Stressed Over the Latest US Inflation Spikes? Here are 10 Easy Ways to Save in 2023!
From home to gas to food, here are some way to cope with rising US inflation.
US Inflation is still affecting pricing in tons of areas!
From Starbucks menu increases to stock shortages, the home, gas, and grocery prices, inflation spikes are impacting all of us. But fear not, as we have some recommendations to help out! The US inflation we’re currently facing refers to higher prices of goods and services we often purchase.
When the price goes up, the stock of inventory goes down, so we pay higher prices for lower availability. It felt like it was impacting pretty much everything during last year in 2022, but it’s something we’re still occasionally seeing.
“The food-at-home CPI increased 0.8 percent from December 2022 to January 2023 and was 11.3 percent higher than January 2022; and the food-away-from-home (restaurant purchases) CPI increased 0.6 percent in January 2023 and was 8.2 percent higher than January 2022.” – U.S. Department of Agriculture
There may not be a ton we can do about this, but we can alter some of our choices. We’re here to let you know what is being affected the most and what you can try instead. Keep in mind, these are super simple ideas that may not make a world of a difference, but let’s look at the positive side; maybe you’ll try something you never have before and actually enjoy it!
1. Dairy is predicted to increase by 7.2%. Instead, try almond milk!
Dairy is one area that has been severely increasing. Dairy prices are predicted to go up significantly this year, partially because there just isn’t enough cow inventory to keep up with the demand and overall retail price increases.
Instead, try a dairy substitute! Any milk alternative would work, including oat milk, coconut milk, and others, but personally, I absolutely love almond milk! It’s creamy, smooth, and has perfect milk consistency. Although I still consume dairy in my diet, I often use almond milk for my cereal. Plus, almond milk lasts twice as long as regular dairy milk.
Hip Tip – On our sister site, Hip2keto, we tested the best dairy-free milks on the market!
2. Meat, including beef, chicken, and pork, is significantly up in price. Let’s try some Meatless Monday recipes!
From 2020 through 2022, meats were the biggest area we saw impacted, with pork being up 14%, beef and veal being up 16%, and chicken prices up by 10.3%. While it’s still early, meat prices are actually predicted to decrease this year, with beef and veal being estimated to decrease to 7% and pork to 5.5%.
While this is still a great improvement, we still recommend giving meatless Mondays a try! It doesn’t have to actually be a Monday, but there are so many delicious vegetarian meals you can try that go beyond an impossible burger.
We’re not saying to become a full-fledged vegetarian (unless you want to!), but it’s a great time to expand your palate. If you’re unsure of where to start, we have a list of our favorite 24 Meatless Monday meals everyone will love!
3. Sell or donate dresses you no longer wear.
Women’s clothing increased by over 5% from 2021 to 2022. This year, women’s clothing will like increase by another 1.93%! Because of this, try to optimize your wardrobe using basic pieces as much as possible.
Sort through your closets to see which clothes (again, specifically dresses) you no longer wear. From there, you can sell them to generate some extra money or donate them to help out your local community.
Hip Tip – Check out how to sell your used clothing!
4. Make sure you’re turning off lights and unplugging when you’re not home.
Due to liquified natural gas being in short supply, economists are predicting electricity could spike anywhere between 5%-10%. As obvious as it sounds, I’ve left lights on for hours without even noticing only to pay the price later. Take it a step further and get into the habit of unplugging any additional electronics before leaving your home to avoid unnecessary electricity expenditures.
5. With the rise in the cost of eggs, it’s time for some alternative breakfast ideas.
I’m sure a bunch of us absolutely love eggs and eat them often. However, we’ve all seen how much egg prices have spiked throughout this year! In January, we’ve seen a dozen as high as $8+. 🤯 Luckily, the prices have slowly fallen, but they’re still much higher than in previous years.
Eggs are probably the easiest breakfast you could possibly prepare, but there are so many other yummy options that will satisfy your sweet and savory taste buds. We have so many non-egg breakfast recipes here at Hip2Save. With a little research, you can find tons of other ideas that offer high-protein breakfast recipes while skipping the eggs, stretching out your supply to last a little longer than normal.
