Food becoming expensive

The Globe and Mail confirms today what we all know already. Food prices are rising and will continue to do so.

Of course when it rains ... it pours. So when the economy is not so good, and unemployment is high and wages are stagnant, of course the cost of living has to increase. It only makes sense.

So what are your options when it comes to your money. How do you lessen the blow? Get smarter. And by that I don't mean that everyone should line up for a brain transplant. I mean, get smarter about what you buy and how you buy and how you spend. Here are a few things you could do...

1. Watch the flyers - Stores continue to offer "deals" on certain items week after week. Make use of those offers. Buy extra butter when its on sale for $2.99 a pound so that you can avoid having to buy it when its back to regular prices at $4.99 a pound.

2. Do not waste what you buy - Very often when we visit the grocery stores we'll pick up 3 or 4 kinds of veggies or fruit because it caught our eye. Of course there is only so much we can eat. And with produce, it does tend to go bad a lot quicker than say butter (kept in the fridge of course). So only buy stuff that you need and will be able to consume before it goes bad. That apple or those bananas or that cauliflower that went bad because you never had a chance to eat, is money down the drain. And it costs you over and over again ... you paid for it in the store. Maybe you cooked it and then it went bad so you paid to cook it and to store it and then you also pay the city to haul it away and dispose of it either in the land-fill or their composting facility.

3. Buy in-season food items - if you like to buy strawberries in January, they're obviously not going to be as fresh or from a local farm because there's snow all around you. So you will likely have to pay $3.99 for a pound instead of the summer time when stores practically want to give it away. By trying to buy seasonal produce, you not only save money but also allow yourself to experience some much needed variety in your meals.

4. Try to mix and match stuff - If potatoes are 'cheap' (relatively) this week, try to add them to other items and prepare a different wholesome meal. Maybe you've only had broccoli steamed or raw on it own. Try throwing it into a pot with some potatoes and some zucchini perhaps and get a new dish that you may enjoy. Combining items like this lowers the average cost of your meal.

If you can think of other tips, please add to the list ...