Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Curious about this since I always thought $300 a month was plenty for 2 people to live on (in Brooklyn), but many here don't agree this is the case. What is your family size, borough, and how much do you spend monthly? (Also include how often you eat out if you want)
I'm embarrased to say how much I spend on food. I love to eat out, and do often... I really should cut back. Even if I were eating in for every meal, I couldn't make $300 last me through the month. I was spending $400/month on groceries back in Tennessee where things are much, much cheaper. Of course here I frequent whole foods and trader joe's, and some specialty shops in my area in Brooklyn... but still... $300 for one? MAYBE, but not the way (or quantity lol) that I eat.... $300 for two? No way.
I do <$250 for 2... feeling proud so far lol... although I've been criticized by others for spending too much on groceries before. Feels like a whole other world. :P
Curious about this since I always thought $300 a month was plenty for 2 people to live on (in Brooklyn), but many here don't agree this is the case. What is your family size, borough, and how much do you spend monthly? (Also include how often you eat out if you want)
I'm not in the boroughs but live in Franklin Square. The price of groceries will not be any different unless you're talking produce and I've noticed all stores have different prices. We're a family of 3 and I try to shop at least every 2 weeks. I never spend less than $250 each time. If I go once a month it's definitely well over $300. But it's hard to compare because everyone shops differently. Some people don't look for bargins and just buy what they need or will buy only name brands and the most expensive cuts of meat. I'm not an obsessed coupon junkie either. I always tend to leave them home lol...but the bulk of what I spend is on snacks for my daughter to take to school. I buy the convenient lunch box type because if I buy regular packages of cookies or crackers/chips and put them in ziplock bags, they tend to get crushed by the time she eats them. Meat is the 2nd biggest and I always look for deals. If the porterhouse isn't on sale then we're eating chuck this week As for dining out, it's maybe once a month but we do go out on birthdays and anniversary. That's where we really splurge.
I spend about $100 on groceries per month. This is for one person (woman) in Brooklyn. I'm very careful about what I buy, shop for things that are (only) on sale, and don't waste food, ever. I do have free food at work: snacks galore, soda- which I don't drink, juice, coffee, and my team has lunch catered at least 2x a month- though fairly frequently, there are other catered lunches from other teams with left overs (that people swam in like vultures to get!). I also take clients out for lunch/dinners occasional (but should be doing it more often). Without all the free work food, I would think about $125-$150/month for one person, similar to me, would work.
if you are eating 1 meal a day at home, i guess $300 is workable
but if you have house wife and a kid... its not enough
when it was just me and my wife and we were both working, grocery bills were small because we ate out once or twice a week and i think we were spending about $80-$100 a week on groceries
but now my wife is a stay home mom with a 3yr old and i pack my lunch so there is no way $300 would work for us
if you are eating 1 meal a day at home, i guess $300 is workable
but if you have house wife and a kid... its not enough
when it was just me and my wife and we were both working, grocery bills were small because we ate out once or twice a week and i think we were spending about $80-$100 a week on groceries
but now my wife is a stay home mom with a 3yr old and i pack my lunch so there is no way $300 would work for us
Do you shop for deals or buy at full price?
You can get canisters of oatmeal that have 13 servings in Pathmark (Brooklyn, not sure about Manhattan) for $1 each when they are on sale... that is less than $0.08 a serving (!)
You can get canisters of oatmeal that have 13 servings in Pathmark (Brooklyn, not sure about Manhattan) for $1 each when they are on sale... that is less than $0.08 a serving (!)
we shop at BJ's and buy in bulk for the added discount
but one thing i do have to admit that will increase our grocery bills is that my wife insists on organic stuff for the kid.
It really depends on your lifestyle and how often you cook your own meals.
I used to cook a lot more, but lately I've been slacking on that department.
We're two and I'll say that our monthly food bill is around 600.
That includes lunches out, supermarket food, coffee & beverages, summer bbq's, and dining out days which usually don't exceed 4 times a month.
I've been wanting to get back to cooking my own meals.
It's cheaper and usually healthier.
Last edited by likeminas; 06-21-2012 at 09:30 AM..
I take out $300 every month to spend on groceries, eating out, happy hour drink, tissue paper, etc...I am one person living in Manhattan and shop at Whole Foods, Fairway, and Trader Joes
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
As for dining out, it's maybe once a month but we do go out on birthdays and anniversary. That's where we really splurge.