Check out these 13 egg substitues!
6. With the rise of fresh produce, let’s grow our own!
Now, as someone who lives in an apartment, I know not everyone has the space for an entire garden. However, there are crops like green onion and romaine lettuce that you can literally grow in a glass of water! It’s one of the methods we tried when figuring out the best ways to save on produce.
Oftentimes, our fresh produce goes bad before we can even use it all, so growing our own minimizes the financial burden. You can also buy tons of frozen produce. Despite popular belief, you’d be surprised how much better some fruits and veggies are frozen compared to fresh ones, and the prices are sometimes half!
7. Make the most of leftovers by meal prepping.
![EZ Prepa [20 Pack] 32oz 3 Compartment Meal Prep](https://hip2save-com-develop.go-vip.co/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/EZ-Prepa-20-Pack-32oz-3-Compartment-Meal-Prep-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C538&strip=all)
According to Money Under 30, if you stick to meal prepping and utilize all your leftovers, you can save up to $9 per meal. With the cost of what feels like everything increasing, try your best to stretch your groceries as much as possible, and meal prepping is a great way to do that while also avoiding takeout.
8. Use public transportation, ride a bike, and walk as much as possible.
Although gas has decreased by 2% from last year, it is still something you can be saving on! Utilizing public transportation, bikes, and walking is super beneficial whenever you can skip driving.
This is going to be easier for those who live in a major city and have the resources, but if you can swing it, it’s definitely worth trying to use other transportation methods aside from your vehicle.
9. Brew your morning coffee at home!
Not only is this a general money-saving tip, but it’s also more crucial now than ever considering coffee is facing a 4.95% increase compared to 2022. You may have heard about Starbucks’ recent influx in pricing due to this same reason. I know we all love coffee shops, but it’s never been more frugal until now to make your own coffee and take it to go.
10. For cheaper groceries, try shopping at ALDI or use store brands.
Although ALDI prices are rising, too, a discounted grocery store may make the world of a difference in your budget. You can save big on so many things, and ALDI most likely has a few of your favorite items just at an unbeatable price!
If you’re sticking with your regular supermarket, be open-minded to less expensive name brands of the same items. Walmart’s Great Value and Target’s Good & Gather are just a few store brands that are affordable and of wonderful quality.
We love our favorites, but sometimes the store brands are just as good, if not better!
Hip Tip – Check out these store brands that are actually made by name brands.
Here are lots of ways to make some extra money!
Already doing most of those things and still I will see the impact $$$. Almond milk is higher than half a gallon of milk in my area so it’s not a cheaper alternative for me. I already brew my own coffee(Starbucks is a luxury for me, maybe 2 times a year) and even the kcups have gone up. I try to get the deals for those when you post them. Car and gas- it will hurt my family the most. We have 3 kids with different sports activities and they are all 1hr or more away from home. We seen already how much this is costing us and we are even using discounts from Kroger and Sam’s gas stations and still it’s insane how much we are paying for gas and knowing that it still will go higher than what it is right now makes me sick. We have also had a very brutal winter with temps way below zero and I know our heating bill will be a bad one specially this month. Already we are not buying as much meat as we did before, price of ground beef used to be $2/ lbs now its $6/lbs and I am NOT exaggerating. This has just devastated our family of 5. Not sure how we will do this, something will have to give and I honestly don’t know what else to cut because I look for deals and I can’t cut back on anything else, we have already done all the cuts! And I know how things are, once they go up they will never go back down. But Hip2Save thank you for all the deals you find for us. I don’t buy anything until I look here first and do my intense search for the best deal.
Maybe cut out some of your kids sports activities? Or swap rides with other parents?
Already done that also ☹️. My middle one had an active that required 5 times a week of driving 1:30hr away and we switched to a different activity that’s only 1hr away. And my youngest had soccer and we switched to tennis because it’s a little closer to home. I’m telling you we have done all the cuts we can, oh and I do carpool with the oldest one. The other two I don’t have any parents who I can do carpooling with. I wish we didn’t have any of these sports going around but my oldest one is relying on his sport for a college scholarship and my middle child is following the same track.
