The cost of groceries?

Question

As I'm sure everyone has noticed the cost of groceries has sky rocketed. With the holidays coming up and just everyday living. What are some money saving tips, cheap and yummy recipes to follow. I went shopping yesterday and it seemed like this has happened over nite!

I'll start with one of my tips: buy your ground beef at the meat market we have one in our area that has it on sale once in a while for 1.67 if you buy a five pound bag! And it is better than the stuff you buy at your large store.

Answer 1

I sure wish it wouldn't go up so much.
But try to find the right deals, buy the store band food, & buy only what you will eat and not throw out later.

Back in the 80s it took 2 adults to carry $45 worth of groceries.
Now a 5 year old can carry $45 worth of groceries.

Answer 2

I live on a fixed income and I have noticed weekly the significant increase in the cost of groceries. There are several reasons for these increases, one of them being the cost of the transport of goods to the stores (have you noticed the cost of diesel fuel these days?)

Anyway, once every few weeks a go to a bread outlet and freeze what I wont' be using within a few days. When I buy ground meat, I buy the family size packages (which is cheaper by the pound) and I separate it into portions that are less than a pound and and freeze it. You don't necessarily have to have a whole pound of meat in your spaghetti sauce, chilli, etc. I don't use coupons unless it is a brand that the local dollar store carries... I come out better on just about everything buying generic or store brands.

Since my daughter has left for college and I started finding myself throwing out milk because it would expire on me... so I bought some powdered milk. It works fine in cooking most things. As I watch my few dollars buy less and less, I have given up buying any snack foods. I usually have the makings for some cookies or something if my husband really starts complaining, but I have to use my money on the essentials. Another thing, with gas prices the way they are... I keep an ongoing list on the refrigerater door to make sure that everything that I need is bought on one trip out.

I am so glad our garden did so well this summer and I put up quite a variety of vegetables. Now, if my husband can get us a deer, that will help with the meat bill. He, hopefully will get us a turkey in the next few weeks or I will be shopping for a cheap chicken.

Answer 3

I clip coupons from the Sunday paper and from coupon.com.
Look at the supermarket flyers. Try to use the coupon when the item is on sale. That's when you can get the best deal.

Don't buy more than you need or buy anything you wouldn't normally buy. If you buy bottled water, I've heard that you can fill up a container with tap water and put it in the fridge, but let some air get into it and it will taste like bottled water. I haven't tried this out but I'm going to.

As much as I don't like Wal-Mart, I tend to buy non-perishable items there because it does represent a significant cost savings. I only do it because Wal-Mart is, unfortunately, within walking distance of my house.

Shop at the grocery store nearest to you with the best deals.
We have 2 grocery stores near us. One of them is cheaper than the other on most items but I have noticed a huge increase in price on items we buy regularly.

The best way to save money is to not overbuy. Reduce waste. Don't stock up too much on items that you won't be able to use before the expiration date.

You can freeze bread and cold cuts.

Answer 4

if you're on my own you could live to inform the tale 5 Euro an afternoon...that is barely sufficient so that you do not flow hungry. My spouse and that i spend about 50 - 70 Euro per week no longer which includes canine nutrition, gasoline and tobacco. This buys us sufficient meat, potatoes, vegetables, fruit, munchies, and so on. We keep at Kaufland...large food market in Germany. Like others reported, there is lower price grocery shops: Aldi, Plus, Norma, Lidl (owned through Kaufland), Penny, Kondi and Netto Markt (large decision)...the costs are somewhat more low-cost notwithstanding the alternative isn't that tremendous. there's no such element as nutrition stamps in Germany...'negative' human beings receive welfare and ought to flow to a nutrition economic organization (must have information you're a Hartz 4 recipient). i imagine churches help out besides in case you pay church tax (convinced you pay taxes proper of your pay cheque for churches, yet on condition that you fill in you're non secular)

Answer 5

I agree, it has gotten insane. Even lemons have gone from fifty cents to a dollar to $1.50! We planted a lemon tree 2 years ago and by next year we should have lemons. Anyway, my biggest trick is using Excel to track my grocery spending. You get a feel for what your monthly average is, and a quick glance shows you what you have already or how long it's been there. I also buy cheese in blocks instead of pre-shredded and I shred it myself and freeze it. Much cheaper than buying the pre-packaged cheese. I also watch for coupons on only things we normally eat, sales, and generics (aside from a few things where I just have to have name brand), and no frozen foods except for veggies. And buying dried beans instead of canned, and big bags of rice.

Hope it helps, it's done wonders here, especially the Excel trick.

Answer 6

The cos is going up because of the bad weather this year. It was a bad harvest so wheat didnt grow well. Also the US government is encourageing farmers to grow maze for bio fuel so not as much wheat was grown this year.

Answer 7

I ususally spend a wopping 130 bucks on my grocery trip on Sundays!