Our original grocery budget was $350 per person or $700/month for 2 people.
I know. Crazy, right?
Not really, if you consider the following:
- We’re foodies who love to cook (Okay. I’m a liar. I like to eat more than cook, and BF is the opposite)
- Grocery prices are insane here. $8.99/lb for really good tomatoes is outrageous! Think NYC prices.
- We don’t buy any canned food. I don’t even think we own a can opener.
- We only buy frozen shrimp. Everything else is purchased fresh.
- Not much boxed food either except my guilty pleasure of ramen, or pasta.
- Lots of fruit and veggies (we buy mostly organic, except the thick-skinned stuff like bananas)
So $700/month was buying what we wanted, when we wanted.
BF decided that since we were moving to a smaller apartment, it was time to see what we could do to cut back on all other bills, the grocery bill being one of the ones he’s been focusing on lately.
We didn’t want to lose quality in food, but we he wanted to see if we could cut back even more.
I for one, was scared for my belly. I told him I’d lose the belly if he started feeding me oatmeal for meals.
He assured me it wouldn’t have to come down to that unless we were in the middle of a war
(And yes, he has a War Budget of $70/month for 2 people. NO MEAT.)
So we he decided to cut luxuries:
BF: I really like yoghurt. But I don’t enjoy it like I used to, because I am taking the taste for granted.
FB: Er…… okay?
BF: Only one $2.50 tub (that’s on sale!) once a month from now on, so I learn to appreciate it.
I thought he was done being crazy on his end.. but then:
BF: And one of us… *pointed stare* … likes to buy cookies and chocolate. Which. Adds. Up.
FB: One of us has NO idea what you’re talking about.
So under some BF pressure (he’s good at getting what he wants without saying it’s what he wants), I am limiting my cookie consumption to one box a month because… we’re… a *sigh*… team.
Team Penny Pinchers.
Actually, cutting out the cookies was no huge loss there because our local grocery store decide to HALVE their cookie selection and cut back one of their aisles of cookies.
*sad face*
So now I’m left with choices like this disgusting Oatmeal Caramel Cheesecake Crunch business.
<———- DISGUSTING!!!
Seriously? This was tasty to other people?
The caramel tasted burnt and the oatmeal lent a healthy feel to the cookie that I am NOT craving because..
Let’s face it, when I want a cookie, I want a totally, 100% processed, sugary, fat-laden, raspberry toting cookie that makes me bite it and go: Damn, now THAT IS A BAD-FOR-YOUR-HEART-AND-BODY COOKIE.
That’s what I want.
Not some faux “Smart Choice” cookie that is trying to pass itself off as some sort of sexy oatmeal bran bar.
Anyway.
With all of those luxuries cut out, and BF buying a whole $100 slab of smoked salmon, and making sushi out of it (this is surprisingly cheap and healthy), we’ve managed to chop down the budget to $400/month or $200 per person.
And that’s pretty good for us.
- June 2009 Budget Recap
- January 2010 Budget Roundup
- Cold turkey doesn’t work for me
- 5 Budget Busters
- Fun Final Year End in Review: Budget & Blog
