Anyone notice how expensive it is becoming to go grocery shopping

[pooja]

I haven't gotten a raise... and I'm sure I won't... which is why I am desperately trying to find a job that pays more... before I have to take a second job on top of working a 56hr week already.

How does this country expect us to keep up with the inflation. and the raising interest rates... I am about to go broke.. and thanks to congress... its harder to become bankrupt.

[leftofthedial]

1. food prices are the one thing that historically is sure

to incite popular rebellion

people will adapt to most things, but not to the unavailability of their customary diet.

[babylonsister]

2. Yes, I've noticed. The price of gas is raising the price of groceries.

They've made quite a mess of it.

[Sal Minella]

3. I picked up about $40 worth of groceries the other day and was astonished

at having to write a 60-dollar check. Fixed income here, too. You just about have to conclude nobody gives a hoot in the rain, don't you.

[democracyindanger]

4. Fuel costs

The cost of getting a loaf of bread, carton of milk, etc. goes up as the cost for fuel rises for the trucks that haul it to the supermarket goes up. Fuel costs are passed directly on to the consumer.

It's one of those creeping costs that most people don't recognize. A few cents here, a few cents there and your monthly food bill is a whole bunch more.

[sam sarrha]

32. yea but it doesn't account for all the inflation..

[napi21]

5. Most of the increased prices are due to the high gas prices!

My husband works as a meat cutter in a large grocery chain here in Ga. and all their prices have increased substantially because EVERYTHING is shipped. I've gone back to making everything from scratch, and it does save some $$, but not enough to compensate for the increase in the prices. Just driving to work has almost doubled!!!!

[HockeyMom]

22. My daughter works loss prevention at supermarket chain

She has to travel from store to store undercover. Because of this, she get a gas mileage allowance. You can be sure her (and others) expenses are also being passed on to the consumers.

You can also add in the higher costs for store utililties (lighting, heat, a/c). I have an $80 a month fuel surchage on my home electricity. Image a supermarket chain? Where I work they have cut back on heating last winter and a/c this summer.

[napi21]

33. The other thing your daughter can tell you is that the losses due to

theft in supermarkets has gone up dramatically since the price of everything has gone up! I know my hubby told me they had almost NO theft in their store, but in the past year they catch at least 2 or 3 people each week, stealing steaks and other expensive things. My guess is that if they catch 2 or 3 there are at least 10 they didn't catch! That kind of thing adds a lot to the cost of operating that store!!!

[HockeyMom]

86. Ah, the stories of her "busts"

She told me one time she had to bust a little old lady for stealing $10 worth of Depends. Yes, there are those very sad stories.

[GCP]

88. Jeez - I would have bought the old duck the Depends

If it had been me.

[susanna]

71. I'm with you on that...

Last week at the grocery, 4 skinless chicken breasts were going for $8+. That's pretty tough. I am lucky and can get what we need, but it still makes me think twice. Produce has also gone up big time, especially the stuff trucked in from warmer regions (I'm in Michigan).

I am growing a huge garden this year and am going to can any extra harvest. The seeds cost $2 a pack, tops (and that's organic and heirloom), so I figure I can only come out somewhat ahead this winter with home-style tomato sauce, green beans and pickles. (Or here's hoping, anyway.)

[eleny]

6. Yes

I have to be diligent to keep it at a certain level. It's so easy to hop over $100. at a pop. I pay better attention to the sales flyer than in the past.

[AmandaRuth]

7. one thing to keep saying over and over to the freepers

is that the reported inflation does not include food or energy costs. effing liars.

[SammyWinstonJack]

64. But rush and sean tell the freepers it's all Klintoon's fault and that

makes it all better for them! :crazy:

[lovuian]

8. Its absoulutely Incredibly High!!!

Its gas prices... its got to be made up by passing it to the consumer
AWFUL!!!

[Lindsay]

9. I said the same thing to my sister today

when we were in the grocery store. People are not going to be able to buy food much longer.

I rarely buy anything unless it's on sale any more. Thank goodness my grocery store puts things I actually use on sale, and not just packaged crap full of starch and high fructose corn syrup.

