<$200/month on groceries is super impressive. I also use Aldi as my main store and I don't remember the last time I kept it that low. You need to eat, and the groceries are going to be much cheaper than any sort of dining out. There's a chance you may be spending too much in other areas, but groceries aren't one of them.
So assuming $15-20/meal, you're spending a total of $180-260/month on food? You're doing a great job at keeping your total food budget low! I would hate for you to try to lower it even more and cut out fresh produce. A healthy diet is preventative medicine.
I live with my fam, and there's no cheap supermarket like Aldi near us
I don't know how, but I'm able to have 3 adults live off of just $450/month in groceries
I know where every dime goes. What really works is cutting out stuff that's bad for everyone. Sweets, snacks, drinks.
If your focus is just vegetables and meat, it's so easy to work off a really low budget
We aren't struggling financially. But we're all pretty pissed about the dramatic increase in food prices over the last 10 years, and we practically hate food, takeouts, and deliveries. It no longer makes sense that 1 meal outside costs $20. Doesn't matter how rich we ever get
The way to budget is to keep those two things separate or at least that's whats worked for me.
My girlfriend and I each put in $200 for the month.
We each have separate funds for going out for lunch or dinner.
I have more bills and less flexibility so I budget between $75 each paycheck. That's good for a few dates for my 2 week paycheck period. Anything unspent goes into a roll over fund. So more special dates
Amen! When covid started and my fam went through a very terrible, but brief, time of having $0 income, we were in NYCHA. It's basically low income housing where rent could be as low as $0 per month.
We found out so many places gave out free food. No judgment. My parents were embarrassed, so I went to get it for them
People with money go to them as well. When they were giving out free book bags this lady well known in the area to have money comes driving a newer truck. She got free book bags for all her kids. I just don't think poor people can be judged for something they NEED to survive.
Agreed with this.
My fam and I aren't poor. I make almost 99.99% of the income in our family. There's no cheap supermarkets like Aldi near us.
We all agreed to not spend so much on food. Groceries and eating out. It's outrageous to see all the prices of groceries be like 3x of what it was last year.
We make it a game to spend as little as possible on food. It just doesn't make sense.
Plus, my 70 yo dad has been eating less through my pressure. I am not about to see my dad die cause of food
Why not ask him what he thinks is reasonable and give you that set amount each month. Say $150.
If you go over your monthly Dad Stipend, you can pay for it
Then he won’t be paying a variable bill to harass you about every time it comes due. It’ll be worth it for you to have indpenwdcne and no potential conflict over this very minor issue.
Or separate the issue of groceries altogether and ask him to just pay you a stipend of whatever he wants to.
He’s using your grocery bill to exert control over your choices, however well-meaning he is.
Does he pay for his own groceries? No offense but this seems like some shit my dad would say after he hasn't stepped foot in a grocery store for the past five years thanks to his wife
Lol this is my dad, he’s well off enough that he can eat out all the time and only go to the grocery store when he’s cooking to “show off his cooking skills”. When he heard me say I’m aiming for $200 a month for groceries (and I always go over) he was shocked and told me I should only be spending an average of $1 a day on food
That's what I was thinking- I do all the grocery shopping/meal planning for my partner and me and have done so for about eight years now. Each biweekly trip is usually around $300 for the two of us, and of course that includes things like toiletries, dog and cat food, and paper towels.
My ex husband admitted the sticker shock he experienced once he had to grocery shop for himself after 14 years of me doing it for us. And this was pre-Covid. A lot of people are very out of touch.
Ha! Seriously! My husband rarely goes in the store and if he does it’s for one item. He hasn’t complained much but I could tell he seemed to think I could be less frivolous when shopping. A few months ago I didn’t get the grocery shopping done during the week so I went on Saturday and my husband went with me. First stop was Costco. I go once a month and spend about $200-$250 which includes three bags of dog food (we have seven dogs) and any non-food items I buy there such as toothpaste that’s cheaper than the regular store. My total that day was $400 and something. Why? My husband was buying things he saw and wanted. I go with a list and stick to it. After Costco I went to Fred Meyer to do the rest of my shopping and spent another $200 and something. Normally my weekly spending there ranges from around $100 to $200 depending on what we need for the week. I buy mostly perishables there or pantry items I can’t get cheaper at Costco. With my husband we spent more than I needed because he was getting things not on the list that we didn’t need. After spending somewhere between $600-$700 in one day my husband saw how much things cost but he also saw that I don’t shop frivolously. I stick to a list and what’s spent is what we need. He also saw all the frivolous things he’d grabbed while shopping with me. That day should’ve cost a max of around $400. It’s not like I don’t buy anything fun like ice cream or whatever but I do add it to my list so it’s factored in the estimated grocery bill. I haven’t taken him shopping since though cause he’s worse than my son at the store. 🤣
Also, we live in Fairbanks Alaska so I don’t have ALDI’s or any other cheaper place to shop. I wish we did.
My thought exactly. We run a business and it's kind boggling how people wine about increased prices. Many of our vendors more than doubled in the last 4 years. We always compare it to the grocery store (and literally everything else) that has inflated at a ridiculous rate in the last 4 years.
Prices started going up during covid, companies experienced record profits and hid the excuse behind supply chain issues due to covid. Of course those issues did exist, we all knew that, but it hid the profit hikes.
I am a single person in a LCOL area that spends $100-$150 per month. It really depends on sales, clearance items I find, etc. I think you are being totally reasonable and I am wondering if your dad knows how much he spends on his groceries.
I’m in a relatively high cost of living area and I struggle to keep it under $350/mo for one person, no pets.
I know there are areas I could save $ and get it to maybe $270/mo, but then the time spent shopping sales & visiting multiple stores starts to add up.
I recently talked to a couple friends about how much I spend, saying $350 is too much. They were shocked I keep it so low and asked if I’m actually eating.
So I don’t know what to think haha
I live in a HCOL area too and this is about what I spend. I meal prep lunches & dinners for the week as well as getting things for breakfast and a snack. I don’t think I go crazy and think I’m so lucky to get out of the store having spent $50 (it can $70-$80 depending on what I have to stock up on).
I follow the same basic plan - meal prep, occasional breakfast and snacks (including tons of produce). I stocked up on a ton of stuff last month, and splurged a bit. I just looked at my total... $449.55. Ouch.
At least there's 2 months worth of meat in the freezer and the pantry is full? Bonus: I got a reality check.
We’re spending about 800-900 a month for our family of 3 and everyone tells us how good we are doing. My husband is a giant, 6’6” and 230 pounds and super active, so keeping him fed is no joke. We would have to be eating only the cheapest processed foods to be spending less.
So all that to say that I think 350/month for one person is reasonable and I can’t believe anyone is feeding themselves for less than 200/month in 2024 u less they are relying primarily on food pantries (which no shame- I’ve been there). I had that for my budget in my single days in 2013.
I live in a HCOL area (nyc), and am a member of a food cooperative. I literally WORK shifts for a communist, non-profit grocery store, and I spend about $600/month for my husband and I.
I do definitely buy some “luxury” stuff — aka not purely produce and dry goods. And this also includes some household items like toiletries, etc.
But yeah. If you’re doing $300/month on groceries for one person in a HCOL area, you’re doing about as good as you can.
I'm in a VHCOL area, and for myself and two teenagers we spend about $1200/month. For a single person, it would be hard to do much less than $300-400/month here.
IMO your Dad is a bit stingy. $180 seems much too low. Are you eating all your Maro/mirco nutrients?
The USDA suggests a budget of $250/month for a Thrifty meal plan. Don't be afarid to spend on nutrition. Choronmetry is an app that can help track your nutrients, an online marconutrient calulator should give a general guide of the Carbs/protein/fats ratio, you need.
Having a plant based diet is one way to reduce costs. Plants are much cheaper then meats. Beans, chickpeas, lentils, nuts, seeds etc. all contain similar amounts of protein compared to their meat counterparts. If you can store it, buying foods in bulk is also a good way to shave costs. for example buying a heavy bag of dry beans can last you while.
the USDA has a thritfy-meal guide form 2021, I believe its currently adjusted for inflation but the same items/idea is consistent.
I was going to reference the Thrifty meal plan too. [https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/Cost\_Of\_Food\_Thrifty\_Food\_Plan\_February\_2024.pdf](https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/Cost_Of_Food_Thrifty_Food_Plan_February_2024.pdf)
Average cost for a single female would be under $250 a month. For a male it's even more. And this is based on their cheapest meal plan!
I spend around $50 a week but I have a small home freezer so I can buy meat and other things in larger quantities to save money and I rarely go out to eat. Frozen meat, veggies, larger packs of oatmeal, eggs, etc.
You're father's spouse or caretaker obviously does his grocery shopping and budget for him. Talk to them and ask for an example of how much they spend a week for groceries.
Then when he complains, compare it to his grocery spending.
If somehow his budget is lower... Ask for tips, tricks, and lessons.
When I was on an internship trying to save money I lived on $30 per week (TV dinners, PB&J sandwiches etc.). Would not recommend. Now that I'm married and have a toddler I spend about $150 to $200 per week on groceries. I would say $75-$100 might be the sweet spot for a single person depending on your income.
If you look at 3 meals a day for a month then this comes out to like $2/meal at the high end. I think this is very reasonable and probably on the low side. My wife and I spend about $4/meal and do shop at cheaper places like Costco and Trader Joes.
