How much should a family spend on groceries per month?
There is no single right number: food prices, family size and habits vary a lot between countries and cities. The good news is you do not need an average. You need your own number, and you can find it in one month.
Measure your real spending first
For one month, keep every grocery receipt – supermarket, bakery, market and small top-up shops. Add them up. This is your real starting point, and it is almost always higher than people expect.
Adjust for your household
Your budget should reflect how you live, not someone else's:
- Number of adults and children, and their ages
- Meals eaten at home versus at work or school
- Special diets, babies or pets
- Local prices where you shop
Set a realistic target
Set your first budget 5 to 10% below your real spending. Once you meet it for two months in a row, lower it a little again. Small steps last; drastic cuts are abandoned.
Track it without effort
Maliqo scans each receipt, sorts the items into categories and warns you when you reach 80% of your monthly budget, so you can adjust before the month is over. It works in euros, dollars and other currencies.