If I had a kid, how long would it be before I had

to start shopping at Costco for groceries?

It's just me and a husband right now and we easily spend $80 a week on groceries.

How do people with kids do it?

We used coth diapers until the kid went to daycare and that saved quite a lot but it sure adds to your time. Hard to find a daycare that will screw with cloth diapers, though...

and how often you cook.. If you cook from scratch, you can save lots of money..If you used frozen/packaged items, you will spend more..

I had 3 boys within 5 years and the grocery bills were not huge til they were in double digits:)

I did not use baby food..that can be expensive :)

locked away in a loony bin? Geez, how do you do that, lol! I have enough trouble with just ONE boy, and I live with my parents who have always been a tremendous help with him. You must be a much stronger person than me!

and only spend $100 dollars a week for 4 people. But my kids don't eat much becaue they hate almost everything.

But, you would have to be willing to spend a lot of time cooking, and also be willing to buy a lot more produce, check sales ads, and so-on.

What kills you are the items that are pre-prepared, I am willing to wager.

I know that for my wife and I, I can easily spend $80 a week or even more if I go to Trader Joe's and buy a lot of their sinfully delicious stuff that you just pull out of the box and heat. But, if I go to Food 4 Less and buy produce, pasta, rice and so forth I can get away with $30-$40. And I forgot to mention my mother lives with us too.

In fact, I'd say at least 1/3 of my cart is fresh fruit or vegetables. Well, ok, I do buy this certain lettuce that is prepackaged. It's not that Fresh Express stuff, it's some off brand that my store carries. It's probably $1-$2 more than just plain lettuce. But I guess I should mention that I'd never buy iceburg lettuce -only green, red, or romaine.

I spend 10-20 dollars a week on produce, especially in the winter. That's for me, s.o., and an iguana. :P

And, I NEVER buy Iceberg... yuck!

by breastfeeding, and that is not considering whether you would need specialty formulas if your child has severe allergies. Then, the cost of formula can run over $300 a month. Even buying a really good breastpump ("professional grade") only runs about $200-250 if you are a working mom. And breastfeeding will also save you money on your baby's medical bills as they are generally alot healthier. But you would need to read about it and talk to authorities on the subject (board certified lactation consultants or La Leche League Leaders) first to help you get off to a good start. Most women are able to nurse.

Alot of junk the stores try to sell you on baby gear is unnecessary, at least, that has been our experience. You can't cave in to pressure from the "parenting" magazines. Same thing with the food. Alot of people cook and puree their own baby foods from produce, and that saves a ton of money.

Good luck on your decision.

Surprisingly, it doesn't cost that much more to feed a family, because you can buy larger cans and packages of foods, and get more food for your money. Much of the cost of smaller sizes is in the package.

food processorsa were just coming into vogue, but I just cooked without salt and whirled their food and then they were already used to what we ate when they graduated to real foods :)

I have bought ONE 6 pack of ready made formula to keep in the diaper bag just to be on the safe side-11.00. IF she would drink it (which she won't) she would need at least one of those a day. I figure I've saved at least 1,000 in the last 10 months, probably a lot more.

I have gently reminded my husband of the money I've saved so much that we are remodeling the living room. (To make it toddler friendly, of course ;)

And, yeah, Costco will save you money. So will Shopper's Food Warehouse. But you can save even more by growing your own vegetables-even in a container garden on a patio. Veggies are outrageously expensive!

I did indeed start shopping at Sam's Club when the kids were very young. Since then, we moved and a Costco opened up nearby. You're darn right I'm gonna shop there with salmon priced at under $4/lb. Just this week in fact, I stocked up on school lunch supplies - it surely beats buying juice and fruit cups in bulk rather than paying twice or three times that much for the same exact thing through the public school cafeteria.

I do almost all my shopping at big-box stores and end up saving about 15% on average.

Last trip I was buying oodles of pop because it was on for 57 cents for two litres if you bought four or less. I sent the kids through separate tills with four each. The front hall is literally knee-deep with it.

I get ham slices for 42 cents a kg. instead of the $1.25 I would pay at a different store. Hot dogs $4.95 for three packs of 12 instead of $2.95 or more for one.

I rarely, if ever, buy brand name unless they've got it discounted to the generic price.

Big Lots isn't expired foods, no matter what people tell you. Aldi's is a European concept. Quarter carts(you get the quarter back when you put the cart back) bag your own groceries, and one brand of every food. We've learned to forgo brand names for good taste at less cost.