Monthly Food and Household Items Budget

[pipoz4444]

We Jimmy,

Have a large garden area and when it doesn't rain much like in the last six month, my storage tanks run dry.. Maybe its only 1,250 for six months of the year. Last July & August I paid around 1,400 B each month

pipoz4444

[pipoz4444]

We don't eat out or do KFC, BK and the like with any regularity, maybe once a month or longer. Breakfast is coffee with either croissant or brownie. Cereal maybe twice, three times a week. Cooked brekky maybe once a week. Mrs tam cooks local food most nights, I do my 'speshun' dishes maybe twice a week: nothing exotic, spag bol, burgers, haggis or pepperoni pizza, etc.. On nights when nobody feels like cooking, it's a local takeaway job, pad krapow, khao moo daeng, khao mun gai, etc.. Lunch/brunch is typically a reheat of something from dinner the night before. If anyone is peckish in the afternoon, takeaway kwetiao, somtam or pad Thai if a bit more hungry.

Tam, its the prawns that the 2 Kids (teens) eat like lollies, at around B 450 - 500 per kg. Does some damage

pipoz4444

[newtovillagelife]

Being a stats nerd, I've kept records for the past 5 years. Average is 10k for myself and girlfriend. We eat out 2 or 3 times a week and this adds another 8k

I am assuming you rent a small one bedroom, and have a scooter, not a car as your means of transport.

Strange assumption but, no. I live in a 3 bed house and have a car and motorcycle. Dont really see how the size of my home or how many vehicles I run affects how much grocery shopping I do. Maybe you should read the original post!

Me as well as others, sorry I guess your amount just includes groceries, and essentials, so your total budget would be higher.

[Khun Paul]

My monthly food and groceries bill is between 10-12 k , which does include RUM. Other bills are paid for as they occur.

[DuiDui49]

2 adults and 2 small children - all expenses 50,000 baht/month bare minimum.

...bare minimum...don't really know what to say..Tederloin all day AND night long i guess

Not just food and household items. 50,000 bare minimum for all expenses.

...I wanted to ask the forum members what they considerer an appropriate monthly budget for food and other household items such as cleaning supplies and hygiene items etc.

..so if you answer JUST what the OP wanted us to answer..what you reckon your budget is then??

//DD...

[GT93]

We seem to have some very skilled Cheap Charlies posting in this thread. I've always considered myself careful with money and I'd easily spend more than 50,000 a month if in Udon. That covers Mrs 93, a step-daughter, the mother-in-law and 2 step grandchildren. That would cover food, school fees and books, utilities, insurance, vehicle maintenance, fuel and the usual crap folks buy for home and the garden.

[AlexO]

We seem to have some very skilled Cheap Charlies posting in this thread. I've always considered myself careful with money and I'd easily spend more than 50,000 a month if in Udon. That covers Mrs 93, a step-daughter, the mother-in-law and 2 step grandchildren. That would cover food, school fees and books, utilities, insurance, vehicle maintenance, fuel and the usual crap folks buy for home and the garden.

Probably not too far of the mark 93. Food can be as cheap as you want, but loads of other costs if you have a family and a means of transport that has more than 2 wheels. I also bought the land and built the houses so no monthly rental charges, but for me 60K/month without the unexpected costs.

[johanthomsen]

I eat normal food, nothing super fancy and also thai food and stay away from beers and smoking and my wife and our 2 children can easy keep to 10-15k a month... other things added we are normally around 30-40k a month and we have a huuuuge house and garden with pool so I think that is ok.

[AlexO]

I eat normal food, nothing super fancy and also thai food and stay away from beers and smoking and my wife and our 2 children can easy keep to 10-15k a month... other things added we are normally around 30-40k a month and we have a huuuuge house and garden with pool so I think that is ok.

Absolutely correct Johan, food is relatively cheap so not a big issue, but occasionally I like a decent beef steak, same as at home. Its all the other costs that build up to be your monthly budget. I see no one has mentioned phone charges or sat TV on top of the expenditure list. As said before 400K minimum for a married guy by law, 500K to 600K nearer the real cost with a family and house already built so no rent costs. Its not cheap! but less costly than the West.

[tamada]

We don't eat out or do KFC, BK and the like with any regularity, maybe once a month or longer. Breakfast is coffee with either croissant or brownie. Cereal maybe twice, three times a week. Cooked brekky maybe once a week. Mrs tam cooks local food most nights, I do my 'speshun' dishes maybe twice a week: nothing exotic, spag bol, burgers, haggis or pepperoni pizza, etc.. On nights when nobody feels like cooking, it's a local takeaway job, pad krapow, khao moo daeng, khao mun gai, etc.. Lunch/brunch is typically a reheat of something from dinner the night before. If anyone is peckish in the afternoon, takeaway kwetiao, somtam or pad Thai if a bit more hungry.

