Cost of Groceries and Utilities in Madison (Luck, Woodman: apartment, rent)

[Trinket]

My husband maybe taking up a position at UW Madison. We are a family of 3, moving from Australia. We are trying to do our budget - which will be pretty tight.

So, can anyone tell me what an average weekly grocery bill might look like for a family - 2 adults and a 4 year old! I know this can really vary according to appetites!! Just to help you a little, we don't eat out much, are not huge meat eaters and like fresh food, rather than processed. Australia is much more expensive in terms of groceries, but I was wondering if you thought $120 per week would cover it....or am I dreaming?

Also, our rent should include heating and internet. However, wondering what would be the average monthly cost for Electricity? (for 2 bedroom apartment).

Thanks for your help.

[gold*dust1]

Originally Posted by Trinket

My husband maybe taking up a position at UW Madison. We are a family of 3, moving from Australia. We are trying to do our budget - which will be pretty tight.

So, can anyone tell me what an average weekly grocery bill might look like for a family - 2 adults and a 4 year old! I know this can really vary according to appetites!! Just to help you a little, we don't eat out much, are not huge meat eaters and like fresh food, rather than processed. Australia is much more expensive in terms of groceries, but I was wondering if you thought $120 per week would cover it....or am I dreaming?

Also, our rent should include heating and internet. However, wondering what would be the average monthly cost for Electricity? (for 2 bedroom apartment).

Thanks for your help.

Ahhh you can definitely make it on $120. My weekly budget is usually $180 for 2 people and regularly includes eating out, and often I have money left over. I usually just eat one bigger meal a day.

Grocery prices have gone up in the last year. They are nickle and diming it on every little product.

[Dairylander]

My wife and I (no kids) spend about $100 a week on groceries. We buy mostly organic, fresh, vegetarian food.

Regarding the electrical use, utilities in Madison are provided by MG&E (Madison Gas and Electric). On their website, they have a page where you can get the average usage data of any home in the city. Try out this link if you have a specific address in mind:
Average Energy Use and Cost for Residential Addresses

[Megan1967]

I hate the grocery store and so only go once every two weeks. I'm a single woman who eats mostly organic and vegetarian food, but also "convenience" food like Amy's Frozen Dinners, Morning Star Chik Nuggets, etc. This meaning I pay extra for the convenience of not having to make stuff from scratch. I spend about $150 per trip, so I guess that would be $75 per week.

The cheapest place in town to get groceries is Woodman's and they also have the widest selection of foods and other houshold items. It is a rather unpleasant shopping experience, however, as it is usually mobbed with people who show no common sense in terms of how they navigate their carts and their bodies through the isles. You just have to kind of grin and bare it.

[Trinket]

thanks so much everyone...information like this is gold when you cant check out the grocery stores yourselves! Thanks again.

[tchemgrrl]

Dairylander said almost exactly what I would have. 100$/week on groceries for two adults, buying high quality vegetarian food. We usually go out to eat about once a week, and it'd be quite easy for me to spend less money on food if money was tight. I think 120/week sounds like a very reasonable number for your family.

[Nique]

Yeah, I budget $175 a month for myself, and that's considering I shop at the organic co-op for about half of my food.

Madison has a very wide variety of grocery stores, IMO. I buy my "staples" (bread, packaged stuff) at Woodman's and my produce at the Willy St. Co-op. The price difference is huge, but so is the quality.

[Megan1967]

Oh, yeah! That's right. *Never* buy produce at Woodmans. It's almost always bad. Things don't ripen or ripen (rot) incredibly fast. It's like they get the seconds the other places have rejected.

[Drover]

I realize this is off-topic, but I issue this same warning to anyone looking to move to this area from Australia or similarly temperate climates: Do not underestimate how cold winters get in this part of the country. If you've never experienced anything like it, it's very difficult to describe. As I type this, it is -16c in Madison. Before the night is over, it is supposed to drop to -19c. Same thing tomorrow night. Last week it got as cold as -29c overnight, and a couple days where it never got warmer than -23c. Just a couple nights ago, a kid had car trouble and was stranded out in a semi-rural area. Within hours he was dead from exposure. If possible, have some winter clothes lined up before you get there or your first few days could well be right miserable.

[Trinket]

Thanks Drover, I've visited Chicago in winter, so I have a small idea of what it is like in Madison in winter...though we have never lived in such cold conditions. Luckily, if we come over at all it will be in Summer and we will ease into it!!