I spend about 25 on gas a week and I try to keep groceries under 200 but with the way stuff is going up, I barely ever stay under 200 anymore. Family of 4.
Let him do the shopping and he will see just how short funds are.
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Switch to big box stores (Cosco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s)
Or switch to cheaper products.
Buy things that are a necessity not a want. Buy things for cheaper meals. Make sandwiches and pasta more often.
Single mom here. I live off of sandwiches 5 days a week. My LO is 10 months. I know pasta and sandwiches are not ideal 100% of the time, but a nice pasta dish? Some chicken and alfredo? $6.
Butter noodles? $3?
Homemade mac n cheese? $10 but you always have left overs!
Start freezing stuff. FREEZE EVERYTHING! Coupons are a huge help as well!
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200 a week is our budget but usually once the extra curriculars of the weekend are over we push it closer to 300
Tip: get a new husband 
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Um, we spend about 300-350 a week just on groceries. Never mind gas and everything else
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A lot depends on where you live as well. You can coupons, use Amazon or Costco or Sam’s, Aldi’s is a big money savor for my family (9 total - currently 7 at home). Separate budgets for food, gas, etc. I typically spend $100/week on groceries, $50 for gas (just my vehicle a week-current price is $2.70/gallon where I live) and that doesn’t include when I stock up on toilet paper, paper towels, etc. I don’t have any in diapers but that right there is expensive on it’s own. It’s can be difficult but try meal planning for the week and then going grocery shopping. When I meal plan I save more money then when I just go into the store and grab things. Adds up and I end up going a couple times a week. I do agree that if he thinks you are overspending to have him try to do it for that amount. it will be a real eye opener I’d imagine.
Are you paying bills out of the 200 a week too? If so he needs to manage and see how it is.
I manage with less than that every 2 weeks. It’s called shop smart. Non name brand, sales and coupons and I don’t go anywhere unless I need to do I’m not wasting gas.i work hard to find the best deals and if I have a little extra I stock up for later. I would use cloth diapers to make that stretch and hang clothes in the line instead of using the drier when weather is good. There are lots of ways to save if you look hard enough and you have to decide if the things your getting really are needs or just wants.
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Well, you shouldn’t need clothes every week, nor should you need toiletries every week. A bottle of shampoo/body wash/ 12 pack of toilet paper, 2 rolls of paper towels/ container of clorox wipes/ 3 pack of baby wipes, ect. should last at least 2 weeks, if not more. 10lb bag of chicken, fruits, veggies, bag of potatoes, and other items for 2 adults to make meals is about $75 a week(for food)… you need a good meal plan, buy in bulk to save money and idk what you are spending all that money on because I make a budget of $200 for 5 people last a week and sometimes longer. As a SAHM you should be able to learn and research the tricks of the trade quite quickly. It is your job, just he good at your job, that’s all!
I use Persil laundry detergent and the bulk 120 load big 3 gallon jug is $20, lasts all month or longer, I buy the 30 pack lavender Angel Soft for $15 lasts all month, or longer, I buy an entire box of baby wipes, $15 lasts all month or longer, I buy 2 bottles of body wash, $10 lasts all month, I buy shampoo/conditioner $30 lasts all month or longer, I buy toothpaste and mouthwash $10 lasts all month or longer, I buy the double pack clorox wipes $10 lasts all month or longer, I buy the Vita paper towels 4 pack, $8 lasts all month, cascade dishwashing tabs $10 lasts all month, facewash, lotions ($30 lasts 2 months)… that’s about $150 of her monthly budget and she has $650 to spare for groceries and other items, some of these items she won’t have to buy every month either. I do not care where you live, there is a Walmart and a Dollar Tree and a Goodwill… if you know how to budget, meal plan and save money this budget is completely doable anywhere in the US. Some people only make $200 per week from a 40 hour a week job making minimum wage and are expected to live and pay their bills and raise their children. Please stop being so boujee:woman_facepalming:
Honestly, i just buy in bulk when I can. $400/mo on groceries, like $12/mo on tp. Deodorant, shampoo, etc aren’t things you need to buy even every month so maybe 30 every couple of months for that stuff. Gas roughly 40-50$ a week- 160-200/mo. So $200/a week I guess. We both smoke though. Idk. Is it $200/week for just groceries and gas? I only have one child and he’s in school so he doesn’t really eat much outside of dinner at home.
Idk I have a husband amd 4 kids (ages 9, 5, 3, and 11mo). My daughter is on her own diet (cuz autism), and my husband is on a diet of his own. So 3 different breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Diapers, formula, gas, toiletries, etc. I spend maybe 600-700 total (including the 100 per month for clothes, haircuts, shoes, etc.)
Where are you buying? In my small town you have to drive 20 miles each way so that cancels savings. Use 2nd hand stores for the baby clothes. They grow out quickly. Babies are expensive and the formula is too. Diapers add up. Where you live makes a difference too. My side of Illinois is cheaper. Chicago area is insane expense wise.
Get groceries at Aldis. Go to the dollar tree store for toiletries, wipes and all that. Buy Parents Choice diapers. Buy clearance clothing if possible. Try Walmart. Look for websites with resources in your area where you can get discounts or services if you qualify.
Family of 6 here in Australia & I struggle to keep food under $300per week!!!
Let alone everything else:slightly_smiling_face: but we do alright:grin:
Plan your meals around what’s on sale this week, get cart wheel app for target(really good discounts on stuff you buy regularly) for addl discount at register! Wear - sweats, lower thermostats. Use washrags instead of baby wipes, plan your trips, so to cut down on driving. 200.00 dollars per week is excessive. Write down where you spend every cent, for 2 weeks, then review where you can make cuts in spending. And then YOU can prioritize where you spend your money 
I’m with everyone else. It depends on where you live. I spend about $50 to $75 weekly on groceries. My kids ride the school bus to school, I work 2 miles from my house and my church/grocery store/Wal-Mart is less than 5 miles. I fill my car up usually every other week (about $40) so its really just about where you live and cost of living
I have 7 people in the home and do about $200 a week on mostly groceries and miscellaneous household and personal needs.
