There were times when inflation was at a record-breaking high, and many people on low wages were forced to skip meals. In fact, most of them had to take out quick loans in Waterford in order to keep their head above water. Those who had credit cards continued to rely on them. Unfortunately, they maxed them out. Eventually, credit card bills become unmanageable, and they fall into an abyss of credit card debt.
Ways to cover rising food prices without using a credit card
Here are ways to cover rising food prices without using a credit card:
- Switch supermarkets
There are various supermarkets providing the same goods at different prices. Grocery stores run their own discounts and schemes to make money. Chances are, a supermarket in your neighbourhood charges higher prices than the one located at a distance. You should compare the prices offered by different supermarkets. This will help you get the same item at lower prices. Online groceries are also available.
You might be luckier to find some items at lower prices than in supermarkets. Compare prices between online retail stores and supermarkets, and then decide which items you should buy from where. Online retail stores are especially competitive when you are buying a few items in bulk, such as detergent powder and toilet paper. You will be able to save a lot of money.
- Pick items from less obvious sections
It is no surprise that you mainly visit the main aisles and avoid the less obvious aisles. You stay limited to things that easily catch your sight. For instance, you do not pay attention to goods kept at the back of the shelf. Chances are, you will find some herbs and pulses with combos. You must pick the break, pickle, etc, from the back side because those goods last longer.
In front of the shelf, store managers keep those products that expire too soon. Similarly, if you are in the beauty section, you will find the most common brands are easily accessible, and of course, they are expensive, but you should not stop yourself from having a bash at cosmetics from less popular companies. You will likely find them a lot cheaper. Maybe they are much better than brands.
- Stop paying for convenience
Nowadays, delivery apps are available. You can order food online, but it costs you a lot of money. Not only do you have to pay delivery charges, but you will also have to pay double the amount for the food you order. If you order the same items directly from the restaurant, you will find them at lower prices than those listed on a food delivery app.
There is nothing wrong with eating restaurant food, but you can avoid the convenience. Try to dine in or take away. Home delivery is quite expensive, and if you often order food from restaurants, your budget will be ruined.
Likewise, there are some items in grocery stores you can buy either loose or in a packaged can. Not to mention, you will have to pay extra prices for canned carrots. So, it makes more sense to buy loose carrots. If you find a liquid detergent in a bottle and in a packet, avoid purchasing the bottle as it will cost you additional money.
- Buy under schemes carefully
As you get an offer of Buy 1 Get 1 Free or Buy 1 Get 2 Free, you eventually become tempted to use it, thinking that you can save a lot of money. The fact is that you are never going to save half the cost if you buy something under a buy 1 get 1 free.
First off, you should not buy any product under such a scheme if you do not need it. Because an offer is available on a product, it does not mean that you will buy it. This is a total waste of money. Likewise, you should also compare the price per unit because chances are the same item is available at the same price individually, so there is no point in buying wipes, for example, under a buy 2 get 1 free scheme.
- Do not fall for the trap of membership
Many stores encourage people to sign up for the membership. Such membership activates when you pay some money upfront. The store will let you avail yourself of an additional discount on every purchase, such as 10%. You fool yourself into thinking that you are saving money, but the fact is that the store is returning your upfront money by paying you back 10% of the total purchase in the form of a discount. It is not likely that you will be able to shop that money to cover the upfront payment.
Some stores encourage you to use credit cards instead of cash to earn rewards. Do not fall for this trap because such deals are sponsored by credit card companies. Stores receive commission from them for every purchase made through credit cards. In the end, this will result in racking up your credit card debt. Unfortunately, its consequences will be far-reaching.
- Buy in bulk smartly
If you are serious about saving money, you should buy in bulk. But most people buy the wrong items in bulk. As a result, they end up losing money instead of saving. Bulk purchase is not a bad idea if you buy non-perishable items. You should always avoid buying tomatoes and other vegetables in bulk because they do not have a longer shelf life.
You should instead try to buy detergent powder and other non-perishable goods such as toiletry products in bulk. They will certainly help you save a lot of money. In order to save more money on bulk purchases, consider shopping from online retail stores rather than brick-and-mortar stores. If you still want to buy them from a supermarket, make sure that you carefully compare prices and check for schemes offered by different stores.
The final word
Food costs are constantly rising. Sometimes it becomes quite challenging to be able to keep up with rising food bills, especially when you are on low wages. Even so, you should avoid using your credit card to pay for food bills.
You should rather try to figure out ways to save money. For instance, buy in bulk, compare prices, consider shopping online, and choose another supermarket.