# rising prices



## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

Are people out there seeing much in the way of rising prices?

I have suddenly noticed things hiking up - odd things. The bakers suddenly jumped the prices of a couple of items dramatically. There are lots of special offers in the grocery dept, but when you look at them, the prices are WAY higher than normal so your BOGOF is nearly the price of two anyway. I remember seeing a programme years back about how they use this as a means to sneak the prices higher and hope no-one notices 

We had a letter at work today that propane is going up by about 6% (can't remember the exact figure, but it was from around Â£75 to around Â£80?) Fuel on the other hand went down recently, but I wouldn't like to guess how long for - I now have a completely full tank to take advantage of the lower prices.

Electricity is 25p per unit as the company keep finding excuses to put that up.

It is now a question of trying to figure out which prices are going to rise fastest and stock up on those I think. It's a little depressing - I'm not where I want to be in terms of preps - but I suppose I am still a lot further along than many people 

What prices have you noticed going up fastest where you are?

Are there any surprises? Or were they all what you expected?

hoggie


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## Rainy (Jan 21, 2010)

The small bags of sugar here in our area jumped from$2.08 in December to $3.10 that i saw day before yesterday.. I about threw up... 
Not good...


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

OUCH - that's 50% increase  Maybe sugar should go on my "go to the top" list


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

everything here hoggie has gone up and this is just the begining.our electric company is asking for another 7% increase....after something like 9 rate increases the last 2 or 3 years.

i am learning to do things way different cooking wise and have just about stopped eating cheese at all.i am using up the things of cheese i got in freezer as it is getting older and i dont want to waste it.growing more and more garden stuff too.i have in the past given away zucs and yellow squash..now i about everyone or a family member does

also building a wood fired grill and a rocket stove to get away from buying propane.its silly of me using propane when i own 1000's of trees..oak,hickory,wild cherry just to name a few of the best smoking/cooking/grillin woods.


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

Gas and diesel prices went down here at the time when they are normally going up. That has given me kind of an overall uneasy feeling, maybe like when the tide goes out before the tsunami comes in, but by the time it dawns on you what is happening it might be too late??

Instead of simply raising prices, shrinking packaging seems to be in style. I think there is only one ice cream that still comes in half gallon containers - Blue Bell. Meats that used to be 1 lb or 16 oz are 14 or 12 oz, like kielbasa and smoked sausage. Spaghetti sauce in the cans, now down to 24 oz (started at 32). And so on. This makes it harder to keep up with pricing. I really got taken in on the canned spaghetti sauce. 80 cents!! That's a great deal!! I bought several of them, but when I got home to put them in the pantry noticed the cans had shrunk compared to the ones I had. Oops! Still not a bad price, just not the great deal I thought I was getting and I felt like a victim of bait and switch. 

Haven't been seeing the great seasonal deals this year on produce, either. At least not yet.


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## Pouncer (Oct 28, 2006)

I don't know which states exactly, but there was a report (a couple weeks back) that said that electricity bills were going up over 160% percent for their customers. I am thinking it was six states, I will see if I can find a link to that article. I just remember thinking I was very very glad, not to be hooked into the national grid!


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## fishinshawn (Nov 8, 2010)

Electric here is going up another 7% this year, on top of last years 5%. Gas here has slowly dropped from $4.29/g to $4.19/G, The price of tires, sugar, flour, cheese, milk has all been rising. What few prepackaged canned stuff we buy seems to have gone up in price some and the containers have gotten smaller.


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## backtocolo (May 1, 2012)

I have been noticing a lot of things going up. Cheese and sour cream are getting very expensive. It seems like not that long ago cheese on sale for 2.25 lb was the norm. Now I am thrilled to get it at 4.00 lb on sale. 

dry beans are going up in price. Last year normal price at my local grocery store for small red kidney beans was 1.29. Now the every day low price is 1.69 per pound. Next time they have them on sale for 1.00 a lb I will be buying 10 or 15 lbs vs just 5. We use more kidney beans than we do any others because we love red beans and rice. We also like chili year round.

Bread is getting very expensive but I don't buy it - since I found out that they use things like bird feathers as part of their dough stabilizers I decided I needed to get serious about baking my own. 

