August Grocery Spending: How Do I Avoid Making So Many Trips to the Supermarket?

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash.

My grocery-shopping concern is about the time I spend at the store, not the money.  

I’m at the supermarket so often that I am mildly embarrassed when I greet a cashier I just had a conversation with the day before. There are a few reasons for the frequency of my shopping, mostly related to the fact that my boyfriend and I live in New York City:

  1. In our current apartment, storage is limited to a half-size fridge, half-size freezer, and two cabinets to store dinnerware and any non-refrigerated food
  2. We’re limited to buying only what we can carry home in a single trip
  3. The store is a two-minute walk from our apartment, so when we are walking around the neighborhood, it’s just as easy to pop in for one or two things than it is to add those things to the grocery list
  4. We often make an additional trip to Whole Foods for better deal on a few staples, since some items are much more expensive at our local store (like my favorite yogurt and frozen fruit)

I generally enjoy grocery shopping — it’s even one of my favorite things to do when I’m traveling — so this isn’t a huge problem. But recently the number of trips has seemed excessive, and I’ve wondered about how shopping less often would affect my spending.

Our approach to grocery budgeting

My boyfriend and I are both pretty budget-conscious, usually opting for bagged lunches and dinners at home instead of takeout or restaurants.

Since moving in together five years ago, we have split rent, bills, groceries, and toiletries evenly; he keeps a spreadsheet of all the purchases he and I make that are for both of us, and, based on how things add up, one of us Venmos the other at the end of the month. (It takes about ten minutes per month to update the spreadsheet; it might be slightly more work than paying shared expenses out of a joint account, but both of us like the mental freedom of having separate finances.)

Using the spreadsheet, I pulled together information on our grocery spending over the past year. (Yes, I’ve wondered about our grocery spending for a while. Yes, I’ve always had access to this information on the spreadsheet. Nope, I didn’t look into it until this month.)

As you’ll see below, our spending varies a lot month to month — what happened in March? — probably depending on how much we eat out or whether or not we travel. Overall, though, I feel pretty good about the average monthly cost of our groceries. I feel less good about the average number of shopping trips.

Grocery spending — last 12 months
Month Total Per person cost No. trips
Jul-18 $441.00 $220.50 18
Jun-18 $415.00 $207.50 14
May-18 $348.00 $174.00 10
Apr-18     $514.00  ↑ $257.00 13
Mar-18     $545.00  ↑ $272.50 16
Feb-18 $356.00 $178.00 10
Jan-18 $486.00 $243.00 12
Dec-17    $213.00 ↓ $106.50 9
Nov-17 $327.00 $163.50 11
Oct-17 $329.00 $164.50 18
Sep-17 $459.00 $229.50 20
Aug-17 $403.00 $201.50 18
Average $403.00 $201.50 14

A close look at August’s grocery spending

I expected our grocery expenses to be a little lower than usual this month, since we were on vacation for a week — while we planned to eat a few meals a day in our Airbnb, we would inevitably eat out more this month than we normally do. Some other dinners with friends and family in early August drove our restaurant budgets up even more: this month, I ate out 14 times, way above my usual average of 4-6 (based on a look at my credit card statements and the spending tracker).  

Other than our week away, August grocery shopping was similar to any other month. We tend to eat the same things over and over: oatmeal or eggs for breakfast, some kind of simple dish for lunch (recently it’s been couscous, chickpeas, and tofu), and some kind of chicken, pasta, or quesadillas for dinner.  

Here’s a summary of our August grocery spending:

Grocery spending – Aug 2018
Breakfast $85.87
Lunch $95.97
Dinner $69.20
Snacks $33.17
Dessert $19.00
Beverage $18.15
Other (e.g., condiments) $12.16
Total (incl. tax) $333.82

I also created a more detailed chart of our individual grocery purchases, breaking our purchases down by supermarket trip and specifying how each food item was used. The chart is below; here are some notes to consider as you review it:

