In case you haven’t already noticed it, EVERYTHING seems to be going up in price. It’s not just at the gas pump. Even food shopping is being hit with price increases. Worst yet you end up paying MORE and getting LESS of the same product. It really makes me wish that we had a farm so that we could be somewhat self sufficient. We shouldn’t have to refinance our mortgage just to feel our family healthy foods. Sigh…
I don’t normally post other people’s articles but I thought the following article was interesting and something my readers would find useful.
10 Ways To Combat Escalating Food Prices by Andrea Woroch
Watching cashiers ring up purchases at the grocery store is becoming more painful every day. Unfortunately, things are about to get much worse, particularly for low-income consumers who don’t have ready access to discount supermarkets.
According to the United Nations, global food prices hit a record high in February due to upward-spiraling gas prices and stockpiling by importers. These factors are hitting the already volatile cereal markets. Wheat, corn, sugar and edible oils have seen the sharpest price increases in the last six months, with a relatively smaller increase in rice. Produce has already skyrocketed, with prices expected to rise by roughly one-fourth to one-third in the next year.
Such price increases and the resulting extreme poverty are partially credited with recent public unrest that toppled leaders in Tunisia and Egypt and sparked further unrest in North Africa and the Middle East.
So what’s an American consumer to do? Here are 10 ways to combat rising food prices.
1. Shop Warehouse Stores
Not all prices are better at membership stores, particularly if you tend to go overboard, but there are some really good deals to be had. Look for great buys on perishable items and shop towards the end of the day, when department managers want to unload extra inventory.
2. Use Coupons
Now’s the time to get in on the extreme-couponing trend, particularly since there are so many ways to access them these days. You’ll find coupons online in both Internet-code or downloadable (IP) form.. Mobile coupons are as close as your cell phone. CellFire is a great source for grocery savings.
Don’t overlook the coupons that print out with your receipt at the register. Known as Catalinas, these coupons are targeted towards the purchases you’ve made that day. Some stores, like King Soopers, also allow you to stack manufacturer and store coupons for additional savings. Not all supermarkets allow you to stack, however, so check first.
3. Hit Dollar Stores
Whether you cruise the narrow aisles of Dollar General or hit one of the smaller chains, dollar stores offer “ka-ching” savings on boxed, bagged and canned goods. Make sure you check the expiration dates, however.
4. Use Grocery Store Rewards Cards These loyalty cards have become a necessity to access store sales, but they also have another benefit; You can download online coupons directly to your rewards card and the savings will be taken off at the register. Visit the rewards-card pages of such supermarket websites as Safeway and Food Lion to find these manufacturer coupons.
Some rewards card also provide gas savings when you buy groceries. At times, King Soopers has taken up to 10-cents off each gallon you purchase at their pumps when you spend $100 or more in their store.
5. Buy Generic
By and large, store-brand generics can be much cheaper than manufacturer products with the exact same quality. In fact, generics come off the same assembly line before being slapped with separate labels so skip the brand name items.
6. Use Discount Gift Cards
Shop websites like GiftCardGranny for discount gift cards from Kmart, Walmart and other major chains that sell food goods and produce. Paying just a portion of the card’s face value gives you an instant savings on your grocery needs.
7. Make A List
Avoid impulse purchases by making a list before you leave home and sticking to it when you hit the store. Knowing specifically what you need also helps avoid duplications of products you already have at home.
8. Plan Your Meals
It’s a lot easier to make a list when you have a plan. Creating a weekly menu also helps you avoid quick trips to the supermarket that end up costing you more in many ways. For last minute meals, create a gourmet dish at a deep discount by buying meats, produce and other food items that are on sale at your local grocery store.
9. One-Stop Shop Save gas, time and money by shopping stores like Target that allow you to buy everything on your list within one visit.
10. Avoid Out-of-Season Produce To every vegetable and fruit there is a season…and a better price. Squash are cheaper in the fall while asparagus can be a bargain in the spring. Wait until prices are at their best and plan your menu around seasonal produce to save big.
Consumer savings expert, Andrea Woroch, is available for in-studio, satellite or skype interviews to share tips on how to combat escalating food prices. As a broadcast and print media source, Andrea has appeared on ABC News NOW, NBC’s Today Show, FOX & Friends, MSNBC and has been quoted by SmartMoney, Kiplinger Personal Finance and many more. See Andrea’s recent interview on NBC Today Show. To learn more about Andrea Woroch, visit AndreaWoroch.com.
Kimberly
*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this for the benefit of my site readers. I have permission to share this article. Any opinons expressed are that of the author, not She Scribes.
JDaniel4's Mom says
Great tips! I need to get back to couponing.
Kelly says
Very helpful information – thanks!
Gina says
Great tips. I’ve also started shopping at small local fruit/veggie markets been finding GREAT prices, much better than big chain grocery.
Crystal @ Simply Being Mommy says
Great tips, thanks so much for sharing.
Mama Kelly aka Jia says
I just sent my hubby to the dollar store for hamburger rolls for dinner tonight to save a couple of dollars over buying them at the supermarket. Great tips!!
Alison says
I agree on hitting just 1 store. ONCE. Don’t go multple times a week because than your going to end up spending more. I try to meal plan as well. Just cause it’s easier. And coupons are a biggie! I wrote a great post on another blog that I write for on where to find coupons as well!
I know it’s probably tacky to add the post but I’m damn proud of it. You can edit and delete it out if you want. 🙂
http://www.couponkash.com/where-to-find-coupons/
Dee says
We always plan our meals for 2 weeks before hitting the store but there’s always those in between trips for bread and cheese (for some reason we go through a LOT of cheese). I’m trying to learn how to use coupons wisely and not buy things I don’t need just because I have one. In time hopefully I’ll be the one getting $200 in groceries for $10 or getting money back at the register.
Tammy says
I hate going from store to store but lately I have been making the rounds and trying to stay away from Costco. I just spend too much money. It is amazing what you can find at the dollar stores and even our target is less on cereals than the grocery stores…