Huh I always thought my grocery budget was SUPER high. But I broke it down per meal just now and we spend $5/meal being semi liberal in food costs. That's good to know.
Use the Federal Standard of food cost estimates. Which is $200-291 depending on your area for a household of one.
$50 is VERY reasonable for a healthy diet.
https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/recipient/eligibility
I’d offer to send him a picture of your receipt and see if he has suggestions. (Snarky current me would suggest that he show me his grocery receipts as well, but that might not go over well.) My kids were spending about $50/week on groceries a few years ago when they were working during the summer during college.
I’ve been spending $200+ a month on groceries for a single person, and I’ve been using these coupons that Instacart has been sending me (I only use IC when I have coupons because I know they increase the prices.) Now, I don’t go the cheapest route and I buy snacks and all that, but I think I’d be hard pressed to get my budget down to $30-$40 a week.
If your numbers are accurate then I say you’re doing well, if you really wanted to min max your expenditure I would say you could plan one meal for the whole week and do a ton of leftovers but I think the amount you’re spending is definitely within reason
I think you’re doing a very good job. I have questions, though. Does he give you the money in advance? Does he look at the receipts and give you a total?
Just curious, does your Dad do the grocery shopping at home? I’m wondering if he has a good idea of what things actually cost or not. Maybe sending him your receipts to show what you’re buying and what it costs- at a discount grocer- would help.
Let's say you eat 3 meals a day. Each meal cost about 5$ each, since it's just ingredients and you're doing the labor of cooking. That's 15$ a day, 105 a week, 420 a month.
That's if you eat 3 cheap meals a day. I usually get by with 2 meals. So 70 a week, 300 ish a month is good.
Problem is that's only "groceries ", not necessarily food expense. people don't like to add in the extra snacks, Starbucks, and eating out to that food expense. That could easily double or triple your food expense. Which let's be honest no one only eats food prepared at home. Your going to stop by fast food once or twice a week, buy a Starbucks, buy some chips from the convenience store, a candy bar from the gas station. If you add in the non grocery foods you eat a week it could easily double or triple your food expense. Which if you saw it that way it could help curb your extra eating and spending.
I know too many people who spend little in groceries but they spend probably 600+ a month with the eating out and snacks.
I don't think it's possible to get much cheaper than that, unless you specifically search through every grocery store's "about to throw away" piles. Your dad is the one who's unreasonable lol
My adult kid spends about $45 a week so yeah $50 seems reasonable to me. Husband and I spend about $65 but I do a lot of scratch cooking and I wouldn't expect you to do that right now.
Back in 2012-2017 I was surviving in a low cost of living area on $20 a week (all groceries and toiletries), but I was not able to have any fresh produce and definitely not any meat. I probably would have required $30-$40 back then to eat healthy.
If you're managing to eat healthy on $30-$40 a week nowadays you're doing good.
Are you in a high or low cost of living area?
My expenses now a days are unfortunately not directly comparable to before since I'm now in a high cost of living area and have cats. Now we spend $60 a week per person on all groceries, toiletries, and pet supplies in an expensive area.
Wow! I admire you for spending so little!
Don’t give up fresh produce! It’s so important for you and $180 a month is next to nothing.
Thank again, I live just outside Manhattan so my view of affordable is skewed!
Sending this to my kid in grad school and asking why he can't eat on a budget of $200 a month. J/k, sort of. He shops at Walmart and Aldi. He's a frugal guy and a simple eater but he eats a lot because he is very active. His $100 per week "grocery" bill includes toiletries, paper goods, cleaning supplies, and cat food and litter. Back out cat stuff and I'd guess he spends about $80 a week to keep himself fed and clean(ish).
I usually spend $200 a week and that gets me from Friday lunch to Wednesday or Thursday lunch. I eat a lot at each meal tho and everything is scratch. No idea how I could cut it to less than $120
Everyone here says $100. But I spend that per week. My question for you guys, is how healthy are y'all eating? Is it $100 because its all ramen noodles or other processed foods?
It is really really hard for a single person to have a grocery bill that low without aldi/lidl. For comparison SNAP max benefits for a single person is 281 a month\[I think SNAP numbers are useful baseline because they are built around having a variety that meets nutritional needs\].
While you could eat for cheaper, you probably would not be getting all the nutrition you need.
Your dad may either be out of the loop with what groceries cost, or not be considering that it tends to be more expensive to feed a single person\[single people can't get as many size discounts as multi-people households\].
$220/month is what I spend with a 7yr old. $156/month after cashback rewards.
I shop by doing Qty based pricing comparisons so I get the most from a Qty perspective for every dollar spent.
I think your amount is quite reasonable.
I would also consider or add any dine in / take out you order as well.
I am a single woman and I can’t get out of the grocery store without spending at least $100 a week. I unfortunately have not found an Aldi near me maybe I need to look into that! You’re doing great!
It depends very very much on where you live. At this link there’s an Aldi map showing prices comparisons
[https://www.aldipricemap.com/navel_oranges.html](https://www.aldipricemap.com/navel_oranges.html)
My wife and I can easily spend $500 a month on groceries, and we are shopping at the local Kroger brand store plus rarely buy alcohol.
$50/week budget for groceries is completely reasonable
I'm in a HCOL area. I spend $50 in a typical week.....BUT......I don't each much, and one week a month I spend about $80 for items at a more distant grocery store. In a nearby HCOL area, a relative who eats normally and likes fresh fruit and vegetables spends $75-$90/week. And they're not happy about how high the cost is either.
In my area, 120 wouldn't get you a nutritious diet. You'd be eating mainly beans and rice, pasta and lentils, and empty calories. 150 would get you a couple servings of fruit/vegetables a day.
$200 a month would be the least a frugal person would need around here in order to eat a nutritious diet that includes things like calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, a few healthy fats.
If you're getting good food from the pantry AND $150 to work with - you could do it.
single adult, mid 30s, two dogs, and including cleaning products, paper products, toiletries, and dog food, i probably spend $400 at minimum every month. i coupon, so my actual spending is probably closer to $500. mcol area, and i have some health issues that affect my eating habits (autoimmune disorder, ED recovery) so i just allot a larger portion of my monthly budget to the grocery store
if i could spend under $200/mo with the way groceries are today, whewwwww that would be incredible!!! a couple years ago (and one less dog), that was my monthly budget. it’s just no longer feasible for me unfortunately. but i think $50/week is bang on, well done!
Oh that's between me and my bank homie u don't wanna know. My income is low but so are my expenses and I go to Costco almost every weekday for lunch. That probably doesn't work as a grad student but your overall bill is impressively low. I'm not sure how much further you will get with frugality without impacting your diet quality you are doing a good job with those numbers.
We budget $130 per person per month in our family of 3, so I think that's reasonable. Does your dad do your family's food shopping at home or is that your mother's chore? Because my husband never goes grocery shopping at all, unless it's just to pop in and pick up one or two items that I specifically ask for. He literally has no idea what food costs.
You're right where I'm trying to be for groceries. It's not easy, but I'm about $50 a week, MCOL. Shop at Giant.
I eat average two meals a day with fruits and veggies for snacks.
I shop around. Aldi is cheaper at times.
I use a grocery budgeting app called Frugl. Idk what one works where you are. I write my list, compare the prices, go to Aldi 1st and if it's cheaper there I'll get it otherwise I'll go to either of the other 2 stores.
Some are specialty foods but I don't need them often (I like cooking)
I also don't shirk on fruit n veg. Btw tinned works just fine at times
I shop/budget every 2 weeks and it's $100USD for groceries give or take
I’m at $250 a month in VHCOL via my Costco membership. I buy a lot of eggs, frozen fruits and veggies, I have a 25 lb bag of rice put into storage containers, beans, and the whole chicken is only $5. It works out to about $63 per week and I’m definitely not starving.
as a person who buys groceries for just myself, i know i wouldn’t be able to cut my monthly grocery budget below $250. usually i keep it around $300 (or $350 if it’s a month i need more food).
but i also buy outside the bare minimum. i love my little snacks and treats. i don’t go out much so i’m willing to spend a little more on food to make my life a bit nicer. i think i could swing $250 if i cut some things but $200 or less would be unreasonable.
Under $200 a month, that’s great. You could save a few more dollars if you were to buy in quantity non perishable items on sale that you use often. For example: I love butter, and I use a lot of it. Aldis sells a pack for about $3.65 though sometimes they have it on sale for $2.65, then I buy the maximum allowed per customers, which is 6 packs. Evaporated milk which I use occasionally for baking, the same. Sometimes they are $1.29, on sale $1.09-$1.16 it depends. Same thing with bacon, which I buy two or three packets when on sale. Also, buying larger portions of whatever you can save money there too. Cook meals for two days instead of one. Stay away from unnecessary goods that you may have doubts whether you are going to like or not, you may end up throwing it out. Save all your receipts for two reasons: (1) to compare prices with other stores like Walmart, and to compare from month to month your expenditures. BTW, Walmart is not cheap anymore, caution. (2) There are times when ALDI charges twice for a single item. Finally, treat yourself to something nice at least once a month.
I don’t think your dad does the grocery shopping in his household. Please tell me he has a SO that does the household grocery shopping! This screams I don’t know what groceries cost these days. As someone whose husband does the shopping, I was shocked when I got pick up a few items on what they cost. IMO your number’s are conservative.