Meat is going up in price very quickly. We are grinding our own meat for hamburger. We don't need a lot of meat in our chili to make us happy so that is still an inexpensive meal for us.


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## Oma2three (May 5, 2012)

Like the others have said prices are getting higher and pkg. are getting smaller. so they get you twice.In our area meat has really gotten expensive.


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## jllmm (Dec 29, 2011)

Our gas price rose about .35 cents today, don`t know whats up with that.:shrug: :hair :nono: :grit:


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## Pouncer (Oct 28, 2006)

In my area, almost any protein you can think of, is at least $3 a pound. The tall jar of peanut butter is running $7 and up. I saw chicken breasts on sale for $2.89, which was dirt cheap, so I bought some. In the local grocery stores, most canned soups are nearly $2 a can...a little less for Campbells, a little more for Progresso. The local bulk store has Bush's canned beans on sale, the tall can, two for $5. Six months ago, you could buy a can for $1.87.

Thankfully, I found a local Bob's Red Mill seller, who brings in stuff in large amounts. Otherwise I wouldn't have my 13 bean soup beans at all. That runs over $3 a pound in the grocery store. I bought it in 25 pound bags. Same with kidney beans. For some reason you can not find a large bag of kidney beans anywhere up here. That one pound bag is $1.89 and up. I got it through the Red Mill place, $34 for 25 pounds. 

I've kicked around the idea of a food co-op for real, but gosh that would be a lot of paperwork!


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## lemonthyme7 (Jul 8, 2010)

Yes, I go to the store with my list and it seems like I come home with less and less anymore. A lot of times I will look at the prices and smaller containers and decide I can do without or make do with something else. I do shop sales and coupon but even with a coupon I am paying more for lots of things than I was a year ago. 

I told DH blueberries were buy one, get one free this week and he said I should buy a bunch and freeze some (my bushes aren't producing yet). I told him, yes, but it's the cost of the one you buy you have to watch. If the cost of the first one is so high it doesn't make the one you get free a bargin!

Since cirumstances beyond my control keeps me from having a garden this year I am hoping the town where we are living now (temporaily) has a decent farmer's market. I also am not going to be able to do the canning and freezing I usually do with not having the garden and that is going to hurt us this year.

On the plus side, our neighbor at our homestead wants to use a field we have standing empty to raise several steers and some hogs on. He will mow and fence (with high tensile) the field and raise the steers and fence off a corner of the field for his pigs. In return we will get half a steer and half a hog in meat and he will leave the high tensile fence in place when he is done! This is a huge win-win for us. This field would have just stood empty otherwise. We trust him and he raised some nice hogs last year so I know he at least knows what he is doing with them. DH did stress he needs to be vigilant with the fence as we would be responsible on our insurance if a steer got out and hit someone's car. With the cost of meat now I am very excited about this.


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

I think that I notice price increases more now that we are on a fixed income. It has been getting more difficult to stretch the money to the end of the month. And that is even after reducing our TV cost by $40 a month by switching to Dish and our mortgage is $75 less a month than the rent we were paying just a few months ago. If this keeps up we'll be eating more Ramen that we are now.

Nomad


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

I've been living in a bubble since the first week of February (chemo trashed immune system) so its been a while since I've seen grocery prices. Yesterday DH 'let' me go shopping with him as long as I didn't touch anything....Oh My Goodness!!!!! I about fell over when the two bags of groceries came up to $85.38. (two bags with potatoes and sugar on the side)
The only high dollar items were the guys meat (two chickens and small ham) and 20 lbs. of sugar.


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## sdnapier (Aug 13, 2010)

I guess we all know that tuna is now in 5 oz cans but I also am starting to see them in 4.5 oz cans. Even my cat couldn't survive on that!! ridiculous


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## Guest (Jun 16, 2012)

I've been buying sugar in the bulk section of WinCo for 50 cent a pound.


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## NamasteMama (Jul 24, 2009)

I just paid a 659$ electric bill for one month for a 2000 square foot house.....


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

veggiecanner said:


> I've been buying sugar in the bulk section of WinCo for 50 cent a pound.


Is that a good price? that puts a 50 lb bag at $25- seems high! I buy natural sugar from Azurestandard- it rose from $50 50 lbs to $75 50 lbs in just a few months.... 

What do you find at Winco that is the best deal?


