TEMPLE, Texas — Compared to the United States, Texas has the 44th most expensive grocery bill in the nation at $286 per person, per month. To compare, Hawaii is the highest at $556 per person.
According to the USDA, no food item has gone down in price since 2021 and on average, food prices in 2022 increased by 9.9 percent, faster than any year since 1979.
So how can you save some money? If you do the grocery shopping as the hunter/gatherer in your house, you have probably had to make compromises recently at the store.
In this Money Talks, Financial Advisor Rolandus Johnson gave some advice on how to save at the grocery store.
"I am the same way, I take part in the grocery shopping with my wife and one of our rules is we do not take the kids," Johnson told 6 News. "And it's because you take the kids and it's snacks here, snacks there, or different things there, so your budget, you're going to spend a $100, maybe $200 dollars more than what you went into the store to spend."
So the spontaneous spending has had to stop, but Johnson says to make a budget and get the most for your money.
"Sticking as close as possible to the budget, but finding discounts where you can," said Johnson. "Sam’s is a great place where you might take $500 for a budget if you are a bigger family, and $500 at HEB might not weigh the same as $500 at Sam’s Club."
A store membership will cost you money, but Johnson said you have to weigh the pros and cons.
"You may have to bite the bullet and spend a little bit of money and buy that Sam’s Club membership," Johnson said. "But anytime you've got the opportunities for discounts, coupons, and I know that on Sundays the little newspaper magazine things go out. There's a bunch of deals in there, maybe start looking at those, but food is absolutely outrageous right now."
Johnson says he looks at the price and finds out what he's actually paying per unit or per pound and then buys in bulk to get the best price.
“With the high costs of it, people are having to think a little more in-depth when they are shopping.," Johnson told 6 News. "You're looking at going into the meat aisle where everyone is seeing it being maybe a dollar a pound, but if you get more of it, maybe you're going to pay maybe 75 cents or 50 cents a pound so there is a lot of things right now that people are doing and tips and tricks right now and at the grocery when you are going so that is absolutely correct."
We are living through an amazing period! Grocery prices have jumped by 25 percent over the past four years, outpacing overall inflation of 19 percent during the same period.
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