Quiver0f10 Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I have been looking at different budge forms and was surprised to see the % suggested verses what we actually spend. I am curious what others spend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawana Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 About 20%. Dh is a huge meat eater so we buy lots of meat. $$$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I think around 15% for all food (eating out, etc). But, I only have 3 kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 18%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamatohaleybug Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 About 20%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted January 2, 2014 Author Share Posted January 2, 2014 We are at 24%. I thought that was high but I guess for our family size that is normal. I'd love to cut that down some though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Food only? I was shocked when I just plugged it into a calculator. Only about 10%. ETA: DH says he thinks it's more like 15% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Um_2_4 Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 18% of our net, but only 11% of his gross (pre taxes and deductions, we max out retirement plans and have dental/health deductions). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatHomeschoolDad Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Two charts to chew on. We don't spend nearly as much as the rest of the world, and we don't spend nearly as much as did our grandparents (based on %). Edit - spelling :blush: Source Source Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Around 10% depending on the month and the time of year. In the summer I have been known to get down to 6% but that is because we have a garden. I've learned to be inventive with the veggies I can grow easily up here so that I can stretch the grocery bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 It's less than 10% right now, but I rarely shop at the US-style grocery stores here. We've had so many different salaries and food prices and situations that our monthly percentage has ranged from 5% to over 20%. The highest percentage years were hardest since we were in a high COL city on a very small budget. Nearly half our budget went to housing there, and we were lucky to have low-income housing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Element Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 21% of our net income; annual income is <200% FPL. (Edited. My earlier percentage was figured on gross income instead of net.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Our food budget is currently about 6% of our net income. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRG Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Grocery and household goods is 20%. I am working on cutting that down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebbyribs Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 About 4%. My kids are still young and don't eat all that much yet. I imagine it'll be quite a bit higher when we have 5 or more teenagers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 We are at about 15% on food/household items, though it will fluctuate between 15 and 20%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NZ Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 My average weekly grocery bill is about 1.5-2 days pay. I can't give you a % as our family income isn't regular as I am a relief (substitute) teacher & dh gets odd jobs occasionally as he finishes our home renovations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Peregrine Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 About 12% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerico Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Around 15%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 11% including paper goods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHASRADA Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I'd say a bit over 25%. We spend slightly more on groceries than on rent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaConquest Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 20-25% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Just over 1/4 right now but we are in a temporary and intentional period of much reduced income. We have savings to cushion this choice (made so my husband can be in school FT) and that savings does pay some of our expenses. That is out of our "take home" though, and doesn't include what goes to savings and my medical insurance and optional deductions before his pay is deposited in our account. I don't have the figures in front of me to figure out our true net income, which is higher than our take home. We spend almost as much on food as we do on housing right now. We spend almost four times as much on food as we do on our next largest monthly expense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Two charts to chew on. We don't spend nearly as much as the rest of the world, and we don't spend nearly as much as did our grandparents (based on %). Edit - spelling :blush: Source Source This is exactly why all the threads on how to get the food budget cheaper bother me. We spend less than ever before on food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted January 2, 2014 Author Share Posted January 2, 2014 We spend more on food than rent too. I'd say a bit over 25%. We spend slightly more on groceries than on rent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Less than 10%. There are just the four of us, and even though we have teens, they're just not eating machines like most of their peers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Approximately 14% but that includes food, toiletries, paper products, cleaning products and dog food. It does not include eating out. It is really hard for people to compare though, as our tax rates are different, as well as the percentages we save pre-tax for things like retirement, and deductions for insurances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 We spend more on food than rent too. Ours is about equal. It was right around 22-24%, but moving back to the Midwest, I'd say it's at 20% of net, after paying insurance, health savings, etc. Looking forward to raising meat again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Element Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 That spending percentage graphic is totally depressing me, btw. I can't imagine spending less on healthcare than food, but I'm glad so many have the opportunity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 About 20%. We eat a lot of organic and pastured products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Ball park estimate, 15%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 This is exactly why all the threads on how to get the food budget cheaper bother me. We spend less than ever before on food. They tend to bother me, too, but I think that the grocery budget is one of those things that people feel like they have a chance at controlling. I think that is true in principle, but I don't think it is usually true that reducing groceries will make that big an impact on the overall budget and/or lack of money. I just makes you feel like you're doing something. The bottom line impact tends to be largely negligible for most, which in turn frustrates them