Frugal and Energy Efficient Living

since I live alone and don't have teenagers (who definitely will be eating more). I spend less than $200 a month for food and household items, so if I were to compare that to your budget, you are not doing too bad.

(And if you think that your wife is spending too much on all this, why don't you take over the shopping for a couple of months and see if you can do better....you might be surprised at how well she is doing.)

If you are trying to cut your budget, some suggestions I would make if you aren't already doing these:

Use coupons, but only for things you use.
Buy in bulk when things are on sale.
If you don't have one, buy a freezer and purchase things only when they are on sale. (I never buy meat that is not on sale, but buy it on sale in bulk and freeze it. Same for veggies.)
Processed foods are much more expensive than putting together meals from scratch. Make a lot at once, and either eat as leftovers or freeze half for another time.
Buy store brands. I cannot say this enough.
Shop at discount grocery store if there are any near you.
Buy household products at dollar stores.
Avoid the fancy cleaning supplies and the newest products that are usually more expensive than old standards.