Every Thursday in 2025, I will answer questions about money and/or budget. If you have a question you would like me to answer in an upcoming post, please submit it here.
I remember you have a formula for how to budget in a family that you can discuss again in a budget post? I want to implement it myself, but I forgot how you said to do it, thanks! – Susan
This is a good question, Suzane! And I think it will vary from person to person to family. But I think it is helpful to have a rule of thumb when considering how much you spend on groceries.
What to consider when deciding how much it will cost
How many people are in your family? Usually, it is usually easier to spend less per person when you have a larger family because you can buy in bulk and save money this way. (However, if you are single or have only a few people, you can consider splitting bulk orders with friends to get savings!)
What age are the people in your family? Needless to say, if you have kids, it costs more to spend at the grocery store than most families with four teenagers!
What are your dietary needs/restrictions? Do you have gluten sensitivity or egg allergy? Do you eat the Paleo diet or do you like to buy most organic foods? These things can affect your grocery cost – that’s totally OK, but I think it’s important to acknowledge and treat that well. Don’t compare your grocery store spending to someone like me who doesn’t have any food allergies, I can buy some treated items and very few organic items.
Where do you live? If you live in a country where there are few local groceries, you may spend more money on groceries on groceries, and those living in big cities with four different grocery options nearby.
Can you visit stores that offer high prices and price reductions? There are many stores that offer licensing offers and price cuts that can significantly reduce your budget costs. However, there are areas that do not have transactions in other areas, which is a good thing, which will change your grocery budget.
How much time do you have? This is a big factor! If you have a lot of time, you might be able to plant a garden, cook everything from scratch, spend time playing drugstore games, and buy deals in multiple stores. If your time is really short, you can better use your time to buy some prefabricated items instead of just shopping in one store.
How active is your family? Very active families with exercise, weightlifting, running, etc. are likely to consume more calories, so their grocery budget needs to be adjusted accordingly.
How often do you go out to eat? If you go out a few times a week, you will spend less money on groceries, but you may spend more money on food. If this is a decision made by your family and it is useful for your budget, keep moving forward. However, make sure you generally spend on food good amounts – because sometimes, traveling by car may cost more than a week on food!
What does your grocery budget include? Every family is different, and what is useful to one family is not necessarily useful to another. Some families choose to include all cleaning and hygiene products in their grocery budget. Others choose to have a grocery budget that is just a strict food. Additionally, some families include diapers or pet products in their grocery budgets.
How much should you spend each of you?
With all these things in mind, I would say a general rule is Weekly groceries range between $30 and $50 per person. If it feels really low, it’s totally OK to hit it higher. This is not a competition to make your grocery budget below others. It’s about finding out what works best for your family so that you can eat well and intentionally enjoy time and money.
If this is good for you, you can also focus more on the cost of each meal. This may look two different:
1) Choose the goal of each meal. For example, maybe you could shoot more than $1 per person on breakfast, $2.50 per person on lunch, $3 per person (those are all the prices you pay when you allocate the cost of eating at home).
2) Choose the goal of each meal. So, let’s say your goal is not to spend more than $5 for breakfast, $10 for lunch, and $15 for dinner.
There is no right or wrong way to do this! But by setting some parameters for your spending, it provides you with a measure that encourages you to find creative ways and can help you know your pace!
Do you track how much you spend per person or meal? I really want to hear it! Tell us in the comments!
Want to cut your grocery bill? Check out these ideas:
- How to Get Your Family to Eat Meatless Meal
- 25 Easy Ways to Save Grocery Money
- 10 easy ways to cut grocery bills this week
- The strategy of saving money in the kitchen is worth your time
Free weekly menu plan!
A simple ingredients and grocery shopping list for your dinner recipes!
