The Savvy Gluten-Free Shopper
If there is anything I have learned since I became gluten-free, it is that this gluten-free diet is taking more out of my wallet than my old diet did. As if it isn’t already enough to deal with the fact that we have to give up our some of our favorite foods, now we have to pay more for the food we eat. Where’s the fairness, please?
One needs to be creative, inventive, and resourceful on a gluten-free diet. It takes a little more work, but there are actually ways to save money on gluten-free groceries. Here are just a few ways that you can cut down on expenses.
Coupons
I take my coupons far more seriously since being diagnosed with gluten intolerance. There are a few mailings I receive at my home that I never used to look at, but now I read coupons like I read my food labels! I was pleasantly surprised to find savings for local natural food markets in these mailings. Take a closer look at your mail over the next month. You might come across some good deals either for specific products or general discounts at stores in your area.
Have you ever tried doing a coupon swap with friends and neighbors? I receive coupon books from my food coop, but I cannot use all of the savings since the coupons are for foods I can’t eat. I save up these coupons and share them with friends who do a gluten-free swap with me. Give it a try! Coupon swapping is also a great excuse to have a gathering with friends in your home.
There are also a number of websites that offer coupons online. One of these sites is devoted to resources and discounts for people with food intolerances. BeFreeForMe, a website that was launched in October 2008, gives you direct links to coupons, food samples, allergen free recipes, and a monthly newsletter with product reviews. All you have to do is register at their website and you will be plugged into the first and only website that caters to people with food allergies.
I would also like to put a plug in for a recent blog post at the Everyday Environmentalist blog. My colleague from work runs this blog with his wife, and they have compiled a great list of websites were you can find coupons online. Check out their posting Save Money on Groceries while Saving the Planet.
Your Local Food Coop
I belong to a local food coop and they send out a monthly email with member savings. Joining a food coop has some great advantages. Not only do you get to take advantage of discounts, you also can support and sustain local businesses and farming. All food coops are a little different with the kinds of memberships they offer, but it is worth it to find out if there is a coop in your area. When I was at the Gluten-Free Culinary Summit in 2008, I sat next to a woman from Brooklyn. We got to talking about the high costs of gluten-free flours, and she told me that she received a 50% discount for being a member of her local coop in Park Slope. Surely you must wonder if there is a catch. Well, she explained that all members of her coop are required to work at the store for three hours on a monthly basis. Three hours is not a lot of time. I do volunteer work three hours or more per month. To find out if you have a coop in your area, check out the Coop Directory for an extensive directory listing.
Tax Deduction for Gluten-Free Foods as a Medical Expense
You may deduct the cost of gluten-free products that are in excess of the cost of the gluten containing product that you are replacing. Special items are completely tax deductible. An example would be xantham gum, a product used in gluten free baking recipes. Xanthum gum is completely different than any ingredient used in an ordinary recipe. And as we all know, xanthum gum ain’t cheap!
If you make a special trip to a specialty store to purchase gluten free foods, the actual cost of the trip to and from the store is deductible. If you are using your vehicle for the trip, you may deduct a certain amount per mile each way you travel. To find out the most up to date rates for mileage deductions, visit The Celiac Disease Foundation. Their resource page on tax deductions outlines very clearly the process you need to follow if you plan to claim deductions as a medical expensive. They even provide a spreadsheet template to get you started with recording your expenses.
Other Ideas?
Do you have another idea for how to cut down on gluten-free expenses? Tell us about your savvy solution for saving money on a gluten-free diet.
Resources
The Celiac Disease Foundation, Tax Deduction for Gluten-Free Foods as a Medical Expense.
March 5th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
[...] Are you Gluten-Free? We know that healthy foods for those with dietary limitations can be quite costly. Our friend Jennifer over at Gluten-Free Inspired recently posted some great tips for being a Savvy Gluten-Free Shopper. [...]