Prices at the grocery store have risen about 10% from early 2021 to the same time in 2022, which just about paces the rate of inflation over that same period. So, if you’re used to spending around $1,000 per month on groceries, you can expect that line item in your budget to go up by about $100 from where it was last year.
That’s an extra $1,200 per year, which is significant. In order to help defray that extra cost, Kingston Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has five tips to combat rising grocery store prices.
- Modify Recipes to Chicken
If you’re used to using ground beef for recipes like chili, consider switching to chicken. The price of beef went up 16% in the last year, while chicken’s price rose much less. Plus, chicken was cheaper to begin with and is considered healthier anyway.
- Search for the Best Deals
A smartphone app called Flipp is free and consolidates all of the grocery store chain ads and coupons in your area, and it also takes online-only coupons into account, which can save you even more.
- Be Sure to Use What You Have
There’s no bigger waste of money than having to throw out food, and that’s even more painful now. One popular idea is to use Thursday or Friday as a pantry night. Either create dinner from foods that are in the pantry and the fridge, or have members of the family go through and pick what they want.
- Buy Store Brands
Store brands aren’t what they used to be. Most grocery chains have improved the quality of their store brand items, which add up to considerable savings over the brand name when you take an entire grocery list into account (up to 25%). Comparing the ingredient list on generic vs. name brand products is an easy way to see if you’re buying the same thing at a more reasonable price.
- Shop Online
Yes, using a service like Instacart to do your grocery shopping for you will cost you a bit more in order to pay for the convenience, but since you can have the order delivered or picked up outside the store, this can be a great option for someone who is susceptible to plenty of impulse buys, as that cost drops to $0 when you don’t even have to go inside the store.
To learn more about Kingston Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://kingston-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.
