DU post grocery prices here -- got inflation?

[grasswire]

I'll try to keep this thread alive over the weekend in the hopes that we can document signs of inflation.

Please post any notable increases in prices of items.

[Ripley]

1. Everything is up and has been steadily climbing for months!

My weekly grocery bill is up 20$ from 6 months ago. And I basically buy the same types of stuff each week. Soup, toiletpaper, beef (unreal $21.00/lb angus tenderloin), dairy products through the roof. Honestly I don't know how people with lots of kids can handle it.

[grasswire]

2. here in the Pacific Northwest...

...I noticed the following yesterday:

Toilet paper up 25%!

Beef prices out of sight. $2.79 per pound for hamburger with 20% fat.

Chicken hindquarters 99 cents, locally grown, sale price.

Butter prices have dropped, but not cheese. $7.49 for a two-pound brick of cheddar, was $3.98 several months ago.

Bottom line -- anything not specifically on sale seemed to be up by 25 cents or so.

[Ripley]

6. I'm in the south but it clearly is a nationwide trend.

When I was at the store the other day, I was standing in the aisle looking at canning jars trying to decide which ones to buy. A middle aged woman with her elderly mother came by. The older woman said "honey, can we reach something on the top shelf for you?" (laughed! I am petite!) I said "no, just deciding how much money I don't want to spend." She said "ain't that the truth? Pinching every penny these days." I looked in their cart and they had all "unbrand" products and bulk quantities of cheap meat.

It's sad to see how this affects the poorest among us. They have to eat!!

[eleny]

7. About the hamburger

When chuck steak is on sale - grind your own. It's really, really good.

But to stay on topic - beef prices out here in Colorado are getting out of sight!

My tactic is to only buy sales over the course of a few weeks and then I have variety of protein groceries at the best price.

[MARALE]

39. Chuck hamburger is really good!

Also if you can find a farmer who raises cows, go in with some friends and buy one. We do this, we know where the meat comes from, it taste so much better, and is about $2.50-$3.00 a lb. That is for roasts, steaks, and hamburger.

[HamdenRice]

3. I realize these aren't groceries but...

plywood prices at the home depot have about doubled from $20/sheet of 4 x 8 pine/fir to $40/sheet. A news article a few months ago said it was all being bought up for construction in Iraq.

Oak plywood is about the same -- was and is $40/sheet -- but you don't use oak in construction.

[RebelOne]

8. I bought plywood at Lowes about 2 weeks ago and it was nowhere

near $40. I believe it was under $20 per sheet. That's here in the Atlanta area.

[HamdenRice]

11. Regional differences

Yeah that makes sense -- the southeast is a major source of supply, so the price would be much lower there. Also probably lower in the Pacific northwest. But it's $40 here. What's bizarre is that sanded construction pine plywood is now about the same in price as oak for finish carpentry!$#@@! And I'm doing renovations on my house, so it costs.

[Ripley]

17. And home of Cocacola (Atlanta) whose prices used to be cheap.

In my area (3 hours west of Atlanta) a 2-liter of Coke was very often on sale for .79 for years. Now, it's never on sale and it is $1.39. I don't buy it often anyway, and I know it's not a lot of money we're talking about, but that's a 50% increase!

[eleny]

9. There have been threads about our wood products going to Iraq

...for reconstruction. This is driving up our prices. Same with concrete.

[djeseru]

4. Chocolate milk.

A luxury item, to be sure, but very well liked in the mornings around here...started purchasing 6 years ago at $1.50 a half-gallon and have noticed it creeping toward $2.00. But over the last 6 months, I've seen the price fluctuate between $2.50 and $3.00.

I have noticed other items as well, 25-cent increase here and 50-cent increase there, but this one item struck me as the one that I've seen truly rise the quickest in price.

[RebelOne]

5. So far prices have remained fairly steady here in No. Georgia.

I can't say as far as meat goes because I am a vegetarian. But my soy burgers have not jumped in price.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

10. 3.89 for a gallon of milk

here in maryland (dc) suburbs

[UdoKier]

26. It's just under $5 here in San Francisco.

Count your blessings.

[Skidmore]

12. My husband and I several months ago could pretty much

take care of our food, cleaning, and toiletry needs on about $275/mo. The last three months I've not been able to spend less than nearly $400 and we have cut items from the standard list, buy store brand/generic, or items on sale. Milk has gone from $1.80/gal. to just around $3.00/gal. in a few weeks. Meat is getting unaffordable and we live in a major meat producing state.

[tom_paine]

13. All groceries rising

Soup, milk, canned goods, frozen goods, meats, etc.

Damned near EVERYTHING is rising in SE PA.

[HamdenRice]

14. I don't even want to think about ...

the price of gas!@#$! Over $30 to fill up my little nissan. But again, it's not a grocery.

[notadmblnd]

15. 5.39 for a freaking box of cereal?

