How are you handling rising food and energy costs?

[Christine]

I'm spending about $200 a week for 2 people but I don't try that hard to save. I will stay away from something that seems obscenely priced though. For instance, I used to eat salmon once per week and would get it for $7.99/lb either at Wegman's or Costco. Over the last year, it shop up to $12.99/lb and I stopped. The prices are sliding back down on it but not low enough for me.

My eggs (Eggland's best/dozen/XL) stayed the same price at $3.99 for the past year or two. Just noticed last week they were down to $3.49. I never see eggs for $1.00 a dozen. Ever. Never have I don't think. I really enjoy the Organic Valley 1% milk and that went from about $3.99 to $5.99 over the last 2 years. It is now going back down and is at $4.99.

Mostly everything else I buy has gone up 10 to 20 cents per item (cans of tomatos, box of storebrand cereal). So overall just an increase.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Here in NYC, eggs went up to $6.59 for a dozen extra large eggs. They are still up around $5.00 now.

A couple weeks ago, I did see some eggs for $0.99 at Target. It was so odd to see that I was afraid the eggs might be genetically modified or something, and that's why the price was so low. I passed on those eggs.

One can of corn or chick peas are up to $2.79 per can. So, it seemed unreal that a dozen eggs would be a lot less.

Oof, canned vegetables are generally around .79 a can here.

For just myself, I spend less than $50/week on groceries. Sometimes much less. My grocery store chain has points that add up and you build up dollars off your total, sometimes it's as much as $10 off. But even without that and just using their general reward discount program, I'm under $50.

 

[bbak30]

I try harder to use all food in the fridge and eat the leftovers. Shop sales. Canned soft drinks are ridiculous. I don't usually buy many soft drinks, but like to let my girls have a few treats in the summer. Not this year, $5.99 for a 12 pack is crazy.
We have a deep freezer and I'm trying to stock up during sales. We are definitely cutting back on eating out just to balance the budget.
I used to use TIDE Pods but switched to liquid Persil. Also switched from Cascade Pods to the liquid because it's cheaper. Went from Bounty paper towels to Scott. I'm not paying $30 for paper towels.
We really wanted to go to the beach this year--DH and I took a trip to Montana and Wyoming for our 20th anniversary--but the prices of the condos we usually go to are also out of control. Looking at $1,000 a night. So no beach vacation this year. Trying to give the girls a trip to Disney in January for Christmas but even that is becoming difficult. GENIE prices are now increasing, hotel costs are outrageous. Looking at some major cutbacks from previous trips.

 

[Christine]

We really wanted to go to the beach this year--DH and I took a trip to Montana and Wyoming for our 20th anniversary--but the prices of the condos we usually go to are also out of control. Looking at $1,000 a night. So no beach vacation this year. Trying to give the girls a trip to Disney in January for Christmas but even that is becoming difficult. GENIE prices are now increasing, hotel costs are outrageous. Looking at some major cutbacks from previous trips.

And yet with all the destination price hikes, touristy places seem full. I just got back from San Diego. Prices were kind of insane for hotels and even VRBOs/AirBnBs seemed shocking compared to last year. There seems to be no shortage of demand for this so someone's got money to spare, lol!

 

[barkley]

We managed to go the past 2 weeks without spending a dime on groceries! The trick was to take a vacation and eat in restaurants.

this reminds me of our last 'big' vacation and the resulting home grocery savings but i was able to take it up another notch b/c we were departing the sunday following thanksgiving so i purposely made the same amount of food for thanksgiving but then spent the day before we left freezing stuff. only having had a couple of days of thanksgiving leftovers before we left for two weeks had my family still hankering for some when we got back so.........two weeks of vacation food plus a week of thanksgiving leftovers. no groceries shopping for home for 3 weeks gave me plenty of downtime to work on the laundry

 

[focusondisney]

Yikes. Just two of us, about $100 a week IF we need expensive stuff like laundry detergent. About $75 most weeks. But we are seniors now, and eat a lot less than we did in our younger years. And our meal planning is done all in the store, based on what is on sale or marked down. Got cube steaks for $2 off the package because they were getting close to their puil date. Salmon was on sale. And had a pork roast tonight.

Hmmm, $75 a week for 2 people. So you average $5 a person per day for food? You must have some pretty cheap grocery stores. We’re seniors too. And we still eat quite a bit.

 

[rigs32]

The main chains here are Wegmans & Tops.

I also live in WNY. I save a ton of money by getting a lot of my basics from Aldi and only supplementing with a few fancier items from Trader Joes or Wegmans.

I've also found that the new Walmart near me was built to have a pickup location which is SO easy. I use the emeals app for recipe ideas and add just what I need to my pickup order. It's also nice that I can add non grocery items and the prices are the same as in store. Wegmans adds a bit when you do pick up via their app.

 

[focusondisney]

I also live in WNY. I save a ton of money by getting a lot of my basics from Aldi and only supplementing with a few fancier items from Trader Joes or Wegmans.

I've also found that the new Walmart near me was built to have a pickup location which is SO easy. I use the emeals app for recipe ideas and add just what I need to my pickup order. It's also nice that I can add non grocery items and the prices are the same as in store. Wegmans adds a bit when you do pick up via their app.

I’ve recently started going to Aldi once in awhile. My DIL swears by it. I have to go there more regularly for sure.

