How much do you spend on FOOD?

TravisTheSky

I recently got a bit off-topic in someone else's thread when I mentioned how much I spend on food.

That same day, across various websites, I had read four different people complain that they received $200 per person in food stamps every month. But they had trouble making the $200 last for two weeks. I was surprised. One complainer said that he/she insisted on eating healthy food. Another said he was buying the cheapest crap he could find, but still couldn't manage.

I am not eligible for food stamps. But if I had $200 to blow on food every month, I'd actually have trouble figuring out what to do with the last $50. I looked over my receipts, and I spend a little under $150 each month. That's $5 a day. On one had, I'm poor- so I never, ever eat at restaurants, fast food, or buy a single serving of a beverage, etc. But on the other hand, I won't buy processed Frankenfood. Going organic cured my insomnia and my fatness (I lost 26 pounds!). So I do buy some of the more-expensive versions of products. I'm also allergic to many common foods which limits my options.

I'm curious. What do you spend on food?

South of Seattle

I spend about $40-$50 a week at the grocery store, but that includes household annoyances like paper towels, laundry detergent etc.

I also eat out several meals a week due to my odd work shift as well.

Probably about $200-$300 a month if you take in groceries, restaurants, & 7-11's into the equation.

polaris_x

A LOT!

I love to eat out and when love to cook - I like buying fresh (often organic) ingredients so in the end it adds up ... i don't even want to know how much that is ...

decides2dream

TravisTheSky wrote:

I recently got a bit off-topic in someone else's thread when I mentioned how much I spend on food.

That same day, across various websites, I had read four different people complain that they received $200 per person in food stamps every month. But they had trouble making the $200 last for two weeks. I was surprised. One complainer said that he/she insisted on eating healthy food. Another said he was buying the cheapest crap he could find, but still couldn't manage.

I am not eligible for food stamps. But if I had $200 to blow on food every month, I'd actually have trouble figuring out what to do with the last $50. I looked over my receipts, and I spend a little under $150 each month. That's $5 a day. On one had, I'm poor- so I never, ever eat at restaurants, fast food, or buy a single serving of a beverage, etc. But on the other hand, I won't buy processed Frankenfood. Going organic cured my insomnia and my fatness (I lost 26 pounds!). So I do buy some of the more-expensive versions of products. I'm also allergic to many common foods which limits my options.

I'm curious. What do you spend on food?

we spend too fucking much!

$200 per person for food stamps is pretty damn nice, i am sure with planning one can make that stretch.


i don't get food stamps, and we definitely try to eat very healthy, ocasionally buy organics....we eat a good amount of fish, etc....so food is pricey. we spend at a minimum $100 a week for 2 people, so idk what the food stamp people are complaining about. granted, we usually spend MORE, like $150 a week....but that also includes paper goods, beer, and sure.....pricier goods in general. if you are on food stamps, i don't think it's unreasonable to expect you to scrimp some, but i guess thats me.


now, if you actually add in what we spend on takeout, eating out....and my monthly wine tab.... :shock:
but we won't go there..;)

81

i don't track it that close, but we drop about 120 every other week for 2 people.

but we also do little shopping trips in between, go to whole foods every now and then, as well as the butcher for a nice steak.

however, if i had to, i could get by on 50 per week. mmm ramen noodles.

the wolf

just a thought. the people that get $200 bucks a month in food stamps are probably trying to feed more than 1 or 2 people. Maybe they have kids ??? I would think that it would be hard to feed myself, my GF and one or two kids with $200 a month. IDK.

peacegirl

On average I spend about $100 a month at the grocery store..I hardly ever go out/get takeout for dinner and only occasionally go out for lunch...but it's only me...and I actually don't really like to eat - people really dislike that about me...basically I eat because I have to not because I love to

decides2dream

peacegirl wrote:

On average I spend about $100 a month at the grocery store..I hardly ever go out/get takeout for dinner and only occasionally go out for lunch...but it's only me...and I actually don't really like to eat - people really dislike that about me...basically I eat because I have to not because I love to

:shock:
i can't imagine that.
lucky you in one sense...you'll never have to worry about getting fat!
but on the other, for me anyway...i rather have to watch my waistline but still get such thorough enjoyment from food. such a great pleasure. mmmmmmmm....
food, drink, sex....yeeeeaaaaaaa.......carnal pleasures.

decides2dream

the wolf wrote:

just a thought. the people that get $200 bucks a month in food stamps are probably trying to feed more than 1 or 2 people. Maybe they have kids ??? I would think that it would be hard to feed myself, my GF and one or two kids with $200 a month. IDK.

just to clarify - from the OP:

"I had read four different people complain that they received $200 per person in food stamps every month. "


now whether that is actually TRUE or not, idk....but just going by the OP for the sake of the discussion.

the wolf

decides2dream wrote:

the wolf wrote:

just a thought. the people that get $200 bucks a month in food stamps are probably trying to feed more than 1 or 2 people. Maybe they have kids ??? I would think that it would be hard to feed myself, my GF and one or two kids with $200 a month. IDK.

just to clarify - from the OP:

"I had read four different people complain that they received $200 per person in food stamps every month. "


now whether that is actually TRUE or not, idk....but just going by the OP for the sake of the discussion.

oops ! missed that. sorry.

the wolf

Did a quick search and found this....