6 people in the house and we spend roughly 300 a month on groceries…shop bulk so its cheaper and lasts longer…buy a deep freezer and stock up…reuse left overs for different meals to make it stretch
I get paid once a month so I budget monthly and all of this is totally doable with 800 a month. The toiletries should be a once a month buy. Along with laundry items and baby clothes items.
Groceries, if your buying food to make dinners, would last you longer than a bunch of microwave meals.
I cloth diaper but I know disposable are expensive but there’s boxes with “monthly supply” in them for like $40.
And I have no idea how much formula costs.
All in all, I think this is completely manageable with 800$ a month
Ask him to try make list send him
Family of 4 here (plus 2 dogs lol), we spend about $150 average on groceries. But we are simplistic. We only buy cereal if we run out of another, only get 2 types of fruit at a time, 2 or 3 snack options for the kiddos, then anything else is dinner related items.
For gas, we fill up our 1 family truck like twice a month (we dont travel much, to save money). Diapers we buy big boxes once a month so that’s a one time $60 a month and that’s for BOTH kids. Laundry, I’m not sure what you mean unless you’re going to a laundromat? If you’re talking about buying clothes, we rarely buy new clothes. It’s not something you need to be every single week by any means. Toiletries, again that’s not an every week purchase unless you’re buying small packs of everything. Get things in bulk, they last longer so you dont have to spend as often.
Get the weekly ads and watch for sales. Make a list of menus for the week. You might have to go to five different stores to buy their loss leaders. It’s worth it though.
200 a week is a lot. That’s 400 every two weeks. Even when we’ve had nothing in the house I’ve never spent more than 300 on a grocery trip unless it was to Costco’s or Sams. I’ll be the only person to say that’s a lot but I could definitely make 200 a week work.
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We used to average 350/week (fam of 5) our small town grocers are quite expensive. So give it take $1400 a month spent at the grocery store (food; toiletries, etc).
Now; I shop Costco. Spend $500-600 at one time. Stock up big time for the month ahead, even more. Then I budget about $100/week for essentials in our small town, and believe me, it doesn’t get us far. So now we’re about a grand a month saving us $400-$500 doing it this way opposed to shopping local every week.
So insanely expensive to feed your family.
Fuel. I’m usually around $200-$300 a month depending on how much running around we have to do. Also, filling up at Costco when I go each month.
To me, $200 a week would be pretty damn good!
I spend 250 every two weeks on groceries and that’s with 2 adults and 1 4 year old girl(also a couple of dogs and a cat) but we usually end up having some money left over at least 60 and that’s enough for my gas until I get paid the next two weeks
My household is just my husband and I. Weekly we spend almost about $150 in groceries alone. $200 for your family is very unreasonable IMO.
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Better yet give him the $200 and grocery list and necessity list and let him go out and see what he can get for 200 bucks… challenge on
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Reverse the roles. See if he can live off $200 a week for the same things you listed above. Maybe he’ll understand it then
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We are a family of 4 but ones an infant so he doesnt count with the food part. We get WIC help on his formula. But I get 2 weeks of just food at 250ish… 200 for everything is not reasonable. Monthly we spend 500-600 on just good and roughly another 100-150 on house hold needs for diapers, wipes, formula, toiletries, kitchen supplies, and anything my 2 year old managed to break lose or throw away.
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So when things were tight we always went to the dollar tree where everything’s a dollar! They have a food section which has the basics spaghetti noodles and other type noodles and sauces and snacks and other items the one we went to also had a frozen food section.
All depends on why he gave u that budget, can he afford more? How tight are the house hold expenses? I’m pretty sure if he can give u more he would, unless your not together. If you have time try and get coupons for groceries to save some money, clothing try goodwill you can get new too close to new clothes for the little ones.
We spend around $1200/ month on groceries. That includes toiletries and runs to Sams/Costco. However, I try to buy as much organic as possible and I don’t buy snacks, ie PopTarts, potato chips, etc. I really think it’s what kind of food you are buying. $200 a week would almost be impossible for me.
Plan meals around the sale page of your store. Cook meals in a crockpot or instant pot so you dont have to do instant, and if he’s buying beer or cigs…point out how much could be saved if he wasnt! And use coupons!
It’s called leftovers for lunch or fend for yoursel
Buy him some Bologna and hot dogs and chips for the week and tell him you adjusted the budget…
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Definitely check into WIC for formula etc. Diapers are expensive and you can’t cut back on those. Along with laundry soap etc. I would agree with everyone have him shop or help and let him see how realistic $200 is.
If you figure out how to come close let me know. I think that’s a little unrealistic
That would be more than enough for my house of 3 . Shop weekly sales and plan meals etc . Dollar store for cleaning products etc .
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He is being unreasonable…its 2019
Baby formula alone is expensive it wouldn’t take long to spend that $200 just on that alone!
I spend 200 just on groceries alone…thats for 2 adults and i child
I can spend 150-200 a week on food. I could spend less if my two adult men would eat beans and rice two-3 day’s a week. Ramen with celery, carrots, slaw added is not bad either!
My hudband was the same way. I told hime to go shopping with me. Now he knows it’s the price of food and not me
I spend 300 a week on just food!!
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I would start feeding hi. Nothing but ramen noodles and maybe he would up your budget lol
Ibotta, coupons, getupside app you can get rebated cash back on gas and groceries.
Time to get a new husband
Well hes not being reasonable
Send him to do the shopping
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