In our age of technology, the transition to a digital world is happening quickly. While these changes have made positive advancements in the day to day lives of most people, there is one group being left in the dust: senior citizens. This is especially true in the grocery store where technology is slowly, but surely replacing many of their usual practices.
With prices continuing to rise and inflation worsening by the day, it is important to find ways to save on your grocery bill. However, the lack of non-digital methods to save have left many senior shoppers paying full price for the products they need. In fact, a recent survey found that over one-third of seniors struggle to pay for their groceries. Although these conditions may make it seem impossible to leave the grocery store without breaking the bank, there are several simple ways to get around these obstacles.
How can seniors save at the register?
Buy In Bulk
Even if you may not have many people in your household, buying in bulk is a great way to save on your weekly grocery store run. One easy way to successfully shop in bulk is by visiting a chain store such as Costco or Sam’s Club. These stores offer wholesale prices on everything from meats and produce to items like clothing and home goods. Many regular grocery stores also provide options to buy food in bulk if you do not have access to a wholesaler.
When shopping in bulk, however, it is important to be strategic about which items you purchase. Be sure to only shop items in bulk that you eat often or that do not have long shelf lives. This can help to ensure that you are saving without being left with waste.
Become A Rewards Member
Grocery store loyalty programs have long been a way to save on your groceries. As a member of the program, you will often be provided with a physical card that gives you exclusive access to discounted prices when you present the card during checkout. On top of immediate savings opportunities, you can accumulate points that can be redeemed for larger savings later on. Rewards programs not only help you save on groceries, but also on things like gas at select locations.
To become a member of a loyalty program or to find more information about what services are available at your local grocer, ask an employee on your next shopping trip.
Use Paper Coupons
One of the biggest challenges standing in the way of savings for most seniors has been the shift away from physical to digital coupons. Many stores now rely on mobile apps and websites where your coupons are stored on your device and activated at the register. Unfortunately, this can be quite a problem for those who do not have access to a smartphone or for those who’d rather just use paper coupons.
Despite these changes, paper coupons can still be found in-store on flyers or in the weekly paper. Another fantastic option is to print grocery coupons from coupon sites such as Coupon Blender. These can easily be accessed online by visiting their website.
Buy Generic Brand Products
While many shoppers opt for name brand products, shopping for generic brand items can help you save significantly without having to sacrifice quality. Most grocery stores will offer their own version of popular products right next to the name brand ones on the shelves. One way to make sure you are still getting a great product even at a lower price is by checking the ingredients on the generic brand food you buy. This can help you compare between other options and result in a better choice.
Search For Sales
Whether it’s storewide or for a specific category like produce, sales are one of the easiest ways to save the old-fashioned way. To make the most out of sales it takes a little bit of research; find out what days your local grocer usually runs a sale and plan to shop during those periods. Also, if multiple stores in your area are promoting a sale at the same time, you can do your shopping at different locations to maximize your savings on different items.
About the Author/s
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.
