Grocery prices

[flowerseverywhere]

How are lower income, large families and older Americans on fixed incomes getting by? I had to do some extra shopping for an event and it is almost shocking how much prices have risen. You can be super frugal but prices are out of control.

[Teacher Terry]

I had to raise my monthly budget from 200/month to 300 just for me. I do have company I cook for once a week.

[happystuff]

It is hard! I find that I am making more things from scratch, eating more of what we actually have on hand, and - more often than not - simply do without.

[Teacher Terry]

I have replaced some name brands with store brands but it depends if I can tell the difference or not. At this age I am not depriving myself and am going to eat what I like. It helps that I only eat a fraction of what I did when younger.

[pinkytoe]

I dislike the time it takes to load online store coupons and promos but it saves us quite a bit of money on things we normally purchase. Things like $10 off $50 are helpful too when prices have escalated so much. Cringed today at the price of cat litter for our indoor cats. Was $4.50 a bag and now $7.50 for 20 lbs.

[bae]

I'm essentially just buying a few basics at the grocery store here now - dairy, veggies. No convenience or preprepared or processed foods. I have the luxury of working at home most of the time, so I can make basics into more complex things during the day without a lot of time commitment.

I get my meat and fish from local farmers and fisherfolk, or harvest it myself. Summer is coming, so my Mom's garden should provide tons of produce during the harvest season. I get eggs from my partner's flock of tame dinosaurs.

I bought all-in at the 20%-off gift-card sale at the local grocery store, which has helped a bit.

But basically, prices are insane all over. I restocked bathroom soap and toothpaste from Amazon just now, and the prices were a lot higher than when I did so last year.

Meanwhile a 3BR 2BA house down the street from me, with a 2-car garage and a view of the ocean, is up for rent for $5k/month, and it's nothing fancy inside or out.

Not sure how normal people manage to live anymore.

[SiouzQ.]

I went to Smith's today and used up some coupons I had, and just managed to spend the $60 I needed to in order to use my $6 off coupon for spending $60. Got fresh veggies, bacon, bratwurst, sourkraut, ground turkey, ham lunchmeat, sliced cheese, cereal, eggs, bacon, and a six-pack of beer - it came to a total of $56.17. Then I got 10 cents off per gallon on fuel for my car. The receipt said I saved $11.90 today.