You’re SO very welcome, Jackie! Thanks a bunch for the kind words and for taking the time to share your current experience with us. SO glad you have been enjoying the deals and tips each day. We truly appreciate you.🤗💖
Honestly I have no idea what I would do without all your deals! You guys are the only place I turn to every morning for deals (and I say this almost crying because most of the things we have I wouldn’t be able to afford them if it wasn’t for you guys). Have the app and I check it every day multiple times. I even have my husband hooked and he has told his friends also, and he is a hard guy to convince. I only buy kcups when you guys post a great deal. Most of my small appliances, Personal care items, groceries, vitamins, coats, tools…you name it. I come here first and search for the deals and love that people rate the items and tell their personal experiences. THANK YOU! During hard times you guys have been there. Been your loyal follower since the beginning! One of my kids is 13 now and I remember following you when she was a baby. Got her car seat from one of your deals back then♥️
Aww, How sweet! You’re most welcome! Thanks for the super kind feedback and for being a longtime follower! We’re SO very glad to have been able to help your family save on the items you needed most. I’ll be sure to pass this on to the team. 💖🥰❤️
Do you have a friend or know of someone that may allow you to put a cow on their property? It is cheaper to buy calf raise it and then take it to the butcher and you will have more than enough meat for a year.
Good idea.
We are empty nesters but I would have tried this trick if our five were still at home-many are saying that using half cooked lentils in ground beef recipes is not noticeable at all. We like lentil sloppy joes and tacos. If you are a Sam’s Club member your club may have 1.99# whole pork loins. You can grind them into ground pork and sub it for beef.
Also, I raised a house full of mostly boys and I often made a big pan of biscuits as a side for meals just to fil up those hollow legs. I think I could make them half asleep form all the years of throwing them together and into the oven to round out meals.
Here is how to do them quick-3 cups self rising flour, 5 tablespoons of melted butter and 2 cups of buttermilk or less of regular milk. Stir together well and drop with a 3 tablespoon scoop on a sprayed baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with flour and pat them flat with your hand. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-14 minutes.
Thank U for sharing your recipe ♥️ We love biscuits and will make these for sure!
I am very frugal as well for our family of 6. We are definitely feeling it with the groceries. Thankfully we do have ground pork sausage and venison we processed.
have you thought about buying a side of beef? buying in bulk can really help!
Just a couple of suggestions based on your post. You can buy refillable coffee pods to make your own kcups using the cheaper cans of coffee. I mix ground pork (which runs from $2.00-3.00 per pound in my area) half and half with ground beef to stretch the ground beef. Using it in chili, tacos, etc., we can’t tell any difference & the ground pork is low in fat. So far, every time an item has begun to exceed the price I’m willing to pay for it, I am able to find an alternative, often one that we like better. I have found I actually enjoy the challenge. I do not envy you having to make ends meet during these difficult times with children at home. My husband and I are older and retired, and our children are grown, so I only have to please two people (and we’re both frugal). Good luck!
We use the frozen ground turkey 1 pound “chubs” from Aldi for tacos, chili, etc– I think they are also around $2 for a one pounder.
I remember years ago being a gleaner. It was a local group. We each had our once a week job and for that and a membership fee, shopped for free at our storage location. We had different grocery stores we would go to and they would let us take their expired food and we would bring it back to our storage location for shopping. Really helped my family when we didn’t have much money. Also, a tip my friend told me was to buy a gallon of whole milk and then split it in two and add water.
I hear you, thanks for speaking up and sharing. So many of us are super frustrated.. $$ is sucking right now. I haven’t been sleeping well and check my online banking account like ten times a day, ugh!
I just said to myself, I have to wait for pay day to get gas.. I haven’t done that since I was in my 20’s, ugh.