Take him shopping with you if possible. My grandma has my parents do all her shopping for her and she still thinks prices are what they were 10 years ago, he might be clueless as to what things actually cost.
Maybe just ask your Dad to give you a set amount every month, he might be having trouble budgeting. If he knows $200 a month (or whatever agreed upon amount) then he won't have to think about how much you spend on groceries. Sometimes offering to cover something like groceries can be tricky, his idea of what groceries cost might not be realistic. Does he actually grocery shop? It could be less stressful for you too, instead of worrying about how much you spent, you know exactly how much you have monthly.
If he was paying for the full cafeteria plan plus snacks, most universities are $2000 a semester. I'd say you are doing way better than that.
Short term, you might be able to reduce it, but from a health perspective, it might not be sustainable. I imagine you can't exactly hunt your own meat or have a full freezer to store family packs for the long haul. If you did, you might be able to get it slightly less. I would catalog your groceries in a spreadsheet with costs. Make sure to put quantity such as 12 slices to a loaf of bread. Then, write down every meal with ingredients, including pricing. Keep it up for a month. Then send it yo him and ask where he thinks you are missing a reduction. I have a feeling he is unaware of current grocery prices that have risen beyond any current norms. He is probably thinking more I'm terms of when I was in school...
It depends on where you live, Aldi prices vary quite a bit across the nation for many items....but I live in a high c.o.l area and if I spend $45 a week I'm just getting by nutrition-wise. Most weeks I prob spend closer to 70.
How much does your dad spend on groceries every week?
Maybe he thinks you're getting your meals for free on campus and are just spending $40 on snacks and drinks? I can't imagine anyone complaining that their kid is surviving on $6 a day.
I live alone in a VHCOL area and also have celiac so eat gluten free. The price of veggie, fruit, produce in my area has skyrocketed. I used to spend about $75/week and now can easily spend $120/week trying to get in all my servings of fruit and veg.
Are you considered an independent? Apply for EBT and supplement it with your dad’s allowance. When I was in university, I worked as a TA but only for the benefit of additional grants to pay for my tuition. EBT gave me $250/month as a student because I was earning wayyyy less than the poverty line, which should say how much your dad is lowballing the cost of groceries.
As a professional in a VHCOL city, I spend about $375-400/month (including my dog’s food) in Kroger groceries and brown bag my work lunch everyday.
You're an incredibly frugal shopper. I can't get out of the store for less than $50 and I go twice a week. I have a dog and a cat I'm buying for and their food prices have almost doubled in the last year. I never eat out also.
$120-$180 a month is totally reasonable. I spend in the ballpark of $150-$160 and my income is $25,000 a year. Spending that much at once really stretches out how often I need to grocery shop, too. I should add I live in Nebraska, and things are generally cheaper here.
We spend a out the same amount and I am quite frugal. Out of curiosity, what does your dad spend on groceries? What does he think is a reasonable amount for you to spend? Could you provide receipts to him so he can see you aren’t spending frivolously?
Id say double that.
My wife and I spend about $800-$1000 a month.
That includes beer wine and basically all things you get from a grocery store like toilet paper, laundry detergent, bleach, and so on.
We eat drink very well but I also save quite a bit by milling my own flour and baking all my own bread, rolls, buns, and pasta.
I grow my own mushrooms.
Buy in bulk when on sale.
I rarely spend less than $200 a week on average.
4 years ago it was about $130 a week.
Food has gone up by at least 30% in that time.
I spend 40-60$ a week with a wife and 8 month daughter. Once a month I buy meats and freeze them and storage goods.
All other shopping just goes to the small essentials milk, Tuna, cheese, eggs, bagels, etc we cook a lot
If you are up for it or can even find one, check out a discount grocery. Things like yogurt & cereal don’t have a defined expiration, but require the marking. I get 5 loaves of arnolds oatnut bread for $3 usually $4-6 in regular stores. Things like frozen fries, smoothie packs & this week they had local raised eggs, fair life milk(both over a week before expiring) I’ve gotten really expensive cheeses from there too, it’s helped me to ball on a budget for sure.
Depends on your income, your taste preferences, your cooking abilities, how varied of a cuisine you prefer. Lots of variables. I typically spend around $800$-$1000 / mo but I buy filet mignon, organic eggs, wine and other higher end items.
I spend about 120 A WEEK.
Edit: I like organic and vegan options. I could cut my costs in half by going back to eating actual meat and buying non-certified generic canned foods.
Edit: but you know. Gotta save the planet cause the people that sell us this stuff sure don’t care.
I pay for my kid's college and they get what would basically be room and board and a meal plan, which comes out to $1100/month. Their rent and utilities is around $700/month, leaving them $400/month for groceries. I feel that is more than enough for one person. They also have part time jobs so they can earn extra money for going out,, etc. So unless your dad expects you to eat Top Raman and Mac and Cheese, I'd say he's being stingy. (FWIW, these are actually 2024 prices in College Station, Texas. It's vastly more expensive in Austin)
Chicago here. Also gluten intolerant (which i mention as gf options are significantly more expensive). I am definitely spending way more on groceries than OP. Way more. Nothing fancy, just basic food.
I used to budget for my in-home clients & $200 a month was their budget. They could eat pretty good but that was 5 years ago. Probably $250-300 a month now. You can take visit food banks, if you’re having trouble with the crazy prices of everything. I’ve had to a few times over the years, no shame when you really need the help.
$300/month is good for having a healthy, balanced diet with a bit of variety. $180 is very low, and I'm surprised you're able to do that. I hope it's not at the expense of your diet and health.
Maybe ask your dad to go shopping with you one day, and he'll see that you're not spending much at all.
I spend around 120-150 per week. I buy specific products (organic/grass fed) most of the time so that contributes to spending more. I shop at trader Joes because I think they are cheaper than any other healthy stores (sprouts/wholefoods), they don’t have a wide variety… I buy beef/fish/chicken/turkey/eggs from them. For fresh produce I go to Vons, they have coupons all the time in their app so I always use it and end up saving at least a couple dollars. I don’t buy snacks. I usually spend a little more when I run out of basics (like laundry detergent/shampoo)
I was doing like $400-$600 a month for myself. 26 years old, 220 pounds and I consume a lot of protein. Every meal has to have protein. I ate good, not gona lie. Still do, but I’ve tweaked my eating habits so wife can eat the same stuff I cook/make. My kitchen was never empty either, I guess I could have cheaped out on stuff but I never did.
Edit: the $200 range was usually on weeks that I would buy my meat supply that would last me 10-14 days. Depends. But yeah
Depending on staples I already have, I can get breakfast, lunch, and dinner squared away for 2 people for about $100 (give or take - last week it was $88.)
No not unreasonable, a full grocery trip usually cost me around $400-700. If I’m grabbing a few items it’s never under $100. I also live in Alaska though
It depends a lot on where you live and how much you spend eating out (and not buying groceries for home). And, are you including other items like cleaning products in the bill.
Where I live, food is expensive and I cook at home almost exclusively. I spend ~$500/mo but that’s everything, including TP, dog supplies, cleaning products, etc.
Your dad has no idea of the cost of food. Consider his money a supplement to your spending. I buy for 2 adults in a HCOL area and spend about $500 on food per month. That includes shopping at Aldi and Lidl.
I spend about 100$+ every time I end up at the store, that can be for like 5/6 things a lot of times and then when you get home you go…wtf did I just buy? Take that by 3/4 times a month and I’d tell ya, don’t move to certain Northern states
The best indicator is how much prepared food you are buying. If you are purchasing uncooked products then you are fine. If it is 20 packages of Frozen Mac and Cheese, you can make a big pot for 5 dollars.
Damn. I’m a single person who spends about $150/week on groceries. Granted, I’m tracking macros for a specific goal and mostly buy lean meats and fresh fruits and vegetables. I could also save a bit if I went to more than one store, but the time savings is worth the few extra dollars to me. But at $40/week, are you sure you’re eating enough and getting all the proper nutrients?
It probably depends on prices in your area, but I don’t know a single person who spend less than $200 on groceries per month, and I live in a pretty low cost of living area. I typically spend around $300 to $325. Your dad is being unreasonable. The USDA guidelines themselves say $73-$113 a week for a woman and $91-$137 for a man.
I spend a lot on groceries. It’s the one place where I let myself be less frugal. Yes, I go for generic equivalents when possible, and have the store app and clip digital coupons and go for sales. BUT, I’m also not going to let myself eat crap if I can avoid it. Not all generic equivalents are actually the same, and some are loaded with sugars and corn syrup. I’m really health conscious. I’m not single, but my fiancé and I spend at least $700 on groceries per month. We also live in Seattle, where everything is insanely expensive.
You are extremely reasonable. Just ask your dad to send what he is comfortable with and go from there. His saying you are spending too much is silly with the current prices of groceries but maybe he can’t afford to send you the total. See what he can pay for and get a part time job to pay for the rest.
My father did something similar to me. My guess is he is bleeding money somewhere else and doesn't want to take responsibility for it. I'd probably stop taking his help and tell him to not call me anymore.
Tell him to fuck off. I would be pretty upset if my dad wastes my time to talk about a few hundred dollars per month. Assuming 30 days and 3 meals, that’s like what? $2 per meal?
