East Bay Baby

Is it really more expensive to raise kids in the Bay Area?  In two very important respects—the cost of housing and childcare—the answer is definitely yes.  Although both housing and childcare are cheaper in the East Bay than they are in, say, San Francisco, both are undeniably more expensive than in most other areas of the U.S.  According to this often cited report, a Bay Area family of four must take in at least $53,075 (with one wage earner) just to provide the basic necessities of life:

A family of four in the Bay Area with two working adults must earn $77,069, equaling an hourly wage of $18.53, just to pay for basic necessities, a study released today calculates. If only one adult works, that figure falls to $53,075, largely because the family doesn’t have to pay for child care, according to the report by the California Budget Project, a liberal Sacramento research group. But that one wage-earner must make $25.52 an hour.

In many parts of the country, a family of four making $53,075 could probably (we have heard tell) own their own home and provide for more than “necessities.”  But we digress!

Given the high cost of living, most East Bay Area parents find themselves economizing in whatever areas they can.  This article is the first part of a series covering ways in which you can save money because you live in the Bay Area, rather than in spite of it.

Saving Money in the Bay Area – Food

• Farmer’s Markets.  Although you may need to do some comparison shopping to determine whether a particular vendor at your local farmer’s market has competitive pricing, in general the produce at the farmer’s market will be cheaper and better quality than at the grocery store.
• Joining a CSA.  Depending on the CSA (the acronym stands for Community Supported Agriculture), this can be a very cost effective way to get a week’s worth of fruit and veggie shopping done for no effort at all.  Some CSAs allow you to customize the contents of your produce box, and some just deliver whatever is in season.  Costs vary, but in general you get a large box of produce for between $14-$20 per week – a terrific deal, especially if you are willing to experiment with new and unfamiliar types of vegetable.   Check out a list of local CSAs here or here.
• “Ethnic Markets.”  The Bay Area’s diversity is reflected in grocery stores and markets which cater to many different cultures and food traditions, from Hispanic to Indian to Filipino to Arabic to Russian to British (yes, there is a British market in San Francisco, for all your Marmite needs).  Often these markets are much cheaper than standard grocery stores, for meats, produce, and especially for cuisine specific condiments, spices, and ingredients.  One of my favorite pan-Asian grocery stores is 99 Ranch.  Don’t expect to get a great deal on cheese or Cheerios at 99 Ranch, but their prices on everything from fish to produce to dried mushrooms to innumerable exotic condiments are just terrific.
• Monterey Market. This perpetually packed Berkeley institution has an amazing variety of produce (much of it from local farmers,) at extremely low prices.  Chefs drive from San Francisco and beyond to buy fruits and vegetables by the flat, and the place is quite literally mobbed by customers on weekends and before holidays.  Your best shopping strategy is to go on a weekday, carry as much as possible by hand (the narrow aisles make navigating a cart difficult), and memorize or write down the prices as you bag your vegetables – with, for example, eight varieties of tomato on offer, priced according to their organic or non-organic or pesticide-free or dry-farmed status, the checkout clerks can get confused.

This article is the first part of a series – check back later for ways in which you  can save money on entertainment, baby clothes and gear, and transportation!