Newark Retiree Cuts Grocery Bill to $150 a Week by Skipping Meat
Updated
Updated · Business Insider · Jul 5
Newark Retiree Cuts Grocery Bill to $150 a Week by Skipping Meat
1 articles · Updated · Business Insider · Jul 5
Summary
$150 a week covers groceries for 75-year-old Newark retiree John Goldstein and his partner, who say fixed incomes have forced tighter food budgeting as housing and healthcare costs rise.
Skipping meat has become a central savings tactic, alongside fewer restaurant meals, coupon tracking at ShopRite, and shifting from fresh fish to frozen or canned options.
Goldstein said staples such as dried beans cut protein costs sharply — about $0.25 versus roughly $1 for canned beans — while produce, dairy and pantry items each take about a third of the budget.
A recent $250 family grocery run was reduced by nearly $100 through coupons, underscoring how retirees are adapting consumption rather than relying on Social Security increases that he says are eaten up by Medicare premiums.