[hang a left]

81. I noticed that the sales are very sucky this week too.

I buy almost everything on sale anymore. I get the flyers and plan my shopping based on what is on sale where. This week there are no deals, especially on meat, except one of the markets has 59 cents a pd for a whole fryer. Weird.

[rzemanfl]

10. There is a group that studies garbage from an archaelogical

perspective. They found that when the price of food goes up, people buy cheaper cuts of meat and foods they don't like in order to save money and just end up throwing out a lot more food. I think the book they put out years ago was called Rubbish!. I will try to find it on the net.

On Edit, More info:

One of the central tenets of the University of Arizona's Garbage Project is that "what people have owned--and thrown away--can speak more eloquently, informatively, and truthfully about the lives they lead than they themselves ever may." Project garbologists have alchemized more than 250,000 pounds of refuse--from landfills and from trash cans in selected neighborhoods--into a treasure trove for experts in marketing and consumer research, census studies and environmentalism. Garbologists have determined that people waste three times more beef when the meat is in short supply than when it is plentiful; that many women use birth-control pills incorrectly; and that lower-income families consistently buy small-size, brand-name products rather than cheaper generic ones. Erudite and witty cultural tour guides, Rathje, an archeologist and anthropologist who directs the Project, and Atlantic managing editor Murphy claim that our garbage problems are solvable; that, with proper safeguards, incineration may be a viable option in some communities; and that paper--not disposable diapers or fast-food packaging--is a chief culprit in overloading landfills. Illustrated. First serial to Smithsonian; BOMC and QPB alternates; author tour.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Out of print, but used copies are available cheap at Amazon if your library doesn't have it. Reviewers there gave it 5 stars.

[pooja]

12. I don't buy anything that I won't eat.

I shop for so little.... I work at a hotel, so I eat breakfast at work. And then I eat a meager dinner... I only eat like 2x a day. I guess it will soon be every other day.

[susanna]

72. Wow! That is fascinating.

I will check that out. Thanks for the info!

[SeattleGirl]

11. My husband does most of our grocery shopping, and he has

really noticed. He's a fabulous shopper, looks for sales, uses coupons, etc., and always saves some money, but nevertheless, the food bill goes up every month.

[Kansas Wyatt]

13. BushCo & Republicans, Inc. Government

'The economy is booming and unemployment is at a record low, so things have never been this great!'

Meanwhile, the majority of America is carrying a silent rage, because they know the modern day Robber Barons are jamming it up their asses, with impunity and support from the BushCo & Republicans, Inc. Government.

[Zookeeper]

14. I noticed that about 4 or 5 months ago.

Sudden jump in the prices of some things, and other items that were frequently on sale, no longer were. I have three kids (including two teens) and usually a house full of hungry neighborhood kids. Homemade (not microwave) popcorn, or pretzels, has become the snack around here.

[lildreamer316]

15. PLEASE; ALL OF YOU:

Come check out the couponing tips and sites listed in the DU Group Frugal and Energy Efficient Living here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=353

If you cannot find the good info (I think the couponing 101 is on the second page); just PM me and I will send you the info and give you a list of sites to visit to help you save.

Couponing; even moderately; can help you save enough each week for gas and dinners. You can save a noticeable amount.

[Bush_MUST_Go]

17. Great thread, lildreamer316. Thanks so much. :)

[lildreamer316]

62. More than welcome...

again; if there's anything you can't find out; lemme know; I'll be glad to help.

[watrwefitinfor]

49. The problem I have aways had with coupons is

they don't make coupons for the basic foods that my diet consists of - dry beans, brown rice, fresh vegies & fruit, stone ground cornmeal, whole grain bread and flours etc. And the price of all those is sky-rocketing, too. Plenty of coupons for processed and junk food. But hell, they don't ever even put my stuff on sale or markdown!

