We’ve all been there – standing in front of the grocery store shelves, trying to figure out how to make our budget stretch just a little bit further. For some of us, it’s a temporary challenge; for others, it’s a way of life.

But what if your husband demanded that you stick to a $120 grocery budget for your family of five? That’s the situation one mum found herself in, and she took to Facebook to seek advice on whether it was reasonable.

The mum claimed that she did her best to follow this rule but despite only purchasing the "bare minimum", she still couldn’t avoid "overspending".

She wrote: “I got into an argument with my husband about how much we spend on groceries. Our budget is $120 per week with two adults, two kids and one baby."

“I keep overspending but I’m cutting back to the bare minimum. Is he being unrealistic?”.

A mum’s post about how her husband set a weekly budget of $120 for their family sparked a debate among social media users. Credit: Getty Images.​

The debate that ensued was passionate, with hundreds of people arguing that the husband was being unreasonable and sharing their own experiences regarding the recent price increases across essential grocery items.

A number of Facebook users said that they themselves would struggle to make ends meet if they were tasked to feed five people on a meager budget of $120 a week.

One person wrote: “I have two adults, two kids, a cat and dog, and spend $300-$350 a week. It’s ridiculous how much the prices have gone up.”

“You can hardly get the basics for $120,” another argued.

A third chimed in: “Go online to whatever shop you go to. Select all the items and show him [your husband] that he has no clue.”

“Yes, that’s unrealistic. He needs to go shopping with you. $200/week here. Two adults, one teen, one child,” another shared.

Others said that the mum should challenge her husband to do the grocery shopping with the budget himself.

One comment read: “I would send him to do it for a few weeks with $120 cash and he is in charge of all food for those weeks.”

“That’s so not achievable if you want to have a nutrient-rich diet for all of you, let alone for the kiddies, plus then cleaning and hygiene products,” another said.

A number of people suggested letting her husband do the grocery shopping to understand that the budget is not enough. Credit: Getty Images.​

One woman who claimed to be living by herself said that her weekly budget is also $120.

“I spend $120 a week and I live alone. Your husband has no idea. Get him to do the shopping on a Saturday and you do mowing the lawns,” she wrote.

One mum said that $120 was only enough to feed her family for two days, while another said that it would be a proud accomplishment if she managed to make $120 last a week.

Meanwhile, the mum addressed the allegations that she and her husband are in a financially abusive relationship, saying that they were in a healthy relationship and were simply working out how to budget better.

“Just to be clear he isn’t being abusive (I’ve been in a financially abusive relationship before) we need a budget to save for a house but disagree about the division of money,” she wrote in a comment.

The mum also disagreed with other people who advised her to cut back on food, saying that they should consider spending less on going out and buying gifts.

“He needs to be strict and I agree we need to be smart about how we use money but I don’t think food is the place to cut back,” she quipped.

What are your thoughts on this? Is $120 a reasonable weekly budget for a family of five? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

 

[williamsheikspare]

It always depends on the living standard of the family. If you eat bread with water, $120 is enough to feed a family on a weekly basis.

 

[williamsheikspare]

Not if you are buying nutritious food.

Agree.

 

[williamsheikspare]

Let him do the shopping & cook for the family then if he thinks he can do better!!

Its a wise idea.

 

[williamsheikspare]

It is possible, but without supplementing purchases with home-grown produce, it would not be a healthy long-term diet. I agree, send him out to do the shopping himself.

Agreeing with your point.

 

[pamelafaye]

Take him shopping with you, let him buy what he wants and see the shock when he gets to the counter, l did this years ago, he has never bothered me since about what l spend on groceries

 

[RTS]

When my family was young we didn't have a lot of money, but decided to not skimp on good food.
My boys grew to 6'2" and 6'4".
If I cooked a kilo of sausages the leftovers sat on a plate in the fridge to be eaten as snacks. There was always milk, cereal, fruit and juice. We didn't have chips, cool drinks etc.
I made big pots of meat and vegetables which did for two or three meals, adding curry or sweet and sour sauce for a change.
Money doesn't go far at the checkout now.

 

[Rochelle]

I often look at mothers with disposable napkins in their trolley and wonder how they can afford them. There are more important items to buy. They are a luxury.