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I keep a fairly close record of daily expenditures and so far this year, I have averaged $184.86 a month for groceries for myself and my dogs here at the farm. My wife maintains our urban home in an adjacent state so I have no record of her expenses. I go there about three times a year and she comes here about the same.
I don't raise anything here at the farm so I sometimes buy groceries in bulk to stock the three freezers and two refrigerators I have out here. And since "town" is a little over 40 miles away, I only eat out maybe five or six times a year. As far as alcohol, I very rarely buy it unless it's wine or beer for incoming guests or for some special occasion.
Even spending this little on food, I keep ribeye and T-bone steaks in my freezers most of the time when the chicken and pork get boring.
My two large farm dogs probably eat more than I do since they are on an auto feeder.
I used to keep track of how much but don't anymore.
I do pretty much know the cost per 2000 calories of all the foods that I get.
Overall, I'm sure it's less than $200 a month, stocking up, and more or less always eating the same things.
Wow -- I have NEVER seen produce or any kind of non-prepackaged food sold at any 99-cent/$1 store. Ever. The main such chain where I live is Dollar Tree.
There are a few Family Dollar stores here also but to be perfectly honest, they are all in the lowest-income communities only. I just looked at their store locator in my state and that's the case for all of them. I've never been in one but I checked their current online circular and no fresh foods are mentioned so I assume they do not carry produce either.
Maybe it's a state-by-state thing regarding licensing of stores that sell fresh (versus packaged) foods and the dollar stores in my state either don't or won't qualify?
The .99 cent sore carries a good variety. I can get a clampack of cherry toms or romas, for .99, also small bags of peeled garlic, they also have hard shell squash for .99. And melons .99 each. I have found them to be fine. They also have some nice imported cookies ( from Italy) I know some people turn their nose up to such places, but as long as the price is right & edible produce, I will buy it. It is in the same strip mall as the movie house, so I try & combine trips.
Dollar Tree, Family Dollar are a different company / supply chain than 0.99 Cent stores (who carry fresh items).
Ah, I see.... I mistakenly interpreted ".99 cent stores" as being used in the generic sense -- like some people call all brands of facial tissue "Kleenex" or say "make a Xerox" regardless of what brand the copy machine is. :-) My bad.
Didn't know that there is an actual store chain actually called 0.99 Cent stores because apparently they do not operate in the northeast (or in NY at any rate.) The only three I've seen in my region are Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, and there used to be one called Everything's $1 .... but I have not seen any of those for years so perhaps they are either defunct or were bought out by someone else.
Our grocery budget is running $180 per month. It is much lower than it has been in the past as I have found all of the best places to buy my food and we buy in quantity when things are on sale.
Also, when we cook meals, we send some of the food to our friends. In turn, they often reciprocate and we get a lot of great food from them. It seems like the more we give away, the more we get.
And yes, we do eat out occasionally but MOST of that is when we are "on the road."
I know retired people that eat at restaurants at least twice a day. Nothing fancy.
But why cook at home?
I'd do it also, but feel guilty.
Who am i kidding. I'll buy bagged salad, some tomatoes, dressing and call it a day.
Well...we have this saying around here...”are we foraging tonight!?”...which translates to....check what we have, and make it yourself..
We are 75/79
I do keep us well stocked tho...mix up two cans of tuna, chicken salad with leftovers, always make two nights of salad, etc..We love leftovers..
We are both eating so much less now..we sorta graze, like my dog does, so not always hungry at the same time! We have a tradition tho to watch Jeopardy at 7 each night...maybe half the time I have fixed an actual meal..we eat in front of the TV...oh how gross
I do not keep track at all about how much we spend...we have two homes..So Costco is our friend, and buying in bulk means we bring about a third to the other home..
Neither of us are in dressy clothes except for weddings, funerals, etc..
Do not miss those years!
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congratulations, and thanks for the recipe! 
