Inflation happens when the government spends more money than it has. The value of the dollar decreases. Prices increase. The lower and middle classes feel inflation more than those with money. You have to start cutting back, especially if you are on a fixed income or if you work for yourself.
Working for yourself means losing clients who can no longer afford to pay for your services – and those that can, do not want to see price increases. They’ll either stop using your services if you increase prices or try to talk you into keeping your prices the same.
So, how do you continue to feed your family when prices go up but your income stays the same?
Invest in a Freezer
A freezer is a must when money is tight. If you can save a little money by lowering your monthly bills, put as much of that money aside as possible. You can also look at local ad listings for used freezers. Or, you can advertise that you need a freezer and are willing to trade something for a freezer. Even if you can only afford a small freezer, it's a start that allows you to freeze quite a bit of food you find on sale. You can always upgrade later. If you have the room, you could have a smaller freezer for vegetables plus one or two large freezers for meat and other frozen food.
Shop the Sales
When we say “shop the sales,” we mean look for sales and buy in bulk. Sales are not as plentiful as they were prior to the increase in inflation, but you can still find some decent sales. Many people complain that they can’t afford to purchase enough food for the week, never mind stocking up. However, if a box of elbow macaroni is normally $1.29 but a store is having a sale for $0.69, pick up two boxes. If you can swing it, pick up at least three extra boxes.
Every time you see a sale on something you use, pick up at least one extra of that product. It takes time to build up a stock of goods, but it is possible, even with very little extra money in your pocket.
Compare Prices and Bands
Grocery stores use tactics to get you to buy the most expensive product. You might think buying the larger box of cereal is cheaper, but if you compare the unit prices, you might find that the smaller box is less expensive.
Also, compare prices across brands, especially if you have a coupon. The store brand isn’t always the cheapest. But, when it is, go for the store brand instead of the name brand. Big box stores still have cans of vegetables and frozen vegetables for under $1.
When you see that, pick up more than what you need for the week. If canned veggies are $0.79, that is less than a dollar for a side dish for four people. Squeeze an extra two to three dollars out to buy three or four extra cans of veggies. You’ll find that when you give up more brand names and shop smart, you’ll have a little extra money to start stocking up.
Grow Your Own
You might think that growing vegetables and herbs is only for those with a lot of land. You’d be surprised at what grows in containers on a small patio or in a window that gets afternoon sun. Save a potato from the last bag you bought. Set it on the counter. When it starts growing eyes, cut it so that there are one to two eyes per piece. Plant it. You can grow potatoes in a bucket.
Save seeds from vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers. Try to root the tops of carrots and radishes. You can grow most vegetables in containers, including cucumbers and squash.
Check stores for seeds. Watch for sales on seeds in the late spring. Pick up anything that will grow in a bucket – look for old planters that are deep, or you can even use 5- or 10-gallon pails.
Go Fishing!
If you like to fish, find some time to hit the rivers and lakes. With a freezer, you can pull in the daily limit, clean the fish and freeze it. You’ll spend some time just relaxing and enjoying the outdoors while feeding your family.
If you don’t have fishing gear, you can start with an inexpensive pole and reel, and a few rubber worms or other bait that isn’t expensive. You can also use stale bread, worms you dig up, and even little pieces of raw meat for bait.
Hunting
For those who enjoy hunting, this is another way to put meat on the table during hunting season. When you have a freezer, you can freeze the meat from larger animals, such as deer. You can also freeze smaller animals you hunt, such as ducks and rabbits.
If you have never learned to hunt, but would like to learn, look for someone who can show you the ropes. It’s not easy, and you won’t always come back with food, but, like fishing, you can enjoy the time with Mother Nature.
Shop Smart, Spend Less
You can also come up with a few extra dollars by only driving when you need to. Use that extra money to buy extra groceries when you find a sale. Be sure to compare unit prices to find the best price. Look at alternate methods of finding food, such as growing some or going hunting or fishing.
Learn More About Saving Money
To learn more about saving money, whether we are in an inflationary period or not, read the rest of the articles in this series:
