Florida mother turns to digital coupons as grocery bills climb

As grocery prices keep rising, Florida mother Kiana Powell says digital couponing has become a daily strategy to stretch her family’s budget.

A Florida mother of five says rising grocery costs have turned digital couponing from a money-saving habit into a daily part of managing her family’s budget.

Kiana Powell told CBS News that her grocery bill has jumped by about $50 since last month, even as she buys the same items. The pressure comes as inflation rose in April to its highest level since 2023, adding strain for households already trying to keep up with the cost of necessities.

“We probably went over about $150, to $200 in a month with the same items,” Powell said. “So imagine now what my bill is going to look like starting in June when school is out.”

The increases Powell described reflect a broader squeeze at the checkout line. Across the country, tomatoes cost nearly 40% more than a year earlier, ground beef is up more than 14%, and fish and seafood are up about 6%, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures cited by CBS News.

Powell said she now searches online for deals, compares prices among stores and buys certain items where they are discounted. She has joined social media groups and rewards programs to plan her shopping more carefully.

“Social media has been a great thing. That digital couponing world has really taken over the paper couponing. We all want to save money,” she said.

For Powell, the effort extends beyond groceries. She told CBS News that gas and everyday household items are also taking a bigger share of her budget. Asked to sum up the current economy in one word, she called it “unfortunate.”

A recent CBS News poll found that about three-quarters of Americans believe incomes are not keeping pace with inflation and described the economy as uncertain. Powell put the tension in household terms: “You can have a really great salary in your head and then once you break everything down, the wages and the economy, they’re not matching.”

For now, Powell said she keeps watching for discounts on products her family uses regularly. “I cannot let a deal go to waste if it’s something that I am using daily,” she said.