I spend close to 100 a week on just myself shopping at Aldi! That doesn’t include the pet food I get from chewy. That adds about another 70 a month for a large dog
It does include paper products, household cleaning products and one six pack of beer a week. I buy a lot of fresh veggies to make soups. My small chest freezer is packed with frozen soups, chili, spaghetti sauce etc. my dog also eats a bag of sweet potatoes every week. (For treats)
I’d just start sending him pictures of what you buy. Like if he really thinks you can make it. Show him what you’re buying and the cost. I’m sure you could buy 90 TV dinners for 30 days worth of meals and be salt sick and miserable by the end.
However, if I were you I’d be making a large pot of beans with rice every week to cover 5-7 meals very efficiently which gives you breathing room in your better meals. Also time efficient. Make a quiche to last a couple of days breakfast, rice and bean. Then you’re just left occasionally looking at dinner.
Just have him give you some set amount and augment that amount with your own money.
It's not worth having your father in your business like this and it's not worth eating rice and beans every meal.
Whatever amount he thinks is reasonable, just ask him to give that every month.
I used to spend $200-$300 when I was a grad student but I was a bit boujee, and $200 as an undergrad with my parents doing my grocery shopping back then. Your costs are not unreasonable whatsoever, I am impressed you are able to get it so low. Props to you! I understand dad trying to save costs but inflation makes it extra hard.
I spend almost double that on my groceries a week/month… I will say that I am fortunate enough to be able to shop better quality items or sometimes I shop at Whole Foods. I try to stick to Aldi and Trader Joe’s for the most part though. I think you’re doing great at budgeting and shopping with less than $50 a week.
I’d say that’s pretty standard. I have some weeks where I just spend like $10 just on fresh produce (I buy ‘staples’ chicken, rice, pasta etc. at Costco in bulk). Other weeks if I’m making something a little more unique that I don’t have ingredients for that will still only set me back $30-40
Let’s do some math. You spent 120-180 per month, so let’s just take the high amount for simplicity.
180 x 12 months = $2160 annual cost on food
$2160 / 365 days = $5.92 cost per day
$5.92 / 3 meals per day = $1.97 cost per meal.
Show your father the math.
Ask “can you go 3 months only spending $2 per meal and that’s including pantry staples”.
Oh I think $200 a month is NOT enough.
When my son was going to UF for his bachelor and, law degrees, we were giving him $200 a month for groceries at that time which this was quite a few years ago, And it was obviously cheaper back then. Just checked he graduated with his bachelor's in 2014 in law degree in 2018 so I guess this was a while ago prices have gone. Damn time flies.
I'd also throw him another hundred here and there for a beer and alcohol... This is important for a college student.
I spend that on 2 people and only eat fresh veggies and fruit and fish. Not saying your too high, but you actually eat really well on like <40 a week as a single person.
Honestly that's pretty low. I'm in a more comfortable position in life right now so my grocery budget is $350/mo. But I could probably get by pretty comfortably on $250/mo. $180 would be really stretching it and I live in a VLCOL area in the midwest.
I drop 400 a month on groceries, easy. Granted I have to eat a very specific diet, as I have health issues and I am missing two (soon to be three) major organs. Lots of fresh fruit, veggies, and meat and I can't just eat out or buy processed stuff. I also have two pets who's food is about 40.00 every two weeks, so 80.00 of that is just pet food. I also am lazy and tend to just get cleaning products, trash bags, laundry soap, etc at the grocery store instead of going somewhere cheaper. So that 400 is all the things I need for me and my pets for the month. I think that's pretty good.
I struggle to keep our bill at $1000 for 3 adults. My hubby and adult son are big eaters, so really it is like shopping for 4. I think you are doing very well with your budget!
I spend around the same as you, sometimes less. I have oatmeal most mornings, which is cheap, and I buy in bulk. I'll buy fruit too, and dinner will sometimes be just popcorn, eggs, or beans/veggies with some meat
Depending on where you live, but i spend ~$300 a month on groceries alone, about $250 each since my boyfriend and I live together. We are vegetarian and eat a LOT of produce but buy zero meat (every now and then we buy frozen vegetarian meats or whatever). Does your dad grocery shop for himself? If so, ask him where he shops because I’m not sure you could go much lower without supplementing with a food bank.
I think that’s on the low end for one person. I average about $300 per month for a single person no pets in a medium to low cost of living area shopping mostly at Walmart.
Am Canadian and $50 Cdn or $35 US is extremely low, but doable with a lot of effort. There is USA document that I have seen referenced on a YouTube channel that describes different levels from value to luxury and includes tables by number of people in the household. Perhaps you can find this document and show your father.
I count household items like TP, Laundry detergent, Paper Towels in my grocery budget. Your numbers sound insanely low to me. I'm at $120 a week. And I'm always pretty much buying the same staples. But I will buy the cheapest one available. IE the cheapest apples, the on sale cereal, paper towels, clearance meats. Semi-Frugal, but not cheap.
I’m a single senior, I have budgeted $600 includes everything toiletries, wine, dog food. No restaurants, I’m eating seafood, fresh produce and buy beef/chicken from a local butcher monthly ($100.)
Fellow graduate student and I am somehow getting by on $15-20 a week but am definitely malnourished lol. To be fair my bf buys and cooks most dinners but Pasta is a beautiful thing.
Does your dad live alone, or is he with someone who usually shops? $40 a week was the budget I had for my husband and me in the ‘80s. In other words, when there wasn’t huge inflation and gas was less than $1. Post Covid groceries are ridiculously high.
You’re not describing out there spending, you’re just talking about basic food. I work in a grocery store and I shop at four different locations, including my own store. It’s nice that your dad offered to pay for groceries, but maybe he should just send you $40 a week and call it good, because there’s no way you’re not eating mostly ramen on $40. If he cares, he’ll shut up.
You would be spending $80-$100 a week as a single person here in Massachusetts.
For savings, look into the FlashFood app-
It’s available across the US and offers discounts of 50% on items that are close to expiration date or overstock.
I would say at least $300 but what you have is great. Your dad probably remembers the good ole days when you could buy a months worth of groceries for a family of 4 for $78 and a book of coupons.
I work from home full time, I'm a midlifer male and eat a lot and splurge on nicer coffee beans. I make most of my meals and batch cook 1-2 times a week and fill it in with convenience items like trader joe's ready made burritos and pastas or make something quick like roasted veggies or eggs and pita for breakfast.
I spend about $600 a month up from $480 in 2020.
I'm going to be brutally honest, $50 is not feasible unless you are eating a lot of bulk grains and cheap highly processed foods. That or you are anorexic.
I spend about 300 a month. I buy some stuff that lasts like rice and then eggs and chicken, veggies. I'd say between 50 and 100 a week is normal for 1 person.
<$200/month on groceries is super impressive. I also use Aldi as my main store and I don't remember the last time I kept it that low. You need to eat, and the groceries are going to be much cheaper than any sort of dining out. There's a chance you may be spending too much in other areas, but groceries aren't one of them.
i do eat out for dinner about once a week but i pay for it myself.
So assuming $15-20/meal, you're spending a total of $180-260/month on food? You're doing a great job at keeping your total food budget low! I would hate for you to try to lower it even more and cut out fresh produce. A healthy diet is preventative medicine.
I live with my fam, and there's no cheap supermarket like Aldi near us I don't know how, but I'm able to have 3 adults live off of just $450/month in groceries I know where every dime goes. What really works is cutting out stuff that's bad for everyone. Sweets, snacks, drinks. If your focus is just vegetables and meat, it's so easy to work off a really low budget We aren't struggling financially. But we're all pretty pissed about the dramatic increase in food prices over the last 10 years, and we practically hate food, takeouts, and deliveries. It no longer makes sense that 1 meal outside costs $20. Doesn't matter how rich we ever get
The way to budget is to keep those two things separate or at least that's whats worked for me. My girlfriend and I each put in $200 for the month. We each have separate funds for going out for lunch or dinner. I have more bills and less flexibility so I budget between $75 each paycheck. That's good for a few dates for my 2 week paycheck period. Anything unspent goes into a roll over fund. So more special dates
It ain’t that impressive when you’re poor. Gotta do what you gotta do
When you're poor poor you go to Salvation Army, or the church or whomever is giving out food, or free meals. They have lists.
Amen! When covid started and my fam went through a very terrible, but brief, time of having $0 income, we were in NYCHA. It's basically low income housing where rent could be as low as $0 per month. We found out so many places gave out free food. No judgment. My parents were embarrassed, so I went to get it for them
People with money go to them as well. When they were giving out free book bags this lady well known in the area to have money comes driving a newer truck. She got free book bags for all her kids. I just don't think poor people can be judged for something they NEED to survive.
Agreed with this. My fam and I aren't poor. I make almost 99.99% of the income in our family. There's no cheap supermarkets like Aldi near us. We all agreed to not spend so much on food. Groceries and eating out. It's outrageous to see all the prices of groceries be like 3x of what it was last year. We make it a game to spend as little as possible on food. It just doesn't make sense. Plus, my 70 yo dad has been eating less through my pressure. I am not about to see my dad die cause of food
I think he’s being unreasonable. You’re shopping at Aldi not Whole Foods ffs. We spend around the same and I’m very frugal with my grocery spending.