But I'm going to go have a look at your group - just in case. :hi:

Wat

[lildreamer316]

61. You have to hunt around..

but in a lot of the stores; since more natural/less processed food has been given it's own section; there will be coupons; but they are a bit hard to find...they may be at the register in a flyer, or when you walk in at a kiosk, or over near the actual section. Check any flyers the store puts out that have info about their new organic sections, and also check with the companies themselves online. Also, it seems that a lot of the regular companies are starting their own whole-grain lines; I know I have several coupons for whole-wheat pasta right now. I know many ppl don't have much time to hunt these down, but just keep your eyes open. I actually had salad-in-a-bag coupons the other day! (yes, I know it's cheaper to make it yourself; but if you're in a hurry..)

[Zookeeper]

69. I find that also.

Most of the coupons are for junk food, or for certain brand named foods that are still more expensive than the store brand.

Still, there are useful coupons that come with the Sunday paper. I'm usually just not organized enough to use them. :eyes:

[susanna]

73. Thank you...I find the same. n/t

[SoCalDem]

75. I used to be a "refunder".. Once got $400+ groceries for a few bucks

even made it into the newspapers... Every day was a parade of $1 (or more) checks and coupons for free stuff.. It was like a fulltime job though, and after the kids got older, I lost interest in it and now rarely even use coupons..

With just two of us, we have cut way down on groceries, and eat out more too :)

For a young stay-at-home Mom, it's a great way to get free stuff and shop smart :)_

[flordehinojos]

16. the price of food is rising.

the price of gasoline is rising.
the cost of electricity has risen.
property taxes have risen.
The HMOs hardly cover any medical expenses anymore. Co-Pays have doubled, tripled, and even quadrupled on some of the services provided.

jobs have gone across the pond and into the deep blue yonder ...
it all comes from tax cut for the rich, war to fill the bushes pockets with profits, a democratic congress which rubber stamps the bush agenda, and a republican congress which just simply doesn't care.

[Captain Hilts]

18. Milk price jumped BEFORE gas prices jumped. nt

[Warpy]

30. Right, the cost of milk and everything made with milk

skyrocketed last fall. The price went up about 50% here, and has yet to come down at all. I have no clue what the reason behind it was. Maybe dairies have joined the oil barons and closed facilities to create false shortages to drive up prices, who knows? This bunch in Washington sure isn't going to tell us the truth.

I'm lactose intolerant so it was no hardship for me, just cut back on cheese. What to parents of toddlers and young kiddies do, though?

The amazing thing was that I didn't hear more outrage over it. I guess they could still chose to eat cake/drink fine wine at that point, eh?

[conflictgirl]

44. No, there was a legitimate dairy shortage for other reasons

As far as I know, the dairy shortage is an almost global phenomenon, too. Some of the reasons include the food that the dairy cows graze on being affected by global warming (ie crops destroyed by irregular growing seasons), not enough farmers and not enough dairy veterinarians. The shortage in the organic dairy industry is especially bad - most stores are reporting that they can't keep up with demand, because demand far outstrips supply right now.

[pooja]

51. That's huge when you have children... every week I buy and it goes up

[Nikia]

67. Actually it had to do w/ bovine growth hormone

And how it is not going to be be used anymore. For dairies that used it, it means that they weren't/aren't getting as high of yields.
There is some commodity speculation and strategic business moves on dairy producers at all levels that did make prices go higher than they probably would have been otherwise. There have been big price flucuations on the business level which makes everyone nervous and want to drive the price higher.

[Zookeeper]

70. I haven't heard anything about discontinuing the use of BGH.

I hope you're right, because I pay extra for non-BGH milk. If they make non-BGH the standard again, I think the price will have to drop, despite lower yields. Although, I doubt that the small dairy farmers are getting rich as it is. Our farm policy is a mess.

BTW, do you have a link regarding the discontinuation of BGH?

[conflictgirl]

80. I haven't seen anything regarding that

As I said above, I write for the natural food industry, and review the latest industry headlines on a daily basis. So far I haven't seen anything suggesting that BGH is being discontinued. I wish it would be, though, because I too pay extra for organic milk (no BGH-free but non-organic milk is available here, or I would get that instead).

The one bright spot is that customer demand for BGH-free and organic milk is increasing so fast that supply outstrips demand. I wish that meant that more dairies would realize that's a sign that people want stuff without the hormones, but they'll probably just keep viewing us as a big source of profit as long as the hormone milk is available.

