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Eliminate Hidden Food Costs
By Daphne | April 30, 2008
Check around your grocery store for different prices on items. For certain things like you don’t have many options but for items like cheese check the deli counter or the coolers near the deli counter before you just buy the regular pre-packaged cheese or meat. There are other options. If you like Parmesan or mozzarella cheese to use for pasta dishes check near the deli counter first because the cheese may not be packaged by a major manufacturer but may be cheaper. If you like Parmesan, compare prices. A block of cheese that you grate yourself with a regular grater at home will cost less and will have a fresher taste than others.
Store brands of juice or bread baked in the store may offer competitive pricing for items. I was at a smaller grocery store (still a chain) the other day and their store brand juice was cheaper than the larger stores. Now I that I know that I will definitely buy juice from there. $2 for a half gallon is a good price. When looking for a less expensive brand, steer clear of the fancy packaging. Unless you are going to use the glass carafe that comes with the juice, you don’t need to buy it. The cost per ounce is actually higher in the fancier packages because you are paying for the “beauty” of the product. Plastic wrap or waxed paper will keep a block of cheese fresh. Just remember to buy what you will use before it spoils. Cheese can be frozen.
Instead of buying bottled water, some of which is only purified anyway… buy a water filter for your faucet or a pitcher with a filter and put it into your own container if you want water on the go. Since there is a surcharge on bottled water in Chicago purifying your own and taking it with you will save you money before you even leave your house.
Even though prices are increasing for food and other staples, do not neglect your retirement. It may seem like an easy thing to do - eliminate something the optional. If you are eliminating things - eliminate dining out or purchasing items that have “hidden” costs attached to their purchase like paying for extra packaging or taxes on their purchase. Sometimes the items with less packaging are fresher.
Topics: April 2008 |