Today I’m sharing five strategies to help Police Officer and Firefighter families with their grocery bills.
When talking about saving money I usually hear the following response from my clients:
“I would love to send an extra $250 towards retirement but I just spent that at the grocery store to feed my family with nothing to show for it!”
In the past few years, it is well-known food prices started skyrocketing after the government-initiated Covid lockdowns threw a massive wrench into global food supply chains. While many unintended consequences and factors subsequently contributed to this problem there is seemingly no end in sight.
As a prelude, I’d like to share a chart with some of my favorite food items putting perspective on the overall price trend. I personally enjoy oranges as my go-to fruit, ground beef in my burgers, eggs in my breakfast omelets, and chocolate to satisfy my sweet tooth. In the past 5-years all my pocketbook can say is WOW!
With average prices doubling in some food categories it’s easy to understand how this impacts us all. Especially young First Responder families with many mouths to feed.
Strategy Prep
Before you go to the store, I want you to have a 5-minute strategy session. Your plan should include what you will do if items are out of stock or insanely overpriced. Your plan also needs to incorporate which rules you will follow. The rules can be your own or a mixture of the strategies below.
Many people walk into the store with no real plan and leave with a couple of bags and empty bank accounts. Others start by finding a cool dinner recipe they are excited to make. No matter your approach, taking 5 minutes to map out a plan will serve you well.
Strategy 1: Buy seasonal food
Most people forget that every plant has a growing season. Modern farming and transportation systems bring us fresh food our ancestors only saw a few weeks per year. This allows us to feast on fresh peppers, lettuce, asparagus, blueberries, oranges, and exotic fruits year-round. Most often these foods are shipped in from around the world. Transportation costs are a significant portion of your food’s total cost. The result is you find all the ingredients you need, but at prices so high your favorite dinner recipe has just turned into its very own recipe for financial disaster.
The solution is to find out what’s in season & selling at a good price. If it’s November and you want asparagus for tonight’s dinner recipe but it costs $5/lb you’re making a horrible choice. For one it’s likely been shipped halfway around the world in November. Note the price in the spring when it naturally grows in the USA. You’ll routinely find asparagus for less than $1/lb even in today’s high food inflation world.
When certain foods are in season the prices plummet as inventories increase. Farmers and grocery stores are willing to unload tons of food to you at rock-bottom prices over the next few weeks because after harvest there is excess supply! Eat all the fresh seasonal vegetables until you are tired of them. By that time the next plant will be in season allowing you to switch things up.
Furthermore, take these seasonal opportunities to buy fresh vegetables and fruits to freeze yourself. Now you’ll always have quality ingredients you can whip out of the freezer for months. Personally, I load up on cheap berries in the summer to use in protein shake smoothies year round.
Strategy 2: Set a price per pound
Set a price per-pound limit on fresh meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit.
This helps you set clear and simple guidelines. You will quickly reign in the overall grocery bill, especially with proteins.
For most families, meat and seafood are the biggest components of their grocery bill. It’s super easy to buy New York strip steaks and salmon filets which routinely cost $10+ per pound. When saving money is a goal you need to find other more affordable protein sources. Chicken and pork are usually great go-to’s. Or, consider buying the less expensive ground versions.
You can even consider buying alternative protein sources. This means more eggs, or natural plant-based sources such as broccoli, beans, nuts, and brussel sprouts. Now, I’m not saying to get into all the factory-produced meat alternatives. It’s much wiser to buy real food.
Strategy 3: Avoid packaged, processed foods, and beverages
There are some foods you need to stay away from. PERIOD!
They are:
Packaged and Processed Foods – Generally these are horrible for your health and usually come with a long ingredient list. The more processed it is, the higher it will cost you on a per-pound basis. If you calculate the cost per pound on many boxed items you’ll find it equates to $5-10/lb for basic foods. In fact, I went to the grocery store today and saw a 13-ounce bag of potato chips selling for $7.29. Meanwhile, potatoes were on sale for $1 per pound. You will be better off purchasing 8 pounds of real potatoes for the same price as stale chips.
From now on leave the Mac N Cheese and Potato Chips on the shelf. Special treats or parties can be an exception.
Beverages – Most beverages are nothing more than water, sugar, artificial flavoring, and fake vitamins. They usually taste like garbage unless you are used to consuming them. I challenge you to go 30 days without these beverages and try them again. Your taste buds will say “WTF, I used to drink that!?” As for fruit juices, you’re better off eating the fruit. Plus, fruit juices are overpriced.
From now energy drinks, soda(pop), sports drinks, and more can be left on the store shelf.
Milk or milk alternatives for lactose-intolerant folks are allowed. The occasional case of reasonably priced beer, a bottle of booze, and wine help keep you sane. Keep it in moderation and remember you don’t need to drink alcohol! If you need to unwind after a long day hit the dumbbells with me at the gym instead of reaching for a drink.
Lastly, here is the one beverage you should NEVER BUY AT THE STORE.
It’s called water and it’s free virtually everywhere.
I’ll remind you that almost every American has access to a super high-tech water system through the convenience of their home providing fresh water 24 hours a day! This means if you need to buy a bottle of water or soda you should punch yourself in the face to shock yourself out of this bad decision. Instead, carry a refillable water bottle or buy a super fancy water bottle with a built-in filter to quench your thirst.
Strategy 4: Buy in Bulk
This doesn’t even need to be explained. It is widely known buying items in bulk means a lower price. Use warehouse and wholesale clubs to your advantage. You can routinely find every staple selling at a discount in these stores.
Strategy 5: Use coupon and grocery store apps
Modern tech has eliminated the need to physically clip coupons. Download a coupon or grocery store app to get all the latest deals, including instant coupons on your favorites while you are in the check-out line. This one step alone can potentially save you hundreds of dollars per month. In case you were wondering this is my wife’s favorite strategy!
Recap
So let’s put together a new Go-To List of ways to save:
- Buy seasonal food and freeze extra for later
- Set a price per pound limit on proteins and produce.
- Avoid packaged, processed foods, and beverages.
- Buy in bulk
- Use coupon and grocery store apps.
Keep in mind throwing away food is also throwing your money away so chow down the leftovers! Of course, splurge occasionally since life is short and a good meal is never forgotten.
Let’s take a look at how much money you may be wasting at the grocery store. According to 2021 USDA data a family of 4 lavishly treats themselves to whatever they want at the grocery store totaling $1,383/month. Following these guidelines can potentially cut your family’s grocery bill in half to $691.50/mth. After 1-year that’s savings of $8,298!
Now if we project these savings over 30 years with an 8% average return you could have $1,029,838!!!
Who wouldn’t like to become a millionaire by shopping smarter at the grocery store!?
