I spend. It's just the two of us and we consistently spend more than most families from what I see.

Part of that is because we mostly shop at Whole Foods because it's the closest store to us, but damn.

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Don't worry. This thread is largely dominated by people who are very focused on saving (not bad, probably a good thing), with the added ability to squirrel away money due to COVID (lower gas bills, more time to prep food at home due to no commute). My wife and I are also DINKs (for now), and probably spend about the same you do based on your prior comments.

Pre COVID, probably $2k/month in meals out counting alcohol. During COVID, still almost $1k/month in meals out or Uber Eats. We have substantially increased tipping during this time, although I'm not sure it is always appreciated by waiters who are probably getting more frequently stiffed or low-tipped by many others. Grocery bill has also gone up - I don't keep track, but I assume it is probably $1k/month right now. We have people over frequently, and generally purchase food and drinks for everyone.

Sure we could lower spending in many places, but we have decided that we don't work the jobs we do to save every penny we can. Hell, we save a large amount just by eliminating (i) her parking in downtown Houston, (ii) most of my state income taxes in other states since I'm not going there as frequently, (iii) a substantial amount on dining out just because the atmosphere is sort of depressing sometimes, and (iv) overseas vacations, just because it is so difficult to execute right now.

EDIT: Also saving because we only take our dog to camp 1 day per week right now, instead of an average of about 2.5x per week. At $30/day, that has added up over the COVID months.

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That's pretty much what we spend. We've cut expenses dramatically everywhere else so the financial hit doesn't worry me. Just always blown away by the gap in spend between two adults and a family of four. I know how it happens because of where we shop and what we buy (eg we really don't buy anything processed because we are cooking most meals).

It still bottles the mind though.

YouBet said:

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topher06 said:

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YouBet said:

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When I see what others spend on groceries per month for families with kids it makes me shake my head at what my wife and I spend. It's just the two of us and we consistently spend more than most families from what I see.

Part of that is because we mostly shop at Whole Foods because it's the closest store to us, but damn.

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Don't worry. This thread is largely dominated by people who are very focused on saving (not bad, probably a good thing), with the added ability to squirrel away money due to COVID (lower gas bills, more time to prep food at home due to no commute). My wife and I are also DINKs (for now), and probably spend about the same you do based on your prior comments.

Pre COVID, probably $2k/month in meals out counting alcohol. During COVID, still almost $1k/month in meals out or Uber Eats. We have substantially increased tipping during this time, although I'm not sure it is always appreciated by waiters who are probably getting more frequently stiffed or low-tipped by many others. Grocery bill has also gone up - I don't keep track, but I assume it is probably $1k/month right now. We have people over frequently, and generally purchase food and drinks for everyone.

Sure we could lower spending in many places, but we have decided that we don't work the jobs we do to save every penny we can. Hell, we save a large amount just by eliminating (i) her parking in downtown Houston, (ii) most of my state income taxes in other states since I'm not going there as frequently, (iii) a substantial amount on dining out just because the atmosphere is sort of depressing sometimes, and (iv) overseas vacations, just because it is so difficult to execute right now.

EDIT: Also saving because we only take our dog to camp 1 day per week right now, instead of an average of about 2.5x per week. At $30/day, that has added up over the COVID months.

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That's pretty much what we spend. We've cut expenses dramatically everywhere else so the financial hit doesn't worry me. Just always blown away by the gap in spend between two adults and a family of four. I know how it happens because of where we shop and what we buy (eg we really don't buy anything processed because we are cooking most meals).

It still bottles the mind though.

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Take some solace in knowing that the economy dies if everyone adopts the "spend as little as possible" mentality. No one person can destroy or drive the economy, of course, but it is important that people continue to spend money at actual stores/restaurants (not just at Amazon).

YouBet said:

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When I see what others spend on groceries per month for families with kids it makes me shake my head at what my wife and I spend. It's just the two of us and we consistently spend more than most families from what I see.

Part of that is because we mostly shop at Whole Foods because it's the closest store to us, but damn.

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It's just my wife and I and we've cut back considerably since March, but we are still over what some of you do for a family of 4. We spend around $700 a month and shop almost exclusively at HEB. If you are spending $600 for a family of four and only eat two meals (30 days x 4 people X 2 meals a day = 240) with no snacks a day, that's $2.50 a meal. How is that possible?

Edit to say I'm not doubting anyone. I'm impressed and curious how you are pulling that off.

MavsAg said:

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YouBet said:

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When I see what others spend on groceries per month for families with kids it makes me shake my head at what my wife and I spend. It's just the two of us and we consistently spend more than most families from what I see.

Part of that is because we mostly shop at Whole Foods because it's the closest store to us, but damn.

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It's just my wife and I and we've cut back considerably since March, but we are still over what some of you do for a family of 4. We spend around $700 a month and shop almost exclusively at HEB. If you are spending $600 for a family of four and only eat two meals (30 days x 4 people X 2 meals a day = 240) with no snacks a day, that's $2.50 a meal. How is that possible?

