5 Ways Seniors and Caregivers Can Save at the Grocery Store (2024)

Have you seen the price of groceries lately? Of course, you have. Gas pumps are squeezing our wallets, too. Inflation has a stronghold right now, which is only making matters worse for seniors on a fixed income striving to make ends meet.

This makes me especially uneasy because so many seniors struggle with geriatric nutrition as it is, and higher prices on healthy foods are only going to make their struggle worse.

I sought information about ways seniors and caregivers can save money at the grocery store, and I found a valuable resource that shared five tips that will make a real difference at the check-out counter.

According to Medicareful Living, “The average monthly grocery bill for a single person can be between $165 and $345! With the average Social Security benefit in 2021 being $1,543 and the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the U.S. being around $1,078, your monthly budget may be pretty tight.”

Add in the costs of medications, and it’s more than tight…it’s a budget-buster! This is why we hear horror stories of so many seniors having to make choices between their medicine and nutritious food. It’s heartbreaking.

So, what can we do to help change this awful paradigm? Let’s explore these five tips from Medicareful Living to save money on groceries:

1. Make a Plan. “By deciding what you need beforehand, you can ensure that you’re only getting what you need at the store.” Impulse purchases add up quickly and can result in thousands of dollars in overspending each year. Make a plan, create a weekly menu, develop a grocery list, and seek out items that may be on sale at different stores, so you can maximize your savings.
2. Prepare it Yourself. “On average, prepared and frozen foods have the second-highest markup at the grocery store, behind non-grocery items.” It is healthier for your body and your wallet to buy basic ingredients and prepare foods yourself, rather than purchasing pre-cut food items, processed foods, or frozen meals due to the grocer’s markups. If you are unable to prepare your meals, Home Helpers can help you!
3. Buy Store Brands. “Going with a store-brand option can save you as much as 33 percent on your grocery trip.” We all have name-brand items that we truly love or that we may have some connection to, but brand loyalty can be expensive! Try to compromise when you can and purchase the generic or store brands available to save up to 33% on your grocery bill.
4. Share a Club Membership. “By splitting a membership with a friend, you can mitigate both downsides of a grocery club membership.” The cost of membership at Costco or Sam’s Club and the bulk of everyday items you must buy are usually problematic for seniors. However, by sharing a membership with a friend or family member, you can split the membership costs and split the goods between you, so storage is a non-issue, and perishables do not go to waste.
5. Take Advantage of Discount Programs and Coupons. “You can see a healthy savings with casual coupon clipping.” Many grocery stores have “Senior Citizen Discount Days” set aside for older folks to save a percentage of their grocery bill. Discount grocery stores offer items at cheaper prices, too. Always participate in a store’s shopper discount programs, and clip coupons whenever you see them for items you regularly purchase. Digital coupons are very popular, but if you are not savvy with technology, you may be missing out! Ask a friend or family member if they can help you with that.

We all need nourishment to fuel our bodies and our minds, but in times like these, we need to find ways to save on groceries however we can! Plan, prepare your meals and snacks, opt for store brands, consider a shared club membership with a friend, neighbor, or family member, and take advantage of discount programs and coupons whenever possible to maximize your savings at the grocery store.

If you could benefit from assistance with creating grocery lists, shopping for groceries, and planning and preparing meals and snacks, I have a talented, highly qualified compassionate caregiver to help!

A FREE Consultation at your convenience will allow me to assess your specific needs and find the perfect caregiver match for you.

We, at Home Helpers® Clearwater, are honored to have received the Home Care Pulse – Best of Home Care® Provider of Choice Award 2016-2022 and the Best of Home Care® Employer of Choice Award 2022. We proudly serve male and female seniors in Clearwater, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, Tarpon Springs, Holiday, New Port Richey, Trinity, Port Richey, Hudson, and surrounding areas. Home Helpers®…we are Making Life Easier℠ 727.942.2539

Source:

Medicareful Living