Jeans, apples, underwear, steaks, t-shirts, almost everything at the clothing or grocery store is going to cost you more this spring. The price of food has gone up nearly 30 percent compared to last year. Spring clothing is going to cost you 10 percent more.
The World Food Bank blames a the increases on a variety of factors including unrest in the Middle East, droughts in China, and floods in Australia.
Gas prices play a huge role in the cost of food, as much of it is distributed via trucks. So with the national gas price averaging $3.13 a gallon, there's no surprise that's a cause too.
Grand Strand families like the Kithianis are doing the best they can to stretch that dollar.
"About half our income seems to go to food these days," mother Deborah says.
The family of seven spends about $1,500 dollars a month on food. With essential items like meat and cereal up almost a third from last year, they're cutting back.
"We do a lot of no meat dinners. We have frozen pizza night. We have spaghetti night."
Single mother Kendle Vance is doing the same thing.
"I've noticed there are smaller portions of food for a little bit more," she says. "We have kind of cut down on a lot of meat. We buy chicken and fish a little bit more."
The strategies for these saving-savvy moms transfer to the clothing stores as well, and it's a good thing they have. Cotton costs are up 44 percent over last year.
"We do our best to do the clearance racks. My daughter loves Hollister, but with the prices theres no way,"Kithianis says.
"I wait for my tax return to get my clothes, and I go to the outlets," Vance says.
Here are some tips before you head to the grocery store or the mall:
-Plan before you head off to the supermarket will help you shop more economically.
-Do a quick inventory of your kitchen and prepare your shopping list and make notations of applicable coupons that you may want to use.
-Clip coupons both in the newspaper and online.
-Read the newspapers and circulars to find the best deals.
-Choose the right store: Basic grocery needs are best met at a local grocery store, Non-perishable items are often at unbeatable prices at warehouse stores, and health and beauty products are traditionally the cheapest at national drugstore chains.
-Eat before you go grocery shopping.
-Store Brands - "Try it, you May Like It," one expert says.
-Set a dollar limit for impulse buying.
-Comparison Shopping, The true value of a product is in the unit price, not just the package price. The unit price information is usually on a sticker located on the shelf that holds the item. The package price only tells you the cost of the entire item. The unit price shows the cost per pound, ounce, etc.
-avoid end-of-the-aisle dump bins, island displays, recipe related item placement and middle-shelf items. This is typically where higher priced and impulse products are placed.
-Watch the scanner: It will keep the cashier alert and allow you to stop the checkout process if an item is showing the incorrect price.
Any other tips for saving cash at stores? Share them below with your comments.
