The cheapest grocery stores of 2023 If you feel like your trips to the grocery store have been burning a bigger hole in your wallet lately, you’re not imagining things. Even shopping at cheap grocery stores is increasingly expensive. According to the latest Consumer Price Index figures, prices at grocery stores have been up 2.4% over the past year. And on top of inflation, there’s shrinkflationwhen product sizes shrink, but their prices don’ta sneaky grocery store secret they’re hoping you don’t notice. In short, it’s more important than ever to find the best deals. But saving money on grocer ..read more

If you’ve felt sticker shock when grocery shopping this year, you’re not alone. According to the Consumer Price Index, food prices are up 3.7% compared with one year ago. When you add that to the 9.9% increase we saw in 2022, it’s no wonder people are desperate for grocery saving tricks. With the holidays approaching, you may be wondering just how much you need to budget for this year’s Thanksgiving feastand depending on what you cook, it might be a pretty penny. The good news? “People won’t feel the same sticker shock as a year ago, but the cumulative impact is still tough to deal with for ma ..read more

Are you already eligible for these senior discounts? When you see ads for senior discounts or freebies, you might think you need to be 65 or older to qualify for them. But, in many instances, 55 is the new 65! “Senior discounts can start at age 55or even age 50for some businesses,” says money-saving expert Andrea Woroch. “These discounts can be as much as 50% off a membership, or simply 10% off a purchase.” Just be aware that in some cases, businesses may require you to sign up for a free loyalty account to access their discounts. In others, you may need to be a member of AARPan advocac ..read more

To say that my life changed when I moved to Italy 14 years ago is putting it mildly. I created a completely new life here that was dramatically different from my life in America, and I had to learn a lot along the way. Besides learning a new language and learning to understand the nuances of life in my small village, I was living with my husband for the first time. Two years later, our daughter arrived. Sharing household expenses and building a life together meant we were always watching our budget. And while things like clipping coupons or asking stores to price-match items may be smart ways ..read more

Retirement is booming. That’s according to the Pew Research Center’s labor force data, where more than 50% of U.S. adults over the age of 55 said they were out of the labor force due to retirement. The combination of a growing population of adults above the age of 65 (the U.S. Census Bureau data shows the 65-plus crowd grew 34.2% between 2010 and 2020, surpassing every other age group), the FIRE movement and resignation trends, such asquiet quitting and burnout, could be leading to people retiring younger. So the question becomes: Where is the best place to retire? For those heading south, Sou ..read more

Even for the avid bargain shopper, stepping into a thrift store can feel pretty overwhelming. Where do you begin? What are you even looking for? With racks and racks of clothes, housewares, shoes, toys and more, its easy to lose track of what brought you through those doors to begin withand its hard to tell the difference between the junk and the good stuff. But there are always a few diamonds in the rough. If you know thevaluable things to look for at Goodwill, its easy to score a vintage-chic coffee table, a glamorous picture frame or a summer page-turner just waiting to be taken to the bea ..read more

Off-brand items you’ll love just as much With the rising cost of living, high grocery-store markups and inflation, shoppers are searching for new ways to save money. Yes, you could learn how to coupon or start a budget grocery list—and you should do both of those things. But if you’re always buying name-brand products instead of giving off-brand items a try, you’re throwing away money, according to money experts. Not only are off-brand items cheaper than their name-brand counterparts, but they’re often just as good. Aside from random “generic” items, Target has its own brand ..read more

Score these freebies on your birthday Birthdays are a time for celebration. In addition to receiving heartfelt happy birthday messages and birthday gifts from your nearest and dearest, there’s another way to make your special day even better: by scoring freebies on your birthday. Yes, you read that right—there are tons of companies willing to celebrate your birthday with an extra-special treat. And since we would never arrive to the party empty-handed, we’ve compiled a list of all the things you can score for free on your big day. If you’ve been trying to figure out how to save money this y ..read more

Retirement tips you can’t afford to miss No one wants to work until they die—and they shouldn’t have to. As a certified financial planner, a huge part of my job is helping people plan for their futures by giving them actionable retirement tips. About 80% of financial planning involves maximizing your earnings, boosting your savings and budgeting now so you can have the life you want later. And having a fulfilling, healthy retirement is something well within your reach … as long as you avoid a few common mistakes. Whether you want to retire early, get out of debt or start saving money more ..read more

Our top picks Tweezerman mini slant tweezer Tweezerman’s mini slant tweezers are some of the most recognizable tools in any medicine cabinet. This travel accessory is an essential grooming tool and first aid must-have, and it’s affordable at under $20. Plus, Tweezerman is a trusted brand known for high-quality products. Why not scoop up a pair of tweezers from a brand that offers lifetime warranty products? Shop Now on Amazon The post 23 Products You Only Need to Buy Once in Your Life appeared first on Reader's Digest ..read more