Food expense

[Balanced]

Is $8 per day a reasonable rate to claim for food expense?

[5 Little Monkeys]

Sorry dumb question...is that $8 per day total or $8/day/child?

I buy all my daycare groceries separately and if it's $8 per day total, than it is very close to what I pay for my yearly dc groceries. Mine for 4 children works out to roughly $8-$9/day if I broke it down that way.

[Balanced]

Oh yes, sorry, I meant $8/day/child.

[2cuteboys]

I'm in AB and feed the kids quite well. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies, mix of organic and non-organic depending on the type (I use the ewg dirty dozen and clean 15 as a reference of which to buy). I started the year planning to claim $7/day/child, but after doing the calculations I've found it's over $8, so when I do taxes I'll change it then.

I think it's reasonable based on what I buy, but I'd still have all my receipts handy in case you do get audited. My accountant seemed to have no problems when I mentioned doing $8.

[mickyc]

I claim 50% of my total grocery bills for the end of the year.

[sandylynn]

$8.00/day/child? That's $40.00 a day!....if you look after 5 children...$200.00 /week....hmmmm...that might invite an audit!..

[bright sparks]

I claim $8 a day per child. My accountant has told me that if you claim over $10 per day per child then you will be flagged for auditing. I have no issue besides the hassle of it to be audited as I have proof to back it up. As long as you can back up your expense then go for it. You claim as much as it costs. I feed my guys organic food and nothing processed so it is expensive to feed them. My grocery bill for them and my family is about $1500 a month but that's what it costs. I buy organic whole grains in bulk which saves me a fortune over the year and serve copious amounts of fruit which especially this time of year is pricey. All veggies are fresh, never canned or frozen and my guys are all great eaters so no mouse sized portions. Lunch is $4 per child and each snack is $2 that's not that much money at all when I make a lasagne, serve fresh fruit and home made baked goods for snack time. On top of that the organic and abf expense. Think about it!

[5 Little Monkeys]

I was thinking the same sandylynn. I just totaled up my groceries for dc and it was just over $2200 for the year for 4 kids. If I did $8/day that would be around $8000. While I would love to claim that much, it wouldn't be honest for me. I give the kids well balanced meals and snacks and they don't go hungry either lol. (I have to say that I have small eaters and sometimes loose receipts or end up buying dc groceries on my bills which I don't claim but it isn't like I'm missing $6000 in receipts lol)

I don't think I could afford to do daycare if my grocery bill was almost $650 a month just for daycare.

However, if you have the receipts to prove that the daycare is using that much per day than all will be fine and an audit won't be an issue if you do get audited.

edited....OMG, $1500 a month in groceries....I'm speechless LOL. Makes me not want to have kids of my own hahaha

[2cuteboys]

We're around $1000, and it's just my 3 dck, my 2 boys, hubs and I. I think it also depends on where you're shopping as well as what type of food you get (organic vs non). Groceries here are more expensive than in the east.

[Crayola kiddies]

I was thinking the same sandylynn. I just totaled up my groceries for dc and it was just over $2200 for the year for 4 kids. If I did $8/day that would be around $8000. While I would love to claim that much, it wouldn't be honest for me. I give the kids well balanced meals and snacks and they don't go hungry either lol. (I have to say that I have small eaters and sometimes loose receipts or end up buying dc groceries on my bills which I don't claim but it isn't like I'm missing $6000 in receipts lol)

I don't think I could afford to do daycare if my grocery bill was almost $650 a month just for daycare.

However, if you have the receipts to prove that the daycare is using that much per day than all will be fine and an audit won't be an issue if you do get audited.

edited....OMG, $1500 a month in groceries....I'm speechless LOL. Makes me not want to have kids of my own hahaha

I have 5 daycare kids and three of my own five children living at home and my grocery bill is in excess of $200/week most weeks its closer to $300 ..... Last year I claimed $6000 in groceries at tax time .... That includes paper products( toilet paper, Kleenex ect) and cleaners.