[Zookeeper]

90. Lately, I've seen a lot of billboards advertising...

hormone-free chicken. Gold n' Plump, I think, which is a mainstream market brand. It also seems like manufacturers have responded faster than usual to consumer concerns about trans-fats. Now if only we could get rid of hydrogenated oils....

[SoCalDem]

19. It's time to break out the old "Make-a-Mix" cookbooks..

Grocery shopping can be kept economical if one stays away from prepared foods and pricey frozen stuff..

You can make MOST mixes yourselves and eliminate the preservative nonsense..and eat very well for pennies..

These cookbooks SAVED our budget back in the 70's & 80's...and anyone with a few kids would do well to scrounge some off ebay or amazon.. I dont know if they were re-released lately, but they are fantastic, and offer great recipes too:)

cheap eats.. good food
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0895860554/102-0983067-5370556?v=glance&n=283155

amazon has several for about $3.80 each....there were about 7 or 8 of them..main dishes/desserts/breads/veggies etc..

[MissB]

40. I have one of those.

I don't use every recipe, but I use it for things like muffins or english muffins.

[kestrel91316]

52. I just scored a couple of these at a local thrift store for $2 each.

And heck, I think there are websites with make-a-mix recipes............for free.

[Emit]

20. Our grocery bill is killing us

trying to feed a family of five on one income is hard these days -- ugh.

I have had some really good tips from some very spend-thrifty and generous DUers a while back, though, so my efforts toward getting better deals has paid off. Nevertheless, prices are going up regularly, it seems.

[LibDemAlways]

21. It's absolutely rare to see a full cart these days.

I've noticed more people are buying just a few items at a time. Today I bought a few staples - 10 items in all including one bagel, a quart of milk, bottled water, and sandwich fixings - and ended up spending $26.50. It's insane.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

23. No. See there is no inflation. Our central bank says

so.

And they would not lie, would they?

[LiberalEsto]

24. Don't forget medical costs

When Clinton was president, we had a $5 co-pay for doctor visits and prescriptions through my husband's health insurance. Now the co-pay is $15 -- $25 for specialists -- and prescriptions cost $35. And of course he has more deducted from his paycheck to pay for the coverage.

That's a 700% increase in prescription costs in five years. And heaven help the people who don't have coverage.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

45. My co-pay went up a lot!

It went from being $5 for doctor visits and $5 for prescriptions. Then it went to $30 for doctor & prescriptions. Now I pay $30 for the doctor and my single prescription now costs me $59 (I think I'm being charged half of full cost). It was quite the surprise though when I went in for a refill and it suddenly doubled in price. The pharmacist insisted that I must have had a different dose/amount previously. Um...I've been getting a prescription for 30 30mg pills for two years.

[pooja]

50. When I was a younger... not even 20yrs ago, health ins. didn't have co-pay

[FloridaPat]

25. Andit's summer when there is usually a lot of fresh food available.

[earth mom]

26. As far as I'm concerned it's THEFT!

There is NO reason for the high gas prices and there is NO reason to keep raising prices!
We are all being totally ripped off.! Gawd I hate those greedy bastards! :grr:

:rant:

[bdamomma]

27. they are squeezing us dry

the right wing is squeezing us dry, and what the hell, they don't even raise the minimum wage, most states are more concerned about their constituents than the government is, the states are trying to keep up with rising costs.

[partylessinOhio]

28. Grocery store items went up considerably long before the gas prices did.

Greedy foreign owners of our formerly locally owned stores came in and raised all the prices and cut the employee's hours and wages. This was done to increase their profits.

I am retired and the squeeze is unbearable. I am also disabled so I cannot work to supplement my fixed income.

I know this isn't a food item but I wanted to buy a bottle of Listerine and use my 75cent coupon which the store would triple. (The store ran five coupons this week which would triple your own coupon valued up to 99cents.) The Listerine was almost $7 for a large bottle. I did not buy it. I don't know how they can justify the prices they are charging.

There is hardly an item in the store that doesn't cost at least $2-$3 each.

Staple grocery items have increased as well. Stores used to put staples on sale at the holidays but they no longer do that.

[prolesunited]

41. I've switched to store brands on items like that

and really don't notice a difference.

