11 Mistakes Retirees Make at the Supermarket

It’s not just inflation. Your bad habits may explain why you’re paying too much for groceries.

Retirees living on fixed incomes have been feeling the pinch of rising grocery costs.

Grocery prices in February rose 2.6 percent year-over-year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index. For some items, such as eggs, price hikes have been much steeper.

But don’t blame a big grocery bill entirely on inflation (or bird flu, in the case of egg prices). Your shopping habits could be a contributing factor.

“There are many ways retirees can reduce their grocery costs and help avoid overspending,” says Laura Adams, author of Money Girl’s Smart Moves to Grow Rich and an analyst at financial products and services comparison website Finder.com.

1. Missing out on senior discounts

A number of grocery stores across the country offer discounts to people over a specific age, typically worth 5 percent to 10 percent off your grocery bill (select items may be exempted).

Senior discounts are generally offered on a specific day of the week. Some big chains, such as Giant and Safeway, don’t offer them at every location, but their individual stores may, so it’s best to check with your local store.

2. Shopping without a plan

Create a meal plan for the week before you head to the grocery store to ensure you only buy what you need and avoid food waste. When crafting your weekly menu, look for recipes with overlapping ingredients so you can use everything you buy in its entirety.

“You can take this one step further by reviewing local store ads to see what’s on sale then picking recipes that use these discounted foods to save more,” says Andrea Woroch, a money consultant.

Also, check your refrigerator, freezer and pantry before you shop. “When making the meal plan for the week, it’s important to take inventory of what you already have on hand and build out your recipes and shopping list from there,” says Jill Sirianni, co-host of the Frugal Friends podcast and co-author of Buy What You Love Without Going Broke.

3. Buying out-of-season produce

You typically can buy your favorite fresh fruits and vegetables regardless of whether they’re in season, but it’s often not cost-effective. “In-season fruit and veggies are always less expensive and should be incorporated into your meal plan and shopping list week to week,” Sirianni says. If you’re not sure what’s in season in your area, check the website Seasonal Food Guide.

4. Overlooking frozen fruits and vegetables

You don’t have to bypass out-of-season fruit and vegetables entirely. In fact, you can save money on most produce purchases without compromising freshness by shopping in the frozen foods section.

“Because produce is frozen at peak ripeness, you are still getting all the nutritional content but for less money and stored in a way that reduces the chances of the food spoiling too soon,” Sirianni says.

Stocking up on frozen produce can also help you eat your recommended daily vegetable intake (2-3 cups), which only 12.5 percent of adults 51 or older reach, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

5. Overbuying foods in bulk

Buying in bulk might have made sense when you had a house full of kids. But it could be a source of overspending if you’re now an empty nester and can’t consume a 3-pound barrel of pretzels before they go stale.

“This is especially true for fresh food, but even oversized bags of frozen fruit, veggies and other foods can go bad over time in the freezer thanks to freezer burn,” Woroch says.

6. Sticking to the center aisles

The center aisles of the supermarket are filled with often-pricey packaged goods, whereas the perimeter of the store is typically where you’ll find meat, fish, dairy and produce, Sirianni says.

“Not only is it more beneficial to our diets for these categories to make up the majority of our meals, but it’s also beneficial to our wallets,” she says. “When you’re buying a lot from the center aisles, you are paying more for convenience and packaging.”

7. Buying nonfood items at the supermarket

Purchasing household and personal items at the grocery store can be convenient but costly. “If you’re not shopping separately for nonperishable items like soaps and paper products you can buy in bulk at a discount, you’re likely overpaying for them,” Adams says.

You can also save money by signing up for subscriptions for certain items. For example, Amazon offers discounts on recurring purchases of many household items through its Subscribe & Save option; when you set up auto-delivery for five or more items, you can save an additional 15 percent. In addition, Chewy.com offers discounts if you set up auto-shipment for certain dog foods.

8. Not using grocery store apps

“Overlooking store apps could mean overpaying,” Woroch says. By signing up for your store’s loyalty program and using its mobile app, it’s easy to see what’s on sale before you shop and clip digital coupons that can be applied automatically when you scan your loyalty card or enter your phone number at checkout.

Some apps, such as the Target Circle app, even have a barcode scanner that lets you scan items as you shop to see if there are any deals available for them, Woroch says.

9. Being too loyal to major brands

Over the years, you may have developed an attachment to certain food brands, but that loyalty comes with a cost.

“Store brands have come a long way over the last decade, offering higher quality ingredients and even healthier options such as gluten-free and organic,” Woroch says. “It’s worth exploring and testing new options that can save you 30 to 50 percent on grocery items.” If you’re not happy with the product, your grocery store might refund the purchase, she says.

Sticking to just one grocery store also could be costing you. Other supermarkets might have lower prices or better deals on items you regularly buy. Woroch recommends using the Flipp app to see local grocery store circulars and compare prices without having to drive from store to store.

10. Using the wrong credit card

Using a rewards credit card to make grocery purchases can pay off — if you use the right card.

“If you’re not using a credit card to maximize rewards based on where you shop, that’s costing you,” Adams says. “For instance, warehouse stores typically offer branded cards with discounts, rewards and extra benefits. Or you can use a rewards card that pays competitive cash back for grocery purchases.”

If you have a cash-back credit card, review the reward terms to make sure you’re aligning your cash back with your shopping habits. You can compare credit cards at sites such as Nerdwallet, Bankrate or WalletHub to find one that offers the most cash back for groceries and items you regularly purchase.

“Just keep in mind that if you don’t pay monthly card balances in full, you can accrue interest that offsets a card’s net financial benefits,” Adams warns.

11. Throwing away receipts

Don’t toss your grocery receipts without checking them for deals first. “Some receipts may offer coupons to local businesses or even coupons for money off future grocery purchases,” Woroch says. “I recently got a deal from Sprouts for $10 off $75.” She recommends wrapping the receipt around your credit card so you don’t forget to use it the next time you shop.

Woroch also advises using the Fetch app to take photos of receipts and earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards for a variety of retailers and restaurants “so you can enjoy a meal out without derailing your limited retirement budget.” Other mobile apps that let you earn cash back for scanning receipts include Ibotta, CoinOut and Receipt Hog.

https://www.aarp.org/money/personal-finance/overspending-on-groceries/