Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Cost Of Groceries Rising

The cost of groceries right now just blows my mind. I came across an AP article that said…

Record-high energy, corn and wheat prices in the past year have led to higher food prices. The average cost of a dozen eggs has increased nearly 24 percent in the last 12 months.

I don’t know about you but that sure doesn’t leave me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. In fact it sends a shiver of concern through my body. I’ve got a family to feed here people!

Some other statistics to think about….

The average weekly cost of food for a family of four on a moderate spending plan one year ago was $180.75. Today it is $194.75.

Grade A Large eggs are averaging $2.17 a dozen.

Frozen concentrate O.J. 12 oz can is around $2.53.




White bread per pound is at $1.32.



Coffee per pound is at $3.68.

This just about knocks the wind out of me and the forecast is that they are going to continue to rise by another 3-4 percent.

I think now is the time to be even more creative and frugal than ever before.

So, do these prices seem accurate to you? What are the prices in your area?

16 comments:

NeedANap2 said...

I don't know about coffee but the rest are a little high. Especially eggs - only $1.50 at Wal-Mart. I try to buy them on sale elsewhere for less. A loaf of 100% whole wheat from the bread store (outlet) is only $1.29 and that is up from what it was a couple months ago and six months ago, etc. I'm guessing white bread is much cheaper than that there.

I do agree with the % of increase though, it's amazing how much the prices have gone up. We had to increase our grocery budget in January. I'm trying to make do but it's still difficult! :)

Kacie said...

Prices really have gone crazy.

Eggs at my regular grocery are over $2/dozen, but I buy them at Aldi, where they're $1.89 (for now).

I picked up 64-oz. of (made from concentrate) orange juice for $1.70or so.

In PA, milk prices are regulated by the state, so they change every month. In March, I paid about $3.25/gal. for 1%, and I should have bought more at the end of the month, as it's now around $3.50.

It stinks, but as long as Aldi's prices don't go way up, we'll be ok.

MOMMY said...

At the local grocery chain those prices are about right.

We shop Aldy's though and I can get eggs for $1.99/dozen. Bread is .98 a loaf there as well. It is honestly not as fresh tasting as some others but not bad at all. Milk is the toughest here-it ranges from $2.99/gallon at Aldy's or the convienence store to $3.99 or $4.29 at local chains!!!

It is all so scary! With the cost of oil and gas everything else is increasing!

http://journalofamomma.blogspot.com/

mer@lifeat7000feet said...

Hi there...I have definitely noticed price increases in the last few months.

I don't buy white bread, but I know that the whole wheat bread I love (Oroweat) is 3.88/loaf at Walmart! I just discovered the bread store and found the same bread 2/3.00! Score.

Orange juice concentrate is 1.94 here.

Eggs are about 1.80/dozen.

I've noticed significant price increases in cheese (up .35 to .50) and also in pasta. I really like the Barilla brand, and it jumped from .98 to 1.34 at Walmart within one week. YIKES!

Trina said...

I just found your blog thru RIMD and I love it!!!

Jenny's Vegcafe said...

I've been making up powdered milk to use in cooking so I don't use up our drinking milk. The price of that is going up too so soon I don't know if it will be worth it. We'll definitely be eating less eggs around here and more beans.
Love your blog, btw. Stop by mine and enter to win my 'spring' giveaway.

Tara said...

Hi, just love your blog, but never commented before.

Eggs here in NW Florida are $2.36 a dozen at Walmart, Walmart brand bread is over $2 for whole wheat, milk is around $4 a gallon unless Walgreens has it for $3.49 (I remember not too long ago they ran it for $2.49). I just saw spaghetti sauce jump $.25 in a week (25% increase) and 5 lb mozzerella cheese jumped from $5.98 to $7.36 over about the past two months.

We live in a small town with only Walmart, Publix, and Winn-Dixe. No bread outlets here--only a Produce Market that you can usually find good deals at if you have time to get by there.

I did just put in to buy a half a cow (and split it with a friend) which cost about $1.90 per hanging pound for the meat and packaging for all cuts of meat. Now I just have to go buy a freezer to store it all...I wonder how much they have gone up???

Wifey said...

The prices around me are a bit cheaper - eggs are about $1.50, frozen juice concentrate (store brand) is somewhere between $1 and $2.

The increases are a bit scary for me, too.

Monica said...

Thankfully in our area we have a lot of grocery chains and they love to complete! It still takes a bit of effort to get the good deal, but it's possible.

If only our paychecks would reflect the % increase. Sorry to say, that's not going to be happening:(

EEEEMommy said...

"For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Consider the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather in the barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not worth much more than they?"
Matthew 6:25-26

Halfmoon Girl said...

I think remember eeee's mom reminder is great, but I also have been thinking of ways to combat rising prices. I started to tell you some things that I do, but it got to be such a long comment that I think I will post about it over at my place tonight or tomorrow. I jsut figured out how much the ferry will cost us to even get to the big city stores and I am burning ticked off over it!!!

Andie said...

We are blessed enough to have a friend who raises chickens/eggs! We get our eggs fresh from them for $.75 a dozen. But milk is getting ridiculous...$3.89 a gallon for skim! Yikes! It's cheaper to drink Pepsi...although not as healthy! A few weeks ago our local grocery ran a special of 2 gallons of milk for $5! I bought as much as my fridge could hold and that I thought we would drink before it went bad. If only I could freeze milk!
I enjoy your blog, thanks for all of the frugal ideas!

Melissa said...

I'm new to your blog, but just had to comment on this post. I live in Michigan, and I have really noticed an increase in prices. Eggs are now up to 1.99, having only been around 1.25 a few months ago! Milk is definitely expensive. It's right around 3.40 a gallon, unless you can find it on sale. Even that is getting harder!

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies) said...

I live in Southern CA, and those prices seem about right. Sometimes I can get orange juice a bit cheaper, but not often. Usually I just don't buy it! :) It is definitely difficult to budget and stick to it when prices rise so precipitously.

Anonymous said...

Well this is an old post but I would be curious if you made a new blog entry about this issue.
Right now at the bread outlet(or as my dad says the used bread store!) I can get a loaf of wheat bread for $1.12.
Eggs are around $1.50 a dozen. Milk ranges from the cheapest sale prices being $3.50 to $5.15
And OJ concentrate I believe is at Walmart generic brand for $1.25.
Cheese is the thing that has gone through the roof! But hey I need to lose weight anyway! :)

Grannie said...

This week at our Kroger store milk is $1.77, western ribs .98#, eggs =98, ball park franks $1.78. Their 10/$10 includes 12 oz. sliced cheese, cream cheese 8oz, pt of sour cream, bread and buns.