How To Beat Rising Food Prices
With the horrific recent weather events of Queensland, every supermarket is showing the effects of rising food prices. It’s making the weekly grocery shop even more difficult, but there are ways to prune back your costs in the store. Here are some ideas, inspired by MSN Money.
Eat In
Now, more than ever, you may need to eat at home for a while. With a rising food bill, dinners at restaurants or takeaway may need to be put on pause for a while. It may seem like Maccas is the cheapest option around, but the food does nothing for you and makes it more likely you’ll buy something else a couple of hours later, which means you spend more money.
Plan It
Having a shopping list, and sticking to it, is now essential. Prepare your shopping list throughout the week, making note of what you have run out of and what meals you plan to make in the following week. It’ll free up an immense amount of your time anyway, as you’ll no longer have to make a couple of emergency stops at the supermarket each day.
Eat Before You Shop
It’s common sense- if you’re hungry, you’re going to buy more food and probably things that are more expensive, as your tastebuds will be doing the thinking. Have breakfast and hit the shop straightaway. Your costs will be lower, and your trolley much less full of gourmet dips and Brie cheese.
Avoid Prepared Foods
Ready-made food seems like such a genius idea at the time. You’re tired from work, hungry and cannot be bothered making an elaborate meal for one. So why not buy something that requires no effort? Before you go shopping, sit down and think of some recipes that take no time to cook. There are millions of them. They’re healthier, and much cheaper.
Bottled Water Is Evil
Evil for the environment, potentially evil for your health and majorly evil for your bank balance. It makes no sense to spend a large amount of money on something that is actually free, unless dehydration is imminent. If you really hate the tap water, buy a filter.
Don’t Shop With Kids
Kids are relentless and amazingly good at getting what they want. Probably what they want is bright, red, sticky or full of wrappers. In other words, it’s the last kinds of sweets and there’ll be all kinds of ruckus unless you buy it for them. Give yourself a relaxing shopping experience that doesn’t break the bank by waiting until they’re at school before shopping.
Buy In Bulk, Buy Locally
Local produce may be more expensive, but it’ll be reliable and healthier for you and your family. If you can buy in bulk with other families, it won’t end up much more expensive than significantly inferior food at the local supermarket. It’s a win-win situation for everyone, except the giant multinationals who luckily will have their millions to keep them warm, so probably don’t need too much sympathy.
Resist Checkout Temptations
You’re standing there, waiting for someone to find 5 cents at the very bottom of their bag and have to confront the dizzying display of chocolate bars, or magazines. It’s easy to give into temptation, but it’ll cost you. Those displays are deliberately there to squeeze you of your last couple of dollars, don’t let them win.
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