Sat, 05/09/2009 - 16:00
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The USDA puts out these reports monthly, showing the average for a person's or family's food costs that month. There's four plans: Thrifty, Low-cost, Moderate and Liberal. I fall into the Thrifty plan for my family. See how yours does. :)
This is the most current one.
Cost of Food March '09 (pdf)
You can look way back to 1994 in their files. Food Costs Home Page
Mon, 05/11/2009 - 22:27
#2
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Re: Cost of Food Reports
I feel all proud of myself having read that now, Jewel! We are well below the monthly average for the thrifty plan. I think it's on the generous side saying over 500 bucks for two adults and two kids under 5. Kids of that age don't eat much.
I agree! It's when they start getting into their teens you can't keep them away from the fridge. I'm on the thrifty side as well. Really I don't think my food budget's increased in the last five years. I've just got smarter about how I shop.
Tue, 05/12/2009 - 21:31
#3
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Re: Cost of Food Reports
In 1994 for a family of 4 the thrifty plan was $327 monthly. Now it's $512. That's about a 60% increase in 15 years. Doesn't that seem high? I'm surprised food costs/food spending has went up by that much. We're over the thrifty level and into the low-cost plan range.
Mon, 05/18/2009 - 00:55
#4
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Re: Cost of Food Reports
In 1994 for a family of 4 the thrifty plan was $327 monthly. Now it's $512. That's about a 60% increase in 15 years. Doesn't that seem high? I'm surprised food costs/food spending has went up by that much. We're over the thrifty level and into the low-cost plan range.
I'd bet the wages didn't rise in the same way. I'm in the same bracket as you, purplerain. Ours is higher because we buy far too much convenience food. Convenience is never cheap.
Sat, 05/30/2009 - 23:17
#5
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Re: Cost of Food Reports
In 1994 for a family of 4 the thrifty plan was $327 monthly. Now it's $512. That's about a 60% increase in 15 years. Doesn't that seem high? I'm surprised food costs/food spending has went up by that much. We're over the thrifty level and into the low-cost plan range.
I'd bet the wages didn't rise in the same way. I'm in the same bracket as you, purplerain. Ours is higher because we buy far too much convenience food. Convenience is never cheap.
Nor as healthy. I see it as a compromise. Do I want to spend my precious weekend cooking and preparing food for the week ahead or do I want to spend the extra to save time? Some weeks I'm happy to spend the money and some weeks I'd give up the spare hours I'd spend doing something else. Convenience food wins about 75% of the time. If it didn't after a rough day, some nights no-one would get fed LOL.
I feel all proud of myself having read that now, Jewel! We are well below the monthly average for the thrifty plan. I think it's on the generous side saying over 500 bucks for two adults and two kids under 5. Kids of that age don't eat much.
Without frugality none can be rich, and with it very few would be poor.
- Samuel Johnson