Of this total, a whopping 44 percent – $3,365 – was spent on dining out.So if the thought of spending in the neighborhood of half your total food budget's being earmarked for eating away from your home gives you a reality check, you may be prompted to tweak your budget. In fact, studies show that canned foods have the same nutrient levels as their fresh counterparts. By comparison, people who live in the Mideast spend $2,918 per year on eating out. Personally, I found success through simplicity. By comparison, people who live in New England spend $3,159 per year on eating out. I typically don’t eat breakfast (or have something fast like a banana), and bring sandwiches for lunch, but I also pick up coffee every day, and go out for lunch about once a week. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards in place to ensure that happens. However, I think it's more understandable for someone to dine out on a regular basis if they live by themselves. how we make money. The Billfold continues to exist thanks to support from our readers. Meanwhile, Nevada, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama are the least tempted by eating out because they spend the least. Like many people, I enjoy oatmeal. I also learned a lot along the way, and I am no longer fearful of anything that is frozen or in a can. Bankrate has answers. "Consumer Expenditures - 2018," Page 5. How many people are in your household? But in 2015, the average amount spent on restaurants and takeout jumped $221 to $3,008. I did this without sacrificing on nutritional quality or by forcing myself to eat less. We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. When you have a list, it’s easier to stay disciplined and to focus on just the items that fit into your budget. How's that for a voyeuristic look at what, exactly, powers this site? Our editors and reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate. Alcoholic beverages alone contribute almost $500 USD to that budget. That being the case, I am perfectly happy with the flavor and presentation of my canned foods. But, whether out of laziness or convenience, I used to eat single serving packets from a brand name company. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average pre-tax household income in the U.S. in 2018 was $78,635—but average household expenditures added up to $61,224. This means that most Americans are spending nearly 80% of their income. Get insider access to our best financial tools and content. So, don’t just use those frozen peas to ice an injury. How Do You Stack Up to Other Americans in Monthly Food Spending? Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It’s not being too busy, it’s being too lazy. Once I had my goal of $150 per month, I made sure to always use a list when I went shopping. Growing up, when I thought of canned food, I imagined a dusty cylinder of preservative laden mushroom soup that I would only dig out of the pantry if I was really hungry and desperate. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data also found that: From 2016 to 2017, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a decrease in the average annual income, but an increase in average annual spending. Photo: Kai Chan Wong Bankrate’s editorial team writes on behalf of YOU – the reader. All Rights Reserved. Have you tried our pizza area value comparison? Year over year, the average income before taxes increased 6.9% while spending increased just 1.9%., The decrease in spending compared to that between 2016 and 2017 may come from specific categories that actually saw negative growth between 2017 and 2018—meaning that Americans actually spent less in 2018 and than 2017 on those categories. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. They spend another average of $2,049 or 6.8% of pre-tax income on eating away from home. It costs a family of four between $712 and $1,106 per month for groceries. Have you noticed that they serve smaller portions? Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover. Consider cutting cable and relying solely on a streaming service like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime. Here’s an explanation for With my new plan, out went the extraneous (I’ll miss you, chocolate covered raisins) and in went cheap but filling foods like potatoes, nuts, and eggs. Bankrate is compensated in exchange for featured placement of sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. The most frugal cities in the U.S. when it comes to eating out are Detroit and Chula Vista, California. Besides making a list, there are other ways to curb impulse shopping. Grocery spending, by contrast, increased just $44 per household to $4,015. That might not sound like much, but when you compare it to buying oatmeal in bulk those cents add up. We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money. This compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear. With a budget, a list, and some new habits, I firmly believe that anyone can save a ton of money and transform their diet at the same time. Finally, I get that some people might find the taste or texture of canned foods to be lacking, but to me it’s not a problem. What I Learned From Five Years of Writing and Editing for The Billfold, How a Program Assistant Dealing With a New Paycheck System Does Money, Classic Billfold: What I Wanted From My Move to Portland and What I Got, Weather Report From Deep Inside the Family, Classic Billfold: Four Business Practices I Will Adopt From My Fourth-Grade Self…, What I’ve Been Doing While Trying Not to Spend Money, Classic Billfold: Visiting Hogwarts When You’re Broke, Classic Billfold: Blowdrying a Razor: A Photo Essay.