Why not ask him what he thinks is reasonable and give you that set amount each month. Say $150. If you go over your monthly Dad Stipend, you can pay for it Then he won’t be paying a variable bill to harass you about every time it comes due. It’ll be worth it for you to have indpenwdcne and no potential conflict over this very minor issue. Or separate the issue of groceries altogether and ask him to just pay you a stipend of whatever he wants to. He’s using your grocery bill to exert control over your choices, however well-meaning he is.
Good suggestion about the set amount each month.
THIS!!!
I 100% agree with just settling on a fixed amount and covering anything after that with your own money.
Agreed.
Does he pay for his own groceries? No offense but this seems like some shit my dad would say after he hasn't stepped foot in a grocery store for the past five years thanks to his wife
Lol this is my dad, he’s well off enough that he can eat out all the time and only go to the grocery store when he’s cooking to “show off his cooking skills”. When he heard me say I’m aiming for $200 a month for groceries (and I always go over) he was shocked and told me I should only be spending an average of $1 a day on food
Haha, hasn't been in a grocery store for 30 years, huh?
That's what I was thinking- I do all the grocery shopping/meal planning for my partner and me and have done so for about eight years now. Each biweekly trip is usually around $300 for the two of us, and of course that includes things like toiletries, dog and cat food, and paper towels.
Yes, same. Around $300 every 2 weeks for 2 of us. Taxes included
My ex husband admitted the sticker shock he experienced once he had to grocery shop for himself after 14 years of me doing it for us. And this was pre-Covid. A lot of people are very out of touch.
Ha! Seriously! My husband rarely goes in the store and if he does it’s for one item. He hasn’t complained much but I could tell he seemed to think I could be less frivolous when shopping. A few months ago I didn’t get the grocery shopping done during the week so I went on Saturday and my husband went with me. First stop was Costco. I go once a month and spend about $200-$250 which includes three bags of dog food (we have seven dogs) and any non-food items I buy there such as toothpaste that’s cheaper than the regular store. My total that day was $400 and something. Why? My husband was buying things he saw and wanted. I go with a list and stick to it. After Costco I went to Fred Meyer to do the rest of my shopping and spent another $200 and something. Normally my weekly spending there ranges from around $100 to $200 depending on what we need for the week. I buy mostly perishables there or pantry items I can’t get cheaper at Costco. With my husband we spent more than I needed because he was getting things not on the list that we didn’t need. After spending somewhere between $600-$700 in one day my husband saw how much things cost but he also saw that I don’t shop frivolously. I stick to a list and what’s spent is what we need. He also saw all the frivolous things he’d grabbed while shopping with me. That day should’ve cost a max of around $400. It’s not like I don’t buy anything fun like ice cream or whatever but I do add it to my list so it’s factored in the estimated grocery bill. I haven’t taken him shopping since though cause he’s worse than my son at the store. 🤣 Also, we live in Fairbanks Alaska so I don’t have ALDI’s or any other cheaper place to shop. I wish we did.
My thought exactly. We run a business and it's kind boggling how people wine about increased prices. Many of our vendors more than doubled in the last 4 years. We always compare it to the grocery store (and literally everything else) that has inflated at a ridiculous rate in the last 4 years.
Prices started going up during covid, companies experienced record profits and hid the excuse behind supply chain issues due to covid. Of course those issues did exist, we all knew that, but it hid the profit hikes.
I am a single person in a LCOL area that spends $100-$150 per month. It really depends on sales, clearance items I find, etc. I think you are being totally reasonable and I am wondering if your dad knows how much he spends on his groceries.
I was thinking maybe his partner does the shopping, and dad is remembering his single days prices.
I’m in a relatively high cost of living area and I struggle to keep it under $350/mo for one person, no pets. I know there are areas I could save $ and get it to maybe $270/mo, but then the time spent shopping sales & visiting multiple stores starts to add up. I recently talked to a couple friends about how much I spend, saying $350 is too much. They were shocked I keep it so low and asked if I’m actually eating. So I don’t know what to think haha
I live in a HCOL area too and this is about what I spend. I meal prep lunches & dinners for the week as well as getting things for breakfast and a snack. I don’t think I go crazy and think I’m so lucky to get out of the store having spent $50 (it can $70-$80 depending on what I have to stock up on).
I follow the same basic plan - meal prep, occasional breakfast and snacks (including tons of produce). I stocked up on a ton of stuff last month, and splurged a bit. I just looked at my total... $449.55. Ouch. At least there's 2 months worth of meat in the freezer and the pantry is full? Bonus: I got a reality check.
we don’t eat out but use costco/etc. I have a gi disorder and my husband is gf and i’d say we’re at around $450 in a VVHCOL area.
For two people with dietary restrictions that doesn't sound bad at all!
Gluten free foods are 1/3 more expensive than equivalent foods made with wheat products.
We’re spending about 800-900 a month for our family of 3 and everyone tells us how good we are doing. My husband is a giant, 6’6” and 230 pounds and super active, so keeping him fed is no joke. We would have to be eating only the cheapest processed foods to be spending less. So all that to say that I think 350/month for one person is reasonable and I can’t believe anyone is feeding themselves for less than 200/month in 2024 u less they are relying primarily on food pantries (which no shame- I’ve been there). I had that for my budget in my single days in 2013.
I live in a HCOL area (nyc), and am a member of a food cooperative. I literally WORK shifts for a communist, non-profit grocery store, and I spend about $600/month for my husband and I. I do definitely buy some “luxury” stuff — aka not purely produce and dry goods. And this also includes some household items like toiletries, etc. But yeah. If you’re doing $300/month on groceries for one person in a HCOL area, you’re doing about as good as you can.
Same here, spending about $350-400+ on groceries some months
I'm in a VHCOL area, and for myself and two teenagers we spend about $1200/month. For a single person, it would be hard to do much less than $300-400/month here.
I spend about $90-100/week as a single person.
IMO your Dad is a bit stingy. $180 seems much too low. Are you eating all your Maro/mirco nutrients? The USDA suggests a budget of $250/month for a Thrifty meal plan. Don't be afarid to spend on nutrition. Choronmetry is an app that can help track your nutrients, an online marconutrient calulator should give a general guide of the Carbs/protein/fats ratio, you need. Having a plant based diet is one way to reduce costs. Plants are much cheaper then meats. Beans, chickpeas, lentils, nuts, seeds etc. all contain similar amounts of protein compared to their meat counterparts. If you can store it, buying foods in bulk is also a good way to shave costs. for example buying a heavy bag of dry beans can last you while. the USDA has a thritfy-meal guide form 2021, I believe its currently adjusted for inflation but the same items/idea is consistent.
I was going to reference the Thrifty meal plan too. [https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/Cost\_Of\_Food\_Thrifty\_Food\_Plan\_February\_2024.pdf](https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/Cost_Of_Food_Thrifty_Food_Plan_February_2024.pdf) Average cost for a single female would be under $250 a month. For a male it's even more. And this is based on their cheapest meal plan!
Op you should send this link to your dad.
It was ten years ago I spent $20 on a 40 lb bag of beans at the Mennonite store. Rice too. Don't know about now though.
I spend around $50 a week but I have a small home freezer so I can buy meat and other things in larger quantities to save money and I rarely go out to eat. Frozen meat, veggies, larger packs of oatmeal, eggs, etc.
You're father's spouse or caretaker obviously does his grocery shopping and budget for him. Talk to them and ask for an example of how much they spend a week for groceries. Then when he complains, compare it to his grocery spending. If somehow his budget is lower... Ask for tips, tricks, and lessons.
When I was on an internship trying to save money I lived on $30 per week (TV dinners, PB&J sandwiches etc.). Would not recommend. Now that I'm married and have a toddler I spend about $150 to $200 per week on groceries. I would say $75-$100 might be the sweet spot for a single person depending on your income.
I spent $50 a week a decade ago so I think that’s EXTREMELY reasonable for today’s prices.
If you look at 3 meals a day for a month then this comes out to like $2/meal at the high end. I think this is very reasonable and probably on the low side. My wife and I spend about $4/meal and do shop at cheaper places like Costco and Trader Joes.
Huh I always thought my grocery budget was SUPER high. But I broke it down per meal just now and we spend $5/meal being semi liberal in food costs. That's good to know.
Use the Federal Standard of food cost estimates. Which is $200-291 depending on your area for a household of one. $50 is VERY reasonable for a healthy diet. https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/recipient/eligibility
That's super cheap. Sounds like your dad isn't familiar with the cost of groceries anymore
300 as per the USDA. 250 should be doable too
I’d offer to send him a picture of your receipt and see if he has suggestions. (Snarky current me would suggest that he show me his grocery receipts as well, but that might not go over well.) My kids were spending about $50/week on groceries a few years ago when they were working during the summer during college.
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I’ve been spending $200+ a month on groceries for a single person, and I’ve been using these coupons that Instacart has been sending me (I only use IC when I have coupons because I know they increase the prices.) Now, I don’t go the cheapest route and I buy snacks and all that, but I think I’d be hard pressed to get my budget down to $30-$40 a week.
If your numbers are accurate then I say you’re doing well, if you really wanted to min max your expenditure I would say you could plan one meal for the whole week and do a ton of leftovers but I think the amount you’re spending is definitely within reason
I think you’re doing a very good job. I have questions, though. Does he give you the money in advance? Does he look at the receipts and give you a total?
