Food Costs - Changes

[Wee One]

I have just registered and this is my first posting. I have many questions so you will see many postings in the future.

This question is, did any of you full-timers notice a drastic change in the monies spent for food when you changed your lifestyle?

I have searched many forums and have seen figures for food ranging from less than $300 to over $800 (family of 4)per month. I also have seen the advice to look at your current home expenses because not much will change. Both my wife and I are professionals that travel and eat out for business reasons. Also, when both of us get home after a 8-10 hour day we order delivery meals often. Both of us enjoy cooking, but there just isn't time.

When we full-time (in about a year) it seems like we would have plenty of time to cook. Our current (at home) food expenses are over $800 per month.

[Wee One]

I have just registered and this is my first posting. I have many questions so you will see many postings in the future.

This question is, did any of you full-timers notice a drastic change in the monies spent for food when you changed your lifestyle?

I have searched many forums and have seen figures for food ranging from less than $300 to over $800 (family of 4)per month. I also have seen the advice to look at your current home expenses because not much will change. Both my wife and I are professionals that travel and eat out for business reasons. Also, when both of us get home after a 8-10 hour day we order delivery meals often. Both of us enjoy cooking, but there just isn't time.

When we full-time (in about a year) it seems like we would have plenty of time to cook. Our current (at home) food expenses are over $800 per month.

[Workers On The Go]

When we began planning to go full-time, I started preparing for a lifestyle change. This included the amount I spent for groceries. There are only two of us, but our total monthly expenses are less than your food expenses. When you go full-time will you have an extra $800 per month to spend on food?

Even though you will have plenty of time to cook, you will want to visit local restaurants for area specialities and visiting with friends and relatives.

Keep planning and dreaming ...

See who I am:

http://pages.ivillage.com/workersonthego/

[John Harrelson]

When I was married, the monthly food cost were extremely high due to raising a child. (especially the teen years) Each month I paid about $200.00 just for food..

Now the child is grown and I got rid of the EXcess BAGage, my food costs have dropped down to a reasonable amount. About $100.00 per month.

WAIT, before you say that is too much, take in account that I now eat steaks, seafood, and all the other good stuff I could not afford while married.
Last month I exceeded my food budget and ate out in a restaurant.. The food was good but very, very expensive... cost $10.95 for just one person...
Guess I will wait another year before doing something that foolish again.

TWO CENTS WORTH
The story goes that a man died and was approached by the Devil who told him that he could buy his soul back for a dollar. The man searched his pockets and could only come up with 98 cent. While begging the Devil to forget the two cent he was short, an Angel happened by and hearing the Devil laughing, asked the man, "Would you mind if I put in my two cents ?" The Devil got so mad that he exploded in a puff of smoke and the man's soul was saved.
The moral: Sometimes putting in your two cents worth makes a difference.
JOHN "the cook" 1987

[full-timer]

We spend about the same. I can't see why it would change for us. We eat the same and go out the same amount of time. The only thing that changes now is our front yard.
Joe

[camper1b]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by John Harrelson:
When I was married, the monthly food cost were extremely high due to raising a child. (especially the teen years) Each month I paid about $200.00 just for food..

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wow!! $200 per month with teenagers! I'd give anything to only spend $200 a month!
(Or was that a loooooong time ago?)

Rich & Kay
'89 Son
'97 Daughter
'00 Sunnybrook 26DB
'94 Suburban, 350, 3.73
Plus 2 Shelties

[John Harrelson]

Camper1b,

Well, it was not too long ago.
I married her mother in 1986 and inherited her daughter. She was 6 years old at the time.
I divorced her mother in 1999.

I'll give her mother credit for training her properly in her eating habits. She would rather have a piece of fruit or vegetable than a candy bar up until she turned 16 then the teenager in her took over and she started eating junk food like the other kids did..

In spite of that, she turned out to be an extremely beautiful girl. She was asked by several magazines like "TEEN" to go to a school for modeling at their expense. But she turned it down to be a missionary for her church over in Sweden..

Ah well, such is life..

TWO CENTS WORTH
The story goes that a man died and was approached by the Devil who told him that he could buy his soul back for a dollar. The man searched his pockets and could only come up with 98 cent. While begging the Devil to forget the two cent he was short, an Angel happened by and hearing the Devil laughing, asked the man, "Would you mind if I put in my two cents ?" The Devil got so mad that he exploded in a puff of smoke and the man's soul was saved.
The moral: Sometimes putting in your two cents worth makes a difference.
JOHN "the cook" 1987

[Wee One]

Thanks for the input.

[Justme]

Our food costs went up,while full timing.We ate out more & wasn't able to take advantage of grocery sales.There was no place to store much,so we payed full price for food as needed.At todays fuel prices,you won't save by hauling heavy can goods.Same goes for whatever from Walmart.Had to buy as we needed it.

