Overall inflation seems to be declining, but don’t tell that to a U.S. grocery store shopper.
Food prices were up 9.9% in 2022, and are expected to ride by 7.1% according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
More specifically, key household products are rising significantly higher. At Walmart (WMT), egg prices have risen from $2 to $6.65 in recent months. At the grocery store chain Publix, a carton of eggs costs about $8.00 in late January.
That’s not all.
A wholesale crate of lettuce costs about $100 right now. That’s about four times higher than costs in 2021. A tub of butter costs around $5.00 these days, compared to $3.50 a year ago.
Hack Away and Save on Groceries
What’s a consumer to do with grocery prices so high? Get creative when shopping for food, drink, and household staples, experts say.
“As we shop in a cost-of-living crisis, overspending on groceries can prove to be an extremely costly mistake,” said CouponBirds shopping expert Natalie Warb. “A common error people make is not coming to the grocery store prepared, a list can ensure consumers stick to what they need and remain within budget, it can also cut out impulsive purchases and keep the total cost down.”
Retail experts also advise leveraging these five hacks to curb any grocery-induced sticker shock in the parking lot.
Ditch the kids at the grocery store. Leaving your kids at home can save, on average, $46 at the grocery store, according to a new survey by SlickDeals. The survey also noted that 44% of parents have to financially “bribe” their kids to stay in check at the store.
Consequently, leaving one spouse at home with the kids can keep more cash in the household shopping budget.
Put your grocery store mobile apps to good use. Download grocery store apps for access to paperless coupons that you can easily "clip" when shopping for instant savings at checkout.
“While some of these deals are offered on specific products, you may be able to find money off your total cart order at times,” said consumer finance expert Andrea Woroch. “For example, Albertsons is offering $5 off $25 when you download its For U Rewards app.”
Order online. The fastest and easiest way to reduce impulse food purchases is to avoid walking into a grocery store.
“Most grocers now offer online ordering with options for at-home delivery or curbside pick-up,” Woroch noted. “That ensures you stick to your list and avoid overspending on food that could end up in the trash.”
Shoppers can find coupons and even earn cash back for online grocery orders at deal aggregators like CouponCabin.com, which is offering $20 off with free delivery.
“You can earn 3% cash back at VONs.com, $30 off $75 with Drive Up and Go orders, 3% cash back at Safeway, or $25 off $75 + $13.50 cash back at Stop and Shop,” Woroch added.
Calculate any bulk buying. While stocking up on products may seem like the cheaper option, that may not always be the case.
“Analyze the cost per unit and see if it’s worth buying large quantities that you will actually use,” said TopCashBack USA consumer expert Rebecca Gramuglia.
“For example, loose apples may be cheaper than purchasing a grouped bag. Also, beware of ten-for-$10 deals. You can usually buy less than ten items and still receive the discount (i.e. buy three items for $3).”
Hit the dollar store. “Buying everything at one grocery store can be a mistake.
“For example, if you need items like foil, paper products, sponges, and more, purchase these products at places like dollar stores to save more,” Gramuglia said.
