Big savings on grocery shopping and gas through AARP’s 2023 “99 Great Ways to Save”

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - In the event you are not the one in 300 million to win the Powerball jackpot then you are probably not any richer than the rest of us lottery hopefuls but saving a few dollars this year could be the next best thing to winning. AARP just released 99 great ways to save, which could make you richer over time than believing in the magic of the lottery. We talked with Neil Wertheimer of AARP Magazine about saving up this year to keep more of your own money.

Millions of us never strike it rich playing the lottery but the lure of lady luck showing up is still tempting despite the losing stat. You might not get rich playing the lottery but according to AARP’s latest report, “99 Great Ways To Save” your time is much better spent on watching your own dollars then falling for the hype of the next big drawing. Neil Wertheimer, Deputy Editor of AARP Magazine says, “there’s a vibrant world of discounting and shopping that’s always there so at the same time everyday frugality really does matter.” And the frugality starts at home. Wertheimer says, “make a mixture of 50 percent water and 50 percent vinegar. It’s the best window cleaner there is. Why pay $6 for a store bought fancy brand window cleaner when you can make it for 25 cents at home matching up everyday frugality at home with the latest tools n tricks is the best way overtime to save hundreds even thousands of dollars in a year.”

As for groceries, Wertheimer says Americans throw out up to 30% of the food they buy. He recommends separating wants and needs when it come to groceries but some of us are wiser than others. Marion Grant, a Rapid City senior saver says, “It’s a difference between need and want, you learn how to pinch pennies from one sale to the next.” Wertheimer adds, “Create 2 shopping lists not 1. Shopping list for the ingredients you need for the meals for the upcoming week and your send shopping list is a rolling list of pantry items, the idea is to when you get to the store you are looking for great discounts.”

And for those trying to get even more bang for their buck when it comes to gas, Wertheimer says, join a warehouse club and de-junk those trunks to get more fuel mileage, “get an everyday credit card that has cash back, you can get 3% back on all your gas purchases, pay cash and save a nickel difference and every 100lbs of weight adds 2% or more to your fuel efficiency.” Wertheimer says slow down how fast you go matters and says book travel on Sundays. He isn’t the only one with money saving tips, some seniors at the Minneluzahan Senior Center have a real knack for saving. They let me in on a few tricks of their own.

Carol Weiss, a senior saver at the Minneluzahan Senior Center says, “sometimes there’s meat that cant be sold the next day so I watch that.” Fred Milliken, a senior saver at the center says, he saves money, “when I get my social security, I pay my bills or put $100 away in a savings each month in case I need it.” And Joyce Williamson, a senior saver says she always gives to God first, “I give 10% to tithes cause God says to tithe and he takes good care of me.” And Georgianna Little Bull, a senior saver says whatever she has left she puts it to good use, “I pay all my bills and the rest I play bingo.”

As for one senior, Vivian Ellis came with her own list of savings, “not to get too much fruits cause it goes bad too fast and the other thing to save money to not race around when I’m driving.”

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