Canadians are concerned about the current issues affecting the economy and the cost of living according to a survey conducted by Narrative Research and the Logit Group.
Of the more than 1,200 Canadians surveyed, “92 per cent of people told us that they were concerned about it,” said Margaret Chapman, COO of Narrative Research.
Survey respondents were concerned over the spike in costs for gas, groceries and housing and it is changing their spending habits, said Chapman.
Results are from a survey conducted online between Sept. 6 and Sept. 9 with 1,230 Canadians who were 18 years of age or older.
“About half of the people told us that they are going without or buying less,” she said.
She said that three-quarters of Canadians are also worried about supply chain issues; “1/4 of people told us that they are actually buying second hand or trading with others,” said Chapman.
Ruth Ann Swansburg is known as the Moncton Coupon Lady. She said that shoppers can save on their grocery expenses by downloading flyer apps directly into their phone so they can better track potential savings.
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“If you want to find the best price on eggs you type in eggs and it shows which flyers are highlighting eggs that week, so it makes your shopping quicker and easier,” she said.
Cash back apps, she said, will also allow you to build up cash credits on the items that end up in your cart.
“I cash mine out in November every year so that I have some cash come in December to put toward Christmas spending,” she said.
Planning out meals for the week before going shopping will also keep people from over- or impulse-spending, she said.
Janet Steeves, a resident of Calgary, has taken her savings strategies to the next level, having made some big lifestyle changes in the last five years.
She and her partner sold their house and purchased a 450-square-foot condo, which they in turn rent out periodically.
“One of our biggest sources of income this summer is that we rented our condo out,” she said, explaining that she and her partner lived in their RV while trying to capitalize on free camping opportunities.
“We just parked in front of churches or schools of baseball fields,” she said.
She said she also rented out her car for the summer and she and her partner eat more often at home rather than dining out. She said she also hits up the local college to save on self-care services such as massages and hair care.
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