I buy a lot of Walgreen's brand stuff, mouthwash included. They also carry a lot of comparable OTC meds at considerable savings. At Costco I buy the Kirkland brand of TP, paper towels, laundry soap, etc.

You can really save a lot of money on the store brands. I've only been disappointed in the quality a few times.

[givemebackmycountry]

29. What is everyones opinion on those "shopper cards" ?

You know those things on your key chain with your car keys.
Every damn store has a "shopper card" and I find a "Oh man! I forgot it" will prompt the cashier to use the in-store card they have in their pocket.

I hate the idea of someone knowing everything I buy.

"A bottle of vodka, a TV guide, a large sized tub of vaseline and a summer squash...debit or credit?"

Why would I want that purchase sold to a data broker like Choice point?

[Warpy]

34. They SUCK

Every store that got them around here jacked up their prices overnight to make it look like those cards were giving you some kind of big deal.

I know I could sign up as Minnie Mouse and pay with cash. I just resent the hell out of those damned things, just another piece of wallet flotsam to keep track of just to get the same damn prices I'd get at a non card store while Big Brother tracks the purchases and tries to sell me crap I don't want.

I only go into card stores maybe twice a year now and only to stock up on the things my local, small, UNIONIZED grocery doesn't carry.

[pooja]

36. Unfortuately those shopper cards save you big time at the

checkout line... if I had the money not to use them, I wouldn't. I went to the grocery and bought bananas for work, (5 bunches), blueberries, meddly pkg of broc, carrots, coliflower (cheaper than buying each individually), pkg of crackers. total bill 20.00.. a year ago probably 15.oo and I wouldn't have had to buy the prepkged medley.

[kestrel91316]

54. I like the grocery cards, and I like my privacy even more. So I am

going to get a card in a fake name for everyday use, and use the card with my own name when I want to write a check there. I usually pay cash for groceies. There is NO need for Ralph's and Uncle Sam to track every morsel of food I buy.

[meisje]

48. I paid 2 cents a gallon, up to 30 gallons, the other day w/ the card

at Giant Eagle. My SUV let out a sigh of relief!

[high density]

53. I pay for my groceries with a debit card

so my purchases are rather easy to track anyway. The grocery store that I prefer to shop in doesn't use the cards, so I'm lucky there. The checkout line process is annoying enough without fumbling with stupid discount/tracking cards.

[Ediacara]

56. If you're paranoid about someone tracking your purchases

1) Don't fill out the application.

2) Fill in fake info:

Marge Simpson
764 Evergreen Terrace
Springfield NT

No one at the store cares.

[kath]

58. I filled out the application with a fake name and address and an old phone

number. I don't carry the card with me, but if I give 'em the old phone number (from where we lived ten years ago) they punch it in and I get the discount.
Since the name and address are fake, I avoid the Big-Brotherism (which I HATE)

[grasswire]

82. you don't have to provide your real name for those cards

You can just give them bogus info. I signed up for a couple of them using the phone company's info number. Area code+555-1212. I save a lot of $$ when I shop at Safeway using the club card. And they have no record of my identity.

[sam sarrha]

31. not only more expensive, but 'much' smaller containers

[roamer65]

35. Real inflation is around 8-10 percent

that's my feeling anyway. I do notice food is a lot more expensive. This kind of inflation began during WW 1 and the Vietnam War and I expect this war will be no different. During WW 2 it wasn't as bad because FDR developed elaborate and effective price control structures. In the WW 2 years you had to have the money AND the rationing stamps to buy just about anything. They even capped the price of used cars as the supply of them dried up due to war production.

[bobbieinok]

37. wasn't there a WWII office or dept of Price Control???

[Oldtimeralso]

66. Cost of Living

I just got notified the cost of living raise for my industry effective July 1 will be $0.01/ hour
YES A PENNY, almost $21.00 a year. Having worked without a contract for 7 years a penny is so very fantastic.