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... d=10275872

I think the $200 per person would be for the whole family. One person applies for assistance, they get the food stamps and then have to feed the family from their allotment.

decides2dream

the wolf wrote:

Did a quick search and found this....

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... d=10275872

I think the $200 per person would be for the whole family. One person applies for assistance, they get the food stamps and then have to feed the family from their allotment.

see NOW...that makes sense.
b/c firstly, i was thinking, wtf...someone getting assistance is getting as much $$$ as i personally spend, and we spend freely/well? sounded VERY odd. now getting $200 per person, i guess per adult towards the family......that could get tight, for sure. however, i also guess it is looked at as "assistance" as in, not meant to be your sole means of support for food or living.

the wolf

decides2dream wrote:

the wolf wrote:

Did a quick search and found this....

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... d=10275872

I think the $200 per person would be for the whole family. One person applies for assistance, they get the food stamps and then have to feed the family from their allotment.

see NOW...that makes sense.
b/c firstly, i was thinking, wtf...someone getting assistance is getting as much $$$ as i personally spend, and we spend freely/well? sounded VERY odd. now getting $200 per person, i guess per adult towards the family......that could get tight, for sure. however, i also guess it is looked at as "assistance" as in, not meant to be your sole means of support for food or living.

True. "Assistance" should be just that.

decides2dream

the wolf wrote:

decides2dream wrote:

the wolf wrote:

Did a quick search and found this....

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... d=10275872

I think the $200 per person would be for the whole family. One person applies for assistance, they get the food stamps and then have to feed the family from their allotment.

see NOW...that makes sense.
b/c firstly, i was thinking, wtf...someone getting assistance is getting as much $$$ as i personally spend, and we spend freely/well? sounded VERY odd. now getting $200 per person, i guess per adult towards the family......that could get tight, for sure. however, i also guess it is looked at as "assistance" as in, not meant to be your sole means of support for food or living.

True. "Assistance" should be just that.

absolutely.
tho, to be fair....$21 a week, now that's not much 'assistance'.....!

mca47

I probably spend around $80 per week on food. That's just me. I travel for work so a lot of my food goes on the company's dime.


I think why I spend so damn much is that when I'm home I go to the store pretty much every day. I like to cook and I like to cook with fresh ingredients so if I get an idea about what I want I'm not far from getting in the car and heading to the store or farmers market.


That $80 does include beer purchased at the store too!
But beer is food...right?

mca47

peacegirl wrote:

On average I spend about $100 a month at the grocery store..I hardly ever go out/get takeout for dinner and only occasionally go out for lunch...but it's only me...and I actually don't really like to eat - people really dislike that about me...basically I eat because I have to not because I love to

I have a friend that is the same way. Eats because he has to, not because he really wants to.

I think it's absolutely crazy!
No offense to you of course.


He could easily eat the same thing every day for a month and it wouldn't bother him. :shock: That is nuts to me!

I loooooooove food!

the wolf

mca47 wrote:

That $80 does include beer purchased at the store too!
But beer is food...right?

I keep telling my GF that it is a food group all alone !

she's not buying it though :?

81

beer was developed as a food storage device. it was designed to allow you to store the food value of wheat during the non growing season.

tinkerbell

Wow you are all either very frugal or food is fuckin cheap where you are! As a family of mum, dad and 2 little kids I spend at least $200 a week at the grocery store. If I take off non food items it would be around $150. Plus we usually have take out once a week so add another $20.

mca47

81 wrote:

beer was developed as a food storage device. it was designed to allow you to store the food value of wheat during the non growing season.

Well, I really didn't need convincing, but that sounds good to me!


The next time I hear someone say "You spend too much money on beer". I'll use that ^ and a good ol' fashioned "Mind your own f'n business!"

pandora

Food stamp situation is a bit out of control. My daughters x roommates got 500 a month for the 2 plus 1 child- they both worked in an under the table situation plus collected rent etc from my daughter.They would always buy all kinds of junk food and also sold their food stamp card to other people. Food stamp fraud is getting pretty bad.I wish the government would do something about it.
Our grocery bill including lots of wine and a little beer runs about $130 a week for 2.

LikeAnOcean

My grocery bill averages $30 to $60, so $45 sounds about right for me.

That doesn't include eating out and alcohol which would probably be another $50 or $60 a week.

TravisTheSky

the wolf wrote:

decides2dream wrote:

the wolf wrote:

just a thought. the people that get $200 bucks a month in food stamps are probably trying to feed more than 1 or 2 people. Maybe they have kids ??? I would think that it would be hard to feed myself, my GF and one or two kids with $200 a month. IDK.

just to clarify - from the OP:

"I had read four different people complain that they received $200 per person in food stamps every month. "


now whether that is actually TRUE or not, idk....but just going by the OP for the sake of the discussion.

oops ! missed that. sorry.

The four food stamp recipients I mentioned made it clear that they got $200 per person. Three of them were individuals buying food for one. The fourth was a single parent that got $400 for the family of two.

I was eligible for food stamps in the late 90s: I received between 2 and 18 dollars each month! I'm not complaining, though!!!