I've been hashing out a household budget today based on my income alone because my SO is stationed in SF right now and I'd like to *try* and live on my income alone. I, of all people, am actually unsure of how much I spend on groceries a month. I'm budgeting on spending $200 a month on groceries which is going to be a stretch because everything is so expensive here. We are definatly going to have to make some sacrifices on high priced items like meat and dairy. I have a monthly income of about $2200 and after budgeting in all the bills and the groceries there is a difference of about $700 in my favor, which is going to be saved and used for traveling back and forth from Dutch Harbor, AK to SF, CA at least every two months...SO will help cover half of the cost of the tickets.
I'm wondering what other families have budgeted for food. I am buying food just for myself and my 6 YO son. My parents live with me, but they can afford their own food. I eat a strict diet due to diabetes so I cook all my own meals seperate from theirs and add additional carbs and fats to my son's portions of meals. I may need to look at getting a second job in the evenings, which before was not possible because it would have increased the cost of child care but now with my parents living with me they can watch my son if I work evenings and weekends. I don't want to work myself to death, but I might as well if it means I have more money to work with.