We ain't paying 6.00 for any box of cereal. Were going to eat oatmeal and grits.

[Skidmore]

16. We've pretty much cut out buying cereal unless the

grandkids are coming. I keep oats and grits on hand because they can be stretched. We also grow a veggie garden every summer and this year I have put up a lot in the freezer.

[notadmblnd]

35. we buy our beef on the hoof

from local farmers. Last one I bought averaged 1.98 a pound. I'm waiting on a price now from the processor for one we bought this year. The beef is currently 1000+ lb for $500 (in the past we've bought them young and paid the farmer for the feed), the slaughter is $25. I expect the total will be around 750.00 when all is said and done so that will now average 2.50 .. I still think it's worth it though.. better.. safer.. beef.

[proud patriot]

18. Red Rassberry Jelly $4.25 at Food4Less

before bush it was $1.99-$2.25

small jar of Honey was $3.25 yesterday a Food4Less

I don't even want to know how much it would be at Safeway
or other high price Grocery stores .

[AmandaRuth]

19. i consistently notice increases on bread milk and eggs

my most common purchases i think. Bread, for a decent loaf (not wonderbread) is now in the $2.50 - 3.50 range even on sale. milk can be as high at 4.59. Eggs are up by at least a quarter as well. I buy all the fruit/vegs at road stands, so can't comment, they are always cheaper.

The pet shop where i work has raised all of the prices on food, but hard goods are steady.

I was thinking about this last night, I wonder what the inflation rate would be if it accurately measured things we actually use and need like gas and food.

[niceperson]

20. yes

cookied do has gone from 3.59 to 3.99 since 2000

[funkybutt]

21. Dairy prices have gone up Nationwide.

I've been told that this price increase is directly related to high transportation costs b/c of the weight and refrigeration and squeeze on supply. The dairy industry is very regulated, if we were able to import dairy from New Zealand, we could get a gallon of milk for less than $2.

[slojim240]

37. While dairy farmers have lowered their prices tremendously...even to the

point of being driven out of business. The middle man and the super markets are reaping all the profits as they gouge the working poor.

[masshole]

22. went shopping today

here's a sample of prices in a typical Western Massachusetts grocery store:

Tenderloin Steak $8.79 lb.
Chuck Steak (on sale!) $3.99 lb
Top Round (London Broil) &4.99 lb.
Chicken leg quarters $1.89 lb.
Chicken breast boneless $3.59 lb. (on sale)
Whole Milk $3.99 gallon
2% milk $4.19 gallon
Six-pak of "kids" yogurts, store brand $3.29
20 oz. Wonder Bread (plain white bread) $2.89
one pound loaf whole wheat (Arnold's) $3.89
One dozen large white eggs $2.89
Standard size box of Honey-nut Cheerios $3.99
10 oz. can of white tuna in water $2.69

Gasoline has been dropping lately, paid $1.88 for 87 octane today.

[grasswire]

44. your eggs are really high!

One thing I noticed in Western Mass is the relative dearth of grocery stores. Friends who live in the Pioneer Valley (well-inhabited area) have to drive miles to get to a store. A town might have only one market. Contrast that to my neighborhood in a town comparable in size to Holyoke, in the Pacific Northwest. Within walking distance of my apartment are four different large supermarkets. A Kroger's-owned store, a Safeway, an Albertson's, and TWO big stores of a locally owned chain (wonderful stores with great customer service). And I'm about four miles from the center of town.

In a situation like this, it's easier to shop the sales and take advantage of competitive pricing if one has time to do so. Even so, the rising costs can't be ignored.

[Bandit]

46. Pretty high all right

Why do you think 2% milk is more expensive than 4% Homogenized? I sell Gallons of Homogenized for $4.75 and 2% for $4.50 and Nonfat for $4.05. a month ago I was selling Homo for $5.25 and 2% for $4.95 and Nonfat for $4.65

[Xipe Totec]

23. Shopping List, Going Away Presents for *

Giant bag of pretzels - $4.50

Bottle of Southern Comfort - $25.00

Mountain bike with loose handlebars - $300.00

One-way ticket from Washington DC to Austin Texas - $450.00

Watching one dumb ass fade into the sunset - Priceless


There are some things money can buy.

For everything else, there's the ballot box

[Ripley]

24. Wasn't Xipe Totec the God of the

Flayed Skin in Aztec culture? Or am I remembering a hallucination and not my anthropology class correctly?

Funny post tho! :)

[Xipe Totec]

25. Oops! Give that lady a whole leg!

Yes, Xipe Totec is the God of rebirth and renewal. He wears a human skin dyed yellow. It symbolizes the outer skin of the corn kernel which is cast off when the corn plant germinates.

"Never criticize a man, unless you have walked a mile in his skin" :evilgrin:

(Sorry, that was sexist of me to assume gender).

