Inflation has finally leveled off, yet we still hear consistent newscasts about sky-high grocery prices. Thankfully, it’s possible to save on groceries even during periods of high inflation.
How to Save on Groceries During High Inflation
1. Prioritize Your Budget
Know what’s necessary and know what can wait. Budget for your “needs” first; if extra money is left, you can add in some “wants” from your list.
Examining your overall budget to see what you can cut out is also essential. Doing so will free up extra money you can spend on other essentials.
This means reviewing your spending records or credit card bills to determine where you spend your money. You may even identify recurring charges you forgot about and no longer need or use. Whatever savings you find – big or small – can go towards affording more groceries, if needed.
2. Change Up Your Menu
We all love certain foods, but right now, some of those things may have graduated from everyday staples to weekly or monthly treats.
Meat and dairy items have become way more expensive at the supermarket (have you checked the egg prices lately?). In response, you need to try to focus on meals that don’t have them as central ingredients.
Try using meat sparingly as a compliment to a meal instead of the main event. For example, try adding a bit of bacon to a mushroom risotto. And as an added bonus, consuming less meat and adding more veggies is healthier and decreases your environmental footprint.
Countless online websites offer great recipes that are meatless or use “less” meat.
Another option is to add a “meatless” meal into your meal planning routine.
3. Be Prepared
Preparation before grocery shopping can be the difference between sticking to your budget and not. So make a list and check it twice before you shop.
Keep a notepad or list on your fridge to jot down items you run out. Don’t buy when you don’t need it, it’s that simple.
Next, always shop your pantry before heading out to the grocery store. You may be surprised to learn you already have four different kinds of salad dressing.
Avoid showing up to the supermarket without a grocery list and some ideas or plans for what you’ll cook for the week. Meal planning reduces costs and food waste.
Shopping with a plan likely won’t eliminate all impulse buys, but it can curb them.
4. Consider Shelf Life
Buying foods with a longer shelf life can cut your number of trips to the supermarket altogether. This is particularly true when it comes to fresh produce. As a result, millions of dollars worth of food goes spoiled each year.
With the rising cost of fresh fruits and vegetables, consider switching to frozen or canned produce. Not only is it more affordable, but frozen and canned produce has a much longer shelf life. In addition, fresh local produce is more affordable when in season, and it helps to support local farmers.
Vegetables like cabbage, carrots, Brussels sprouts, and beets can last for two weeks or longer when stored in the crisper drawer of your fridge.
Try to shop at stores with large produce areas or that make produce a specialty. The more they sell, the fresher the inventory will be.
5. Shop Generic
Name brands cost more than store or generic brands. Many companies are currently limiting promotions and sales due to inflation. Now is the time to “trade down” and try store brands. Some people are very brand loyal, like they’ll only use Tide detergent. However, most generics are just as good as their brand-name counterparts and are much less expensive.
6. Stock up on Sales
Stock up when you see a deal on items your family uses often!
Ensure your kitchen and pantry are always stocked with all the staples, allowing you to buy fewer new items each week.
Some of the most valuable foods to have on hand include pasta, rice, canned goods, frozen vegetables, and fruit. Consider buying these products in bulk if you have the space to store them. It will cut costs over time.
Some meals can be made with staples alone (think beans and rice, for example) that can serve as the foundation for your weekly meal plan.
Consider online shopping. If you’re an impulse shopper or have trouble sticking to a list, placing your grocery order online might be a good option because it prevents you from tossing extra items into your cart. Even if there is a fee involved, ordering your groceries online also saves you the time of having to go to the grocery store each week.
7. Check Unit Prices
Grocery store shelf labels include a unit price for the product. It helps you quickly compare and contrast prices, regardless of the product size or packaging. A cereal price label, for example, includes a unit price for each ounce. This helps you quickly compare the cost difference between the brands. Finding which one costs less per unit means you save!
8. Choose Fewer Processed Foods
Processed foods are convenient but cost more than unprocessed versions of the same food. For example, a can of beans is more expensive than a bag of dried beans, and shredded cheese is pricier than a block of cheese.
Remember, unprocessed foods require more time and know-how to prepare. So if you buy dried beans, yes, you’ll spend less; however, if they sit in your cabinet unused, eventually, they become a waste of money.
9. Flyers, Coupons, Sales, and Apps
Using loyalty cards, manufacturer and store coupons, shopping the sales, and finding apps to enhance your digital savings are necessary! For example, apps like Flashfood allow shoppers to browse discounted groceries and pay for them on the app for items at nearby stores.
Final Thoughts
Saving on groceries, a category you spend money on every week, is important, so use as many of these savings tips as you can every week.
If you spend $7,000 dollars a year feeding your family (that’s an average of less than $150 a week), and you’re able to save even 10% of that, you may have enough to take a nice summer vacation or get every one of the kids the school supplies and clothes they’ll need for next year!
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.