...good way to split grocery costs?
 

My mother, sister and I are going to the Michigan UP for a week. We'll be staying in my brother's cabin. We all have special food items we need for health reasons (lactose intolerant sis, I have IBS, etc.) But we can also eat many of the same items. Any recommendations on an EASY way to split the costs?

You want EAZY - Go to the grocery store, buy what you need, total up purchases, divide by 3 - SIMPLE.

If it's important to split the costs, the easiest way, of course, is divide by 3. ;)

Other than that, it's each brings their own or buys their own when there, imo.

Is one individual's special items food much more expensive than another's special food items? If not then how about all three recognizing that the diferences are minimal or nil and then splitting the cost by 3.

If one person's food is substantially more expensive to the point where someone in the family will grow resentful having to pay for the additional 1/3 of the cost then that person should offer to bear the cost of their substantially more expensive food to maintain peace between family members.

Well said by Suzie and others too. I've done similar on family vacations. Things usually balance out. :-)

Many thanks to all. Yes, some of the special food items are quite high. The objection is mostly coming from one person. We may just have to do our own thing. Just thought there might be something out there none of us had thought of. Thanks for your time.

That's too bad that someone can object to something so small when spending a week with mom and sis or both DDs in a loacation they don't have to pay for.

Good luck. Hope you have a wonderful visit.

ON the rare times we have done this, we set up a kitty . . everyone throws in $50 to fund it, when it runs down, everyone throws in another $50.

Cuts down on the petty bickering

LOL Rich that sounds good in theory but then there is the person who watches what everyone eats or drinks and feels like they didn't get their fair share. Pettiness is an amazing vacation killer. It's best when everyone goes to have a good time and doesn't notice those things because in reality they had enough food and enough drink. <-- best if there is plenty of drink! ;)

Assuming you are all driving -

"I know we all have certain foods we like/need. Let's pick up our own ( ) and then all go to the store together when we get there to pick up whatever else we need." Divide that bill by 3.

Sounds like someone is nickle and diming the situation. I agree with poster who said what is the big deal - if it were me, I would even pay for the whole amount for the time together.

I feel the same way gail. I'd pay the whole bill. But then I'd have to wrestle my mom in the store who would insist on paying the whole bill. It's nice not to have these issues - no we just have others! ;)

If one person is kvetching about this - she is bound to kvetch about other things too. Dividing by 3 is the easiest. But if she won't do it, let her buy her own stuff. Everything - not just some of her own, but everything she plans to eat.

The other 2 can then buy for two and divvy things up 50/50. The odd man out will probably still kvetch - but she'll have what she wants to eat and won't have to pay an extra penny.

The bookkeeping will be easier that way.

Take turns preparing a meal each night, aware that said meal will have to be appropriate for each food interest. No lactose, no wheat, in the recipe.

The final night will be a dinner out, dutch.

I love beentheretwice's suggestion and I think we will buy breakfast and lunch foods, special items included, and split that 3 ways, then handle dinners beentheretwice's way! Thanks again!

Can you all cook ?? Well?

Is there an even number of days ??

Just asking - because IF one of you is concerned about exact expenses - even that solution can be full of quick sand.

The only problem with alternating/splitting meals is that there are certain staples that must be bought for the week. Since it is your brother's cabin, some of these may already be there. Things like toilet paper, salad dressing, salt and pepper, milk, coffee. Do you really want 3 bas of coffee, 3 gallons of milk for cereal?

Well, if one person is balking at splitting things three ways it's probably because she is the one who perceives she eats the least expensive items. I can't believe that a week's worth of "special needs items" when the cost is pooled and split three ways is going to be overly burdensome for anyone but then again you've obviously got a very frugal person in your group.

Best way in this instance is for the three of you to go shopping together. Have one basket filled with staple items you all will use - you can have these rung up seperately and split the cost 3 ways. You each than make seperate purchases for those special needs items you each need.

I fear no matter what you do the "odd one out" in your party may never be happy with the arrangement, whatever you decide.

This may sound like oversimplification, but I have a policy never to travel with anyone so picky about the costs that we won't be comfortable splitting them evenly and assuming we'll all come out about even. It's just no fun doing it any other way.

If everyone is agreeable, the kitty system is great. I just spent 3 weeks in Europe with a friend and I can't tell you how much easier it made our trip. We only paid out of our own pockets if one of us was buying something personal.

The easiest way is to just pool money and divide everything by 3, but it sounds like one petty person is going to whine about perhaps perhaps paying a little more than their share. What a shame that they can't be thankful about spending time with family in a cabin they're getting for free.

If someone is going to be that petty, it's hard to do any "pooled" item with that person. Are they also going to be checking to see who had the largest portions or who had dessert to make sure they pay extra?

"You used more hot water than I did so I should pay less for the utilities"

"I weigh less so I should pay less for the gas for the rental car"

"Mosquitoes don't bother me so I will not pay for 1/3 of the bug repellant"

I don't get it and there must be some other history going on here. Lactose intolerant? A gallon of Lactaid milk is a few dollars more than regular milk - can't believe a family fight over something so petty.

If fight is between you and your sister, I would divide by 4 and you pay 2 shares - it is worth what I would guess is maybe $10-20 for peace.

If argument is between either you or sister and Mom, suck it up and do the same.

This has the feel of some long-simmering feud that all the easy and equitable solutions in the world will not fix.

How about if everyone does their own grocery shopping, pays for and brings their own food?

Purchasing their own specialty items, plus some extra food items to share with others, and maybe ingredients for making a meal for everyone.