[Ripley]

29. I also remember the inner thighs and palms of the hands were

considered the tastiest pieces of meat by those cannibals! I loved studying that culture...so artistic, barbaric, intelligent, advanced, a really complicated group of people.

I'll pass on the leg. ;-)

[Xipe Totec]

32. What's Even More Amazing is Finding the Parallels

Look up St. Matthew, one of the Apostles of Christ. His icon is that of a man with a tanner's knife in hand, carrying his own skin draped over his arm.

And let's not even analyze catholic communion too closely. :eyes:

Imagine the Spanish missionaries trying to explain all this to Aztecs, without being taken literally.

BTW, I did see Alien. I replied before I checked the on-line name and then said "wait a minute, Ripley? Oh crap, check the gender!"

[Ripley]

30. I was gonna correct you but thought what the hell?

No prob. Lot's of people think Ripley is a man's name. I guess they didn't see Alien. :hi:

[Gregorian]

28. Don't forget the orange jumpsuit and a bottle of vaseline

Oh, and eggs are $3.69 a dozen.

[Xipe Totec]

34. What's The Freight Cost From DC to Gitmo?

And can I get a refund for the DC to Austin ticket?

[Bandit]

27. Milk has actually come down in price since last month

But other things are up a bit. Meats are up especially stuff like frozen seafood. I have quit buying breaded oysters and scallops and fish and chips are really up. Cheese has not come down with milk, don't understand why. Cultured products are also still up there like cottage cheese and yogurt.

[realFedUp]

31. Milk's only cheaper if you buy two at a time...

"Buy Two and Save"

Got cow hormones?

[HFishbine]

33. Crack

is still cheap.

[Bandit]

45. How cheap is it.... beer is also cheap

:beer: Drool

[slojim240]

36. Bacon: $5.49 lb; mild $6.50 gal.

Mayo, $5.39 qt.
Cereal just plain out of sight!!! Screw the poor, let them eat cake!!!

[Red State Rebel]

40. Wow! Our Bacon is $3.80/lb. and Milk is $3.29

No increases that I've noticed. (Here in Missouri)

[greekspeak]

43. Before Bush I paid a lot less than $3.29 for milk in Missouri,

About 3 years ago, I was able to buy a week's worth of groceries for us two growing homosexuals for $90. After cutting and cutting and scrimping, using more coupons and seeking the cheepest ways to buy foods, I wish I could get away with $90 today. I would say that same amount of groceries that were $90 three years ago would go now for between $105-$115.

[louis-t]

38. Hmmm, I guess I was wrong about food prices.

I have shopped at one, and only one, grocery store for 20 years. Lately, everything seems to be on sale there. Lots of 2 fers, store brand markdowns, seems like 50% of groceries have the yellow 'sale' tags. And this isn't "10 cents off" either. 30, 40, 50% markdowns. I don't buy much red meat, mostly fish. Don't buy much dairy, only milk for my cereal. Store brand cereal (with no hydrogenated oils) $2-2.50 a box. Milk has come down a little recently. Produce always on sale. Store-brand vitamins on sale once a month. Paper products marked down. The only things going up around here are energy and cable bills. Remember how deregulation of energy was supposed to make prices go down? Now DTE Energy is complaining they aren't making enough money because their competitors are selling energy 'too cheap'. They want compensation. :nopity:

[hatrack]

41. Butter - $3.55 per pound

And we're not talking Land O' Lakes here - this was ordinary Best Choice salted butter. Sheesh!

[CityZen-X]

42. Here In No-Cal

A plastic bit of nowhere has increased a dollar more, and everything else costs a leg and a babies arm holding an apple. There charging $1.50 for the apple!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

47. It all goes back to the "Spice"

Oil that is. Texas Tea. Petroleum.

[democratreformed]

48. Just a couple that I can remember off the top of my head:

White American cheese - $4.99 lb.
Milk $4.89 gal
Coffee $4.97 for 2lb can

[grasswire]

49. kick

....for the next crew.

[Norquist Nemesis]

50. I noticed the trend in February

I usually do a two-week shop stock for arount $100-$125 for our family of four. Now, the same items are running a bill of $160 up. Milk is around $3 a gallong, cheese is up. Meat's the worst.

Luckily, I've been able to to cut the bill by going to several different stores...one for meat that sells chicken leg quarters between 49 to 69 cents a pound, another for lesser known brands (I can cut the bill in half buying the majority of items at Aldi's). Also, going to the bread store bakery outlets I can buy five loaves for around $2 versus over $1/loaf at the regular grocery. I can get bananas for 29cents/# at Aldi's, but they're 69 up to 99 cents a pound at Dominicks/Jewel/Cub.

The one thing the family won't stand for is generic soda. A year ago it was around $5.79 a case regular price. Now, it's $6.49 to $6.99, though on sale it goes for $4.99. I just wait for the sales and keep go back a couple of times to try and stock up.