have groceries gotten really expensive?

[SeekingSimplicity]

I remember seeing on a documentary once, barrels and barrels of live baby chicks being dumped in a dumpster because chicken had gotten too inexpensive...

 

 

:crying:

[Nestof3]

Not sure if it's the case in this instance, but some farms are paid by the federal government NOT to produce...for "Price stabilization" or somesuch.

 

I remember seeing on a documentary once, barrels and barrels of live baby chicks being dumped in a dumpster because chicken had gotten too inexpensive...

 

Evil

[mommaduck]

:crying:

Don't they realise that if it's inexpensive, the people will buy MORE of it?! Oh, but it costs to feed and raise them. Well, if they weren't shooting them up with drugs...maybe the prices would remain somewhat balances? Just thinking...probably irrationally...

[bbkaren]

Due to the government subsidizing corn for biofuel instead of food, PLUS bad weather this season, there is a shortage of corn.

 

That means very expensive feed for livestock.

 

Expensive feed for livestock means unless the farmer raises his price at market, the animals are too expensive to breed more and raise to slaughter size.

 

So they're going to be slaughtering livestock they'd have normally bred...which means for a little while, meat will be cheap.

 

But then, there'll be a shortage of meat so it'll rise dramatically in price.

 

At least that's what I'm told on the other forums I frequent.

[Jyniffrec]

Due to the government subsidizing corn for biofuel instead of food, PLUS bad weather this season, there is a shortage of corn.

 

That means very expensive feed for livestock.

 

Expensive feed for livestock means unless the farmer raises his price at market, the animals are too expensive to breed more and raise to slaughter size.

 

So they're going to be slaughtering livestock they'd have normally bred...which means for a little while, meat will be cheap.

 

But then, there'll be a shortage of meat so it'll rise dramatically in price.

 

At least that's what I'm told on the other forums I frequent.

 

Ahh...this makes sense now. I wondered why our grocery store had shrunk down the size of the ground beef section to smaller than what the chicken breast section normally is. I knew something was up. The chicken breasts have now been on sale for $1.99 pound for a few weeks (yes, I've been stocking up!) and the section is huge.

 

I've also noticed that there are things missing from the shelves and some of them are looking empty. There weren't any chickpeas the other day when I went to one grocery store. Also, our beans have almost tripled in cost in some cases. Publix seems to still have the beans I need so I'll be adding that store in to our shopping now.

 

I have a severe aversion to Aldi (my only experience with it was in downtown Philly and it was *nasty*) but I may have to get over that soon. Our grocery bill has risen dramatically with the rise in costs (way more than 6%!), two preteens and a preschooler that eats like a preteen sometimes.

[butterflymommy]

I'm managing to spend the same amount, but, I am having to buy more sale stuff, more cheap stuff, exclusively generic and from cheapo stores. Also, in order to keep things down, I have to make everything from scratch. I wonder how long I can get away with this... very worrisome. Packaged items are crazy-- I don't normally buy packaged food but I'm due any day now and want some things in the house that don't require cooking.

[bbkaren]

...I have a severe aversion to Aldi (my only experience with it was in downtown Philly and it was *nasty*) but I may have to get over that soon. Our grocery bill has risen dramatically with the rise in costs (way more than 6%!), two preteens and a preschooler that eats like a preteen sometimes.

 

If you've got another aldi nearby, give them another chance...ours is lovely.

 

And it's an easy shop; we call it "costco jr." because there's not that much selection, everything's pretty cheap, but unlike costco you don't have to buy things by the case.

 

We've also found very little "product of china" items, if that helps! :)

[Brilliant]

The devaluation of our dollar as well...

 

Two staples in our house that have risen to astronomical prices, but that we can't eat the generic brand of:

 

Honey Maid Graham Crackers $4.59

 

Hellman's Mayonnaise - almost $5 as well!

(and the mayo went from 32 oz to 30 oz as well.)

 

Are you a Costco member? I buy both of these items at Costco. In the last month I purchased 6 large (64 oz) jars of mayo for under $5 ea with the coupon deal. (I checked the expiration and know we'll use them up before next May).

