Grocery prices around Dayton too high? If you’re anything like me and constantly comment on the soaring prices while grocery shopping, you are not alone. The complaints on how grocery stores have had record profits while families around the country suffer have echoed broadly. I’ve mentioned to my husband, “Why is this $3?! It was just $1 a couple years ago!” more times than I can count now.
When I was raising my daughter the first few years of her life with no financial help whatsoever from her biological dad, I was a couponing and deal-finding queen! I would scour the internet for the best deals, always get the Sunday paper with all the name brand coupons, and break my shopping trips over at least three-to-four different stores each weekend to make sure I saved as much as I could. There was a desperation to those times that I don’t like to think back on, but post-pandemic grocery pricing has brought back a lot of those old feelings…
What do moms do when we’re struggling with something? We (most of the time) talk to each other and figure it out together!! As always, the Dayton Moms are here for you with our best savvy tips and in-the-moment trends! Whether you’re just looking for the best bottom-line deal or have strict dietary restrictions to consider, our team collectively (see what we did there? 😉) put together our recommendations for navigating high grocery prices in Greater Dayton.
Grocery prices have gone so high. I used to spend around $350 bi-weekly for my family of six. Now, we spend between $700-$800 (more than double!). I do everything I can to save – Meal plan. List out all our needs. Sort that list by store (Aldi first, then Kroger, and then Sam’s). I use the Kroger app to coupon and try to save more. I watch deals and stock up on essentials when they go on sale and can be stacked with any coupons I have. I also utilize the Fetch app and Ibotta. Submitting receipts on Fetch adds points that can be turned into digital gift cards (you can link certain accounts to scan for your digital receipts and manually snap pics of your paper receipts in the app). Ibotta gets you cash back via gift cards, PayPal, or linking to other financial institutions. I save these all year and then use it for Christmas time.
{You’ll see Ibotta mentioned several times by the team – I got turned on to it by a friend during the holidays last year! You can use code HSNSPYD to earn a bonus $5 after you earn cash back for the first time!! Fetch is another one I started using this past year. You don’t earn as much as fast, but you get points for EVERY receipt and not just for specific deals. You can get bonus points for signing up (as of the time this post published) with code BMEWVW. You have to actually remember to use the apps, which can be hard for busy moms, but the cash and gift cards back is wonderful incentive!}
I used to do coupons, Ibotta, etc., but it just exhausted me. I shop primarily at Fresh Thyme and make sure to use their flyer as much as possible to plan meals around protein and vegetables. We also have Sam’s and Costco and make sure to take advantage of their prices on bread, milk, yogurt, and longer term freezer items. It helps us to buy what we can in bulk and put some away in the deep freeze. I definitely agree that prices have soared in recent years… but, I also have 2 growing boys, so food is always high demand in my house!!!
{We LOVE Costco, but Sam’s Club is closer to us, so we eventually downgraded our Costco membership from the highest one to the basic one and then got the basic Sam’s membership with a great deal on Groupon – you can often sign up for free (after Sam’s Club gift card back) or as low as $25.}
We only shop at Sam’s most of the time. Kroger and Meijer have been decent with prices. I always use the rewards apps.
{We have FOUR Krogers between us and the nearest Meijer, and even though Kroger was started in Southwest Ohio – and maybe that should be endearing, the way they’ve handled grocery prices since the pandemic has not sat well with my husband and me. They keep us reeled in with all the coupons and our Boost membership bonuses, but we’d really save so much more and enjoy our shopping experience much more if Meijer was not such an convenient drive.}
When products I buy go on sale, I won’t buy them when they aren’t. We go without more often waiting for the cyclical deals. I mention this is my article for the blog, Ways to Stretch Our Budget. You read the full post, but my four ways I stretch the food/grocery budget are to 1) Price Match, 2) Shop Cyclical Sales, 3) Take Advantage of Specials, and 4) Do Surveys.
For me and this crazy busy season of life we’re in, I prioritize time and convenience over budget (within reason). I have Walmart+ and always have our groceries delivered so I don’t have to take time to go to the grocery once a week. Now, I am more likely to get store brand products and compare prices within the app when I’m ordering to help save money, but I don’t take the time to compare prices at other stores (ex: Kroger, Meijer, etc.). Walmart does have coupons within its app to earn Walmart cash.
{I LOVE doing grocery delivery!!! My husband much prefers to be in the actual grocery store and explore every aisle, but I can keep us on budget and save so much more by doing grocery delivery. I have Walmart+ as well and love that not only do we get to use Scan + Go in store and get free delivery (often same-day), we also get free GrubHub+ and Paramount+ with it. I finally got the Kroger Boost Membership this year but honestly rarely take advantage of it with how much more we save shopping with Walmart – and I only tried it this year because I got the Kroger credit card that came with a FREE Boost Membership for one year. If I don’t really use it, I’m not actually losing any money.}
I clip coupons at Kroger and use the pick-up service. I buy some Home Chef meals from there. My kids are picky right now, so I’m mainly buying the same stuff and I don’t follow what’s in season. I consider what they’re going to eat and try to get some things I can freeze for when they actually want to eat it.
I shop what is on sale and go to several stores for deals. We do not eat processed foods, so we spend quite a bit on fresh fruits and veggies.
