Brace yourself for grocery sticker shock
in
O'Bryan
When the words were penned, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” Emma Lazarus obviously wasn’t referring to the weary wandering the aisles of a grocery store.
The poem engraved on the base of the Statue of Liberty was meant as a welcome to U.S. newcomers. I think, though, it should be at the front door of any grocery store these days.
Lost among the canned goods and produce on my recently acquired task of grocery shopping (my husband no longer works from home), I got a close-up-and-personal look at the working wounded, shocked by prices but resigned to spend to eat.
Grocery prices are rising faster than they have in almost 20 years, according to number crunchers.
No kidding? Did we really need someone to tell us that, especially when all it takes is a look into our fast-emptying wallets to tell us the same thing?
I did an unscientific poll, asking friends what they’re doing to save a buck at the check-out stand. Most popular was “Learning to survive on Spam and Mac and cheese.” (How are we supposed to eat healthy when bad food is so
much cheaper?)
Other money-saving tips included:
• Decipher your husband’s handwriting so you can get the right items. Don’t try to buy chop sticks when what he really wants is Chap Stick (true story).
• Make a list, check it twice. If it’s not on the list, don’t buy it. Avoid impulsive buying, especially if you shop at 9 p.m. when you’re starving!
• Check out the grocery ads. Most stores honor competitors’ advertised prices, so don’t be afraid to say, “Well, it says here ...”
• Clip before you toss. The inserts in the Sunday paper often include coupons for things you’d never, ever buy. But, hidden among them usually are the essentials — toilet paper, laundry soap and such. You can also find coupons online — if you have the time to search through pop-up ads and weight-loss promises.
• Buy now, and eat later — especially produce. Buy it when it’s in season, and at its cheapest, and then freeze for later. Visit produce markets, like Clinton's Olde Towne Market, for farmer/grower specials.
The most important thing that we, as shoppers, can do is to plan, calculate and maximize our grocery trips. Learn what typical prices are for items, especially staples, and compare them at different stores.
Don’t be afraid of store brands; they can be your friend. Think smart and plan ahead. You might even leave the check-out line with enough change to actually count.
O’Bryan, of Clinton, can be reached at sobryan@clintonnews.com.