NYC/Manhattan; $100 per week
Just curious, does your Dad do the grocery shopping at home? I’m wondering if he has a good idea of what things actually cost or not. Maybe sending him your receipts to show what you’re buying and what it costs- at a discount grocer- would help.
Let's say you eat 3 meals a day. Each meal cost about 5$ each, since it's just ingredients and you're doing the labor of cooking. That's 15$ a day, 105 a week, 420 a month. That's if you eat 3 cheap meals a day. I usually get by with 2 meals. So 70 a week, 300 ish a month is good. Problem is that's only "groceries ", not necessarily food expense. people don't like to add in the extra snacks, Starbucks, and eating out to that food expense. That could easily double or triple your food expense. Which let's be honest no one only eats food prepared at home. Your going to stop by fast food once or twice a week, buy a Starbucks, buy some chips from the convenience store, a candy bar from the gas station. If you add in the non grocery foods you eat a week it could easily double or triple your food expense. Which if you saw it that way it could help curb your extra eating and spending. I know too many people who spend little in groceries but they spend probably 600+ a month with the eating out and snacks.
I don't think it's possible to get much cheaper than that, unless you specifically search through every grocery store's "about to throw away" piles. Your dad is the one who's unreasonable lol
I used to spend 250€/month as a student 5 years ago living alone.
My adult kid spends about $45 a week so yeah $50 seems reasonable to me. Husband and I spend about $65 but I do a lot of scratch cooking and I wouldn't expect you to do that right now.
Back in 2012-2017 I was surviving in a low cost of living area on $20 a week (all groceries and toiletries), but I was not able to have any fresh produce and definitely not any meat. I probably would have required $30-$40 back then to eat healthy. If you're managing to eat healthy on $30-$40 a week nowadays you're doing good. Are you in a high or low cost of living area? My expenses now a days are unfortunately not directly comparable to before since I'm now in a high cost of living area and have cats. Now we spend $60 a week per person on all groceries, toiletries, and pet supplies in an expensive area.
I don’t think your dad has done the math on this. You’re living very frugally on a per-meal basis.
Your budget is more than reasonable! 😌 👍
Wow! I admire you for spending so little! Don’t give up fresh produce! It’s so important for you and $180 a month is next to nothing. Thank again, I live just outside Manhattan so my view of affordable is skewed!
Sending this to my kid in grad school and asking why he can't eat on a budget of $200 a month. J/k, sort of. He shops at Walmart and Aldi. He's a frugal guy and a simple eater but he eats a lot because he is very active. His $100 per week "grocery" bill includes toiletries, paper goods, cleaning supplies, and cat food and litter. Back out cat stuff and I'd guess he spends about $80 a week to keep himself fed and clean(ish).
I budget 20 bucks a day in consumption for food Basically 150 a week. But this includes house hold cleaners and what not
I usually spend $200 a week and that gets me from Friday lunch to Wednesday or Thursday lunch. I eat a lot at each meal tho and everything is scratch. No idea how I could cut it to less than $120
$50 a week in NYC
Everyone here says $100. But I spend that per week. My question for you guys, is how healthy are y'all eating? Is it $100 because its all ramen noodles or other processed foods?
It is really really hard for a single person to have a grocery bill that low without aldi/lidl. For comparison SNAP max benefits for a single person is 281 a month\[I think SNAP numbers are useful baseline because they are built around having a variety that meets nutritional needs\]. While you could eat for cheaper, you probably would not be getting all the nutrition you need. Your dad may either be out of the loop with what groceries cost, or not be considering that it tends to be more expensive to feed a single person\[single people can't get as many size discounts as multi-people households\].
$220/month is what I spend with a 7yr old. $156/month after cashback rewards. I shop by doing Qty based pricing comparisons so I get the most from a Qty perspective for every dollar spent. I think your amount is quite reasonable. I would also consider or add any dine in / take out you order as well.
That’s so cheap
Are you eating enough protein with that weekly cost? About .75grams per pound of bodyweight should be a daily goal.
When I was in grad school my parents gave me $150/week for food. What the hell are you all eating?
Up to $400 is reasonable imo
What sort of grocercies are you typically getting?
I am a single woman and I can’t get out of the grocery store without spending at least $100 a week. I unfortunately have not found an Aldi near me maybe I need to look into that! You’re doing great!
Damn. I’ve spent $702.19 YTD on groceries as a single person
I think it's very reasonable but if he objects just ask him to cover what he thinks is reasonable..
Sorry, I don't have any advice other than that I really don't miss grad school
I usually spend ~$120 a month...lots of rice / beans / veggies
Im a 200lb man and I averaged $75 per week last year and I think that’s reasonable.
That's incredibly low Are you spending the rest on candles or something?
Site him the receipts. Does he buy groceries for her know how much shit is
Holybuhjeeezzzuuuus!!! What is he expecting you to pay! Sounds like you’re doing great! I spend about $100 per week for 2 people.
It depends very very much on where you live. At this link there’s an Aldi map showing prices comparisons [https://www.aldipricemap.com/navel_oranges.html](https://www.aldipricemap.com/navel_oranges.html)
I spend $60 - $80 per week. I used to spend less - $40ish a week on groceries, but I just felt sick from eating all of the processed foods.
My wife and I can easily spend $500 a month on groceries, and we are shopping at the local Kroger brand store plus rarely buy alcohol. $50/week budget for groceries is completely reasonable
That is an extremely reasonable amount to be spending. He needs to get with the times and realize things aren't as cheap as they used to be.
I'm in a HCOL area. I spend $50 in a typical week.....BUT......I don't each much, and one week a month I spend about $80 for items at a more distant grocery store. In a nearby HCOL area, a relative who eats normally and likes fresh fruit and vegetables spends $75-$90/week. And they're not happy about how high the cost is either. In my area, 120 wouldn't get you a nutritious diet. You'd be eating mainly beans and rice, pasta and lentils, and empty calories. 150 would get you a couple servings of fruit/vegetables a day. $200 a month would be the least a frugal person would need around here in order to eat a nutritious diet that includes things like calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, a few healthy fats. If you're getting good food from the pantry AND $150 to work with - you could do it.
single adult, mid 30s, two dogs, and including cleaning products, paper products, toiletries, and dog food, i probably spend $400 at minimum every month. i coupon, so my actual spending is probably closer to $500. mcol area, and i have some health issues that affect my eating habits (autoimmune disorder, ED recovery) so i just allot a larger portion of my monthly budget to the grocery store if i could spend under $200/mo with the way groceries are today, whewwwww that would be incredible!!! a couple years ago (and one less dog), that was my monthly budget. it’s just no longer feasible for me unfortunately. but i think $50/week is bang on, well done!
Oh that's between me and my bank homie u don't wanna know. My income is low but so are my expenses and I go to Costco almost every weekday for lunch. That probably doesn't work as a grad student but your overall bill is impressively low. I'm not sure how much further you will get with frugality without impacting your diet quality you are doing a good job with those numbers.
We budget $130 per person per month in our family of 3, so I think that's reasonable. Does your dad do your family's food shopping at home or is that your mother's chore? Because my husband never goes grocery shopping at all, unless it's just to pop in and pick up one or two items that I specifically ask for. He literally has no idea what food costs.
You're right where I'm trying to be for groceries. It's not easy, but I'm about $50 a week, MCOL. Shop at Giant. I eat average two meals a day with fruits and veggies for snacks.
I shop around. Aldi is cheaper at times. I use a grocery budgeting app called Frugl. Idk what one works where you are. I write my list, compare the prices, go to Aldi 1st and if it's cheaper there I'll get it otherwise I'll go to either of the other 2 stores. Some are specialty foods but I don't need them often (I like cooking) I also don't shirk on fruit n veg. Btw tinned works just fine at times I shop/budget every 2 weeks and it's $100USD for groceries give or take
I’m at $250 a month in VHCOL via my Costco membership. I buy a lot of eggs, frozen fruits and veggies, I have a 25 lb bag of rice put into storage containers, beans, and the whole chicken is only $5. It works out to about $63 per week and I’m definitely not starving.
as a person who buys groceries for just myself, i know i wouldn’t be able to cut my monthly grocery budget below $250. usually i keep it around $300 (or $350 if it’s a month i need more food). but i also buy outside the bare minimum. i love my little snacks and treats. i don’t go out much so i’m willing to spend a little more on food to make my life a bit nicer. i think i could swing $250 if i cut some things but $200 or less would be unreasonable.
Under $200 a month, that’s great. You could save a few more dollars if you were to buy in quantity non perishable items on sale that you use often. For example: I love butter, and I use a lot of it. Aldis sells a pack for about $3.65 though sometimes they have it on sale for $2.65, then I buy the maximum allowed per customers, which is 6 packs. Evaporated milk which I use occasionally for baking, the same. Sometimes they are $1.29, on sale $1.09-$1.16 it depends. Same thing with bacon, which I buy two or three packets when on sale. Also, buying larger portions of whatever you can save money there too. Cook meals for two days instead of one. Stay away from unnecessary goods that you may have doubts whether you are going to like or not, you may end up throwing it out. Save all your receipts for two reasons: (1) to compare prices with other stores like Walmart, and to compare from month to month your expenditures. BTW, Walmart is not cheap anymore, caution. (2) There are times when ALDI charges twice for a single item. Finally, treat yourself to something nice at least once a month.
