Budgeting with Honors!

With the rise in food prices, it’s really hard to prioritize eating over other expenses, like paying your tuition or bills. Eating has become an increasing burden for people worldwide, especially for college students. Since most DePaul students are not on a meal plan (the majority live off-campus), many have resorted to ramen packets and sleepless nights of hunger.

Quick disclaimer: These tips are not meant to make people feel bad about not “spending their money well” as inflation post-pandemic has been rough on a lot of people financially. Obviously, high food prices are a global issue, and simply budgeting will not alleviate the national rise in food prices. With that being said, however, these tips are supposed to help you save a little more money when shopping. You can use whatever you find helpful in this post, and you do not have to do everything mentioned.

1. Shop at ALDI and Trader Joe’s. They often have lower prices than shopping at Target and Jewel-Osco. The closest ALDI in the DePaul area is the one at Riverpoint Center. You can walk or take the 74 bus all the way down Fullerton. There are a lot of Trader Joe’s in the area, but the one off of the Diversey stop on the Brown Line is really convenient, as it’s only a 7-minute walk from the train station.
2. Look at the bottom shelves of items. A lot of times, stores will put name-brand items at the top, with their generic store-brand item down at the bottom. Always pay attention to see if they have the same item that you want down on a lower shelf. For food items, store-brand and name-brand rarely have a difference. For example, if your most convenient grocery store is Target or Jewel, Target’s name brands are “Good and Gather” and “Market Pantry”. Jewel’s brands are called “Signature”, “Lucerne”, or “O Organics.”
3. Write out lists of what you’re going to buy and how much you are willing to spend. Oftentimes, a lot of people tend to impulse buy at grocery stores, especially if they are hungry. Figure out the things that you want to buy beforehand, and look up the prices of the items before you go to the store. Then, when you get to the store, the total should not be a total surprise.
4. Avoid buying your groceries online. While online pick-up is convenient for a lot of people, there are a lot of delivery fees and service charges that typically get added to your bill. There is a caveat to this, however. A study was done by CNET about food prices, and when factoring in gas costs, a lot of people find it cheaper to have groceries delivered. However, if you tend to walk and take the train everywhere, and if you want to inspect your food before it gets delivered, then it would be a lot cheaper and more reliable to go in person.
5. Sign up for rewards and loyalty programs. If you find yourself going to the same store every time you go shopping, consider signing up for rewards. Rewards programs are good if you frequently go to the same place, and the points add up over time. A lot of stores also have member-only discounts.
6. Bring your own bag. Not only does this help the environment, but Chicago also has a 7-cent bag tax every time you get a plastic bag. That tends to add up. Not to mention, bringing your own bags also forces you to think about what you can physically carry with you out of the store so that you don’t overspend.
7. Buy hygiene products at Target or the Dollar Store. Hygiene products, like toothpaste, deodorant, and others, tend to be cheaper at Target, Walmart, and the dollar store rather than more grocery-oriented stores. The closest Dollar Tree is a bus ride on the 74 bus to Fullerton/Damen. The closest Target is off of Webster and Lincoln.
8. Pay attention to prices at the grocery store, and check sales. Don’t just put the first thing that you see into your cart. Always ensure that you’re getting the cheapest option. Rewards apps can show you what is/isn’t on sale so you can plan your time accordingly.

We hope that these tips help you as you go on your next grocery run!