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## secretcreek (Jan 24, 2010)

Wal-Mart, 6/16/2012: 1 lb Ground Chuck $4.18


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

I know we do with out alot of food things and make do with others- We go to Aldis and the Amish Market once a month or twice and stock up- I cook alot from scratch- I have started making my own bread- the 8 yr old is gonna have to deal with it LOL- he likes the one recipe I tweaked though so that is good...We have a massive Gardening co thing with 8 other families- and we have about 2 acres of actual plants in- if not more- and another garden at home- 
We get our meat from a freind... beef and pork- Now to find younger chickens that are not store bought-
I refuse to buy any thing I find to pricey for any recipe I will tweak it- 
but yes- food is outlandishly priced and my family knows when it is apple season- we will buy them from the Amish- when it isn't - well then it is canned apple slices- 
I try to eat in season- and then eat home canned thru the fall, winter and spring
it is a struggle - but we work really hard too- to combat the prices


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Our electric rate up 3% this month. Our bill has stayed the same because we are looking really hard at our energy use. One thing about having a co-op is getting capital credit checks in Dec. Usually in $60-70 range. Decided to open pool so bill be higher...18,000 gallons of water close by seemed like a good idea in these times. Having to irrigate garden from well doesn't help. Grow your own food and pump water or pay inflating prices at grocery for smaller and smaller packages.

Heard beef is supposed to go WAY up this year. Glad we have an Angus going to freezer camp in Sept. And her replacement in the barn. We don't eat that much beef but the kids do and it helps them out on their food bills. Aldi is going up,too. Mennonite store still pretty reasonable. Ours has xtra sharp cheese 12oz/.99 all the time.


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## whodunit (Mar 29, 2004)

NamasteMama said:


> I just paid a 659$ electric bill for one month for a 2000 square foot house.....


That's crazy! I bet our house is at least that big including the finished basement and we spend $104 a month. That includes everything but water pumping and heat. We are a family of six who all bathe/shower every day and do at least two loads of dishes a day and probaby 2-3 loads of laundry a day.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I've been whining to DH about the prices going up ( and my food budget not). It never hit home until yesterday. I took him shopping with me. He wanted ice cream for Father's Day.....finally HE saw that the carton was smaller and the price way up. Then we went to the cereal aisle. The light came on and now he's on board to get way from breakfast cereals entirely. I spent $104. The cart wasn't even 1/3 full. We bought no meat. No veggies, a watermelon and small bag of cherries for fruit. It isn't pretty. I worry for the young families and elderly out there.


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

with the farm ihavent bought meat or milk in a coupe years but I do have to buy corn sweet feed and rabbit pellits they have all jumped in price 'the gas has had a fast rise recently


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

I buy staples at Costco and have seen the prices rise a lot in the last year, but not as fast as grocery stores. I can still get sugar and flour pretty inexpensively, and bacon and coffee haven't gone up much. Milk is still under $3/gal when it's nearly $5 at the grocery store.

We're going to nearly double our garden this year, to help with groceries, and I'm going to can and dehydrate more. Hopefully the blueberries will do well, and maybe the young apple trees will have some fruit this year. 

It's sad to think about one of the wealthiest countries in the world having prices so high that middle class people can't afford it. We are lucky that our debts are low and income is pretty good, and I've been able to put a lot of food away in the last few years (before the prices rose) but still I look at things on the shelves and think "nope, that's too much" and pass them by.

ETA: Our gas prices went from $3.49 to $3.70 in two days last week. :shocked:


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

NamasteMama said:


> I just paid a 659$ electric bill for one month for a 2000 square foot house.....


:shocked:. I thought our $350 bill was too much.


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## Slatewiper (Nov 22, 2012)

terri9630 said:


> :shocked:. I thought our $350 bill was too much.


I guess I aught to be grateful that mine is $180!!!!


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

Slatewiper said:


> I guess I aught to be grateful that mine is $180!!!!


Bills go that low? Ours haven't been under $200 in 3 years. We keep cutting usage and they keep jacking up the rates.


