Ottawa residents hunt for savings as Canadians take on debt to afford groceries

The rising cost of groceries has many Canadians skipping healthy options and using credit cards to pay for food. CTV’s Kimberley Fowler reports.

The rising cost of groceries has many in Ottawa rethinking what makes it into their fridges and pantries.

A new survey suggests many Canadian households are cutting back, or going into debt, just to afford the most basic meals. Many are also eating less healthy food and increasingly buying groceries on credit just to keep up.

“We’re going to make some lasagna this weekend. One to eat and one for the freezer,” says Ottawa resident Gayle Barrett, at the end of her shopping run for the day.

Barrett visited a local Walmart after an earlier stop at Costco, getting food for her family at both locations.

“Proper nutrition is important, but we’re cutting back in other areas to make sure that we can afford the groceries,” Barrett says. “I go to the spots that I know have generally have good prices and buy what I can buy.”

With rising grocery prices, some Canadians are consciously making hard choices to save money. A new survey from debt-relief firm Spergel found:

• 60.6 per cent skipped meals or reduced portions in the past six months.
• 53.2 per cent used credit/BNPL/LOC/payday loans for groceries in the past six months.
• 40.5 per cent delayed paying a bill so they could buy groceries.

“If it’s not on sale, we’re not buying it,” Susan Jordan says.

The retiree says she and her husband shop around at different stores to find the best deals on groceries.

“We go through the Flipp App on Wednesday when the ads come out and we look at all the things to see who’s got what on sale, and then we go to three different stores. Never thought we’d be that person, but we’re retired,” Jordan says.

Nadia Bonneville says she’s noticed the difference in grocery prices this past year.

“FreshCo or Walmart are the places to go, I find,” Bonneville said. “If you go to Farm Boy or anywhere else, it’s just insane.”

“The price of a container of strawberries is like $14 now compared to what it used to be. Even buying baby food, baby formula it’s tripled the price, over the past few years,” says Hailey Charron, who is a new mother.

Financial experts say the affordability crisis is leading to more Canadians going into debt and relying on credit to make every purchases.

“Not only can people not afford the cost of living, they can’t afford to pay the credit cards, because credit card interest rates are so high,” Tracey Toman, a licenced insolvency trustee and senior vice president at Doyle Salewski, says.

“It’s sad to see that their food budget is limited, and we know they’re not living on that. So, they’re coming here to at least get rid of their credit cards so that they can try to put some extra money towards feeding their family.”

If you’re struggling financially, debt managers can help with your budget and determine the best financial options for you and your family.

“I know it’s a lot of work, but it’s doable,” Toman says.

“I always suggest they reach out to their community — their churches, the community resources, the food bank, if they can also buy in bulk. Watch

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