Just got back from getting HAMMERED at the Grocery Store!

[Vinnie From Indy]

Those gas prices are starting to hit the prices of groceries hard. It seemed to me that everything was more expensive. I do know that my monthly grocery bill has grown by 50% since a few years ago.

[revree]

1. I had the same reaction this weekend.

I got the same stuff I usually get, yet it was almost fifty bucks MORE?????? And that was on sale?
Ridiculous.

[Jim Warren]

6. Prices up and packaging sizes down

Notice that? Stealth inflation.

[bobbieinok]

2. sorry--I thought you meant freepers had cornered you

we've had so many repots of conversations at the check-out counter

[dsc]

5. and I thought s/he had been driven to drink

[gratuitous]

7. I misunderstood the subject line, too

Dude, pay for the beer first and take it home. It's just plain bad form to get hammered in the refrigerated aisle.

[MadHound]

3. Try getting at least part of your groceries

At your local farmer's market. They don't have to travel as far, thus less gas used. Also they save on the gas by being grown organically. And besides, the food is better for you, more nutritous, hence you don't have to eat as much.

[Vinnie From Indy]

11. Thanks for the tip!

I will!

[panader0]

4. Really get hammered- don't eat, just drink

[Demobrat]

8. I have a friend who runs a neighborhood grocery store.

He's had to raise prices because EVERY delivery he gets now has a gasoline surcharge added. So he divides it up and adds it to the cost of the item. He's not making one penny more, but if he doesn't raise prices he can't stay in business.

[RebelOne]

9. I have definitely noticed the jump in prices.

I spent $58 Sunday at Target for 3 small bags of groceries. And I do not even eat meat. I am a vegetarian, so I pity you meat-eaters who have to spend a fortune on groceries to feed a family. And I am only feeding me and my 2 dogs, so if it cost me $58 for 3 small bags, I can imagine what you are paying. I remember the days, many, many years ago when $58 would feed me for 2 weeks.

[izzie]

16. I am with you and I hardly eat meat. I have to watch every cent I spend

I go to the market before 8 now and I do it for one reason. I get the day old bread. When a good loaf went to over 3 dollars I almost did not make it. I was sort of crazy. The dog and cats are now about even on what I spend on my self. I also live alone. I have watched one item go from 99 cents to 138 and some soup from 87 to 125. Now that has to do something to the COLA. Can gas cost really make a cost change like that? They raise it because your stuck and have to pay it I am sure.

[Minnesota Libra]

10. Yes, same here - there was a report on the local morning news......

....about "second harvest" and how many people they help each month. The report went on to mention fuel prices was causing grocery prices to go up so more families are having to visit "second harvest" and other "food banks" because of it.

[Boomer]

12. It's going to get worse

Agribusiness uses huge amounts of oil -- in production equipment, in fertilizers, and in distribution of the produce. Which means sharply rising food prices as the price of oil goes up.

In addition, however, climate change is increasingly responsible for crop failures or lower yields due to drought or unseasonable rains, new extremes of heat or cold, more intense hurricanes, floods, etc. So prices will continue to rise as the scarcity of food increases.

Brace yourself. Hard times ahead for the forseeable future.

[danalytical]

13. ME too

I went to Price Chopper for a few things and came out with $100 worth of groceries. That's mostly generic or on sale stuff too. It's certainly pricier than last month.

[Vinca]

14. I noticed prices rising, too . . . dramatically.

It keeps me motivated to work in the garden. Spinach, anyone?

[diamondsndust]

15. Tom Delay pinched your ass???

:evilgrin: :hi:

[w8liftinglady]

17. grocery shopping has become quite a chore-I use LOTS of coupons.

there's no way i could feed my growing boys without them.

[demgurl]

20. w8liftinglady...

there are coupon services out there if you need to get multiples of coupons.

Sales go in 6-8 week cycles - just so you know when the item will go on sale again. You save more if buy more with sales AND coupons combined.

For instance:

20 cans of peas at $.50 each:

Normal cost would be $10.00.

Have twenty coupons for $.25 off and you only pay $5.

If your store doubles then you get them for free.

If you use any real amount during the year, you really end up saving a lot with all of your food items.

You may know this already but I thought I would mention it just in case.

[dweller]

18. noticing lack of items on the shelves also

fewer on display, for example where there would normally be 2 rows of 10 individual items, there were 3 or 4. Not sure if it means they are running out? or just awaiting a new stock, but on the dairy aisle for example there were 3 blocks of a staple cheese i normally buy that usually has 3x that much on display. This was yesterday (mon) when i usually shop. I can't attribute it to a big weekend in sales for any reason.

my one treat, Breyer's ice cream: $5.25 each. no longer a treat :(

dp

[catmandu57]

19. Our grocery tally gas gone up as well

and I'm a cheap bastard I was holding the bi weekly grocery shopping bill to around 110.00 for the two of us. In the last month, with no changes in buying that has risen 10.00 not much yet but we run pretty much on a shoestring here and every little bit hurts.