What I spent on groceries and sundries in 2025

I don't track expenses because I know myself.

If I tracked all of my expenditures, I'd be trying to beat last year's numbers. The process of maintaining the tracking spreadsheets would become fixations.

When I focus too long on my breathing in circumstances that don't require it, I hyperventilate and pass out. Likewise, if I track every penny DH & I spend, no good would come from it. Others can do this without a problem, but I'd be obsessive and try to always beat my previous month or year.

I've learned that my breathing can take care of itself if I trust my body. Same with our (current) finances. We have enough to carry us through all but an unforeseen disastrous turn of events.

Like others here, I've been broke and know how to squeeze a nickel until the buffalo screams when necessary. It doesn't happen to be necessary right now and is unlikely to become so again.
 
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Groceries: $3,229

(Restaurants/carryout: $1,345)

I started tracking everything a couple of years prior to retiring since i was so spooked at the thought of giving up my friend the paycheck. It became second nature so have kept it upā€¦itā€™s sort of interesting (to me) to see just where all those greenbacks goā€¦
 

More of my 2025 expenses.

Out of pocket medical:
prescriptions: $51.51
dental and medical doctor visits and co-pays: $606.00

Car:
fuel: $272.76
inspection: $21.00
insurance: $1767.00

Charity donations: $650

Household:
lawn mowing: $320
electric: $1224.65
taxes (county, town, village & school): $4487.36
heating oil and furnace maintenance: $2492.27
insurance: $1433.03
trash service: $638.02
sundries: $93.67

misc:
tax prep: $95
transportation: $40

One thing that puzzles me is why I am paying much more for car insurance than for homeowners.
 
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Are you carrying collision on your car, Deb? If I remember earlier posts correctly, it's 20+ years old. You might want to look up the Blue Book value to see if you might want to drop everything but liability.

If your car is totaled or stolen, you might be surprised at how little your insurance company will pay in compensation.
 
debodun said:
More of my 2025 expenses.

Out of pocket medical:
prescriptions: $51.51
doctor visit co-pays: $606.00

Car:
fuel: $272.76
inspection: $21.00
insurance: $1767.00

Charity donations: $650

Household:
lawn mowing: $320
electric: $1224.65
taxes (county, town, village & school): $4487.36
heating oil and furnace maintenance: $2492.27
insurance: $1433.03
trash service: $638.02
sundries: $93.67

misc:
tax prep: $95
transportation: $40

One thing that puzzles me is why I am paying much more for car insurance than for homeowners.
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Deb your insurances are astronomical.:eek:

Here my fully comprehensive car Insurance is 35.67 Per month.... and that's a premium for paying monthly.. I'd pay less if I paid annually which I usually do, but I've just got this new car so I'm paying monthly in case anything goes drastically wrong with it...

I have my house & contents Insurance with the Bank.. including the contents of all the outbuildings..freezer cover of up to Ā£500 for spoiled food... ..Tech cover.....jewellery cover... flood & fire... off the top of my head it's around Ā£8 per month.....

I've never once made a claim... touch wood I never have to....
 
We spent shocking amounts of money in 2025. This year we are (slightly) downsizing and moving, but there are renovations involved and expenditures will again be enormous, although we'll fund them with proceeds from the sale of the house.

I'm hoping we can get things under control in 2027.
 
MACKTEXAS said:
I spent $3560.00 last year for groceries and all normal household supplies (probably referred to as "sundries" in the OP). That averages just over $296.00 a month.

I know because I tally every expense - household, utilities, insurance, etc. on a running list by category as I spend. Yesterday I did the yearly totals for 2025. Since I worked in accounting, keeping track of my expenses is just second nature to me.
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I also account for every dollar.
 
Aunt Bea said:
Iā€™m curious to know if the grocery trackers saw a steady increase from month to month in 2025 or if things stayed relatively flat.
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That would be really tough to say, in my case.
We spent a whopping $8228.77 on groceries last year.
However, we also like to entertain and host family for holidays.
Easter dinner, a half dozen summer cookouts, Thanksgiving feast, our annual Christmas party for ~30 friends, family Christmas meals, etc are all in that total grocery amount.
So that comes out to ~$686 per month, but the actual monthly amounts would vary wildly... and the last quarter would see a steady increase because of the holidays.
 
That Lady in PA said:
That would be really tough to say, in my case.
We spent a whopping $8228.77 on groceries last year.
However, we also like to entertain and host family for holidays.
Easter dinner, a half dozen summer cookouts, Thanksgiving feast, our annual Christmas party for ~30 friends, family Christmas meals, etc are all in that total grocery amount.
So that comes out to ~$686 per month, but the actual monthly amounts would vary wildly... and the last quarter would see a steady increase because of the holidays.
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I don't track expenses but my annual grocery tally is likely similar, also because of parties and gatherings.
 
Check your model below to see what you'd likely get if your car if it were totaled. Let's say it's $2000. Take away the $250 deductible and you're at $1750, at most. (Insurers generally pay less than Kelly Blue Book estimates.)

Bottom line: you're paying $328 per year to insure the very unlikely event that you'll collect no more than $1750, probably less. Is it worth it? Only you will know that.

1768332748475.png
 
debodun said:
More of my 2025 expenses.

Out of pocket medical:
prescriptions: $51.51
dental and medical doctor visits and co-pays: $606.00

Car:
fuel: $272.76
inspection: $21.00
insurance: $1767.00

Charity donations: $650

Household:
lawn mowing: $320
electric: $1224.65
taxes (county, town, village & school): $4487.36
heating oil and furnace maintenance: $2492.27
insurance: $1433.03
trash service: $638.02
sundries: $93.67

misc:
tax prep: $95
transportation: $40

One thing that puzzles me is why I am paying much more for car insurance than for homeowners.
Click to expand...
Car is at a greater risk of a loss than a home for named perils.
 
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