 

The Honey Maids go on coupon at Costco sometimes, too. But I have to say I noticed a few months ago that these suddenly got smaller - even at Costco! I was dismayed, as Costco doesn't usually practice the deceptively decreasing package size. The boxes look the same, but the crackers themselves are narrower. :(

[BarbecueMom]

My budget six months ago was $300/month for all food, diapers, paper goods, cat food/litter, etc. It's now $600/month. I went to the local grocery store, Target, and Costco with my half-month budget yesterday and have $7 left. Part of it is the rising prices, part of it is the growing boys, and part of it is buying more convenience food (lasagna, frozen pizzas, etc.) to keep from going out to restaurants on crazy nights. We're still spending more per month on eating, but it would be worse if we were still going out twice a week.

 

We're fortunate that we can handle this for now. Not everyone can. :(

[bbkaren]

Are you a Costco member? ...

 

I can't be a costco member. I have a self-control problem at costco/sam's/bj's.

 

I can't go in there without spending at least $300. It never fails...

 

(eta: Inflation-adjusted, that'd probably be $500 in today's prices!)

[Brilliant]

I can't be a costco member. I have a self-control problem at costco/sam's/bj's.

 

I can't go in there without spending at least $300. It never fails...

 

(eta: Inflation-adjusted, that'd probably be $500 in today's prices!)

 

I hear ya. It's hard to stick to my list, but when I do, I get great deals on staples - butter, cheese, coffee, bread, etc. My family knows if we run out of any particular cheese - cheddar, mozza, whatever - we don't eat that cheese again until I get back to Costco. It's literally half the price of other grocers.

[Garga]

My goal is $130 a week and I used to meet it pretty easily (early last year).

 

Every single week I make my list and am SURE that I'll hit my $130 mark, because I'm choosing "cheap" meals. Spaghetti or bean dishes, no splurges on chips or cereal or the like.

 

Every single week I spend over the $130 (sometimes by over $40!!) and am flabbergasted as to what went wrong. I sit in the car (like PPs have said), staring at the receipt trying to figure out where I overspent or where they double charged me, but everything looks on the up-and-up.

 

The prices must be creeping up just slowly enough that I don't notice, until the bill is totaled.

[JennifersLost]

I hear you, too.

 

Our chicken prices are OUTRAGEOUS! I used to buy whole "fryer" hens for $5 - $6 a piece. They are now $10 - $12 for scrawny little chickens - not the plump roaster ones.

 

The only chicken I've bought in months are these super cheap chicken patties (think hamburgers made out of chicken) that are in the frozen section. I don't even want to think about what we're eating.

 

I can't afford any meat except ground beef and those chicken patties at normal prices. Anything else comes from watching the sales like a hawk. Thank God we planted a garden this year or there's no way I'd make our food budget.

 

The other day a local store had an unadvertised sale on turkeys. A 14 pound bird was about $13. You were only supposed to buy one, so I did, then hung out in the parking lot, came back in and bought another. Then I sent my husband in. It was like a miracle!

 

Tortillas are outrageous, too. I don't get that at all. What's so costly about making tortillas!?! Flour ones....

[southcarolinamom]

Red meat is a splurge now at our house... we eat lots of ground turkey, chicken, thinly sliced deli meats, cheese, and vegetarian type stuff when I can disguise it to taste like taco "meat" or chili "meat" :001_smile:

 

Aldi's seems to be the cheapest place in our city to buy groceries, but I noticed even their prices bumped up 2 weeks ago. (ie the chex mix they used to sell for $1.99 is now $2.19 - up 10%). Bananas were just 37 cents a pound 2 weeks ago and they are up to 44 cents a pound.... milk was soooo cheap, around $2.19.. then 6 months ago it started climbing, and is now $3.49 a gallon.

 

I hate having to live so cheaply for so long. It's beginning to drag... stifles my creative juices. On top of it, my hubby has been either unemployed or under-employed for almost 2 years now. We're living off of the income I make with medical transcription. Thankful for the work, but I'm so tired of being the main breadwinner, homeschool mom, yadayadayada ....sorry, I just went off topic.

