The Rachel Cruze Show - How to Survive Grocery Shopping in 2025

Starting point is 00:00:01 Well, hey, you guys, listen, if you feel like you're constantly in survival mode when it comes to buying groceries, trust me, you are not alone. In fact, there's a legitimate reason scarcity mindset creeps in when you're walking down the aisles of a grocery store these days. And today we're going to talk about why. Plus, you'll be getting my survival guide to grocery shopping in 2025. That way you can enjoy the food that you love without worrying about the money. All right, first, do me a favor and make sure you hit that subscribe. So you can stay up to date with all the money content that you need to have to thrive this year. Okay, I'm pretty sure that I speak for everyone when I say that my grocery halls feel way more expensive than they did a few years ago, thanks to inflation.

Starting point is 00:00:47 And the data shows that since inflation started to surge more than three years ago, groceries are up 21% on average. So that means a few years ago, if you spent $200 a week on groceries, now you're spending around $240. And over the course of the year, that $40 every single week adds up, you guys, to close to $2,000 a more that you spend on food than you did just three years ago. But now that inflation is finally settling down a little bit, why are we still feeling it in our grocery bills? Even if inflation technically goes down as a percentage, it's actually compounding on itself over the last couple of years.

Starting point is 00:01:25 And the cost of labor has also increased to meet demand and energy costs and fuel costs. costs, shipping costs, and store operations are also up. So those increases in all of those areas now are going to you the consumer, right? So if you're running a grocery store and it costs more to get a crate of apples in because you're having to pay more for the delivery, you're paying more for the gas of the guy who's driving the truck, you're paying more for the person that's stocking the shelves. You're having to pay more for all of that. The apples are not going to cost you the same because you still have to make a margin in order to keep your store open. So you're going to mark up the apples because everything else is expensive.

Starting point is 00:02:01 That's what you're feeling when it comes to grocery prices. Now, even though prices are staying high, it doesn't mean that you literally have to eat only beans and rice to afford your groceries. It just means that you have to be smarter about shopping and meal planning, which may be outside of your norm. All right, back to being a smarter shopper when it comes to groceries. This is why I've put together a little Survivor's Guide

Starting point is 00:02:25 when it comes to grocery shopping. And the first thing in the guide is talking about meal, planning for the week. Now, this is probably my favorite tip when it comes to groceries because it actually makes you plan what you're going to eat and what you're going to cook, which means what you're going to buy. So every Sunday, I sit down and Winston, I like, look at our week and we're like, okay, what's going on Monday night, Tuesday night, Wednesday night, we go through the week and figure out what days are we needing a crock pot meal? What days do I have time to cook or what days is he going to cook? And we just figure out what we're going to eat on every single day. And then from there,

Starting point is 00:02:58 we plan the meals. So I can even go to the pantry and be like, okay, what do we have here? I'll look in the refrigerator and be like, all right, we got some salad stuff here. Or even if you go on your grocery stores app, there could be coupons or deals going around. And you could be like, oh, well, look you there. This sauce is half off. Maybe we can make spaghetti this week or whatever it is. Right. So you're actually planning out and thinking through, okay, what can I spend at the grocery store that's going to make the most sense between what we want to eat, what we already have, and where you can find some great deals. And when it comes to coupons, there's actually some great apps out there that can give you more coupons than maybe what you see from your grocery store.

Starting point is 00:03:36 So check out Ibata, Receit Hog, Checkout 51 and Target Circle, because those will help you save some money. And I even have a free meal planner and grocery savings guide that I will link in the show notes so that you can check it out. Because again, I'm all about planning. I think it is so, so important. Now, the next thing that you need to do is pretty simple, but it's also really important, and that is to make a list based on everything that you want to buy. So when we talk about this, having something visual, you guys, is so, so key, because this will help you avoid impulse buys that will really rack up your bill. And along those same lines, for some people ordering groceries online can actually help you stick to your list better. And so you're actually

Starting point is 00:04:20 able to see, okay, here's the total, and does that total meet the budget? So I can remove items. and you're not aimlessly walking through aisles and throwing stuff in your cart. So if there's not an extra fee, I would actually recommend doing shopping online and then going and picking up your groceries because it can help you save. All right, next is be intentional

Starting point is 00:04:41 on where you go grocery shopping because this is going to be huge. When you step inside of a grocery store, depending on that store, it will make or break your budget. It really will. There's like the really nice high-end organic stores that are awesome and have great food quality. And there's also a lot of budget

Starting point is 00:04:56 friendly grocery stores out there, that you can still get some really great healthy foods, but there are going to be a fraction of the price. So depending on your budget, and depending on where you live, there are some great grocery stores that are really budget-friendly. Aldi is one, market basket is one, WinCo Foods, Food for Less, Costco, Walmart, and Trader Joe's. You can find some great finds there. And when you're at these stores, buy generic. A lot of store brands will measure up when it comes to taste according to like the quality of the nicer brands. They basically taste the same, but they're going to be 20 to 25% less. So I always do this. Most of our dairy and different things, I just buy like the store brand and nobody knows the difference of the sour

Starting point is 00:05:39 cream. Let's be honest. Now we've covered a lot of great things in this guide, but none of them are going to really make long-term impacts unless you do the next thing that is part of your grocery routine and that is making a budget every single month and sticking to it. And so when you are not budgeting, you don't have a dollar amount that you have to stay within. You don't have a percentage even. You're just living life and buying food and you just are going and going and going and going and going. But when you sit down and say, okay, I think we can eat with this amount of money every single month. And that may mean cutting out groceries and shopping more at a grocery store because that's going to be cheaper, but it's actually giving you guardrails and boundaries when it comes to your groceries

Starting point is 00:06:23 and your food. And this is really important. A lot of people say when they first started budgeting, they feel like they got a raise because you don't realize how much, you know, 50 to 75 is added on when you're just kind of not making a list and you're just shopping and just thinking through, okay, I may need this or may need that. But when you're doing everything we've talked about in this video, plus having a dollar amount that you're really sticking to, it is so powerful because it's putting you in control. If you have not downloaded every dollar, you need to because this is my favorite budgeting app and it really helps.

Starting point is 00:06:54 We have a line item for groceries and every time we go grocery shopping, we drop that transaction within that category. And depending on the month, what we have to spend for groceries is going to depend on what's going on that month, right? So some months it's going to be less, some it's going to be more. But you are in charge of it. So it's really, really key. And every dollar will help you.

Starting point is 00:07:14 you with that. So I'll put a link in the show notes for you to check out. And listen, just a few of these habits and this guide can really make a difference. So make a plan, stick to your list. Where you shop is important. Remember, choose your stores wisely and budget. And all these things will help you in other places that you shop, even Amazon and Sephora, Target and Costco. Plus, there are some legit target shopping hacks that are out there that you're probably missing out on. So keep watching this next video to find out how to save big target or click the link in the show notes if you're listening on podcast. All right, you guys, remember to take control of your money and create a life you love.

The Rachel Cruze Show - How to Survive Grocery Shopping in 2025

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