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

Actually at Kroger they have lowered their prices on a lot of items. I normally do not buy anything unless it is on sale. I have been trying to keep my bill around $100 per week. It was running almost $150. Once the weather gets nicer I will start hitting a local flea market. I can get awesome deals on produce there & also on bread. 50 cents per loaf & it is really good stuff. I got some amazing deals on berries last year & made a bunch of jelly. 
What seems to be hurting us is the electric & also oil for heating our house.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Yes, it has gone up and will continue. Didn't anyone listen when O said energy will "necessarly skyrocket" and that he would close coal plants. It takes energy to grow and deliver food.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

terri9630 said:


> Bills go that low? Ours haven't been under $200 in 3 years. We keep cutting usage and they keep jacking up the rates.


Wintertime electric bills here are under $100. Summer with AC is $250- $350.


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## Trixters_muse (Jan 29, 2008)

I went to the sotre this week to buy seldom purchased items and man have the prices jumped in just a couple of months. I don't buy much mayo, if I need it I make it but I do keep store bought around just in case. When it was cheaper and came in 32oz jars I would buy 3 at a time and I was good for 6 months or more, now the biggest my local store carries is 22.5 oz and it was ON SALE for $3.99!


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## bruce2288 (Jul 10, 2009)

I had sticker shock at Ace Hardware. Skinny 3 inch wood screws/ a quarter a piece. Then I saw a box of 100 was $14.79. I know they are makeing a profit by the box, so probably over 100% mark up by the piece. Jeez I get tired of being screwed.


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

mnn2501 said:


> Wintertime electric bills here are under $100. Summer with AC is $250- $350.


We used to live near Kingsville and our bills ran a bit higher than that but not much. I miss winter there.... The cold stinks!


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## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

Rising prices are a great reason to buy in bulk when things are on sale. We shop the loss leaders at the area grocery stores and when we find a good deal we really stock up. 

There are a lot of things we simply don't buy anymore- not because we can't afford them, but because they just are not worth the price anymore. Hubby and I love, love, love potato chips, but even on sale they are not worth the price anymore. I don't think we have purchased a single bag of them this year. On the other hand, we have discovered that Menard's often has Ch- Chi's tortilla chips on sale for $1.99 a bag. We have rationalized that, since we eat the tortilla chips with our homemade salsa, they are a "healthy" snack, so we load up on them whenever we see them 

We also love candy, and I love soda, but we have been really good this year about cutting back in those areas as well. I still drink the occasional soda, but keeping our price book again reminds me how much I am spending on it, and there is always something that I would rather spend that $$$ on.


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## sidepasser (May 10, 2002)

I love potato chips but if Lays waited on me to buy any, everyone at the Lay's factory would be unemployed. I just cannot make myself spend 4.00 for a 12.5 bag of chips.

We go to Target and buy their Archer Farms tortilla chips at 2 - 1 lb. bags for 5.00. These will last us over two months as we ration them out. Combined with my salsa it is a cheap snack.

I don't buy much candy anymore either although I love Peanut M&Ms..at 3.50 per bag, it is just too much.

Now that I think of it, there are so many things that I don't buy anymore, it might be easier to list the things I do buy. BTW - I saw gas this morning at the Shell station on Highway 72 East near Huntsville for 3.79 per gallon. I cannot believe how fast gas has gone back up in the last week.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Elizabeth said:


> Rising prices are a great reason to buy in bulk when things are on sale. We shop the loss leaders at the area grocery stores and when we find a good deal we really stock up.


I fully agree with that. When loss leaders are on sale, clear the shelves.


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## PATRICE IN IL (Mar 25, 2003)

We buy the Aldi tortilla chips, they are around $1.50 a bag and they taste great. I don't care for their potato chips though so we only treat ourselves once every few months to Lay's.


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## GoldenCityMuse (Apr 15, 2009)

Loss leaders are good. Keep a sharp eye out for the markdown/clearance items. Sometimes they clear out slow selling products. I bought 5 14 oz cans organic sweetened condensed milk for 59Â¢, was $1.99 ea.

SC milk used to be 16 oz too, as an example of shrinkage.


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## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

You can always make your own SC milk. I have not run the numbers to see if it is any cheaper than store bought, but I am sure it is healthier.

