The Obamas Pay For Groceries, Just Like Us

January 26, 2009

The Obamas may have a talented executive chef on staff to cook their meals, but that doesn't mean the presidential kitchen is completely complimentary to the first family. People magazine reports that, with the exception of official dinners, the Obamas are responsible for all of their food, drink, and dry-cleaning bills. The expenses are deducted from President Obama's $400,000 annual salary. They might be the first family of the United States, but they have everyday expenses, just like us!

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23 Comments

turbinework 1 year 40 weeks

Before you all jump to some kind of opinion about how the obamas are just like us real families, go to presidents@ presidentsusa.net under perks and salary

2 years 40 weeks

They actually have a budget outside their salary for personal expenses. So in a sense they don't have to pay for their groceries. But Nat. G.O. would like you to believe they are just like you and I. It is simply googled to find out all the money they get. They actually have a 1 million dollar fund for expenses they may go over from their other budgeted expenses. This was on a government site.

3 years 20 weeks

Has Obama made more money than any other President in history with less than 1 year in office? $ 400,000 annual salary + expenses & perks $1,400,000 Nobel Peace Prize Money $ 500,000 Signed book contract advance - signed one day before innaugaration. Wow! Thats $2,300,000 meanwhile all those poor people out of jobs & homes are told by our politicians we should only be concerned about investment bankers.

3 years 25 weeks

He receives a $50,000 expense account and you say he has to buy his own groceries. Am I missing something here?

3 years 35 weeks

Jimmy Carter was a peanut farmer and served in the Navy before getting into public office. Lyndon Johnson grew up in poverty and worked his way through the local college. Ronald Reagan worked at a radio station. Harry Truman was also a farmer. Herbert Hoover was the son of a blacksmith and had a career as a mining engineer. To say that Barack Obama is the closest any president has been to being average is an ignorant statement from an uninformed person. Please do your own research rather than depend on a biased media (left and right) or the generally uneducated public.

3 years 36 weeks

The Obama's may not be the average american family but they are the closest that any President has been to being AVERAGE as far as money is concerned.

3 years 46 weeks

Yeah, "just like us"...except for the part where he makes $400K and I make $35K a year. Also, there are many expense accounts and perks while on the job and a multi-million dollar pension in four or eight years, whenever he stops being president. Of course he is also a multi-millionaire from his books and his wife earned around $300K at the University of Chicago when she was a vice-president of the hospital. I don't think they're anything like the average American.

3 years 49 weeks

knew the president had to pay the food bill. But, he do not not have to pay for the 5 Chefs in the Whitehouse. Also, he has several expense accounts (general expense, entertainment expense, separate entertainment, personnal travel expense (above and beyond airforce one,etc.)to pay for food in addition to his salary. If he spends over his various expense accounts he has an unanticipated need account (not to exceed one million dollars)that he can dip into. Finally, the President gets outstanding after Presidential perks. Larry

4 years 8 weeks

While that sounds great, it wasn't pointed out that since 1949 U.S. Presidents have had an expense account ($50,000 per year) that covers items such as the food bill. There is also, at least, $19,000 account for entertainment that is renewable each year. So, this isn't exactly being deducted from their paycheck.

ylovely 4 years 14 weeks

I love that. It makes perfect sense after all.

hope2be 4 years 15 weeks

I agree tiabia, it IS taxpayer's money that pays the president's salary and every people in our government. (by the way, the key word is SALARY, ophelia, I don't think tiabia is implying that the president isn't working, even us ordinary people who have jobs have salary). But it is good to know that they're deducting it from his paycheck. I wonder also if they use coupons :p Nawww, but the thing is, why not? I imagine the price they had to pay probably over inflated and they can't even get them themselves due to their type of jobs. Coupons help, even a little :D

opheliadrowning 4 years 15 weeks

RE: tiabia Well, the president is working to earn this salary that is paid for by our taxes, so I think it's a fair exchange. It's not like he's getting paid for doing nothing.

tiabia 4 years 16 weeks

You do realize that tax money pays the President's salary, and so therefore yours and my taxes are in fact paying for groceries and dry cleaning.

kathrynliz 4 years 16 weeks

Coupons? LOL.

Spectra 4 years 16 weeks

Well, I'm glad they aren't exempt either. They should have to pay for their own stuff; it's not like they're poor or anything like that.

wren 4 years 16 weeks

This is refreshing to know. I'd actually been wondering about that recently.

Jude C 4 years 16 weeks

Good. It would really bother me if they (or any other First Family) got that kind of stuff on the house.

ilanac13 4 years 16 weeks

it's actually reassuring that they have to pay for things like that. it's not just a given. which is especially nice since we all know that it's our tax dollars that would pay for something like that. i wonder if they are coupon people too - or if they just make a list of stuff ,since it would be hard to go through a supermarket with all that secret service on your tail.

Modus Vivendi 4 years 16 weeks

I read about this recently! I was surprised, but I also thought it made a lot of sense once I thought about it. I think the article was about how one first lady was so surprised to get a bill...maybe Nancy Reagan? It makes so much sense, though, especially in these times. I would be annoyed if my tax dollars went to cookies or dry cleaning.

shydcgirl28 4 years 16 weeks

Great information, didn't know that.

megln1022 4 years 16 weeks

interesting article- thanks syako

syako 4 years 16 weeks

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/01/president/bumiller-text

syako 4 years 16 weeks

They just ran a really interesting article in National Geographic about the White House. I was shocked to read the first family has to pay for groceries, but after thinking about it, it makes perfect sense.

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