Shilo Lewis was shocked at the cost of her recent grocery store purchases.
A cart full of ingredients for sandwiches and tacos — enough for four lunches and two dinners for her and her husband — plus an 18-pack of beer, cost her less than $100. The 49-year-old took a photo of the campaign and posted it on Facebook on Wednesday in disbelief.
“If it keeps going up, I don’t know how many people will be able to keep eating,” she told USA TODAY, adding that she and her husband had to stop at a food bank to stock up on more. Supplies after the trip to Safeway. The food is supposed to last until October 15, when her next paycheck comes.
“We were struggling”
With grocery prices rising nearly 17% over the past two years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, so are people Switch to social media To participate how much money It takes to feed a family.
One X, formerly Twitter user, posted a photo of a grocery store and said it cost more than $270.
Another user
Some of the posts were met with opposition, with social media users pointing out this Various unnecessary foods In pictures posted online. But the posts show that people across the country are noticing rising costs in grocery store aisles.
Lewis, a substitute teacher in Terrebonne, Oregon, said she is looking forward to finding a full-time teaching job to help bring in more money and make shopping easier.
“We have been struggling since 2020, when everything stopped,” she said, noting that she and her husband are still behind on some bills. “It seems like water has gone up. Electricity has gone up. Gas prices have gone up. …The only thing that’s not really going up is wages.
A recent study by Bankrate shows that workers are not ready to regain their purchasing power lost to inflation until the end of 2024.
Economic inflation:Inflation rises for the second straight month in August due to higher gas costs
“You have to watch” for sales
While many grocery publications sympathize with prices, some explain how money-saving tricks like couponing can help shoppers save.
Iris Withers of Cloverdale, Indiana, posted a photo of her grocery shopping on Thursday, noting that coupons and rebates helped her pay just over $53 out of pocket for food worth more than $100.
The stay-at-home mother of two said she bought a slaughtered cow and pig earlier this year and is growing produce such as tomatoes, corn and cabbage to combat rising grocery prices. If the HOA allows it, Withers said her family would raise chickens for eggs and meat.
“You can really see the difference (in grocery prices compared to what they were a year ago or even just a few months ago),” she said. “When I shop, I tend to only buy what’s on sale. So, if you’re trying to save, you can’t really choose what you buy. You have to keep an eye on the sale prices and just stock up.”
How to save money at the grocery store
Barbara O’Neill, financial educator, author And distinguished honorary professor At Rutgers Universitywe shared a number of tips on how shoppers can save money on their next grocery store run.
- Take advantage of sales and coupons. Whether you find them in the newspaper or online, O’Neill said coupons can make a big difference, especially if you place them with a discount or items on sale.
- Change your diet. Avoiding processed foods and high-cost items like some meats can help cut costs. Shoppers can also look for ingredient substitutions to cut costs, O’Neill said. When egg prices were high, for example, she suggested using applesauce as a base ingredient in recipes.
- Use store branding products. It is often manufactured In the same production factories Such as brand-name foods.
- Consider a retailer membership. Buying in bulk at places like Costco and Sam’s Club can help keep costs down in the long run.
- Join the rewards club at your grocery store. Memberships can include exclusive deals.
- Make a list before shopping. This will help you reduce unnecessary purchases. O’Neill also suggests taking impulse purchases into account when setting a budget.
- Buy seasonal products. Consider cutting down on processed foods, which tend to be more expensive, and choosing fruits and vegetables that are not pre-cut. “The more you store or prepare, like slicing the fruit versus selling a whole cantaloupe, you’ll probably pay more per pound,” O’Neill said. “So if you do a little bit of the slicing and dicing yourself, that will save you some money.” Taking a look at the price Ounces can also help shoppers decide whether to buy fresh, frozen, or canned produce.Often, the best deal depends on what’s in season.
- Pay with a credit card…as long as you plan to pay it off. As long as you pay your bill in full, purchasing groceries with a credit card — especially one with a good rewards program — can help consumers earn money, O’Neill said.
O’Neill said small changes in shopping habits can add up overall, especially if a shopper puts the money they’ve saved into a high-yield savings account or invests it.
“People need to fight inflation,” she said. “The more you can build back into your savings across all of your expense categories, the easier it will be to deal with all that inflation. Small steps matter.”
“Amateur organizer. Wannabe beer evangelist. General web fan. Certified internet ninja. Avid reader.”
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