Hip2save is My favorite for saving money also 🙂
A couple of ideas: (1) Cook with soy milk powder — reconstitute in hot water and put it in a blender or use an immersion blender — it does just fine in soups and sauces (not great in coffee though). (2) Use TVP (textured vegetable protein) in soups and stews in place of ground meat — it’s fabulous in chili, and most people don’t even know it’s not meat because it absorbs the flavor of the soup broth. (3) Use a bit of meat for “flavor” if your family craves it, but always try to stretch it with veggies and beans — for example, for tacos, just 1/4 or 1/2 a pound of burger in a skillet full of onions, garlic, peppers, mushrooms, squash, and black beans, with taco seasoning feeds a lot of people. (4) Build meals around a variety of dried beans and whole grains (which haven’t gone up as much as other food)–for example, we make a pot of dried beans and a pot of whole grains every Sunday night for all the weekday lunches — some weeks its Cuban Black Beans and quinoa topped with salsa, New Orleans White Beans and faro with hot sauce, Texmex pinto beans and brown rice with green chile sauce, Indian Daal (lentils) and millet….with any of these you could do a wee bit of meat for “flavor” (like sausage in the white beans, or ham in the black beans), or not! I also recommend looking into the New American Diet (and the new Harvard Diet) which both treat meat as a small side (1/4 of the plate or less), and fill up the plate with whole grains, beans/pulses, and veggies. Lastly, check out Wildly Affordable Organic for very low-cost, healthy meal planning — her website (with many free recipes) is cookforgood.com. If you eat this way, you’ll have no problem maintaining weight, pooping regularly, keeping good insulin and cholesterol levels, and eating 5 veggies a day (or more).
Thanks for the list. For my family we try to go grocery shopping once a month at Winco. We drive about an hour for it but the prices make up the difference. We only go to local grocery store for fresh fruits/veggies and milk. Buying in bulk helps alot. And Winco has a great selection of bulk bins. Buying bulk meat and then freezing helps too. A great way to cut down costs for families is to make food from stratch. Instead of buying pancake mix or frozen waffles make them from scratch and freeze for easy breakfast.
You’re so welcome, Deanna! Thank YOU for letting us know how you’ve been able to save! 🥰🤗
Maybe try going vegetarian! Lots of meat-free alternatives and sources of protein at a fraction of the cost. Plus it’s better for your health AND your wallet!
Eating synthetic, man made “meat” full of preservatives is not better for your health. Unless you grow your own vegetables, they are sprayed and radiated to make them last longer on store shelves. Eating well raised local or homegrown meat,eggs, milk and vegetables is the most nutritious and beneficial for your health.
My sister has an easy way to make your milk last longer if you don’t go through it so fast. If you get milk in plastic bottles, clean the cap of any milk residue and after pouring wipe around the inside and outside of the lip with a piece of paper towel or paper napkin. We don’t have kids and only use milk for cereal once in a while or coffee. A half gallon can last 3 weeks without going bad. Usually when you smell the milk, it is the residue on top that is bad. We also buy the box milk at Dollar Tree and that lasts longer as well.
We pour our milk out of the plastic containers into glass and it keeps for way longer than in plastic.
I was raised on the box milk. It is great. My mom used to use 1/2 dry milk and real milk all the time when we were growing up in the military. During moves when we didn’t have utilities the first few days we had cremora as our milk for cereal.
Look for grocery outlet type stores in your area. We save a ton of money shopping at three in our area. One pretty much always has 2# ground pork for 2.50. I sub it for beef in many recipes. Last week we bought 2# bags of whole bean coffee for 4.99, Italian sausage for 1.25#, Magnum ice cream bars for 4 boxes for $5, Pepperidge Farm breads and buns for $1 each, Brown Cow yogurt for $1 a case, sour cream for 50 cents. Google discount grocery store and see what comes up for your area. These stores are often in out of the way places and old buildings but we always find them to be clean and well organized.
Love your tip about unplugging electronics. As a nation, we are used to wasting lots of energy. Idling is another place to reduce waste. How much gas are you burning while sitting in the car rider line? And what are your kids breathing in as they walk to the car, every single school day? Check your tire before the dash light comes on to get even better gas mileage. Share rides and cut back on the number of trips. Almond milk is usually more expensive because it’s not a local product. Also, it doesn’t have the same nutrition of milk and it’s full of fillers. Maybe 3 or 4 almonds go into a half gallon. Send an email to the companies and they won’t tell you how many almonds go into the formula for that reason. Meal plan so you don’t waste food. Buy more real food and less prepared food. An apple is a better deal than a bag of chips. A bowl of oatmeal costs pennies compared to a poptart. Teach your children how to prepare meals and you’ll be surprised at what they will eat. We do stir fry or burritos or pizzas with leftover meats and vegies.