Here is a link to a recipe-

http://candy.about.com/od/ingredientguides/r/Homemade-Condensed-Milk.htm


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## shannsmom (Jul 28, 2009)

I'm glad to see we are not the only ones who love their chips lol! Publix puts Lays and Doritos on sale B1G1F every few weeks, for just over $2 a bag, so I will buy 4 then. And we get tortilla chips at Sams, it's $3 something for a hugs bag which tastes just like the ones you get in restaurants....yummy!


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## KIT.S (Oct 8, 2008)

I've been really shocked that Winco (Oregon) seems to have reduced their prices. I bought several cases of canned corn & green beans (33 cents each) and spaghetti sauce (48 cents for 24 oz) when it was on super sale, but then it hasn't come OFF the sales price! We eat the corn, but give the spaghetti sauce and green beans to the church pantry. I don't give away my home-canned produce. There have been other items whose price has gone down unexpectedly, and I was hoping for an across-the-board reduction, but so far it's hit and miss.
And it surely doesn't apply to fuel!
Kit


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## bluemoonluck (Oct 28, 2008)

Oh yeah. I used to be able to buy a 5# block of cheese for $13. I bought one as usual back in January, then a week later went to buy another...and the price had gone up to $19 . And it was still the cheapest cheese per pound that the store had. Needless to say we don't eat nearly as much cheese as we used to.

I had to start buying infant formula recently, and for the first few weeks the can was $14.99. Then I went to buy more (less than a week later) and it was $21.49 for the same can .


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## TxGypsy (Nov 23, 2006)

I have a theory. The government taxes a percentage of the items purchased rather than a set tax per item. The more expensive things are....the more in taxes the government collects. I think this also explains rising gas prices. 

I'm glad (well not actually glad) to see that I was right. I've been saying that utility prices were about to go up. I'm building my new place with all solar. I think a year or two from now I will be very glad I did.


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

Not only higher prices but also less product in packages. It's just disgusting sometimes.


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

If you can make or buy cheap corn tortillas you can cut them up and fry them your self. My kids love them.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

You name it....It is higher here. Gas, elec,Groc, feed,ammo.....all of it.
Hay-OMG!!


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Texas, you reminded me of how high chicken feed has gone! I was shocked when I called our feed store to have some delivered. I don't let our chickens free range because of all the *****, coyotes, hawks, owls, dogs and possums roaming around here that would love to feast on them.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

MOF - Feed is ABSURD. We'd had always tried to place as big of order as we could.... to get any price break.....They are still giving us a very small break....but, you can tell they don't like it. We have been their customers for many, many years. They are making us feel like robbers, when we expect a bit lower price.:flame:
We have all the predators, as you.... so, I feel ya.


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## doodlemom (Apr 4, 2006)

The 26lb winter wheat was 13.96 last week and is now 19.88 this week at WalMart.


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## Aintlifegrand (Jun 3, 2005)

Everything is higher here..but as high as it is..I know it will be going much higher..so I still try to stock..especially sale items..right now we have the money..but who knows how long that will last


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

My meds went up since last month. Also noticed lunch meat from the deli section of our grocers is up.


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## Nathan (Jun 8, 2006)

Im looking for A good used car,and prices have skyrocketed sinc I bought my last car in 2008 for 1500.Looked at A 2003 honda accord 146k for 6500.I may have to make do with my van,pay for fuel


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

Texasdirtdigger said:


> You name it....It is higher here. Gas, elec,Groc, feed,ammo.....all of it.
> Hay-OMG!!


Feed and hay.... I think this summer my and the kids jobs will be to walk the livestock in the desert to graze on the misquite.


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## Hairsheep (Aug 13, 2012)

My local butcher has a sign out front that reads: Ribeye Steaks $5.99 a pound, like that is some kind of great deal!
Bacon, now comes in 12 ounces packaging and the stores will charge you what it used to cost at 16 ounces.
Hay around here, btw, is $7.00 a bale, for just orchard grass.
Everything has doubled in price, since last year it seems.
Its a good thing, my needs for various things are low, or I would be really worried.


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

I have to be honest and say that, although our prices ARE going up, they don't seem to be going up as fast as yours do? Ours are scary enough, but yours do seem worse.

Although, to us on this side of the water, your prices always seemed amazingly low? Maybe there is more of a buffer built into ours that the manufacturers can afford to raise the prices more slowly - not that they won't reach the same levels, just not spiking in the same way?

