Man With No Kids Breaks Down How He & His Wife Spend $1200 On Groceries Every Month
He and his wife grocery shop every three days and spend at least $100 each time.
Prostock-studio / Shutterstock It's no secret that a lot of the basic necessities these days have gotten more expensive, including groceries. Gone are the days when a five-item grocery trip didn't absolutely break your wallet.
Such was the case for a content creator named Freddie Smith, who shared the costly bill that he and his wife spend every month on groceries, just for the two of them.
Smith said he and his wife spent $1,200 on groceries in a month despite having no kids.
In Smith's video, he revealed that he and his wife spend well over $1,000 a month during their grocery trips, and it's only them that they shop for. He pointed out that many people jumped to the conclusion that his food expenses were outrageous, but he broke down exactly what he and his wife spent "every three days," which was $100.
"So, every three days we'll go shopping for ground beef, ground turkey, and salmon. We pair that for dinner with a vegetable and salad, and we also pick up lunch meat," Smith said. "Just in the produce section alone, that's $50 every three days."
Smith said he and his wife will also get shredded cheese, eggs, tuna, and some pasta. They also purchase water and club soda, which pushed their total up to $80 for all of their meals, However, Smith pointed out that the grocery trip wasn't done yet.
"Then we also need coffee. We'll need tea, we'll need paper plates, aluminum foil, hand soap, and dish soap. On the weekends, we might grab a bottle of wine, we might grab a piece of cake, or a snack like popcorn. Or a little beef jerky or frozen pizza."
Smith continued, saying that all of those extra items were thrown into the mix during their trips to the store every couple of days too. When it was time to check out, Smith usually looked at the receipt and the total was typically quite high.
At the end of the month, their budget for groceries was around $1,200, with no children to account for.
Photo: nomadsoulphotos / Canva Pro
"I even saw some comments from people saying they're spending $2,500 with a family of four [or] family of five, and that just shows you just out outrageous the prices have gotten."
Many people have admitted to struggling when it comes to affording groceries.
According to a report titled "Facing Up to Food Insecurity," by consumer research company Attest, 59.5% of Americans said they are in this situation. Inflation has taken a toll on consumers’ wallets, with food prices soaring. From July 2022 to July 2023, food prices increased 4.9%.
Per the report’s findings, 34% of Americans said they never shopped at independent food stores or farmers’ markets. Similarly, a 2022 Pew Research Center study found that one in four U.S. parents said they’ve struggled to afford food or housing in the past year.
Lower-income parents are much more likely to struggle to purchase basic needs. About half of lower-income parents (52%) said they have not had enough money for food or their rent or mortgage.
It's gotten to the point where people have to refine their grocery list only to buy the things they need and can't live without, instead of being able to purchase snacks, juice, or other miscellaneous items.
However, it's a disheartening reality that many people have to start actively thinking about the things they should be giving up in the name of saving money.
The most basic human need — putting food on the table for you and your family — has become a real challenge for people, and the consequences of food insecurity mean that a lot of individuals are suffering while trying to figure out how they're gonna pay for groceries, on top of bills, rent, and other basic living expenses.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.