[skipper]

Hundred a Month ,sounds like three squares of oatmeal a day. Skipper Entry level over fifty years.

[Doggie]

I'm a single guy who boondocks about 99% of the time. I still work, although working out of the RV, wherever it is, is fine. I invested in an older but well made RV (Foretravel), solar panels, a Mr. Heater ceramic propane heater which I seldom have to use, and an extra blanket, along with the tools I need to maintain and make repairs to my RV and Samurai.
My regular monthly expenses amount to cellphone, internet, fuel and groceries. No rent, no mortgage, no property taxes, no electric bill and no commuting to work expenses. I rarely eat out anymore. Because my RV and Samurai are old, I only carry liability and personal injury insurance. I have a good dog which decreases the likelyhood of theft or vandalism.
As for food, I eat a very limited menu and I stock up at Walmart. Fortunately I have a dependable refrigerator/freezer. My food costs have gone WAY DOWN along with everything else since I became a full timer.

[1Woody]

Ok something dosen't add up here.$100.00 a month for food?I spend that much just on lunch during the week.

[1Woody]

I found the thread below.

[John Harrelson]

It's very easy to do Woody1....

Yes the prices are very accurate.. I keep close track of that type of thing...

Here are some typical meals that I enjoy:

Breakfast:.... about 45 or 65 cent total cost
Bowl of Grits (15-cent)
1 egg (8-cent)
1 slice cheese (5-cent)
1 slice bacon (12-cent)
a dash of black pepper and salt ( 1/20 of a cent)
all items are stirred into the bowl of grits.
1 20oz cup of hot tea (10-cent)..

Sometimes I feel like a bagel (17-cent)..
w/cream cheese (5-cent)
or creamed banana and peanut butter spread (30-cent)
and once in a while I will have a strip of bacon with the bagel (12-cent)

Lunch:.... about 75 cent to $1.00 total cost
Sandwich made with 2 slices of bread (10-cent)
1 slice of sandwich meat (10-cent)
1 teaspoon of mayonnaise (2-cent)
2 slices of tomato (10-cent) (winter time price)
1 leaf of iceberg lettuce (1-cent)
1 can of Shasta diet/caffeine free cola (13-cent)
1 handful of potato chips (10-cent)
3 or 4 pickles chips (2-cent)

Note: what the sandwich is made of depends on what I feel like eating that day,, it could just as easy be peanut butter and jelly, or egg salad or BLT...

Supper:.... about $1.00 to $2.00
1/2 can of blackeyed peas or corn (20-cent)
1/2 cup of steamed rice or instant potatoes (10-cent)
1 teaspoon of dried onion flakes (1-cent)
2 teaspoon of brown gravy mix (7-cent)
a dash of black pepper and salt (1/20 of a cent)

served with one of the following meats ... all prices area approximated, but none are over one dollar each ...

1 grilled sausage (40-cent)
... or ... an 8oz steak ($1.00)
... or ... a nice pork chop ($1.00)
... or ... 10 fish sticks (30-cent)
... or ... fried calf liver w/onions ($1.00)
... or ... one chicken breast (50-cent)

plus sometimes I use a little ketchup or BBQ sauce on the meats.. so add another 10-cent

etc... etc....

A "bread" for the supper meal ranges from potato or tortilla chips to a handful of "Cheezit" crackers to a slice of whole grain bread with a dab of mayonnaise on it.. so add another 10 or 12 cent to the supper meal.

My drink for supper could be tap water (1/20 cent) or a MGD lite beer (56-cent) or a Shasta cola (13-cent) or a cup of coffee (6-cent)

As for a desert... about twice a week I will have a bowl of ice cream after supper while working on the computer.. about 20-cent.


Now lets add it up......

Breakfast average....... 65 cent
Lunch average .......... $ 1.00
Supper average ......... $ 2.00
=========
$ 3.65 a day for food
X 30 days a month
=========
totals a monthly
average of about $ 110.00


eating off of "About" $100.00 a month is easy to do if you follow these simple rules..

#1. invest in a small freezer that can be carried in your RV.. Mine is 5cf in size and cost $ 129.00 at Lowe's.

#2 stay away from name brands
#3 shop once a month... NOT weekly or daily
#4 look for dated meats...
meats that are close to the "pull date"..
immediately freeze them in portion packs designed for the number of people in your family.
#4. Buy in "Bulk" packages... IE: the "Family Pak" size
#5. get rid of the "Cosco" or "Sam" cards... you are spending more money for food than you realize... because of the high cost of membership..
#6. shop for items like cleaning supplies, candy/cookie, laundry soaps, cards, decorations, toothpastes, shampoo, etc... etc... from the "Dollar TREE" store....

NOTE: the Dollar TREE store has EVERYTHING priced UNDER a dollar.. some so-called dollar stores are not true dollar stores...

And there you have it.... life is only as simple as you make it...

best wishes,
John