Has anyone else noticed how grocery prices keep creeping up even on store brands? I’m curious what little tricks you’re using lately to keep the food bill under control.
Go to Aldi? I would if there was one where I live.
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Don’t be “brand loyal”. Bacon here runs about $7 but there are brands that are on sale for as low as $3. I don’t think I’ve bought the same brand of bacon two times in a row. If a store has a “sale display”, don’t buy from that bin….go to the regular area and see if a competing brand might be less.
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Shop WinCo if there’s a store in your area. Otherwise, consider using Aldi for some food items and purchase paper goods and non-food items at Walmart. My favorite granola was $7.98 per box at Kroger this morning but $4.98 at Walmart for the identical item. Consider avoiding red meat purchases and go with chicken and wild-caught fish, i.e. frozen salmon at Aldi. Avoid chips, cookies, and “junk food”. Is there a vegetable market in your area? Grocery store prices are off-the-chart. I don’t know how families do it.
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We buy whole bean Don Pablo coffee from Costco, and the price has jumped over the past few months. I started very slightly reducing the amount of beans used for our morning pot of joe a week ago and found that we don’t need as much to still have a satisfying brew. I’m estimating I’ll get 3 more pots of coffee out of the 2 pound bags. It’s not much, but it will add up.
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Thanks for your reply.
Thanks you for reply.
Nice. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Shopping Aldi is a good plan but there are a couple of caveats…
First is name brand stuff. It will usually be about the same price as a regular store.
Second is called Aldi Finds. This is the aisle where they make beaucoux money. Lots of interesting gadgets, changing every week or so. New bride goes nuts in this aisle, and there goes all the money you thought you would save buying house brand food.
Stock up on non-perishables; particularly things like toilet paper, paper towels, etc. that will never expire.
You are right in that. Stockpiling helps a lot when prices rise later. Every time there’s a nice sale, I’ve been doing the same with pantry essentials and canned products.
You’re correct, prices have gone up at every store. What I have found useful is being more intentional with planning — checking unit prices instead of the total price, building meals around weekly sales, and buying things in ‘staple’ quantities like rice or pasta. I have also been able to reduce waste a bit by freezing leftovers and using certain ingredients across multiple meals. Loyalty apps or store coupons also add a small amount you can save that builds up over time. These small habits seem insignificant day to day, but when you do these several little things it helps stabilize your grocery prices.
We’re eating more poultry and almost no red meat, and more tofu. Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. I look at the beef prices and just shake my head.
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