Rising prices - Wow!

According to my 2024 and 2025 Family Budget Planner spreadsheets my average monthly cost for food (groceries) this year is only $3 more than it was last year. Since I pay with credit cards and the statements for December payments have already been issued, I have my 12 month total. I averaged $173 a month this year. I tally restaurant food separately.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
According to my 2024 and 2025 Family Budget Planner spreadsheets my average monthly cost for food (groceries) this year is only $3 more than it was last year. Since I pay with credit cards and the statements for December payments have already been issued, I have my 12 month total. I averaged $173 a month this year. I tally restaurant food separately.
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That's impressive.

Did you buy the same types of groceries this year as last, Diva? Sometimes opt for different brands or products? Go without a few things because of higher prices? Did you reduce egg consumption when the prices were stratospheric, for instance?

Higher coffee prices by themselves would have put my monthly grocery increase at more than $3.
 

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In New York State the maximum SNAP benefit for a single person is $298.00/month.

I spend about that amount on food.

It’s hard to tell because I usually buy the specials and manager’s markdowns for the freezer and the pantry instead of buying only what I eat each week.

I also tend to splurge a bit on fresh produce, seafood, single serving convenience foods and treats, YOLO.

I do know that my spending on groceries has about doubled since the pandemic.

I can’t imagine what it would be like to feed an active young family.

Feeling thankful and blessed.
 
StarSong said:
Adding in general household supplies like TP, dish soap, etc., I'm probably in a $175 range per week, too.
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Don't forget Star and @Trade...I was only counting food, not non food items. When I think of groceries, I think of food items. I have different categories on my spreadsheet for other items....such as household, laundry and pet supplies. So counting Deja's food...it would average $207 a month. Also sometimes my son will bring something home for me...like this week it was 3 pounds of grapes and an avocado. Sometimes it's Haagen Daz ice cream :love: and full course meals from a local restaurant or the mosque. Still don't think I'd reach $175 a week without those extras.

I could be an ovo-lacto vegetarian if I didn't like my fish so much as well as the occasional chicken and turkey burgers (as burgers and for my chili). I only eat red meat a couple of times a year when I crave a Wendy's or Burger King hamburger. And of course I don't eat pork. Not buying meat saves a ton of money. BTW, that 2025 monthly average includes some food items that will last me well into next year.
 
@OneEyedDiva, I typically eat a plant-based diet plus fish once or twice a month (restaurant meals mostly). DH eats a fair amount of cheese, plus fish weekly-ish, but is otherwise mostly plant-based, so our food purchases are primarily fresh produce and whole grain starches like barley, brown rice, quinoa, etc. Even so, it adds up.

This time of year I spend plenty on cheese, butter, nuts, flour, sugar, chocolate, etc., for the 75-100 pizzas and approx 5,000 cookies I'll make between now and December 31.

When DH & I stop working and need to dip into retirement funds to make ends meet, I'll probably pay much closer attention to our outgo. For now, our SS plus business income outweigh our annual expenses so we're still adding to retirement funds.
 
I don't keep track of our expenses so out of curiosity I looked at the spend analyzer for the credit card we use.

supermarkets show $2092.64 for the last 11 months.
restaurants show $879.28 for the last 11 months.

combined that comes out to $270.17 a month. The supermarkest cost includes non food items.

We eat what we like. I attribute the low cost to shopping for sale items & stocking up. Doesn't hurt that we get comped meals at least once a week.
 
roadhogg said:
prices in the UK in relation to food have increased ,butter had doubled ,eggs have doubled alot of supermarket items have not gone up that much however eating out is anther kettle of fish ,cod and chips is now £10+ kebabs £10+ .in 2003 i could get a full fry up in the cafe with mushrooms and bubble for £3.50 ,now there over £10 iv heard reports coming from cafes in london that the average price of a fryup is £18
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£12.99 for cod & chips here at our local town fish & chip shop

Haddock & chips £14.99... Rock and chips £15.99...Plaice & chips £14.99. ....

chicken shish kebab FROM £14.99.... Donner kebab FROM £12.99
Lamb Shish Kebab £15.99


Burger meal ..that's Burger chips and a soft drink..from £15.99

These prices are from a hgh street fish and chip shop not a restaurant... but a basic tajke-away... unbelievable prices... .. if you're buying for a family then you're spending more than it would cost to fill your car's fuel tank
 
Further to those take away fish & chip prices etc... bear in mind our minimum wages is only £10.00 per hour for 18-20 year olds.. and just over £12..00 for over 21's.... so these take away snacks cost more than an hour's salary .....
 
In Missouri we have a non-profit called Aging Ahead. Near me you can get free lunch twice a week, in a nice community center, based on age only. Donations are accepted.

I would guess some other states have similar programs.
 
hollydolly said:
£12.99 for cod & chips here at our local town fish & chip shop

Haddock & chips £14.99... Rock and chips £15.99...Plaice & chips £14.99. ....

chicken shish kebab FROM £14.99.... Donner kebab FROM £12.99
Lamb Shish Kebab £15.99


Burger meal ..that's Burger chips and a soft drink..from £15.99

These prices are from a hgh street fish and chip shop not a restaurant... but a basic tajke-away... unbelievable prices... .. if you're buying for a family then you're spending more than it would cost to fill your car's fuel tank
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Takeout food has gotten crazy expensive here, too. I rarely dine out, either in a restaurant or takeout, unless with my kids or grandkids. It's almost impossible to get a meal out here for under US$20, and with the currency conversion, your numbers show the same is true in England.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
Don't forget Star and @Trade...I was only counting food, not non food items. When I think of groceries, I think of food items.
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Maybe I'll try keeping tack of it for the upcoming month of December. Today I spent $67 on groceries. Almost all of it, about $60, was for food. But that won't count since it's still November. The grocery stores are pretty convieniently located so I probably go at least 3 times a week. About 3 or 4 years ago I kept track for a month and spent $650, but that was for all groceries, not just food, aand for both my wife and I although probably at least 3/4 of it is for my food. We've had at least 20% inflation on groceries since them so I'm thinking we are at about $900 a month now.
 
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MarciKS said:
A 12 pc bucket of chicken meal from KFC went up to $32. I remember back in the day when you could get the 12 pc with large slaw, large mashed, gravy and 4 biscuits I think for like $10.
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Last time I went to KFC I wasn't happy paying $13 for all of that. All I gotta say is the Gen X's working there will all be dying of old age before I come back.
 
StarSong said:
How do you manage that?
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Easy all you have to do is be willing to spend money on entertainment. Our entertainment is in the form of gambling, notice I didn't say free if you spend enough, the casinos comp meals. Sign up for a players card & the spending is tracked. Tracking slot machine play or table games they know what is spent.
 

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