Florida Families Facing Higher Grocery Costs Stretch Budgets With Couponing, Outlet Stores and Bulk Buying as Inflation Squeezes Household Spending
DAYTONA BEACH, FL — Florida shoppers are leaning on coupons, discount chains, bulk purchases and multiple store stops to manage food bills as grocery prices remain elevated. For some households, the savings routine has become a regular part of getting through the month.
People in Volusia County described planning around sales, store rewards and expiration dates in order to keep healthy food on hand without blowing through their budgets.
Volusia County families are building shopping routines around the lowest prices
Ormond Beach resident Sarah Tanner said she and her husband Luis Pineda, who support a family of four, have had to get even more careful with spending as grocery prices and inflation climbed this year.
She said the couple often cannot spend less than $20 a day on food. To help make ends meet, they also earn extra income through night-time DoorDash deliveries.
In DeLand, disabled military veteran Kirk Ashe said he relies on food pantries, supermarket sales and coupons to keep his pantry stocked while living on a fixed income.
Outlet stores and day-old bakeries can cut food bills sharply
Tanner said she shops at grocery outlet stores, where items close to expiration can still be sold at steep discounts, and at day-old bakeries for bread.
On a recent trip to Sacks Grocery Outlet in Orlando, she bought Wasa gluten-free crispbread for 49 cents a box instead of $3.99, and Old El Paso microwaveable pinto beans for 98 cents instead of $4.99.
She said a loaf of Dave’s Killer Bread costs her $2.50 at a day-old bakery, compared with $6.99 at Publix on June 11.
Shoppers compare multiple stores and look for BOGO deals
Tanner said she also shops at Aldi, a local independent store with discounted produce and Costco, where she mostly buys cleaning supplies and pet food.
She still buys some items at Publix, especially fresh berries and other produce, and watches for buy-one-get-one-free promotions. She said stocking up on staples used regularly can save money over the course of a year.
Ashe said he looks for half-price meats at Winn-Dixie, uses coupons quickly before they expire and also visits fruit and vegetable vendors at a local stand and the weekly flea market at the Volusia County fairgrounds.
Household cutbacks go beyond grocery aisles
Tanner said her family avoids dollar stores because the unit prices are higher and the healthy options are limited. She also said they eat at home most days, make coffee at home with a French press and periodically call service providers to negotiate lower rates.
She said one cable or streaming bill was reduced by $100 after she asked for a better price. The family also sometimes sleeps with the windows open when weather allows to save on electricity.
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