If that makes any sense?


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

I tell a lie....looks as though they might be starting to rise a little quicker.

Went shopping today and canned sweet corn which has been on special offer of Â£1.69 for three, is now on special offer of Â£1.49 for TWO!!! 

oh well - I guess we knew it was coming - must get the garden going IF the weather ever clears up


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## doodlemom (Apr 4, 2006)

WM raised the hard white winter wheat again to 24.88/26lb


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

web-bot at end of last year said food prices for 2013 would skyrocket first half of year and last half would be food scarcity.


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## Sandhills (Jun 15, 2004)

Our WM still has hard white wheat for $13.98 for 25lbs. The company is Wheat Montana.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

doodlemom said:


> The 26lb winter wheat was 13.96 last week and is now 19.88 this week at WalMart.





doodlemom said:


> WM raised the hard white winter wheat again to 24.88/26lb


if thats not hyperinflation what is.....:shrug:


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## FarmChix (Mar 3, 2013)

I'm in the food industry right now--sales and marketing. I can tell you beef is going crazy high--and your staples. Sugar, coffee, vegetable shortenings, rice and beans. Flour has already started on the rise. We get a weekly market report as well as a few at the beginning/middle/end of the growing seasons. Produce will still be at a premium this summer because of predicted weather conditions. We are working with customers now to get them away from iceburg and showing alternatives.....have you bought lettuce this week? I have been in the industry on and off for over 25 years, and it has never been this cRaZy!!!


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

I have done a small personal experiment since the 1st of the year. My goal was to only spend $20.00 a week. I came in under budget for January,BUT, I had stocked up on stuff in November and December. When I got to the end of January, a lot of my stores had been depleted. February, even though it was a short month, I still went over budget by $35.00. I am trying very hard this month, by not going to the store at all. I am still out of milk, almost out of eggs, and I have enough bread dough in the fridge to make one more loaf.With 2 weeks left in this experiment, I have already spent $66.00. My point is, during these 3 months, I have seen EVERYTHING double in price. Thank God that this was just an experiment and I wasn't really dependent on $20 a week like so many are. I just don't know where else to cut back? We bought a 1/4 beef last fall, and that mostly what we were eating, plus out of my pantry. I cook from scratch and make every meal stretch and do double or triple duty. Ideas?


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## unregistered168043 (Sep 9, 2011)

Just bought a 4x8 piece of 3/8 " plywood....one piece....$20 DOLLARS!!


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## unregistered168043 (Sep 9, 2011)

farmersonja said:


> I have done a small personal experiment since the 1st of the year. My goal was to only spend $20.00 a week. I came in under budget for January,BUT, I had stocked up on stuff in November and December. When I got to the end of January, a lot of my stores had been depleted. February, even though it was a short month, I still went over budget by $35.00. I am trying very hard this month, by not going to the store at all. I am still out of milk, almost out of eggs, and I have enough bread dough in the fridge to make one more loaf.With 2 weeks left in this experiment, I have already spent $66.00. My point is, during these 3 months, I have seen EVERYTHING double in price. Thank God that this was just an experiment and I wasn't really dependent on $20 a week like so many are. I just don't know where else to cut back? We bought a 1/4 beef last fall, and that mostly what we were eating, plus out of my pantry. I cook from scratch and make every meal stretch and do double or triple duty. *Ideas?*



Double up on your gardens. Spring is around the corner, do you can? Do you raise any meat?


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

Yes I can, and we are quickly depleting our stash. The big garden is in the works (thank goodness we have drip irrigation) and I have made it very clear to DH that we will be getting chickens this year!


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

my advice to all is buy all you possibly can today.


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## jen8753 (Jan 18, 2012)

I went to buy a strip of yeast from a local grocery store (Giant) and 1 strip, 3 quarter ounce packets, Red Star brand was $5.99. I almost fell over. It was the only brand of yeast they had in stock. Drove a few miles away to Food Lion...it was $1.99 for Fleishman's brand. I couldn't believe it.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

jen8753 said:


> I went to buy a strip of yeast from a local grocery store (Giant) and 1 strip, 3 quarter ounce packets, Red Star brand was $5.99. I almost fell over. It was the only brand of yeast they had in stock. Drove a few miles away to Food Lion...it was $1.99 for Fleishman's brand. I couldn't believe it.


i think most working folks are going to be priced out of certain basic items.i think thats why its important to be able to make your own starters .