[Audrey]

 

Tortillas are outrageous, too. I don't get that at all. What's so costly about making tortillas!?! Flour ones....

 

Quit paying Old El Paso to make your tortillas. Their's suck anyway.

 

3 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. shortening or lard

3/4 c. very hot water

 

Combine everything but water until crumbly. Add water and knead into dough. Cover with slightly damp towel. Let rest an hour. Divide into 12. Roll flat or use a tortilla press. Cook in a cast skillet over med-high heat. Flip and cook until no longer doughy looking. Keep in between a towel until the whole batch is cooked or they go hard. Store in a plastic bag in fridge or freezer for later use.

[SeekingSimplicity]

Is Aldi's a bulk place like Sam's?

[Amber in SJ]

We do not have an Aldi's, no stores that double coupon and stores that limit coupon use.

 

The limit means if something is on sale for $1.99 and I have a $1 off coupon, I am only allowed to get this deal two times. After that I may choose the full price minus the coupon or the sale price without the coupon. This policy is to discourage what the store considers "extreme couponing." The limit is tied to your store card which you must swipe to get the sale price, so it tracks when you have reached your limit. It stinks. Luckily, anyone with an e-mail addy can get a store card so I have one for Dh & one for myself, and I am thinking about getting one for each of my dds who have e-mail. Anyway, all of that being said....

 

Our groceries have gone up a ridiculous amount. I cook almost everything from scratch. We buy very little packaged. Occasionally, I will buy things like wheat crackers. I garden, can, coupon, OAMC, crock-pot with cheaper cuts, shop loss leaders, meal plan, shop ethnic markets, in short I try every trick or technique known to human kind and I am still taking a beating at the store. We live in one of the most expensive areas in the US. For example, bananas are normally $.89/ lb. This week they were on sale for $.47/ lb.

 

I don't know how much longer my budget can take this. I am trying to say; I feel your pain!!

 

Amber in SJ

[creekland]

What I find "amusing" (for lack of a better word) is when their sale price this week is more than their "advertised new lower price" a week ago. :glare:

 

Our grocery bill would be up if I hadn't cut back what we buy. I'm looking at eating a bit of deer this winter and am thankful for the frozen veggies we have from our garden.

 

We don't eat out anymore and I don't foresee that changing.

[JennifersLost]

Thanks, Audrey - we do make our own, but at times I'm really lazy.

 

Plus there are six of us - with three teenage boys. I find that rolling out enough of them to feed everyone takes forever.

[Audrey]

Thanks, Audrey - we do make our own, but at times I'm really lazy.

 

Plus there are six of us - with three teenage boys. I find that rolling out enough of them to feed everyone takes forever.

 

Teach THEM how to do it. Make them work off some of that extra teenage boy energy.

[WeeBeaks]

Thanks, Audrey - we do make our own, but at times I'm really lazy.

 

Plus there are six of us - with three teenage boys. I find that rolling out enough of them to feed everyone takes forever.

 

Were you the poster who said you don't do Costco? If you do, Costco has the uncooked ones already rolled out you cook yourselves. We like those because they taste better with less preservatives. Our "business Costco" here has ginormous ones (think 18" or so) for $2 for 24 of those, already cooked.

 

We got a business Costco just recently. I go there when my willpower is low on the books/clothing/fru-fru stuff. There isn't really any fru-fru at the business Costco, and they have some things our regular Costco doesn't have, like ground whole wheat flour for $0.30/lb, but you have to buy 50 lb. [Go in on it with friends and relatives.] Someday I will have a grinder, but until then .... They also have here more varieties of lentils and dried beans, super duper cheap, than our regular Costco. Just a help if anyone has one and hasn't been there already. We don't have Aldi's here.

[Violet Crown]

Due to the government subsidizing corn for biofuel instead of food, PLUS bad weather this season, there is a shortage of corn.

 

That means very expensive feed for livestock.

