All you would have to do is save your grocery receipts for about 30 to 60 days and add them up. This should give you a good idea of how much you spend on a monthly basis for food.

When you have this information it's time to start looking for ways to cut that figure down as low as you can and still provide good nutritious meals for your family.

If I started telling just ways I know of how to save on groceries, this article would turn into a book. There are endless ways to cut back on your food spending. The best way to start learning is to search web. Here are a couple of web sites you can start with:

The Frugal Shopper http://www.thefrugalshopper.com

Money Saving Grocery Tips http://homeparents.about.com/od/groceryshoppingtips/

Grocery Saving Tips http://www.grocerysavingtips.com/

With all of that said, bottom line is that you need to spend what ever it takes on groceries to survive. In too many cases people will pay their bills out of their grocery budget. This won't work. Water, Food and shelter are basics. Put them first no matter what your bills are or how many times they call to harass you.

I know you are still looking for a dollar amount for your family. If you pin me down I would have to say about 15% to 20% of your income could be spent on food. For a family making $3000 a month that would mean you would set aside about $450 to $600 for food. This is great unless you have teenagers that go through kitchen like vacuum cleaners.

“Then there is cost of living which is easily a third of what it costs to live in just about any American city. A retired couple living on a $1,000 Social Security income can live a life of luxury here. Taxes are extremely low, fresh seafood is abundant and inexpensive, medical services and medications are a third of what they are back home,” Garcia says.

Eric also points to growing speculation - an increased awareness that northeastern Baja coast line may very well prove to be on verge of a prolonged land rush much like that which took place in Cabo San Lucas several years ago. "The demand for real estate in Cabo San Lucas is still high, but sales have slowed considerably because prices there have sky rocketed," he says. "That isn’t case for San Felipe real estate, as least not yet," he added.

For those unfamiliar with area, San Felipe is located in Baja California, just a four hour driving distance southeast of San Diego, an hour more from Tucson. A quiet fishing village with a population of 28,000, it is rapidly becoming one of preferred destinations for American and Canadian vacationers and retirees looking for a lay back, stress free lifestyle. "Right now about 50% of resident population comes from U.S. and Canada," Garcia says. "Our projections indicate that that percentage will probably double in next five years."

Twenty years ago a boom in Baja real estate started in Cabo San Lucus, a city on southern most point of Baja. The likelihood of a San Felipe real estate boom is even more real because of village's proximity to U.S. border and Mexican government's commitment to continuing development of Nautical ladder.

Individuals wishing to obtain more information about this Baja real estate opportunity are encouraged to contact Eric stateside at (888) 647-5292 or through on-site San Felipe real estate office at 011 52 (686) 577-0822, via email address in right column or by visiting www.PlayaDelParaiso.com.