  • I only tracked food purchases at the grocery store this month, but the monthly totals listed in the first table also include the occasional household item. I don’t have a line-item breakdown for past purchases, so am unable to strip them out of the total at this point.  
  • In this month’s tracker, I assigned meal categories to each grocery item based on its primary use, but of course some things are used in more than one capacity — Greek yogurt and almond milk go into my overnight oats and also into our smoothies.
  • The unit-cost column contains either the cost of a particular item or, in the case of produce, the price per pound.
  • I counted coffee as breakfast, rather than a beverage. I think of beverages as things that can be cut from the shopping list if the fridge is too full to accommodate them or if I don’t feel like carrying them home. But coffee will always be on hand.
  • This list doesn’t show you who — my boyfriend or me — ate what. Sometimes we eat the same things, sometimes we don’t. We split groceries evenly because it’s easy and it will probably work out fairly in the end: he eats more peanut butter sandwiches than I do, but if a watermelon makes it home with us it’s up to me to eat all seven pounds of it.
Grocery breakdown – Aug 2018
Trip Item Unit cost Total cost Primary use How used
1) Coffee beans (13 oz) $4.99 $4.99 Breakfast daily
Whole Foods Fage Greek yogurt (35 oz – 2) $4.99 $9.98 Breakfast overnight oats 8/6-8/9
8/3/2018 Frozen pizza (pepperoni) $4.99 $4.99 Dinner dinner 8/3
Frozen pizza (veggie) $3.99 $3.99 Dinner dinner 8/16
Frozen strawberries $1.99 $1.99 Lunch smoothies
Frozen berry medley $3.79 $11.37 Breakfast overnight oats 8/6-8/9
Total $37.31
2) Milk (36 oz) $1.25 $1.25 Breakfast daily
Associated Seltzer (12 cans) $5.16 $5.16 Beverage daily
8/4/2018 Half & Half (1 qt) $3.39 $3.39 Breakfast daily
Almond milk (64 oz) $2.99 $2.99 Lunch daily
Peanut butter (40 oz) $4.99 $4.99 Lunch daily
Frozen yogurt (1 pt – 2) $3.49 $6.98 Dessert 1/2 pt for dessert 8/4
Carrots $1.50 $1.50 Snack occasional snack
Blueberries (1 pt) $1.99 $1.99 Snack dessert 8/5-8/6
Eggs (12) $2.29 $2.29 Breakfast daily
Bananas $0.99 $2.11 Breakfast overnight oats 8/6-8/9
Sandwich bread $2.50 $2.50 Lunch daily
Total $35.15
3) Oats $3.99 $3.99 Breakfast daily
Discount Nature Valley bars $3.39 $3.39 Snack occasional snack
8/5/2018 Total $7.38
4) Apple Cider Vinegar $1.29 $1.29 Irregular daily use; irregular purchase
Associated Apples $1.69 $2.70 Snack snacks 8/5-8/7
8/5/2018 Chickpeas (16 oz – 2) $0.75 $1.50 Lunch lunch 8/6-8/7
Bananas $0.99 $1.61 Snack snacks 8/5-8/7
Couscous $2.39 $2.39 Lunch lunch 8/6-8/7
Pasta $2.59 $2.59 Dinner dinner 8/16; leftover
Broccoli $3.74 $3.74 Dinner dinner 8/10; half spoiled
Total $15.82
5) Pasta sauce (2, BOGO) $2.99 $2.99 Dinner dinner 8/16; leftover
Associated Couscous $2.39 $2.39 Lunch lunch 8/8-8/10
8/7/2018 Pasta $2.59 $2.59 Dinner dinner 8/26
Chickpeas (16 oz – 2) $0.99 $0.99 Lunch lunch 8/8-8/10
Apples $1.69 $2.03 Snack snacks 8/8-8/10
Bananas $0.99 $1.24 Snack snacks 8/8-8/10
Total $12.23
6) Chicken cutlets $1.99 $4.82 Dinner
dinner 8/13-8/15
Associated Rotel $1.99 $1.99 Dinner
8/11/2018 Salsa (14 oz) $3.69 $3.69 Irregular
Beans (16 oz – 2) $0.89 $1.78 Dinner
Grape tomatoes (1 pt) $2.00 $2.00 Snack snacks 8/12-8/15
Tofu $3.99 $3.99 Lunch
lunch 8/12-8/15
Brown rice noodles $3.19 $3.19 Lunch
Peaches $0.99 $2.04 Dessert dessert 8/12-8/14
Seltzer (12 cans) $5.16 $5.16 Beverage daily
Half & Half (1 qt) $3.39 $3.39 Breakfast daily
Milk (36 oz) $1.25 $1.25 Breakfast daily
Frozen kale $1.79 $1.79 Breakfast daily use in eggs
Jelly $2.99 $2.99 Lunch daily
Ground turkey (2) $2.99 $5.98 Dinner stored; spoiled
Bananas $0.79 $1.82 Breakfast daily
Apples $1.49 $1.88 Snack daily
Sandwich bread $2.50 $2.50 Lunch daily
Eggs (12) $1.50 $1.50 Breakfast daily
Total $51.76
7) Bananas $1.39 $1.39 Breakfast daily
Target Yogurt (1 pt – 2) $3.00 $6.00 Lunch daily; some leftover
8/13/2018 Total $7.39
8) Milk (36 oz) $1.25 $1.25 Breakfast daily
Associated Black beans (16 oz) $1.00 $1.00 Lunch lunch 8/12-8/14
8/15/2018 Tofurkey sausage $5.99 $5.99 Lunch lunch 8/12-8/14
Apples $1.49 $1.86 Snack daily
Total $10.10
9) Almond milk ice cream (1 pt) $4.99 $4.99 Dessert dessert 8/25
Whole Foods Sandwich bread $2.99 $2.99 Lunch sandwiches on vacation
8/18/2018 Pasta $1.49 $1.49 Dinner
dinner in Airbnb on vacation