I agree with meal prep. Since prices have gone up, I make it a point to cook stuff or freeze them as soon as I get home. Why? I have wasted a lot of food grocery shopping and getting lazy to cook them before they expire. I was a heavy couponer. I shop based on what cheap stuff i can get my hands on. I don’t do that anymore because I am not good in freezing food/meal planning before. I had an abundance of everything but end up tossing a lot. Now I buy what I truly like and feel like eating for the week, even if it is not on sale, cook it and eat it. I save more now because I have no more wasted food
These are some great ideas. Thank you for helping in all aspects.
You’re welcome, Dott! 💖
Thanks for the tips. In order to help pay for the increased cost of food, I have been ruthless when it comes to non perishables such as toothpaste, paper good,etc. I use this site to find good deals on these items and stock up. Have to save any way you can!!
You’re most welcome! ❤️🥰 Great idea to stock up on the non-perishable deals!
I wonder how much food waste will happen because of the prices. The 2 pint heavy whipping cream was $6.16 Saturday! It was $3 in December. Eggs have tripled. Cheese has gone up 20%. Electric bill 20%, gas 20%, car gas doubled, etc, etc… We all need to figure out what truly matters. We really have never had to sacrifice and now we will have to learn and teach our children. Remember, put God first so he will bless us. Without him we wouldn’t have anything.
The stores will mark things down when they get close to expiring! I have caught MANY great things on “clearance” this way. I love it! Always take a look at the markdown items throughout the stores. It’s a great way to save or try something new that you normally wouldn’t buy.
I agree! I always go to my local grocery store chain a few times a week and quickly scan all the cold areas for markdowns. It only takes a few mins but can really pay off. They usually markdown arounds 3 in the afternoon but every store is different. I even found 20lb Turkey’s for $5 each! I stock up on meat and put it in my deep freezer when I find a lot of things marked down.
Love this!!
Not sure where you get the heavy cream, but in northern IL the Sam’s club has the best price– $4.28 for 2 pint size. There have been a ton of good deals for membership out there lately.
Anyone interested in saving money should check out the book “The Complete Tightwad Gazette” by Amy Dacyczyn from the library. Or on Amazon you can “Look inside” to read sample pages. Not all of her ideas may still hold true (1990’s or unconventional) but Frugality is a lifestyle and not a fad. I realized this a bit late in life. I still cringe over the money I wasted on boxed cereal when oatmeal would have been a healthier & inexpensive choice. Amy D had 6 kids and bought 50 lb oatmeal bags from a co-op. I was an original subscriber to her newsletters through snail mail. I still return to her book when first world problems strike me.
Having a Cash back credit card also helps if one pays it off every month. No annual fee Chase Freedom / Flex and Discover IT cards are giving 5% Cash back on Grocery up to $1,500 this quarter. Pentagon Federal Credit Union’s credit card gives 5% Cash back on Gas. Every little bit helps. Thanks to all for all the helpful comments. Love the Hip2Save community.
I love “The Tightwad Gazette.” It really changed the way I look at everything I do. For example, we have been using cloth napkins and very few paper towels since I read that book. Just about every frugal alternative you practice also drastically reduces waste. You will see the difference in how full (or not) your garbage can is.
Love seeing the references to Amy D! Got her books from the library in the 90’s and it gave me a frugal mindset for life. For example, I still use the smallest amount of toothpaste and shampoo. And I cut open the toothpaste tubes for a few more uses and rinse the shampoo bottles out for a final use too. Buy almost nothing that is not on sale for a good price (keep a price book). Been following Hip2Save for at least 10 years!
