5 Genius Ways To Beat Rising Grocery Store Prices

It seems like we’ve been riding and inflation roller-coaster these days: Prices go up and then down and the back up again. The good news? There are still easy ways to save big! Try these simple tips to beat rising grocery store prices and stretch your dollars a little further next time you shop.

Shop these stores.

With so many supermarkets competing for your business, it can be difficult to know which one offers the biggest savings. Well, now you don’t have to waste hours comparing store circulars to figure it out. Best overall? Walmart, which has vowed to avoid price hikes on groceries by absorbing the costs that have been spurring the current rise in inflation (like shipping fees) rather than passing them on to consumers. For rock-bottom prices? Head to stores like Aldi, known for their everyday discounts, and Dollar General and Family Dollar, which have expanded their offerings of fresh, low-cost food, including fruits, vegetables, and milk.

Buy inflation-proof foods.

Not all item prices are soaring. In fact, since 2020, spaghetti and macaroni have actually dropped in price by 12.5 percent, white all-purpose flour by 12.4 percent, American cheese by 5.8 percent, cheddar cheese by 3.3 percent, and chocolate chip cookies by .9 percent. And while chicken legs have gone up in price by 10.2 percent and boneless chicken breast by 9.1 percent, the cost of a fresh whole chicken has gone down by 3.6 percent. At many supermarkets, the butcher will be happy to cut a whole chicken into parts for you for free, which means you’ll get the convenience of pre-cut chicken without paying the high price. Also smart: Head to the frozen foods aisle. In a recent survey, nearly 50 percent of shoppers found their frozen favorites hadn’t gone up a penny.

Try this app.

Save 50 percent on food with the free Flashfood app! You’ll find supermarkets near you with reduced prices on foods that are close to their expiration date, but still perfectly good to eat!

Search for new coupons.

While many brands are hiking their prices right now, some are also releasing more coupons. For example, compared to a year ago, Procter & Gamble is now offering nearly twice as many coupons in newspaper inserts and online at PGGoodEveryDay. Clorox is increasing money-saving offers on their disinfecting and cleaning products, as well — sign up for their coupons here. Want coupons for a specific product? Search for it at TheKrazyCouponLady.com. The free site will list all offers available for the item, from Sunday newspaper coupons to digital app offers.

Opt for store brands.

You may already know that a store’s private-label brand products can save you, on average, 33 percent and their taste and quality is comparable to big-name equivalents. Another reason to put them in your shopping cart: You could be getting more product per package! While many name brands have been reducing the amount of their contents to increase profits, stores spend far less on marketing for their private-label brands, so the products typically don’t rise in price or shrink in size. Simply check the unit prices to discover potential savings.

A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.