How much money did the average Jew spend in sacrifices over their life in biblical times?

Answer 1

Very hard to answer, because of changes in monetary value and purchasing power; and because many of the offerings were voluntary. But here goes.

Assuming that the person observed the festivals consistently, always coming to the Temple as commanded (Deuteronomy ch.16), and assuming that he brought the minimum of one Olat Re'iyah and one Shalmei Hagigah. The Talmud states that a bird-offering cost one-sixteenth of an animal-offering, and that birds cost one-quarter of an ancient silver shekel (Talmud, Keritut 8a). So take four silver shekels per animal, times two for the two minimum private festival-offerings, times three for the number of festivals per year, times the number of years of a mature person's lifetime. Add to that certain other obligatory offerings that didn't have fixed times (such as sin-offerings); and all the voluntary offerings which had neither fixed times nor fixed amounts and could be any number of animal-offerings, bird-offerings or meal-offerings. Now you'll have to determine the ancient silver shekel in terms of modern purchasing power (not the mere value of the metal, which has changed drastically). You do the math.