Atlanta Consumers Feel the Pinch at the Grocery Store As Food Prices Increase
It looks like the new year is already bringing new costs - and there's no getting around at least one of them.
If gas gets too expensive, we can take the bus. When our bank adds new fees to our checking account, we can switch banks. But when the price of food goes up - as it has recently - we can't exactly stop eating. Fortunately for those of us already drowning in debt, there are choices we can make to lessen the blow, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys.
Make a List
Stores will do anything to get us to buy things we don't need, from sample stations to end-of-the-aisle displays - and it's especially hard to stay strong when shopping on an empty stomach. But impulse buys lead to overspending. If food prices are increasing, we can keep our bill the same by buying less. If you want to stick to a budget, stick to your shopping list. Even better, build your list around the sale items in your store's weekly ad.
Dine In
Making your favorite meal or beverage at home can cost significantly less than ordering it in a restaurant - especially now that eateries are jacking up prices to push the cost of higher-priced ingredients onto the consumer. Not only is cooking dinner or bagging your lunch more affordable, but it can also be healthier - saving you money on healthcare in the long run.
Use Cash Not Credit
Speaking of the long run, do you really want to be paying for this week's milk and bread a year from now? That's what happens when you put everyday necessities like groceries on your credit card - and then don't pay your balance in full when the bill arrives. It's like inflation on top of inflation. But when you pay cash, you'll pay the sticker price - and nothing more.
We can't control market conditions - when there's a freeze in Florida, the price of orange juice will probably increase. But we can control our own finances so that a change in price doesn't affect them so severely. Paying interest on food - or anything in our life, for that matter - is like throwing money down the toilet. By finally getting debt under control, you can lower your balance and thus lower interest. Bankruptcy can make it possible. Find out if bankruptcy is the boost you need to finally eliminate debt and free up more of your money when you try a complimentary personal debt analysis with an Atlanta bankruptcy attorney.