Edit to say I'm not doubting anyone. I'm impressed and curious how you are pulling that off.

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When I am at my friends' house that have kids, the kids will basically only eat PB&J, macaroni, quesadillas or some other form of sugar/cheese and bread. Don't think it costs much to feed young children. Also, I think a lot of schools give away free lunch now if you go to public school.

Now the parents, I'm not sure.

YouBet said:

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When I see what others spend on groceries per month for families with kids it makes me shake my head at what my wife and I spend. It's just the two of us and we consistently spend more than most families from what I see.

Part of that is because we mostly shop at Whole Foods because it's the closest store to us, but damn.

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I can tell you this. My wife and I probably spent the same or more at the grocery store and also double or triple the current restaurant budget when we were DINKs. Now with a kid and a single income we've trimmed down considerably. No doubt, a lot of it has to do with just being more frugal and making sure we're not eating away too much in the budget with a single income. However, kids also dramatically change your habits. Going to restaurants with toddlers can be a pain in the butt. The same for grocery stores and other outings. This means we're mostly eating at home and we've gotten really dialed in on our online grocery orders. So it's not just that we're looking to save money, a lot of it is looking to be more efficient with time. We cook easy meals that can be prepared in under 30 minutes. When we do eat out we're not hanging around for an extra cocktail or dessert after dinner. This mindset easily leads to cost savings. That's not to say that we don't ever splurge and everything is just utilitarian, but for the most part we try to keep things simple.

This thread has got me thinking about what I actually buy at the grocery, and there is no doubt "healthy" foods cost more.

We rarely eat out (maybe 2-3 times a month), and most of what we eat, we cook from scratch/fresh ingredients.

I go to the grocery about once a week, and our basket typically has the following:
at least 3-4 different kinds of fresh fruit (usually berries and nectarines/peaches or apples, depending on what's in season)
at least 4-5 different kinds of fresh veggies (asparagus, broccoli, peppers, mushrooms, avocado, cucumber, lettuce, spinach, sweet potatoes, etc.)
Two 1/2 gallons of the ultra-filtered milk (it has significantly more protein, but it is more expensive)
2-3 different kinds of cheese - a mix of gourmet and bagged
some kind of snack dip (hummus, tzatziki, etc)
half and half and/or creamer
Greek yogurt
Snack foods like pretzels or popcorn
Sparkling waters (canned and bottled)
Nuts (cashews or almonds)
Some kind of low-sugar bread

We do not eat canned vegetables, soups, boxed meals, or pre-cooked frozen meals (with the exception of a couple specific items from Trader Joe's).

Just the above is usually enough to rack up a $100-$150 bill. And I do NOT buy organic fruits and veggies.

About once a month, in addition to the above, I'll buy meat - boneless/skinless chicken breasts, ground turkey, ground Italian sausage, pork tenderloin, etc. That trip is usually $200-$300.

Also once a month, I go to Trader Joe's to pick up a few items unique to that store. I do usually buy 2-3 of their prepared/frozen meals to keep in the freezer. That trip is usually $100-$150. Once every couple of months, I'll get a couple of their filet mignon steaks, and that's another $30.

$50-$60 to Petco every month, a couple bottles of wine, and replenishment of household and/or pantry staples or vitamins makes up the rest.

It adds up to $850-$1000 pretty quickly.

Thought I would do a spending status checkup comparing 2020 thru Q3 vs 2019 thru Q3.

• Total Expenses (includes everything) = -32%
• Total Discretionary Expenses (minus bills and other mandatory expenses) = -38%

Specific Discretionary Categories with large swings:

• Groceries = +60%
• Restaurants = -68%
• Entertainment = -56%
• House = -60%
• Merchandise = -41%
• Personal Care = +85%

No real surprises...eating at home is way up while eating out is largely gone. The only reason that decrease for Restaurants isn't larger is because we've started doing take out here and there in Q3.

Entertainment is logical; we are mostly at home.

House is way down YTD because we made a couple of large purchases last year. 4Q this year will some big ticket spend as I'm focused on some home improvement work through end of year.

Merchandise... just not buying as much anymore because no need to.

Personal Care is the big increase here percentage wise as my wife has shifted most of her former spend from clothing to facial and skin care products. Thus, the drop in Merchandise (where clothing lives) and large increase to Personal Care. Absolute numbers are vastly different so still way down overall.

I like this thread.....Need to get back into budgeting more.

Family of 5 with 3 boys 14, 12, 10 that like to eat. All food shopping done at HEB and bill last month was $1,550. Our restaurant food was all fast food and right at $100 so almost all our food is at home. We are a hunting family so the meat for at least 2-3 meals a week isn't included in the above.

I feel this is very high and will be working on it.

that's on the high side for groceries, but your restaurant spend is pretty darn low, so it evens out.

Kids are probably eating a lot better at home as well.