A Few Of My Strategies For Saving Money On Groceries In Trump’s Economy–What Are Yours?
The cost of living just seems to be going higher and higher–it seems like every time you go to the grocery store, you’ll notice price hikes on one item or another. Now, due to Trump’s insane tariffs and the fact that many immigrant farm workers are leaving the USA, things are about to get much worse. So much so, I am fearful that we are about to see a massive increase in hunger, especially among children and the elderly–all exacerbated by the cuts to food stamps, food banks, and school lunch programs to name a few of the ways Trump and Musk are actively harming the American people.
I have spent many years as a poor person, raising my kids and caring for my disabled daughter. I had to learn how to stretch a dollar as a result. Here are a few of the things I have tried that have helped me save a bit of money here and there.
Make a list and stick to it–mostly. I make a list before I go out on a shopping run–and I also comparison shop many of the local stores using their websites. I try to be very disciplined about only buying what is one sale when I do a store run, especially if I am going to multiple stores. I only deviate from the list if I find something I know we will use on sale or clearance–and then I stock up. I see buying things at the cheapest price I can get as a way to stick it in the price gouging chain stores’ eye. I noticed several normally high-priced items on clearance when I went stopped at the store yesterday on the way home from work. Maybe grocery stores are starting to feel the effects of the Trump/Musk economy too, as shoppers pull back from spending any more than they need to.
Buy the store brand–in many cases, the generic version of most products will be less expensive than the name brand–and the vast majority of the time, it will be of equal quality.
Get a shopper’s card, and use the digital coupons for the stores you frequent. You can often use a fake phone number and throw away email if you are concerned about privacy and not being bombarded with ads. Save those paper coupons that print off at the register and use them if they are for something you would buy anyway. Dollar General has a regular coupon deal that will give you a $5 off $25 purchase every Saturday.
Are you eligible for any kind of employee discount at any of your local stores? One local store offers a 10% discount for employees of certain health care organizations on the weekends if you buy their store brands–this can save a little extra money ever week.
If the store has a membership plan and you can afford to do so, sign up. I use the Kroger Boost plan, which costs me about 8 dollars a month. You can get special coupons from time to time that are really good–the other day, they had jars of salsa for 99 cents a jar. I also get double fuel points–since I have to drive a lot for my job, this helps save quite a bit on gas. I have found the membership pays for itself. If you can afford it, a Costco membership can save some money as well.
Aggressively shop the sales at your local stores for anything you use on a regular basis. In addition, look for items that have been marked down–just be careful to check the expiration dates. In the case of fresh items, use them before they spoil, or freeze them. I have an electric pressure canner I sometimes use to can meats or vegetables I find on clearance (I will do articles of food preservation at a future date.)
Buy fresh fruits and vegetables when they are in season, and less expensive. If you can afford to buy some extra, freeze or can it so you can enjoy it throughout the year.
Save your leftovers–I use mine to meal prep lunches for work.
Think about the ingredients you use in recipes you make on a regular basis–are there alternative ways of making it that require less expensive ingredients? It is a common belief that it is cheaper to cook everything from scratch–but anymore, that is not necessarily true. And then, for those of us who work, there might not be enough time.
Grow a garden–even a few plants can save a lot of money. For example, green peppers are almost a dollar apiece, but you can buy a couple of bell pepper plants for just a couple of dollars, and harvest dozens of peppers from summer right up until the first hard frost. (I will do some articles on gardening over the next months as I grow my own.)
Learn how to forage for wild foods in your area–you would be surprised at how much free food Mother earth has to offer. Just make sure you know what you are picking, and that you are harvesting it from a clean area that has not been contaminated with harmful chemicals or bacteria.
Learn to plan menus based on what you have on hand, and what is on sale. You will also waste less food.
What are your strategies for saving money on groceries? I am open to any suggestions or ideas!