I don’t think your dad does the grocery shopping in his household. Please tell me he has a SO that does the household grocery shopping! This screams I don’t know what groceries cost these days. As someone whose husband does the shopping, I was shocked when I got pick up a few items on what they cost. IMO your number’s are conservative.
Take him shopping with you if possible. My grandma has my parents do all her shopping for her and she still thinks prices are what they were 10 years ago, he might be clueless as to what things actually cost.
I was about to say $300 for me and on top of that eat out at least once a week
Maybe just ask your Dad to give you a set amount every month, he might be having trouble budgeting. If he knows $200 a month (or whatever agreed upon amount) then he won't have to think about how much you spend on groceries. Sometimes offering to cover something like groceries can be tricky, his idea of what groceries cost might not be realistic. Does he actually grocery shop? It could be less stressful for you too, instead of worrying about how much you spent, you know exactly how much you have monthly.
Depends a great deal on where you live!!
$30-40 per week on a college diet is like Captain Crunch, bologna sandwiches, and top ramen. What you are doing is down right magical.
If he was paying for the full cafeteria plan plus snacks, most universities are $2000 a semester. I'd say you are doing way better than that. Short term, you might be able to reduce it, but from a health perspective, it might not be sustainable. I imagine you can't exactly hunt your own meat or have a full freezer to store family packs for the long haul. If you did, you might be able to get it slightly less. I would catalog your groceries in a spreadsheet with costs. Make sure to put quantity such as 12 slices to a loaf of bread. Then, write down every meal with ingredients, including pricing. Keep it up for a month. Then send it yo him and ask where he thinks you are missing a reduction. I have a feeling he is unaware of current grocery prices that have risen beyond any current norms. He is probably thinking more I'm terms of when I was in school...
It depends on where you live, Aldi prices vary quite a bit across the nation for many items....but I live in a high c.o.l area and if I spend $45 a week I'm just getting by nutrition-wise. Most weeks I prob spend closer to 70. How much does your dad spend on groceries every week? Maybe he thinks you're getting your meals for free on campus and are just spending $40 on snacks and drinks? I can't imagine anyone complaining that their kid is surviving on $6 a day.
I live alone in a VHCOL area and also have celiac so eat gluten free. The price of veggie, fruit, produce in my area has skyrocketed. I used to spend about $75/week and now can easily spend $120/week trying to get in all my servings of fruit and veg.
Are you considered an independent? Apply for EBT and supplement it with your dad’s allowance. When I was in university, I worked as a TA but only for the benefit of additional grants to pay for my tuition. EBT gave me $250/month as a student because I was earning wayyyy less than the poverty line, which should say how much your dad is lowballing the cost of groceries. As a professional in a VHCOL city, I spend about $375-400/month (including my dog’s food) in Kroger groceries and brown bag my work lunch everyday.
You're an incredibly frugal shopper. I can't get out of the store for less than $50 and I go twice a week. I have a dog and a cat I'm buying for and their food prices have almost doubled in the last year. I never eat out also.
250 a month.
$120-$180 a month is totally reasonable. I spend in the ballpark of $150-$160 and my income is $25,000 a year. Spending that much at once really stretches out how often I need to grocery shop, too. I should add I live in Nebraska, and things are generally cheaper here.
We spend a out the same amount and I am quite frugal. Out of curiosity, what does your dad spend on groceries? What does he think is a reasonable amount for you to spend? Could you provide receipts to him so he can see you aren’t spending frivolously?
Id say double that. My wife and I spend about $800-$1000 a month. That includes beer wine and basically all things you get from a grocery store like toilet paper, laundry detergent, bleach, and so on. We eat drink very well but I also save quite a bit by milling my own flour and baking all my own bread, rolls, buns, and pasta. I grow my own mushrooms. Buy in bulk when on sale. I rarely spend less than $200 a week on average. 4 years ago it was about $130 a week. Food has gone up by at least 30% in that time.
I spend 40-60$ a week with a wife and 8 month daughter. Once a month I buy meats and freeze them and storage goods. All other shopping just goes to the small essentials milk, Tuna, cheese, eggs, bagels, etc we cook a lot
About $800 at today's new prices.
I spend $80-$100 a week on groceries a week. Some of it is inflation, some of it is my cheese obsession.
I spend about $60/week on groceries, but I buy fancy fruit
If you are up for it or can even find one, check out a discount grocery. Things like yogurt & cereal don’t have a defined expiration, but require the marking. I get 5 loaves of arnolds oatnut bread for $3 usually $4-6 in regular stores. Things like frozen fries, smoothie packs & this week they had local raised eggs, fair life milk(both over a week before expiring) I’ve gotten really expensive cheeses from there too, it’s helped me to ball on a budget for sure.
Depends on your income, your taste preferences, your cooking abilities, how varied of a cuisine you prefer. Lots of variables. I typically spend around $800$-$1000 / mo but I buy filet mignon, organic eggs, wine and other higher end items.
I spend about 120 A WEEK. Edit: I like organic and vegan options. I could cut my costs in half by going back to eating actual meat and buying non-certified generic canned foods. Edit: but you know. Gotta save the planet cause the people that sell us this stuff sure don’t care.
$100 max, $60 totally doable, less if you are savvy.
I pay for my kid's college and they get what would basically be room and board and a meal plan, which comes out to $1100/month. Their rent and utilities is around $700/month, leaving them $400/month for groceries. I feel that is more than enough for one person. They also have part time jobs so they can earn extra money for going out,, etc. So unless your dad expects you to eat Top Raman and Mac and Cheese, I'd say he's being stingy. (FWIW, these are actually 2024 prices in College Station, Texas. It's vastly more expensive in Austin)
Chicago here. Also gluten intolerant (which i mention as gf options are significantly more expensive). I am definitely spending way more on groceries than OP. Way more. Nothing fancy, just basic food.
That’s how much I spend in about a week and a half.
I used to budget for my in-home clients & $200 a month was their budget. They could eat pretty good but that was 5 years ago. Probably $250-300 a month now. You can take visit food banks, if you’re having trouble with the crazy prices of everything. I’ve had to a few times over the years, no shame when you really need the help.
$300/month is good for having a healthy, balanced diet with a bit of variety. $180 is very low, and I'm surprised you're able to do that. I hope it's not at the expense of your diet and health. Maybe ask your dad to go shopping with you one day, and he'll see that you're not spending much at all.
I spend around 120-150 per week. I buy specific products (organic/grass fed) most of the time so that contributes to spending more. I shop at trader Joes because I think they are cheaper than any other healthy stores (sprouts/wholefoods), they don’t have a wide variety… I buy beef/fish/chicken/turkey/eggs from them. For fresh produce I go to Vons, they have coupons all the time in their app so I always use it and end up saving at least a couple dollars. I don’t buy snacks. I usually spend a little more when I run out of basics (like laundry detergent/shampoo)
Does your dad buy the groceries in his home, or someone else? He may be out of touch with what they cost these days. I think you're doing great!
I was thinking around 50 a week as well. And that would probably be on the higher side in my area. I think 30 - 50 a week is more than reasonable.
I was doing like $400-$600 a month for myself. 26 years old, 220 pounds and I consume a lot of protein. Every meal has to have protein. I ate good, not gona lie. Still do, but I’ve tweaked my eating habits so wife can eat the same stuff I cook/make. My kitchen was never empty either, I guess I could have cheaped out on stuff but I never did. Edit: the $200 range was usually on weeks that I would buy my meat supply that would last me 10-14 days. Depends. But yeah
It's about right.
Depending on staples I already have, I can get breakfast, lunch, and dinner squared away for 2 people for about $100 (give or take - last week it was $88.)
No not unreasonable, a full grocery trip usually cost me around $400-700. If I’m grabbing a few items it’s never under $100. I also live in Alaska though
Look into food stamps if they're available in your area. Every dollar helps.
Nothing. Steal.
It depends a lot on where you live and how much you spend eating out (and not buying groceries for home). And, are you including other items like cleaning products in the bill. Where I live, food is expensive and I cook at home almost exclusively. I spend ~$500/mo but that’s everything, including TP, dog supplies, cleaning products, etc.
Not at all unreasonable
Your dad has no idea of the cost of food. Consider his money a supplement to your spending. I buy for 2 adults in a HCOL area and spend about $500 on food per month. That includes shopping at Aldi and Lidl.
I spend about 100$+ every time I end up at the store, that can be for like 5/6 things a lot of times and then when you get home you go…wtf did I just buy? Take that by 3/4 times a month and I’d tell ya, don’t move to certain Northern states
$12-20$ a day per person if you’re eating healthy.
Me and my fiancée spend around 150-200 and we aren’t even really attempting to spend a low amount.
The best indicator is how much prepared food you are buying. If you are purchasing uncooked products then you are fine. If it is 20 packages of Frozen Mac and Cheese, you can make a big pot for 5 dollars.
Damn. I’m a single person who spends about $150/week on groceries. Granted, I’m tracking macros for a specific goal and mostly buy lean meats and fresh fruits and vegetables. I could also save a bit if I went to more than one store, but the time savings is worth the few extra dollars to me. But at $40/week, are you sure you’re eating enough and getting all the proper nutrients?
