Mrs. Readsalot Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 I have decided to track our menus and grocery expenses. We have basically stopped going out to eat and I want to see what grociers are costing us. Here is all you need a nice new notebook and a pen. Cookbooks are optional (personally I need these) Here is how I do my grocery list. I make a column on the right hand side of the paper for groceries(this I then tear off and take to the store), and on the left I list menus and location of recipes. Under the menus I am going to write what store I went to and how much I spent. So here is Week 1 Menus Frijitas (chicken) p111 Fix it and enjoy it BLT's Salmon on grill Crusty Baked Chicken Breasts p97 Fix it and Enjoy it BBQ Chicken on Buns p194 Fix and forget (slow-cooker) Refried Beans p 205 Fix and Forget French Onion Soup Fix and Forget Caramelized Onion p221 Fix and Forget (for Onion Soup) Manwich for ds for lunches I tend to stick with 2-3 cookbooks per week. Food Lion had Boneless chicken Breast and Salmon on sale this week so Several recipes are based on that. Sunday May 4 spent $123.00 at Food Lion. ( I was out of a lot of staples and am also trying to buy organic items) Tomorrow I have to go pick up an order at the organic store that will probably run about $20.00 We are a family of 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 I'd like to be in, but will need more time. I spent a fortune grocery shopping/stocking up this weekend. Menu...I need to make a menu, and dang it...We need a new BBQ grill. :auto: I'll try to post my menu no later than dinner tonight.;) I want to start a new price book and you've inspired me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megsy Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 I shop according to what's on sale. I hit up three grocery stores (Albertsons, Winn Dixie and Super 1 Foods) and manage to keep it to $400 a month for a family of five. Like, for instance, roma tomatoes are on sale this week because of Cinco de Mayo (along with onions, jalapenos, etc) so I'm making homemade salsa, homemade pizza and anything else that I can use roma tomatoes for. When meat's on sale, I stock up and freeze it. Winn Dixie is really good about Buy 1 Get 1 Free sales on all their meats and chicken. I could go on and on about how I do it, but I won't bore you to tears LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamom3 Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 I grocery shop once a month, but do go out to get milk and what ever is on sale. Would I still be able to join?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Readsalot Posted May 5, 2008 Author Share Posted May 5, 2008 I don't think we need any rules for this. Mainly I am just curious and want to see just what we( meaning my family) are spending etc. Also I think it will be nice to have a record of what dishes I have made so I can look back and say wow we are eating this too often or hey we have not had such and such in a while. Also a year from now I will be interested on our spending compared to this year. So please join us and do this however you want too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Me Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 I love this idea, except that I don't know if I'll be very good at it! :001_smile: I spend $400 per month on groceries also, but I did like reading over your menu. MMMM....BLT's...haven't had those in a while!! Maybe this will help keep me from the rut!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamom3 Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 We went on our monthly grocery shopping day yesterday..a few days earlier than normal. We have a busy schedule the rest of the week! Spent $392..this does include cleaning & personal products Breakfast menu Pancakes and sausage Cinnamon toast Eggs and toast Grits muffins cereal on weekends Lunch menu Sandwiches Hot dogs/fries Ramon Noodles Pizza Mac and Cheese Ravioli Leftovers Supper menu Pot roast Hamburgers/fries Taco salad Chili Fried chicken w/veggies and rice Alfredo w/broccoli Pork chops w/veggies and rice Spaghetti BLT's Chicken and rice Baked potato w/ salad...these are the HUGE potatoes from Sam's. these are one of our favorite meals! The menu is alternated throughout the month. I will have to go back for milk and salad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 Actually, last week my hubby made an excel spreadsheet. Basically, it has a list of "ingredients" and their cost on the right. Then it has a column for each day of the week. You just drag each ingredient into the proper column and it adds up your expenses per day and a subtotal per week. It also adds on the 5% surcharge we pay at the commissary. If anyone wants it I can email it to you, just PM me. You'd want to add on your own ingredients and change the prices to reflect your local prices. You'd also want to change the 5% surcharge to reflect your local taxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 Let's see, I spent a litte more than usual this week because my husband gave me some extra money in my budget and I was trying to restock my pantry a little. I'm making much less interesting stuff than you, LOL: baked (organic)/fried chicken combo (trying to please all tastes) - the baked chicken was cooked with rice (organic) and a cream-based chicken soup to make a sauce; there were baked beans to go along with the other for the boys.... pancakes and bacon (uncured).... We haven't had breakfast for supper in quite some time. sloppy joes (organic ground round) with, you guessed it, baked beans ('cause they've been beggin' for 'em).... fresh, organic strawberries..... blackened mahi steaks w/ steamed vegis and rice (organic); mandarin orange slices.... I, too, am trying to buy a lot more organic stuff for my family and just generally healthier foods. I spent $146 something this week, which is just about $6 over my total weekly budget for all grocery/household items. My week's almost over, as I generally have them eat leftovers or fend from the freezer on Friday nights. We also tend to eat out mid-afternoon on the weekends, so that's our biggest meal of the day, and then we also fend from the frig for our other meals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Readsalot Posted May 14, 2008 Author Share Posted May 14, 2008 Well last week I ended up spending more that I liked ($212.00 total 123 at Food Lio, 37 at the Organic Store, 16 at Panera and 36 at Super Fresh) Wow that was way over budget Now this week I am doing better. My budget week starts on Sunday and on Sunday I spent 104.79 at Food Lion and so far I have not gone to any other stores. This weeks menus are Sunday Hot Wings and Kabobs Monday Salmon, sweet potatoes Tuesday Chicken on the Grill, oven fried red skin potatoes Wednesday French Onion Soup in bread bowls Thursday Turkey Franks Friday Catfish Saturday Chicken on the Grill We also have a starch, and vegie with each meal. Lunches have been cheese sandwiches, steakums, and hamburgers for ds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 Someone see if this works. I uploaded the spreadsheet on Google docs. I haven't used Google docs before but I *think* this should work: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pZb4Sv2vWd1GIqYREbOE6LQ I may have to mess with it some more, let me know if you can download it from there. You should be able to go to the file menu (above your tabs) and click "save as" and I think it should save. eta: It doesn't look like it will save as an excel document. Hm. Anyone know where I can upload the spreadsheet as an excel document that people can download? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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