 

Expensive feed for livestock means unless the farmer raises his price at market, the animals are too expensive to breed more and raise to slaughter size.

 

So they're going to be slaughtering livestock they'd have normally bred...which means for a little while, meat will be cheap.

 

But then, there'll be a shortage of meat so it'll rise dramatically in price.

 

At least that's what I'm told on the other forums I frequent.

:iagree:

Our drought has made the price of corn, and everything made with corn, and everything fed on corn, very expensive. See article

 

The local produce this summer has been withered and half-rotted or moldy, and the stores still stock it, because there's nothing else.

 

I'd be more upset about my grocery bill, though, if I weren't hyperventilating every month when it's time to pay for the air conditioning and water. I've been driven to afternoon "homeschooling" at the local used book store just for the free AC.

 

102 degrees today. No rain in the forecast until (they think maybe) late winter. Enjoy your shopping!

[mommymilkies]

Everything here is up 20-50%. I know because I found an old receipt in my purse and looked through it. It's insane! We are spending way too much, and that's with many "scrounging meals" and 95% made from scratch! We don't have an Aldi's or Costco or anything within hours of us.

[sparrow]

Quit paying Old El Paso to make your tortillas. Their's suck anyway.

 

3 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. shortening or lard

3/4 c. very hot water

 

Combine everything but water until crumbly. Add water and knead into dough. Cover with slightly damp towel. Let rest an hour. Divide into 12. Roll flat or use a tortilla press. Cook in a cast skillet over med-high heat. Flip and cook until no longer doughy looking. Keep in between a towel until the whole batch is cooked or they go hard. Store in a plastic bag in fridge or freezer for later use.

 

Sweet! I'm making these tomorrow. Thanks!

[JessReplanted]

Yes, everything has gone up, and it's horrible and scary.. :(

[OnTheBrink]

OMGosh, yes. I did "big shopping" last week at WM and one basket of food cost $285. Nothing hugely extravagant, did get cat food and a few toiletries, but the rest was just regular stuff.

[Aelwydd]

The problem right now is not JUST gas prices.

 

It is crop failure. Drought in Texas. Flooding in other agricultural areas. The failure of the peanut crop... Etc.

 

Yes, I'm glad someone finally brought that up. This is the real-world end result of an exceptional, record-breaking drought in Texas. 100% of the state is still in extreme or exceptional drought.

 

First, all the grass died or withered. Grains and other feed-based crops also died. So, no food to feed the cattle, meant whole sale sale offs. Which is going to drive the price of beef sky high (we're not there yet).

 

However, the loss of the grain crop is even worse. Texas and Oklahoma (which also suffered drought) together usually provide a substantial amount of the feed that other ranchers and farmers throughout the US depend on to feed their beef cattle, dairy cattle, pigs, chickens, etc.

 

Then, add in the crops lost in other places due to flooding, and it's looking almost apocalyptic.

 

Furthermore, the El Nina effect that caused this year's drought has a greater than 50% chance of holding through this winter, and putting us through another summer of hell next year.

 

The economic situation only makes things worse, since the government can no longer afford to subsidize food or gasoline (which is needed to package and transport food) to the degree it has before.

 

High food prices are not a blip on the radar. They're here for the foreseeable future.

[Aelwydd]

:iagree:

Our drought has made the price of corn, and everything made with corn, and everything fed on corn, very expensive. See article

 

The local produce this summer has been withered and half-rotted or moldy, and the stores still stock it, because there's nothing else.

 

I'd be more upset about my grocery bill, though, if I weren't hyperventilating every month when it's time to pay for the air conditioning and water. I've been driven to afternoon "homeschooling" at the local used book store just for the free AC.

 

102 degrees today. No rain in the forecast until (they think maybe) late winter. Enjoy your shopping!

 

Yes, this.

