El Paso residents are spending a larger share of their income on groceries than residents of any other Texas city in a new nationwide study.
The Sun City ranked No. 17 nationally in WalletHub's latest study,"Cities Where People Spend the Most and Least on Groceries,"with residents spending an average of 2.59% of their income on groceries.
While El Paso landed among the top 20 cities nationwide for grocery spending relative to income, it claimed the No. 1 spot among Texas cities included in the rankings.
Lubbock followed closely behind, ranking No. 21 nationally and second in Texas, with residents spending 2.53% of their income on groceries. Houston rounded out the top three Texas cities, landing at No. 26 nationwide, with residents spending 2.40%
of their income on groceries.
Nationally, Detroit ranked first, with 4.03% of the median monthly household income spent on groceries.
To determine which cities spend the most and least on groceries, WalletHub analyzed the prices of 26 components, ranging from meat, dairy, vegetables, and fruits to frozen foods and cleaning products, across some of the 100 largest cities.
Tips to save money on groceries
Here are some tips to help save, courtesy of WalletHub.
- Budget carefully: Creating a budget lets you know exactly how much you can afford to spend, helping you avoid impulse purchases while shopping. Always stick to your budget and try to make a shopping list before going to the store.
- Use the right credit card: The best credit cards for groceries can save you 1.5% to 6% on supermarket purchases. That can definitely help take the sting out of inflated prices.
- Take advantage of discounts: Grocery stores typically run sales regularly. They also often provide coupons online, through an app, or by mail. You should also join stores’ free loyalty programs to take advantage of exclusive member discounts.
- Buy store-brand items: Store-brand items often taste very similar to name-brand groceries but cost a lot less. If you’re not picky about what brands you buy, you can save a ton each time you shop.
- Look for clearance items: Your local grocery store may put items that are close to their expiration date on clearance, selling them for far less than the normal retail price. You’ll just need to eat these items quickly so they don’t spoil.
- Buy in bulk: Consider shopping at warehouse stores, which sell groceries in bulk at steep discounts compared to buying the same number of items individually. These stores are most worthwhile for people with large families who buy a lot of groceries.
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Study: El Paso spends more income on groceries than any Texas city