because they then turn back to the "anecdotes" they read on threads like this and think "well so-and-so spends *insert ridiculously low $$ here* on groceries, why isn't it working for me?" And, that is usually because so-and-so is just a bragging bs artist and not an actual representative of reality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripley Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I'm at about 35%, down from 45-50% (which is where I was until mid-2013, when I retired). I worked outside of the home and was on the road 3-4 days per week. I had zero need, desire or energy to shop smartly. I did all of my shopping at the boutique grocery store five minutes from my home. We ate out regularly, too. I'm happy to have it at 35%. I still don't shop too smartly because it's not a priority - I have no mortgage or credit/student/car loans. We continue to enjoy social dining and high quality food at home. I was able to eliminate other expenses so I'd be free to indulge in this area of our budget - even on a fixed income. My percentage fell when I retired due to two factors: having time to switch to a chain grocery store (and warehouse for bulk items) and no longer eating out 100% while on work trips (my per diem was laughable). It may go down a bit more still - we added a vegetable garden this year, and the kids are asking for chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camelfeet Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Maybe 7%, not including eating out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deee Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 The problem with a percentage figure is that its affected by the denominator, ie your total income. While income varies greatly, the need to eat a filling, nutritious diet doesn't vary that much. So its quite possible for me, say, to spend $200 or 14% of our weekly income on food and for this to be a comfortable amount, but for it to be small proportion of someone else's weekly income (not unusual in a dual income, middle class Aussie family), or a whole lot of another's. while the ability of some people to rake in the money seems quite fantastic, there is only so much food you can and should eat. Just because you can't get your percentage figure down as low as someone else's doesn't mean you aren't a creative or frugal housekeeper. It may mean that food has a different priority in your life or that you a have a smaller disposable income, or that you live in a higher COL area or whatever. D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I would bet about 20-25%%. We don't eat out and my dh and oldest 3 take lunches and my younger 4 and I eat here so that covers all our food. If people count what they spend eating out I believe their percentage would be higher. I tend to buy quality which ups the cost too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatHomeschoolDad Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 This is exactly why all the threads on how to get the food budget cheaper bother me. We spend less than ever before on food. I've found statistics rarely move discussions, because it's too easy to assume one's own situation is typical, and therefore the graph must be off, plus there's a general trend to misinterpret stats, which someone dubbed innumeracy. We, as the superpower, also tend not to compare ourselves globally, so it's less-than-comprehensible to grasp just how different any given situation/priorities/thinking might be on another continent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisbeth Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Our % is dropping every year with increases in income. But it is skewed another way...I have a child with multiple food allergies. We spend on specialty food that costs a bunch more. At the same time I am cooking more from scratch, which is cheaper than processed food. At the same time my husband and son have selective eating issues, and brand matters (it isn't just picky eating...it is SPD.) My dh is prediabetic, so this year he cut out most soda drinking, and he was drinking tons before. Etc. Those ups and downs in our food expense needs make our % food expenditure now hard to compare to a "normal" family. ;) As Mormons we don't buy alcohol. We also participate in food storage (one year's worth, rotating), and Church-related bulk-buying, and canning. We get things from Church canneries that we used to visit and can ourselves. That said, we spend less than 10% on food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aspasia Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Ours is about 15-20%. If I had as many kids as op, 25% wouldn't bother me in the slightest. I used to be really focused on cutting our grocery budget, but I'm just not anymore. Like those charts show, we hardly spend anything on food. And aside from housing, what else is more deserving of our resources than our food budget? I'd rather cut out other things. That being said, in our earlier, leaner years, I was a grocery budgeting maniac! I recognize that it has to happen sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 Roughly 10%, but that includes toiletries and paper goods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I'm too lazy to look it up right now and my memory isn't working the best but on a week to week basis we are about at 20%, dh has weeks though where he makes substantially more and a couple of bonuses so it skews the yearly percentage down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 16-18% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 For my family of 4 (2 adults, 2 teenagers), it's about 20%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punks in Ontario Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 For our family of 6 including 2 teens, we're at 17% with another 1.4% for restaurant meals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratford Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 About 15% right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I just figured it to about 25%, give or take a %. That includes pet supplies, household goods, and restaurants (we eat out quite a bit). It's much higher than what I'd like it to be. Certainly more than my mortgage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 We spend about 10% of our income on groceries. Sometimes 8%. If you include pet food and household goods, probably 15%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 What good is it to know the percentage?? If I say I spend 3% that doesn't tell you if I'm a great couponer or if I make a million dollars a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aelwydd Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 What good is it to know the percentage?? If I say I spend 3% that doesn't tell you if I'm a great couponer or if I make a million dollars a year. Exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted January 2, 2014 Author Share Posted January 2, 2014 I was curious because I was looking at some budgeting tools online and each has listed % for the various categories. We are tweaking our 2014 budget so knowing what % to budget there maters to us. Or rather what % is reasonable helps in deciding. What good is it to know the percentage?? If I say I spend 3% that doesn't tell you if I'm a great couponer or if I make a million dollars a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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