Tam, its the prawns that the 2 Kids (teens) eat like lollies, at around B 450 - 500 per kg. The do some damage

pipoz4444

Mrs tam likes prawns as much as she likes durian but she's loath to buy either when the prices are silly. I guess my innate, Scots frugality rubbed-off on her... among other things.

One of our biggest budgetary hits was dropping the monthly trip to Fuji. Their pricing inched up and where four could dine for around 1000 baht several years ago, with bigger appetites from the kids, there was little change out of 2k before the end. Mrs tam has found a local home delivery sushi service (not name brand and not Grab or FoodPanda) that does some awesome stuff at an acceptable price.

The youngest niece works in town and when nobody feels like cooking at home, we call her before she leaves work and place our orders. She has a good handle on where the best stuff is. Last night, she brought home some chicken shawarma's, 3 for 100 baht. They were awesome.

[papafarang]

I eat bowls of plain rice and drink water from the tap ,sleep in bus shelters and steal my clothes off washing lines . Every little helps

[Doodoo]

Hope you dont run into a house of ALL Women for the clothes
And for the Rice you can afford a bowl???

[papafarang]

Hope you dont run into a house of ALL Women for the clothes
And for the Rice you can afford a bowl???

Yes ladies clothes are a bit tight , for my rice bowl I use an old baked bean can I've had for years anyone got ideas on how I could save a bit more ? :lol:hey tomorrow's Sunday ,goody I get mama noodles in cold water

[Shado]

Although not summarized and a broader listing the attached comparison chart may give some idea of what to expect to pay for certain items compared to what you are paying in the States. You can change locations on the chart as you wish. You may have already seen this but I thought I pass it along. I'm not sure if all the current prices are in line. Some food prices have gone up lately.

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/c ... City%2C+KS

[tamada]

Hope you dont run into a house of ALL Women for the clothes
And for the Rice you can afford a bowl???

Someone commented earlier on another members +1000 baht water bill. Ours is typically around 800 baht since we have a washing machine that gets an average-sized homes weekly workout every day. This is due to the huge imbalance on the male-to-female ratio towards the latter. The oldest niece on her day off will laze around the house, surfing the 'net and gets through at least three complete 'costume changes' that all ends up in the laundry. When both nieces have the same day off; more common with their staggered shift work, there's simply not enough drying lines.

But, I find the biggest challenge with having a home full of women that spend an inordinate amount of time in the shower and washing their hair is UNBLOCKING THE BLOODY DRAINS!

[pipoz4444]

Stantheman, don't know if you have children or not, but if you do,

Kids, those in their teens are way more expensive than younger ones, with their need for; 1. Clothes & School Uniforms as they constantly grow, 2. Education (Fees, books, transport to school, allowances) and 3. Private Medical Insurance, if you opt to have it. These three items alone can cost between B 230,000 to 260,000 per year, two kids aged 15 and 11. Average B 20,000 per month

Vehicle: If you have a vehicle such as a Toyota Pick up, then the cost to Register and Insure (Comprehensive) it is around B 16,000 Per Year or B 1,333 per month without running costs

pipoz4444

[pipoz4444]

[/quote]

Mrs tam likes prawns as much as she likes durian but she's loath to buy either when the prices are silly. I guess my innate, Scots frugality rubbed-off on her... among other things.

One of our biggest budgetary hits was dropping the monthly trip to Fuji. Their pricing inched up and where four could dine for around 1000 baht several years ago, with bigger appetites from the kids, there was little change out of 2k before the end. Mrs tam has found a local home delivery sushi service (not name brand and not Grab or FoodPanda) that does some awesome stuff at an acceptable price.

The youngest niece works in town and when nobody feels like cooking at home, we call her before she leaves work and place our orders. She has a good handle on where the best stuff is. Last night, she brought home some chicken shawarma's, 3 for 100 baht. They were awesome.
[/quote]

It pays to know people connected, in this case your neice. Will have to try a delivery service when I am back, if I can first just find a good Thai Restaurant, that is willing to deliver to my side of town (South about 4 kms from the Ring Road)

As for Sushi, the kids seem to love it and also the Salmon with Wasabi, as well.

Occasionally MAKRO will have Salmon on sale at a reasonable price, around B 260 for a slice. Once I opted to buy it from Vila Mart (mistake) and the same size slice of Salmon cost me around B 480. Just don't know how Villa Mart survives in the current economic market

pipoz4444

[DuiDui49]

Hope you dont run into a house of ALL Women for the clothes
And for the Rice you can afford a bowl???

Yes ladies clothes are a bit tight , for my rice bowl I use an old baked bean can I've had for years anyone got ideas on how I could save a bit more ? :lol:hey tomorrow's Sunday ,goody I get mama noodles in cold water

Hmm,heard from the soidogs a rumor that late in the night some Farang is stealing their dogfood...Tell me is not you Dean

[DuiDui49]

.