a real shocker yesterday . . .
I’ve been tracking our grocery spending; did that 2-3 years back for budgeting purposes . . .
actually, it has not changed that significantly. somewhat higher, but not like . . .
(other reasons) drove into Maryland - Hunt Valley area - had some extra time so we went into a Wegman’s - they have a good bakery and I needed fresh fish for dinner.
steaks - various cuts - twice the $/lb price. $52.99 per pound for bone in ribeye.
frsh fish - easily double the prices of our local specialty shop aka fish monger.
those Marylanders need to drive north and save container loads of cash . . .
We are having some produce supply chain issues at some grocery stores up here in Ontario.
Less choice of US citrus this winter. Some days, probably a day or 2 before a delivery, some types of produce are not available. It’s more noticeable if one shops on Sunday afternoon.
Some produce has also been in worse condition this winter.
At cheaper stores, when items are on sale, people have been stocking up. I frequently see empty spaces where the popular products were. That has been happening since March 2020. It has become more obvious again recently, especially in the pasta aisle.
This got me thinking, as I’ve tracked our grocery spending for over 15 years. I took a look at the numbers. Our 2025 spending was 1.95 times our 2010 spending. Some of that is life-style creep. On the other hand, we no longer have pets (supplies were in our grocery budget), and we eat far less than we did 15 years ago.
ETA: Budget includes cleaning supplies and booze, and we don’t eat out as a habit, so there is no additional eating-out/take-out line-item in either year.
That looks a bit more than the overall inflation calculator indicates - an item bought for $1 in 2010 generally would cost $1.50 now. https://www.usinflationcalculator.com
My dining out habits and what I’m cooking now compared to 10 or 15 years ago have changed so much.
Apart from saying I’m eating roughly the same amount of calories since I still weigh about the same and I still walk a lot, there are so many other variables that mean while prices are higher due to inflation, what I’m buying has changed a lot due to other factors.
we have a separate budget line item for ‘dining out’ which includes the once&a-while stuff like fried chicken & Jersey Mikes - and alcohol I track separately. so I suspect “our” spending records are “pretty much the same”
eating out has most definitely increased a lot, but comparing 2010 to 2025 is a pretty long stretch. plus covid did a number on a lot of stuff during that period.
just “national” inflation would have 2025 prices at 1.51x of 2010.
here’s a pix of what covid did to maple syrup - price has come down a bit since then…
it’s a nice store - and they have top notch stuff.
if we were ‘looking for something to do’ we sometimes drive down - but their prices now are far higher compared to our local markets.
we do a Costco now and then, stock up on beef/pork/fish.
their packaging for chicken is just not reasonable for two people.
but we can get Prime beef for the price, or less, that Choice at local markets.
I have a fav butcher, where I can get good beef, but their beef is not USDA graded.
they operate a slaughter house, and I suspect he imposes his own standards on what he puts out in the store.
I got an outside skirt steak there a couple of weeks ago, out of curiosity. The only other places that even have skirt steaks only carry inside skirt steaks. It was a wonderful treat for me. Costco - I love but the packaging is just way too big for me. I also have a local butcher where I can go and request things.
Aside from some lifestyle creep, another thing which skews our numbers a bit from the average is we relocated during that 15 year span. Whereas we used to live in a big city with over 50 grocery options of all ethnicities within 5 miles of our house, we now live in a small town with a couple of chain groceries and a co-op. No more monthly trips to Costco, either.
I’ve got a really detailed budget so the money I budget for groceries is strictly for food. I diligently check the grocery store flyers every week and, like MunchkinRedux, I live in the city with a multitude of grocery stores within walking distance and ethnic grocers a short bus ride away so it’s been relatively easy staying within budget. I also have a Costco membership and I find it worth it for me.
I have a separate line called “drugstore” and that’s for toiletries and cleaning products. I used to have a separate line in my budget for the liquor store which I did away with when I stopped drinking but I’m thinking of reviving it since some of these non alcoholic beverages can get expensive. I’m still spending less on my fancy na drinks than what I’ve spent on alcohol.
My only beef is that the cost of restaurant meals these days is really going up. I have a membership with a local film society and I go to their screenings by myself so I’ve found a couple of inexpensive dining options near the movie theater so I don’t have to take into consideration someone else’s dining habits. On the other hand the meetup organizers of two of the meetup groups I’m in like going to restaurants that are a little pricier than what I would pay.
I gave up Sam’s Club about the same time. They closed the store that was close to me and raised the yearly membership fee, so it was time to give it up.
I can get most of the items I need (that were at Sam’s Club) at Walmart or walmart.com
I also don’t shop at Walmart. Luckily, I have options. I have maybe spent $100 at Walmart over 30 years. They opened in Canada in 1996, taking over many former Woolco locations.
Walmart hurt a lot of small town stores and other small business in Canada. The Waltons don’t need my money.
The supermarket in Chinatown I stopped by today seemed to have a glut of eggs and was selling 18-packs at 3 for $5 — I don’t think I’ve seen that before or will again.
Question for those who buy spiral ham this time of year — they’re being advertised at 1.49 to 1.99/lb at multiple places near me, which seems very low. Or is that normal around Easter?
We usually get spiral ham from Honey Baked. Husband usually does the shopping but I think that’s a good price …if you actually eat it all! How many pounds are they offering?