 

[tvguy]

Hmmm, $75 a week for 2 people. So you average $5 a person per day for food? You must have some pretty cheap grocery stores. We’re seniors too. And we still eat quite a bit.

Wish it was $5 a day for food. $75 a week divided by 7 days is just over $10 a day.
2 pound pork roast last night was $6.74 with baby carrots that cost 98 cents for a one pound bag made enough for three meals, at what, about $2.58 per meal?
Walmart and the local chain grocery store. We could cut corners more. We splurge on Fairlife milk for $4.38 a quart that lasts us a week. I want to keep my sugar intake down, but I could buy regular non-fat milk for $1.72 a quart.

 

[soccerdad72]

Wish it was $5 a day for food. $75 a week divided by 7 days is just over $10 a day.

She said 'per person'

 

[White Cat]

Wish it was $5 a day for food. $75 a week divided by 7 days is just over $10 a day.
2 pound pork roast last night was $6.74 with baby carrots that cost 98 cents for a one pound bag made enough for three meals, at what, about $2.58 per meal?
Walmart and the local chain grocery store. We could cut corners more. We splurge on Fairlife milk for $4.38 a quart that lasts us a week. I want to keep my sugar intake down, but I could buy regular non-fat milk for $1.72 a quart.

I spend more than that for lunch at McDonalds.

 

[tvguy]

I spend more than that for lunch at McDonalds.

Which is why we eat at home for the most part.

 

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

How are you handling rising food and energy costs?

With difficulty!

 

[White Cat]

Which is why we eat at home for the most part.

To each their own. I can’t live being that cheap.

 

[Christine]

Wish it was $5 a day for food. $75 a week divided by 7 days is just over $10 a day.
2 pound pork roast last night was $6.74 with baby carrots that cost 98 cents for a one pound bag made enough for three meals, at what, about $2.58 per meal?
Walmart and the local chain grocery store. We could cut corners more. We splurge on Fairlife milk for $4.38 a quart that lasts us a week. I want to keep my sugar intake down, but I could buy regular non-fat milk for $1.72 a quart.

Oh yeah, you eat a lot less than me and my husband. We'd get 1 meal out of 2 lbs of pork roast. Maybe lunch for one of us the next day. I haven't seen baby carrots around here any cheaper than $1.70 a bag and that's for store brand. But maybe that's what they are at Aldi. I'd also have another side with that pork roast--either some leafy green or I might splurge on roasted potatoes. Depends.

 

[focusondisney]

Oh yeah, you eat a lot less than me and my husband. We'd get 1 meal out of 2 lbs of pork roast. Maybe lunch for one of us the next day. I haven't seen baby carrots around here any cheaper than $1.70 a bag and that's for store brand. But maybe that's what they are at Aldi. I'd also have another side with that pork roast--either some leafy green or I might splurge on roasted potatoes. Depends.

Apparently a lot less than us too. And we’re in our mid to late 60s also. I always have roasted potatoes & carrots with pork roast. Plus apple sauce. Just 1/3 of a bag of carrots wouldn’t be enough vegetables for me.

 

[tvguy]

Apparently a lot less than us too. And we’re in our mid to late 60s also. I always have roasted potatoes & carrots with pork roast. Plus apple sauce. Just 1/3 of a bag of carrots wouldn’t be enough vegetables for me.

Searching on Google a serving of carrots is considered to be 3 ounces. 1/3 of a bag would be over 5 ounces, almost 2 serving.
I'm type two diabetic so I limit my carbs like potatoes.

 

[tvguy]

Oh yeah, you eat a lot less than me and my husband. We'd get 1 meal out of 2 lbs of pork roast. Maybe lunch for one of us the next day. I haven't seen baby carrots around here any cheaper than $1.70 a bag and that's for store brand. But maybe that's what they are at Aldi. I'd also have another side with that pork roast--either some leafy green or I might splurge on roasted potatoes. Depends.

Wow, 16 ounces of a protein is pretty big serving. I suspect you don't order off the Senior menu in restaurants.

 

[DisneyHardin]

There are 2 of us and I spend about $100/week on groceries. Like TVGuy - I don't meal plan ahead of time - I go to the grocery and see what I can get. I try and buy almost all our meat out of the mark down area. I watch sales and stock up when things are on sale.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Wish it was $5 a day for food. $75 a week divided by 7 days is just over $10 a day.
2 pound pork roast last night was $6.74 with baby carrots that cost 98 cents for a one pound bag made enough for three meals, at what, about $2.58 per meal?
Walmart and the local chain grocery store. We could cut corners more. We splurge on Fairlife milk for $4.38 a quart that lasts us a week. I want to keep my sugar intake down, but I could buy regular non-fat milk for $1.72 a quart.

Well, she said $5 per person, which comes out to...~$10 a day.

I have a tough time believing that you have just pork roast and carrots, nothing else. I can see avoiding starch, but, no seasoning? Nothing else beyond your 3oz of carrots? No butter or oil for cooking? When I do a pork roast, it's either in the crockpot with other vegetables (onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, some seasonings), or in the oven. We like a brown sugar-garlic glaze, but maybe not for you--but still, we'd have vegetables with it, as well as seasoning.

Even if you count leftover pork as tomorrow's lunch, you would have something with it (more carrots?). And what about breakfast? Snacks? Do you only drink water, always?

I'm all for saving money, but this sounds like some kind of crappy austerity plan.