I’m another one that grew into adulthood with the Tightwad Gazette. I used to photocopy the newsletters at the local library. Somewhere I still have them in a binder. Another good one was the original Hillbilly Housewife newsletter — it’s been sold and is no longer the same lady, but the original was great. I also love the book Wildly Affordable Organic, which does meal planning based on the cost of food using food stamp benefits when she published the book, in order to show how to eat REALLY well with from-scratch meals on very little money per day. She also started a website called Cookforgood.com but the book is worth owning.
I honestly have not seen a huge impact to our bottom line. BUT I shop the sales. If it’s not a good deal, I buy something else this week and maybe next week too. I hardly cook with meat and honestly my kids prefer things without meat. I make a killer vegetarian pumpkin chili, chick pea chickenless salad, eggs I have been able to catch on sale and buy two 18 packs when I do. If a roast is on sale, learn how to stretch it and feed the family all week for $8.00. I don’t buy much processed or junk foods anymore. I make a big pasta salad with veggies and that is my daughters lunch for the week. Buy the fruits that are on sale. EVERY store has a few things that are priced as a teaser to get you in the store. Look for those items and grab them, and do the rest of your shopping elsewhere. We throw so much food away in this country. Buy only what you are going to actually make this week. Shop at Aldi and learn to shop those ads! Micro greens are so easy to grow, clip and add to dishes, soups, stews, in place of lettuce or in sandwiches. My favorite are Radish, sunflower, broccoli and wheatgrass. Watch Living On A Dime To Grow Rich on Youtube! She is really great at explaining how you can save money in different areas. It’s good. I don’t agree with all she has to say, but we all can learn from her if willing to listen.
I find myself buying less junk food now that prices have gone up. My money mostly goes to meal ingredients & fruits, which is probably better because I am eating less junk food.
I know it is very challenging right now . I am sick and unable to work and times are truly hard . Please reach out to some of your local food banks and don’t be embarrassed or ashamed. There are a lot of resources out here that I have learned from the last couple years . I am thankful for the many blessings I have received and we have cut back everything using less eggs less everything learning to make my own things from scratch like biscuits and cake mixes snacks ect . Appreciate this site for all the deals also
Thanks so much for taking a moment to share about your helpful tips and tricks. So glad you’ve found the deals and tips on Hip helpful! Great idea to reach out to local resources as well. Hoping you get well soon! ❤️
I’m big on looking for discount items at grocery stores. My local Dollar Tree even has discount items when they are close to expiration. I got boxes of pancakes and waffles for $0.25 yesterday and brought them home and repackaged them to put in the freezer to save space. My kids will eat 2-3 small pancakes in a morning with some fruit and yogurt. I have also gotten english muffins at the dollar store and have done the same. Big Lots also has some incredible deals in their clearance section sometimessss. I find big family boxes of cereal for $0.87 or I have gotten big bags of granola for $0.37 which my kids love on yogurt. I am not afraid of shopping around, if I’m nearby a store I swing in to check out the deals. There is a bargain grocery store that I loveee to go to but its kind of a drive from my house. They have a lot of deals on produce but it has to be eaten quickly. Like Walmart brand individual salad bowls for $0.50 each or they even have ice cream for $0.99 (1/2 gallons/ pints/and boxes of individual ice creams).
Ooooo Ollies is also a great place for kids snacks or things to put in their lunches. They have 6-9 packs pouches of snacks for $1.79- stuff like oreos, chips ahoy cookies, ritz cracker pouches, rice Krispies, granola bars, mini pop tart bites. My kids like a variety of snacks and lunch items so being about to spend a small amount and get a variety of items is huge for me. The kids in my neighborhood also like lots of choices too when they sneak in for a snack, they all find something they like. I have seen boxes of rice krispie treats at Ollies for $2 and then turn around and see the same thing at other stores for $5 or more. It really pays to know your prices.
So happy to hear about your bargain hunting experiences, Sarah! It really is helpful to shop around, if you’re in the area of a few stores, to check out what deals they might have! My local grocery stores offer these same types of discounts a few days ahead of expiration, so I always check those first if I’m making a meal that day or the next. ❤️
For meat, you can buy the cheaper cuts or what’s on sale and grind them down for burger.