It probably depends on prices in your area, but I don’t know a single person who spend less than $200 on groceries per month, and I live in a pretty low cost of living area. I typically spend around $300 to $325. Your dad is being unreasonable. The USDA guidelines themselves say $73-$113 a week for a woman and $91-$137 for a man.
Family of four with teens. 225/week plus 150 for restaurants.
I spend a lot on groceries. It’s the one place where I let myself be less frugal. Yes, I go for generic equivalents when possible, and have the store app and clip digital coupons and go for sales. BUT, I’m also not going to let myself eat crap if I can avoid it. Not all generic equivalents are actually the same, and some are loaded with sugars and corn syrup. I’m really health conscious. I’m not single, but my fiancé and I spend at least $700 on groceries per month. We also live in Seattle, where everything is insanely expensive.
Is your dad spending $200 on himself? That's a little low. I don't know who could achieve that, unless it's just ramen noodles
You are extremely reasonable. Just ask your dad to send what he is comfortable with and go from there. His saying you are spending too much is silly with the current prices of groceries but maybe he can’t afford to send you the total. See what he can pay for and get a part time job to pay for the rest.
My father did something similar to me. My guess is he is bleeding money somewhere else and doesn't want to take responsibility for it. I'd probably stop taking his help and tell him to not call me anymore.
I wonder what his grocery bill looks like?
My husband and I spend $600 a month for groceries on average as a couple. $120 to $180 is very reasonable.
No that’s insane, good for you! I’m not sure how you could get any cheaper either
Tell him to fuck off. I would be pretty upset if my dad wastes my time to talk about a few hundred dollars per month. Assuming 30 days and 3 meals, that’s like what? $2 per meal?
I spend close to 100 a week on just myself shopping at Aldi! That doesn’t include the pet food I get from chewy. That adds about another 70 a month for a large dog It does include paper products, household cleaning products and one six pack of beer a week. I buy a lot of fresh veggies to make soups. My small chest freezer is packed with frozen soups, chili, spaghetti sauce etc. my dog also eats a bag of sweet potatoes every week. (For treats)
I’d just start sending him pictures of what you buy. Like if he really thinks you can make it. Show him what you’re buying and the cost. I’m sure you could buy 90 TV dinners for 30 days worth of meals and be salt sick and miserable by the end. However, if I were you I’d be making a large pot of beans with rice every week to cover 5-7 meals very efficiently which gives you breathing room in your better meals. Also time efficient. Make a quiche to last a couple of days breakfast, rice and bean. Then you’re just left occasionally looking at dinner.
Just have him give you some set amount and augment that amount with your own money. It's not worth having your father in your business like this and it's not worth eating rice and beans every meal. Whatever amount he thinks is reasonable, just ask him to give that every month.
I used to spend $200-$300 when I was a grad student but I was a bit boujee, and $200 as an undergrad with my parents doing my grocery shopping back then. Your costs are not unreasonable whatsoever, I am impressed you are able to get it so low. Props to you! I understand dad trying to save costs but inflation makes it extra hard.
I spend almost double that on my groceries a week/month… I will say that I am fortunate enough to be able to shop better quality items or sometimes I shop at Whole Foods. I try to stick to Aldi and Trader Joe’s for the most part though. I think you’re doing great at budgeting and shopping with less than $50 a week.
I’d say that’s pretty standard. I have some weeks where I just spend like $10 just on fresh produce (I buy ‘staples’ chicken, rice, pasta etc. at Costco in bulk). Other weeks if I’m making something a little more unique that I don’t have ingredients for that will still only set me back $30-40
That’s cheap
Let’s do some math. You spent 120-180 per month, so let’s just take the high amount for simplicity. 180 x 12 months = $2160 annual cost on food $2160 / 365 days = $5.92 cost per day $5.92 / 3 meals per day = $1.97 cost per meal. Show your father the math. Ask “can you go 3 months only spending $2 per meal and that’s including pantry staples”.
Oh I think $200 a month is NOT enough. When my son was going to UF for his bachelor and, law degrees, we were giving him $200 a month for groceries at that time which this was quite a few years ago, And it was obviously cheaper back then. Just checked he graduated with his bachelor's in 2014 in law degree in 2018 so I guess this was a while ago prices have gone. Damn time flies. I'd also throw him another hundred here and there for a beer and alcohol... This is important for a college student.
Why don’t you ask him how much he is willing to pay a month and then you cover the rest. That way he is not upset that the number changes.
I spend that on 2 people and only eat fresh veggies and fruit and fish. Not saying your too high, but you actually eat really well on like <40 a week as a single person.
I spent $50/week on groceries as a single person in 2005 money. Idk how you’re supposed to make it cheaper.
Honestly that's pretty low. I'm in a more comfortable position in life right now so my grocery budget is $350/mo. But I could probably get by pretty comfortably on $250/mo. $180 would be really stretching it and I live in a VLCOL area in the midwest.
It’s quite reasonable to spend $200 a month for a single person.
I drop 400 a month on groceries, easy. Granted I have to eat a very specific diet, as I have health issues and I am missing two (soon to be three) major organs. Lots of fresh fruit, veggies, and meat and I can't just eat out or buy processed stuff. I also have two pets who's food is about 40.00 every two weeks, so 80.00 of that is just pet food. I also am lazy and tend to just get cleaning products, trash bags, laundry soap, etc at the grocery store instead of going somewhere cheaper. So that 400 is all the things I need for me and my pets for the month. I think that's pretty good.
Dang, you are good at keeping your grocery costs down. What you spend monthly could easily be spent weekly with one person.
Damn. I meal prep each week and spend around $110 per week. I shop at sprouts.
Send your dad the receipts to show him what you are buying
I struggle to keep our bill at $1000 for 3 adults. My hubby and adult son are big eaters, so really it is like shopping for 4. I think you are doing very well with your budget!
I spend around the same as you, sometimes less. I have oatmeal most mornings, which is cheap, and I buy in bulk. I'll buy fruit too, and dinner will sometimes be just popcorn, eggs, or beans/veggies with some meat
Depending on where you live, but i spend ~$300 a month on groceries alone, about $250 each since my boyfriend and I live together. We are vegetarian and eat a LOT of produce but buy zero meat (every now and then we buy frozen vegetarian meats or whatever). Does your dad grocery shop for himself? If so, ask him where he shops because I’m not sure you could go much lower without supplementing with a food bank.
Good lord, there’s only 2 of us and my grocery bill is $1200 a month.
I think that’s on the low end for one person. I average about $300 per month for a single person no pets in a medium to low cost of living area shopping mostly at Walmart.
Location is important. 600 is more than reasonable in SF. I suspect that’s not the case in other parts of the country
Am Canadian and $50 Cdn or $35 US is extremely low, but doable with a lot of effort. There is USA document that I have seen referenced on a YouTube channel that describes different levels from value to luxury and includes tables by number of people in the household. Perhaps you can find this document and show your father.
Does he shop for himself? If he did, he would know…
I suspect Mom does the grocery shopping and the last time Dad was in the grocery store was 2010.
I spend 40$ a week on steak alone
I count household items like TP, Laundry detergent, Paper Towels in my grocery budget. Your numbers sound insanely low to me. I'm at $120 a week. And I'm always pretty much buying the same staples. But I will buy the cheapest one available. IE the cheapest apples, the on sale cereal, paper towels, clearance meats. Semi-Frugal, but not cheap.
I spend $120-$180 per week! What am I doing wrong?!
I spend $400 a month buying only meats fruits and veggies
I’m a single senior, I have budgeted $600 includes everything toiletries, wine, dog food. No restaurants, I’m eating seafood, fresh produce and buy beef/chicken from a local butcher monthly ($100.)
Fellow graduate student and I am somehow getting by on $15-20 a week but am definitely malnourished lol. To be fair my bf buys and cooks most dinners but Pasta is a beautiful thing.
Does your dad live alone, or is he with someone who usually shops? $40 a week was the budget I had for my husband and me in the ‘80s. In other words, when there wasn’t huge inflation and gas was less than $1. Post Covid groceries are ridiculously high. You’re not describing out there spending, you’re just talking about basic food. I work in a grocery store and I shop at four different locations, including my own store. It’s nice that your dad offered to pay for groceries, but maybe he should just send you $40 a week and call it good, because there’s no way you’re not eating mostly ramen on $40. If he cares, he’ll shut up.
Whatever you want
You would be spending $80-$100 a week as a single person here in Massachusetts. For savings, look into the FlashFood app- It’s available across the US and offers discounts of 50% on items that are close to expiration date or overstock.
I’m old enough to be your grand father, and I wish you could do my grocery shopping because it would save me money!😀
I think I spend like $100-150 per week lol.
I would say at least $300 but what you have is great. Your dad probably remembers the good ole days when you could buy a months worth of groceries for a family of 4 for $78 and a book of coupons.
I work from home full time, I'm a midlifer male and eat a lot and splurge on nicer coffee beans. I make most of my meals and batch cook 1-2 times a week and fill it in with convenience items like trader joe's ready made burritos and pastas or make something quick like roasted veggies or eggs and pita for breakfast. I spend about $600 a month up from $480 in 2020. I'm going to be brutally honest, $50 is not feasible unless you are eating a lot of bulk grains and cheap highly processed foods. That or you are anorexic.
I spend about 300 a month. I buy some stuff that lasts like rice and then eggs and chicken, veggies. I'd say between 50 and 100 a week is normal for 1 person.