[spindrifter]

38. Two things:

My SO is working for a couple of months in W. Ky. where the food prices are incredibly lower than here--a gallon of milk for $1.25 compared with $2 if you get it as a loss-leader and $2.50 if you have to get it at a regular grocery. Bananas were 29 or 33 cents a pound there--here you might be able to grab them for 49 cents at a place that has a reputation for cheap bananas, but they are normally 79 cents a pound at a regular grocery. He has a "club card" for Kroger's from here which he uses there.
The other thing I noticed is that Safeway and our version of Kroger's are not sending out their usual grocery ads. Guess they know that no one will be rushing in to buy the $2 and $3 lettuces.

[pooja]

42. In Florida, people would come down from the north and say

its so cheap. But the prices are increasing to us significantly and the wage is not. Disney and Oranges are just not paying enough to survive and with so many tourists we get mid-road prices. Northern states think its so cheap, but someone from the south thinks its expensive.

You will also notice that the prices for hotels decrease in the summer. Mainly because Northern people can't take the heat. So hotels have to rely on in-state travlers and in-state travelers can't afford the same prices.. So in the Spring when Northerners come down, we are averaging 99.00 a night. But in the summer about 50.00 a night (one reason I haven't gotten a raise). But I have noticed a strange thing this year, people from up- North have discovered the cheaper summer prices. They are having trouble paying the spring fair... so they are going to suffer Disney for the kids in the summer heat.. Man, I don't even go to Disney in the summer... Its tooooo hot.

[RebelOne]

85. Are you kidding me? Florida prices cheap?

I lived in Miami most of my life until I moved to No. Georgia in 1989 and I was amazed at how less expensive everything was up here compared with South Florida.

[pooja]

87. New yorkers think so

[MissB]

39. I've noticed a slight uptick in prices

But since I do so much cooking from scratch, the impact isn't as significant as it could be if I used prepacked stuff exclusively.

Some of the staples - flour and sugar, for example, have seen a 5 or 10 cents increase in price per 10 lb package. On something like homemade focaccia bread, it may cost me 12.5 cents instead of 12 cents to make. But if I were buying it premade, ready to heat.......

Buying in bulk and eating less meat-based meals is a good way to trim the grocery budget. If you're already there, then I have no advice. :)

[undergroundpanther]

43. I know it sounds nuts

But go to "dollar stores" you know where they sell cheap stuff from china for a buck..if you look carefully and check the dates just to be sure you can get ok brand name food there,not fresh veggies but canned and a few staples mac and cheese,nuts,pretzels,miocro popcorn,spices and stuff like that.. Also if theres costco is near you get a card and go there. I would not eat well at all if I could not get to costco and lastly hit the farmers markets and if you got time learn to can stuff yourself for winter!!

[kaygore]

46. Energy prices have a direct impact on te cost of groceries--

growing them and transporting them. We have been very lucky in this country compared to the rest of the world. We may gain better appreciation for how the rest of the world lives as energy prices continue to rise to meet what the rest of the world pays.

[wisteria]

47. Yeah, for a while now. It is getting expensive to eat. n/t

[pooja]

57. Its going to cut down on those service jobs Bush has created

With money tight, people travel less and eat out less.

[kestrel91316]

55. Time for everybody with a patch of dirt to pick up a copy of Mel

Bartholomew's Square Foot Gardening and start growing their own food. It's very empowering and satisfying.

[Straight Shooter]

59. Also the increased cost for petroleum-based fertilizer and plastics.

Think of the increased cost to grow the crops, think of the increase in the cost of packaging. It isn't just the cost of gas. It's the cost of almost everything associated with getting food into the grocery stores.

Grocery bill here in my part of Oregon has increased 20 percent in the last few months. Everyone has noticed it, except for the folks with deep pockets.

[Yollam]

60. This is one of those times I'm glad to be back in Japan

Food has never been cheap here, but neither gas nor food have risen that much in the last few years here, and there are lots of little vegetable stands and stores - in the states there is usually no choice other than a corporate supermarket with their insanely high prices.

Food's not cheap here, but at least the staples - milk, eggs, vegetables are reasonable enough. The grocery prices in the states soared throughout the 90s and continue to soar now.


And why the hell is milk so much? I remember a few years ago they were going to genetically engineer or hormone dope the cows to make more milk (even though we had milk surpluses), so why is it nearly $5 per gallon in most supermarkets?