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## PATRICE IN IL (Mar 25, 2003)

Now is the time to invest in some good cookbooks with recipes cooked from scratch using whole ingredients, not a can or box of this and that. A good bread bakers book with recipes for capturing wild yeasts will be very valuable.

Portion control will also start playing a more important role in your grocery budget.


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## bruce2288 (Jul 10, 2009)

If yeast cost is a problem. a couple of solutions. I use 1/2t yeast for 6 cups of flour give it an 8-12hr rise period. or create your own started batch and keep it active. Flour water bit of yeast, when it is working good put it in the frig use it once a week refeed and restore. You would only need purchased yeast one time.


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## unregistered65598 (Oct 4, 2010)

FarmChix said:


> I'm in the food industry right now--sales and marketing. I can tell you beef is going crazy high--and your staples. Sugar, coffee, vegetable shortenings, rice and beans. Flour has already started on the rise. We get a weekly market report as well as a few at the beginning/middle/end of the growing seasons. Produce will still be at a premium this summer because of predicted weather conditions. We are working with customers now to get them away from iceburg and showing alternatives*.....have you bought lettuce this week?* I have been in the industry on and off for over 25 years, and it has never been this cRaZy!!!


Nope and I won't be, our prices for a head of lettuce went from 1.39 to 3.79 per head in just 1 1/2 weeks! It's crazy. The store is paying over 2.00 per head.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

7thswan said:


> Yes, it has gone up and will continue. Didn't anyone listen when O said energy will "necessarly skyrocket" and that he would close coal plants. It takes energy to grow and deliver food.


If your electric utility has been forced to close older coal fired power plants you can expect your rates to go up to pay for the replacement power plants. Those will be significant increases. It's very likely that the new power plants will burn natural gas which means that the price of natural gas, currently in a slump due to the over supply, will increase after the new plants are built. I figure natural gas prices will skyrocket about two years from now. Electricity rate will then increase again as they increased demand for natural gas forces that price up.

If the feds allow natural gas to be exported, watch the progress on the terminals in MD and the Gulf coast, it may happen sooner.

Natural gas prices jumped in the early nineties for similar reasons.


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

Sandhills said:


> Our WM still has hard white wheat for $13.98 for 25lbs. The company is Wheat Montana.



Our WM doesn't carry bulk wheat. Just little 1lb bags.


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

jen8753 said:


> I went to buy a strip of yeast from a local grocery store (Giant) and 1 strip, 3 quarter ounce packets, Red Star brand was $5.99. I almost fell over. It was the only brand of yeast they had in stock. Drove a few miles away to Food Lion...it was $1.99 for Fleishman's brand. I couldn't believe it.



I buy my yeast on amazon 5lbs at a time. No idea what it costs now since I haven't bought any in 3yrs but its cheaper than by the packet. I paid $5 for the last order.

Its still cheaper, but WOW has it gone up!


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## mpennington (Dec 15, 2012)

Our co-op just went in with 3 other co-ops in the area for a Montana Wheat buy. We were able to get 50 pounds of hard red for $17.30 and 50 pounds hard white for $20.46 - we had a minimum buy of at least 5,000 pounds, but with all the groups working together ordered 7,000 pounds. We're finding that banding together and purchasing as a group really helps bring prices down. It's a lot of organizational work and some physical to sometimes split and repackage but people volunteer for different aspects and everyone helps.


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## mpennington (Dec 15, 2012)

terri9630 said:


> I buy my yeast on amazon 5lbs at a time. No idea what it costs now since I haven't bought any in 3yrs but its cheaper than by the packet. I paid $5 for the last order.
> 
> Its still cheaper, but WOW has it gone up!


I buy my yeast at Sam's - just purchased 2 pounds for $4.95.