[Jumping In Puddles]

I did not particularly pay attention to what was going in my cart last week for our family of 4 because our bill is usually pretty consistent. I usually buy the same old things and I needed a few extra things (like cards, laundry detergent, paper towels) but my son (8) was with me and he put a few extra things in the cart. I wasn't really concerned. He put in a 4pack of chocolate milk boxes, a box of GF cookies, Lara bars, one of those Bolt House fruit smoothie things they sell in the produce dept. and some chocolate. I just kind of let it go, not really thinking. (Maybe it was because we left at 7am and I did not yet have coffee! :eek:)

 

Anyway, my grocery bill came to $390!! :001_huh: That was 10 days ago, and I plan to use everything in my pantry for the next two weeks! To make matters worse, my h stopped at Trader Joe's to buy nut mixes for his lunch, chocolate, gluten free breads, vitamins, frozen berries, some seaweed snacks for me and a few other little things. The total came to $125. :eek: Trader Joe's! $125! WHAT?!?!!?

 

My grocery bill is usually about $200/wk. We live in NJ and I buy a lot of fish, cheese, nuts that are a bit more expensive plus gluten free stuff so I realize that it is a bit higher maybe than average but I was shocked at the totals. This is money that I absolutely do not have.

Edited September 27, 2011 by Jumping In Puddles

[ChrissySC]

Don't forget that the US Credit Score suffered as well.

 

Basically, we have a dollar not worth a dollar. Therefore, the cost must reflect this devaluation.

 

I feel your pain too. Give it another couple of years.

[KidsHappen]

Yes, I commented on this a few months ago and it has gotten even worse since then. The cost-of-living in general has gone up. Our property (and some other portion of our escrow account) have gone up. Utilities have gone up. Gasoline, dry cleaning, my hubby' haircuts, etc. I use Money to keep track of our expense and they have all steadily increased over the past six months or so. We have went from pretty much not having to worry about the cost of groceries to pinching pennies in the last two years.

[AuntPol]

Oh yes I've noticed.

 

We have quit using packaged foods and I don't eat grains so it is really hard to have budget meals. I only buy meat on sale or from the clearance bin. I actually write down expiration dates for meat in my notebook so I can try to hit the store when that meat will be clearanced.

 

We have basically quit eating out. We used to go to Outback as a family for everyone's birthday but for my son's this year, we are getting him Outback to go as a special meal. The rest of us will eat at home. Even that is a splurge!

 

It doesn't help that there are FIVE foods that everyone in my entire family will/can eat.

[MamaT]

Our grocery bill has gotten way out of control the last few months - and that is with me really watching what I buy. A few months ago I didn't really have to think about it. We buy very few processed foods, and I cook from scratch.

 

I am considering buying more things in bulk, including meat from a local farmer. The only down-side is that it is money up front, but will save us a ton in the long run.

 

bulkfoods.com has good prices on some things and other things are cheaper at our local health food store's bulk section.

[kewb]

It is so frustrating watching my grocery bill increase and my purchases decrease. I shop the perimeter of the store-fresh produce, fresh meat/poultry/fish, etc. I stopped buying the occasional bag of chips because they are smaller. I can not recall the last time I purchased ice cream. We don't drink soda or coffee. I stopped purchasing juice last year. Even with making my own laundry detergent and cleaning supplies I am still spending $25 to $30 more for the same purchases as last year.

 

What I really hate is that I have to really plan my menus now so that I have the ingredients I need.

[flyingiguana]

A couple years ago, lentils went through the roof. I'm still trying to get over the shock of that.

 

That was supposed to be our "cheap" dinner.

[flyingiguana]

 

We're in for more, too, so anytime I see a good sale, I clear the shelves.

 

I can't quite bring myself to do that -- I buy a lot, but when I'm getting down to the last of something on the store shelf, I start thinking that the next person after me might be in direr straits, so I leave a few.

 

As a comparison, ten years ago, I spent 44 dollars a week on groceries. OK, the kids are teens now, and we are trying for more produce, but I think I'm spending at least 200 a week. It might be a lot more. I just don't dare add it up.

[Tigger]

I started keeping a small notebook to keep track of prices because some have just gone totally nuts.