[Hardrada]

74. Cheap fish too, I'll bet.

Those factory ships can hold a lot!

[Yollam]

78. Meat, fish and chicken are all reasonable enough to me...

They are somewhat higher than in the states, but I swear, they all taste much better here, and fresher.


As for the fish, the Japanese and Chinese are depleting the Pacific fisheries at an alarming rate. I really wish they would cut down a bit...

[Hardrada]

84. OMG, the Chinese too!!

Goodbye fish!!

[SammyWinstonJack]

63. Hey! bu$h said he "knows how hard it is too put food on your family".

Don't you believe him? Why do you hate America? :sarcasm:

[Roland99]

65. Bread, milk, shampoo, canned goods, cereal, etc.

I've noticed many of the staples have gotten more expensive in the last few years esp.

[Ezra the Prankster]

68. The last two times I went shopping...

...I ended up standing there at the end of the checkout aisle adding up their numbers to be sure the cashier hadn't made a mistake.

[grasswire]

83. good for you

I always check the tape before I leave the store, because almost ALWAYS there is a mistake that costs me $$.

Just today, there were two errors in my bill that came to almost $10. One was a buy-one-get-one-free deal where the second one was NOT rung up free. The other was a miscoded produce item where the per pound price was $3.98 instead of the advertised sale price of $1 per pound.

Gotta watch them all the time!!

[TexasLady]

76. absolutely the biggest bill we have

my H works two jobs, fixing both cars and computers. I work at home. My son, who is about to move out with his new wife, also works and pitches in. There are seven of us at the moment, and my step daughter is coming down soon, too.

It is getting kinda scary really. On a good note, I am a great cook, and Mom taught me how to make really delicious beans and rice in many varieties. Also luckily, we have friends with gardens, since mine isnt doing so hot this year.

It sux, it really does.

[clyrc]

77. I live overseas and food prices have risen here, too

I don't have anywhere near the same amount of convenience food here that I have in the states, so I end up making a lot more from scratch. The problem with that, though, is the incredible amount of dish washing I have to do. Because I cook for a family of five, when I cook I usually run the dishwasher three times a day, besides hand washing stuff that doesn't go in the dishwasher. And while I like cooking, I don't like spending half my days doing it. I have a very picky oldest daughter, a husband who doesn't like many vegetables, and the ones he does like are usually canned, and a house guest who won't eat bland food. My second daughter and I could live on vegetables and soups for lunch, but I'm often pulling my hair out trying to decide what to cook that everyone else will eat.

Even with making so much of our food, the price for shopping for a week used to be between 500-600 dirhams, but now it's 700-800 dirhams. It's 3.65 dirhams to the dollar, so 800 is over two hundred dollars. We don't have coupons, and very few sales, so we can't save money that way. The good news for us is that we can still afford it, but I liked it better when food wasn't so much.

[grasswire]

91. it's time to re-train that oldest daughter

I'm the main shopper and cook in a family where one teenage girl has wreaked havoc with her pickiness for some years now. Goodness, what a royal pain in the ass that is. Everyone else suffers because menu planning is skewed.

We got tired of that. Her preferences were capricious and silly. And we took the advice of a nutritionist, and implemented three steps. 1. No sugar for her. 2. Substitute white grains with brown. (She previously would only eat sourdough bread. Now she eats whole grains with gusto. 3. No skipping meals, because the highs and lows of blood sugar swings were just too much drama. At night she eats a baked potato, for the tryptophan and the carb that will carry her 'til breakfast.

The difference in her health and wellbeing is phenomenal. She was prone to pneumonia each winter. Not this year. It has been amazing. She still craves sugar -- really really craves it. And she sneaks a bit sometimes. But by and large, her pickiness has improved quite a bit.

Help her kick that. You'll do her a huge favor.

[Kurovski]

79. Yes.

A half gallon of soy milk, $4.30! I'm in a little town.

[NNN0LHI]

89. Packages are getting smaller too

Or the packages are the same size and they are putting less in them.

Have you noticed that trick?

Even a half a gallon of ice cream isn't a half gallon any more.

Don