Is inflation sending your grocery bill through the roof? Here are five ways to save money on groceries when prices are rising.
Does your grocery bill seem a bit higher than usual? You’re not just imagining it!
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that inflation is hitting hard this year. Usually inflation is slow enough that you barely notice: when you start noticing, you know it must be bad. (This article does a great job of explaining the current inflation rate.)
How do you still save money on groceries after inflation starts raising the prices? Is there a way to beat inflation and stick to your grocery budget? Here are five tips!
5 Ways to Save Money On Groceries When Prices Are Rising
1. Choose your method of grocery shopping wisely
Shopping in-store vs. grocery pickup: which will save you money? Well, the answer sort of depends.
Do you find it hard to stick to a list when you go to the store? Ordering your groceries online will likely save you money – but do watch for price markups for online orders and avoid delivery if you want to save on the delivery fee.
Are you good at sticking to your list? Then you’ll probably be able to save more on groceries by shopping in-store, because there are often markdowns and deals in-store that you can’t find online.
2. Check the ads for what’s on sale
Before meal planning and making your grocery list, check your local ads. While grocery prices are rising in general, you can still get great deals when you shop the ads.
For example, milk at Walmart last week was $2.70 a gallon, but Kroger had half-gallons on sale for $0.88, saving me nearly a dollar a gallon!
Sites like The Krazy Coupon Lady and Money Saving Mom are helpful for finding sales and coupons as well.
3. Watch for markdowns
If you choose to shop in person you should always keep your eye out for markdowns. There will often be little red or yellow stickers on meat, produce, bakery items, etc. that are about to expire. Take advantage of those markdowns, stick the food in your freezer until you’re ready to use it, and enjoy the money you saved.
You may also be interested in: The Best Groceries to Buy When You’re Broke
4. Choose to eat more simply
Sometimes saving money on groceries when the prices are rising comes down to being willing to eat more simply. Store brand instead of name brand. Chicken instead of red meat.
Also, keep in mind that there will always be a trade off between cost and convenience. If you are really trying to save money on groceries you need to be willing to buy food that takes a bit more effort to prepare. A whole chicken is cheaper than chicken tenderloins. A simple bag of lettuce costs much less than a fancy salad kit.
Remember, there isn’t a right or wrong option. You just need to decide what your priority is!
5. Buy extra when something is on sale
Buying extra can be tough when prices are rising and your goal is to save money on groceries, but if you plan ahead you can do it a little at a time.
For example, when baking supplies are on sale during the holidays buy a few extra bags of flour and sugar to use later.
Butter is another great thing to stock up on when it goes on sale. It freezes super well and you can save a lot if you take advantage of a good sale.
You may also be interested in: 15 Tips for How to Meal Plan on a Tight Budget
Rethinking Your Grocery Budget
One more thing I’ll add is that if you try all these tips and are still consistently spending more on groceries than planned, you may need to rethink your budget.
Personally, I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that I’m not going to be only spending $50 a week on groceries anymore. That’s partly due to inflation, but mainly just because my family is growing!
Don’t beat yourself up if you realize that your goal for grocery spending isn’t realistic for you. Instead, take some time to look at your budget and see if there are any categories that you can take a bit from to add to the grocery category.
The important thing is to make a plan and spend mindfully. You got this!
Now I’d love to hear from you! How do you save money on groceries when prices are rising? Let me know in the comments!