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## justincase (Jul 16, 2011)

in ae north carolina our gas has went down a little but i work in a grocery store and ny gosh how every week i see it goes up.our electric bill is never under 200.00 that was even with us using propane fireplace for heat. have no idea how i will keep house cool this year with an ac unit and can not live in this heat without it. I am trying to figure out a way to cool my house and have a great idea but hubby is not into it. In the victorion era they had these huge fireplaces with large cast iron solid grate type panes at the bottom. they removed them in the summer so the cool basement air would come into the house. I have an idea how to do this, just need a fan to pull up the air ( like a computer fan because of the speed of it) we will see if he will go for it this summer once he sees a bill. A 4 lb bag of sugar is on sale for 1.69 this week at the Pigg but that is 50 cents more than a few months ago. My mom saw on Fox news that meat is going up.....shocker(note sarcasm)I have become a crazy coupon lady and that is even getting harder to do. To line up a salw with a coupon that I have is darn near impossible to do! I will not buy it unless it is on sale and have a coupon but that is still adding up tp what I paid for food normally 6 months to a year ago. My dh work and so do i but we can not keep up with our bills anymore and there is nothing extra for anything anymore. I bought a woodstove a couple years ago and when i had the money to put it in my dh got laid off so i have a woodstove that i can not use becaue i can not afford the chimney pipe. I need all of the pipe fot it and everything else to go along with it and not a penny to purchase it. I never see it used on craigslist here in my area....sorry for the rant it is just disgustin how much everything is going up and no way to get ahead,.....argh:flame:


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## GoldenCityMuse (Apr 15, 2009)

As was seen in Cyprus last week, it does not pay to save. The.GOV sees that as their income.

Keep very little in the bank, just enough to pay your bills for 2 months or 3.

Buy tangibles, especially ones that won't go bad. Hardware [nails, screws, lumber]
Food [think dried beans, white rice, lentils, split peas, other legumes.]

Do a lot of thrift store scrounging to find items.

ANd yeah, a few oz of silver are good too. It is going to really start going up soon.


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## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

I used to enjoy doing the grocery shopping, now it's just depressing. Everything has gone up here. The store "sales"...really aren't. Smaller size for more money, and I'm talking just basics. 
The electricity has gone up, last bill over $200 and we have wood heat! No central heat/air. 
Have also noticed the stores aren't even stocking the shelves well. 
Looked for vacuum storage bags for my food saver at 2 different walmart's and they have none. Employee's didn't know if they'd just quit carrying them, or what? Too many items are no longer being stocked.


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

A friend that works at the local grocery store called to tell me the beef was going on sale this week because she knew I wanted to stock up. Roasts are on sale for $3.79lb. That was the cheapest. I went ahead and picked up enough for a canner load but . 

On a brighter note my pig is ready so I will have a freezer full of pork tomorrow afternoon.


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## VT Chicklit (Mar 22, 2009)

Backwoods, I have a Food Saver and I have found the best prices for the bags or bag material on a roll (my preference) are on ebay. I reciently purchased two 50 foot rolls of 8 inch wide bag material for just over $25 with free shipping. This price was a "buy it now" price and not even a bid price. I have yet to find this any cheaper at a store.


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## shannsmom (Jul 28, 2009)

I have not been able to grocery shop for about 3 weeks till last week (sprained ankles), and DH had to just pick up milk during that time, but he seems to have seen the light as far as high prices, so when he took me to Sams yesterday, he did not question the bunches of salt, sugar, etc that I put in the cart, knowing that I keep up with prices and that the drought is continuing, so we need to be well stocked. The sales are not really sales here, either, lately, and you have to be vigilant about watching prices.
I can "hear" the frustration in your posts, justincase, but hang in there!


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## mamastars (Feb 28, 2006)

Yesterday in the grocery store I had to pay full price for D___'S Mayo. (haven't seen a sale on it for about a year and have run out) 32 oz. $3.59. I picked up one (they only had about 10) then I noticed the newly stocked 16 oz. was $3.39, so I picked up one more 32 oz. Think I'll go back today and pick up a couple more 32 oz. figured when they restock it will be waaay higher and maybe even 30 oz. too. Noticed on other things that look restocked it was so much higher. Envelope gravy 2 1/2cups .95, 3 1/2 cups .99, the smaller amount looked newer stocked. I use to get real joy almost a high on getting really good deals now they have even priced that out of reach. We just do the best we can with what we have and be thankful!


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## unregistered168043 (Sep 9, 2011)

Federal reserve announced jan. 1st that it will print an additional 45 billion dollars a month...prices are rising....coincidence?


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