About Those Unaffordable Groceries
Remember the summer of 2023, when everyone panicked about the price of groceries? That was when you started charging your last grocery haul of the month on buy now pay later (BNPL); you could no longer afford to charge it on your credit card, because your credit card was maxed out. Here we are approaching another summer, and things have only gotten worse. It now seems laughably naïve that, two years ago, you thought you could get through the summer by buying fresh vegetables and pickling them. Now even the fresh vegetables are prohibitively expensive. Unfortunately, it looks like many items in the grocery store will be even more expensive this summer than they were before, thanks to price increases on several ubiquitous food ingredients. For help finding a way to make it through the summer without becoming food insecure, contact a Miami debt lawyer.
Is It Time to Start Growing Vegetables From Seed?
You tried charging your grocery purchases on your credit card, but now you don’t have enough available credit left for a grocery shopping trip after you make the minimum credit card payment each month. You tried paying for your groceries with BNPL, but even those installment payments are starting to add up. What is next? Perhaps you should count your blessings because you live in Florida, where it is possible to grow produce year-round.
You might be able to stave off hunger by getting on the good side of your neighbor who has a mango tree in her backyard. She might share her mangoes with you, and you can preserve them by canning them or freezing them. This summer might be a good time to grow vegetables in pots in your backyard; seeds are dirt cheap. It takes practice, but with time, you will get some salad ingredients from your backyard garden to your table. Don’t be discouraged, though, if weeks go by, and your garden only yields radishes; those are the easiest vegetables to grow from seed. If your backyard is big enough to accommodate a chicken coop, you might even buy some hens, so you can have a constant supply of eggs. When school starts in the fall, your kids can tell their classmates all about collecting eggs from their chickens.
You Probably Cannot Avoid Buying Groceries
While growing your own vegetables, or even keeping chickens, can be a fun summer project, attempting to be completely self-sufficient with food in urban or suburban South Florida is not practical. You will need to buy some groceries, and there are few truly affordable options. The best way to make room in your budget for groceries is by shrinking other bills. It may be time to consolidate your debts, file for bankruptcy, or negotiate directly with creditors to settle your debts for less than the face value amount.
Work With a Debt Lawyer About Tackling Debt to Avoid Food Insecurity
A South Florida debt lawyer can help you if your debts are so bad that the ability to afford food is a serious concern. Contact Nowack & Olson, PLLC in Miami, Florida to discuss your case.
Source:
npr.org/2025/04/04/nx-s1-5351324/tariffs-higher-grocery-prices-trump