Pasta sauce $2.79 $2.79 Dinner
Bananas $0.69 $0.45 Breakfast breakfast 8/19
Kind bars $3.99 $3.99 Snack snacks on vacation
Pretzels $2.49 $2.49 Snack snack on vacation
Total $19.19
10) Ground coffee – on closeout $1.49 $1.49 Breakfast daily use on vacation
Hannaford Peanut butter (16 oz) $2.69 $2.69 Lunch
sandwiches on vacation; daily use of leftovers
8/20/2018 Jam $2.79 $2.79 Lunch
Milk (36 oz) $2.19 $2.19 Breakfast daily use on vacation
Mozzarella cheese $2.22 $2.22 Dinner dinner on vacation
Oats $1.79 $1.79 Breakfast daily breakfast on vacation
Store-brand Cheerios $2.29 $2.29 Breakfast snack on trip; daily use after
Ice cream (1 qt) $4.99 $4.99 Dessert nightly dessert on vacation
Ground turkey $3.99 $3.99 Dinner dinner on vacation
Bananas $0.39 $1.02 Breakfast daily breakfast on vacation
Avocado $1.49 $1.49 Breakfast daily breakfast on vacation
Strawberries (16 oz) $3.49 $3.49 Breakfast daily breakfast on vacation
Sales tax $0.30
Total $30.74
11) Water bottles (17 oz – 3) $0.89 $2.67 Beverage for hiking on vacation
Hannaford Clif bars (2) $1.25 $2.50 Snack for hiking on vacation
8/21/2018 Total $5.17
12) Cottage cheese (1 pt) $2.49 $2.49 Breakfast not yet opened at end of month
Associated Couscous (2) $2.39 $4.78 Lunch
lunch 8/29-8/31
8/26/2018 Chickpeas (2 – 16 oz) $0.89 $1.78 Lunch
Carrots $0.89 $0.89 Snack snacks
Fage plain Greek yogurt (35 oz) $7.99 $7.99 Lunch smoothies
Milk (36 oz) $1.25 $1.25 Breakfast daily
Hummus $1.99 $1.99 Snack daily
Peaches $0.99 $1.11 Snack daily; most spoiled
Tortillas $3.99 $3.99 Dinner
dinner 8/27-8/28
Shredded cheese $2.99 $2.99 Dinner
Black beans (16 oz – 2) $0.89 $1.78 Dinner
Cilantro (1 bunch) $0.99 $0.99 Dinner
Bananas $0.99 $2.64 Lunch daily
Sweet potatoes $1.99 $3.52 Dinner
dinner 8/26-8/27
Brussel sprouts $3.99 $3.11 Dinner
Total $41.30
13) Frozen berry medley (2) $3.79 $7.58 Lunch smoothies 8/27-present
Whole Foods Frozen strawberries (2) $1.99 $3.98 Lunch smoothies 8/27-present
8/28/2018 Almond milk (64 oz) $2.99 $2.99 Lunch daily
Fage Greek yogurt (35 oz) $5.99 $5.99 Lunch not yet opened at end of month
Coffee beans (13 oz) $4.99 $4.99 Breakfast daily
Avocado $1.39 $1.39 Dinner dinner 8/27
Bananas $0.69 $1.88 Lunch lunch 8/27-8/30
Sandwich bread $2.49 $2.49 Lunch daily
Total $31.29
14) Frozen spinach $1.99 $1.99 Breakfast breakfast 8/27-present
Associated Frozen peppers $1.79 $1.79 Breakfast breakfast 8/27-present
8/28/2018 Milk(36 oz) $1.25 $1.25 Breakfast breakfast 8/27-present
Cholula hot sauce $3.89 $3.89 Irregular
Salsa $3.29 $3.29 Irregular
Half & Half (1 qt) $3.39 $3.39 Breakfast breakfast 8/27-present
Seltzer (12 cans) $5.16 $5.16 Beverage not yet opened at end of month
Total $20.76
15) Pasta $2.59 $2.59 Dinner dinner 8/30-8/31
Associated Milk $1.25 $1.25 Breakfast not yet opened at end of month
8/30/2018 Eggs (12) $1.50 $1.50 Breakfast breakfast 8/31-present
Sweet potatoes $0.99 $1.01 Dinner dinner 8/30-8/31
Brussel sprouts $3.99 $1.88 Dinner dinner 8/30-8/31
Total $8.23
Grand total $333.82  
Per person total $166.91
No. trips 15

Takeaways

All in all, I am unsurprised by our spending total, and pleased that fewer things went to waste than I anticipated. I don’t think we need to alter our budgets in any meaningful way. There are, of course, a few places I could cut spending:

  • Seltzer. I probably don’t need to spend $15/month on it. (But I’ll probably continue to do so.)
  • Sale items I don’t need. I bought the ground turkey that we occasionally eat because it was at its sell-by date and marked down to $1.99. We didn’t have a plan for it, so froze it; when we thawed it a few weeks later, eating it didn’t seem like a good idea.
  • Extra items when I only need one. Given my relative lack of space and frequent trips to the grocery store, I could stop buying two almond milks when I only need one, and it would probably reduce waste and save me money in the long run.

The main aspect of my grocery shopping I expect to pay more attention to is, as discussed, the number of times I go to the store. I’m not sure how I’ll do this, or if it will save me money, but it may save me the embarrassment at the check-out line.

How many trips to the store do other Billfolders make in an average month?

Ally G (not her real name) works in research in New York City.

This piece is part of The Billfold’s grocery budget series.


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