 

Hellmann's mayo is now regular price $6.49 for a 30-ounce jar (down from 32-ounce), but the best sale price I've seen in the last two months is $2.99 - with coupons stacked, I stocked up and now can wait until it's on sale for $2.99 or better.

 

Coffee is just insane! Last year we were paying $4.99 for the 39-ounce Folgers, now it's up to $12.99. No one around here has it for less and on sale, it's $8.99-$9.99. To me, that's not a sale. I've taken to watching Amazon's subscribe and save coffee options and wait to buy the better coffee when it hits $3-5 a 12-ounce bag. While still more expensive than the Folgers, we actually use less of the better coffee because it's richer in taste.

 

And don't get me started on chicken. Good grief, it's now $6.49 a pound for split chicken breasts, $7.99 for boneless, and $3.99 for whole? Totally wait until it's on sale since I can get the split breasts on sale for $1.49, boneless for $2.99 and whole for 0.99 - but then have to stock up and freeze!

 

Produce prices right now aren't so bad since most is in season and we have a great farmer's market that keeps the grocery stores in check competitively for price. I shop the FM, but do look at prices in the stores as I'm shopping. Bananas have gone up a lot (can't get those at the FM), last week, on sale, they were 0.69 a pound - that isn't a sale to me!!! I wait until they're 0.39 or less, then we get some bananas!

[SweetMissMagnolia]

yeah...in our area I've can tell a difference--really from store to store too but in a whole things have gone up in price lately

[DawnM]

The $6 bag of potatoes at Costco is now $10.

 

I didn't even pay attention to everything else, but I do know that a usual $145 trip to Costco cost me over $175.

 

Dawn

[LauraGB]

 

And don't get me started on chicken. Good grief, it's now $6.49 a pound for split chicken breasts, $7.99 for boneless, and $3.99 for whole? Totally wait until it's on sale since I can get the split breasts on sale for $1.49, boneless for $2.99 and whole for 0.99 - but then have to stock up and freeze!

 

 

Can you check around with your local farmers? That price is insane (and it's similar at our grocery stores, too). I get organic chicken from a local farmer for about $4 per pound. It's worth it to check around if you can.

[Tigger]

Can you check around with your local farmers? That price is insane (and it's similar at our grocery stores, too). I get organic chicken from a local farmer for about $4 per pound. It's worth it to check around if you can.

 

I do get chickens for two different local farms, but they don't slaughter all the time, so sometimes I'm out of chicken and have to buy at the store. It was recently that I was so shocked by price on chicken since I had enough for the last eight months or so and hadn't bought any.....I hate paying so much for chicken, so I wait until it's on sale. My chicken order though should be in in three weeks, then I won't have to worry about it again for a while!

[Kari C in SC]

I was just noticing as I was doing my Southern Savers coupon list that the cereal was priced over $5 a box for the BOGO sales. Now, I am positive it has never been over $5 a box. So, yep, it is all going up. Guess I better stock up while it is BOGO with coupons - because I will never pay over $5 a box for cereal.

[WistfulRidge]

Last December I spent $254(ish) for groceries and household stuff -tp, laundry detergent, dish soap, diapers etc. This included special foods for Christmas and extra baking supplies. This month I got just the bare, squeak by week to week basics (because we've already eaten just about everything we had "stocked up") for about $300.

 

I stock up whenever I find eggs on sale, because the new normal price is $3/doz for the nothing-special-just-mass-produced eggs.

The cheapo hamburger is now $3/lb on sale.

The same block of cheese that cost me $6 a year ago is now $8.50.

Apples are up by $.50-$1.00/lb, pending type.

 

I try not to think about it or else I start to panic because I'm not entirely sure how we'll make it through the next month with the limited funds we have available.

[TravelingChris]

Yes, I have noticed the rising prices. It has squarely hit me on the head because we went down by two people (both adults) and our costs are only a little bit lower- and I really mean a little bit.It makes me reconsider how much I am alloting my 18 yo who is on a meal plan at college but not 21 meals a week. I have to talk to her again about eating in the cafeteria and in the snack shops on campus since I have already paid for that.