Have you noticed the price of everything going up in your area too?
@happythoughts (4109)
United States
October 5, 2012 7:06am CST
Its time to recheck our budget. It looks like everything has gone up 20% on average this year. For every $100 we were spending were now geting the same things for about $120. Our food budget used to have extra money in it for stockpiles, great sales, party food like Thanksgiving and Christmans and slurge money in it. Its all been eaten up by the rise in prices. Where we used to set $40 a month aside were now eating that.
Have the prices gone up in your area too?
4 people like this
28 responses
@Blondie2222 (28611)
• United States
5 Oct 12
Yes I have noticed prices going up in our area too. Meat prices, veggie prices and milk prices have gone up. Before we could pay 1.50 for a gallon of milk now its 2.99 for a gallon of milk. Gas prices our also going up it is now 4.03 a gallon. They think we are all made of money but we are now. So now I have to watch how I spend my money I used to be able to go food shopping quite a bit but now I can only go once a month because I never have enough money left in each paycheck to go shopping. So I just stock up really good when I go so I know I have enough til I get money to go again. Sucks living in the real world but if you're good at managing you're money then you should make it just fine. Nothing is cheap anymore.
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
5 Oct 12
Everything is going up and it will be going up higher in months to come. Fuel out here in CA is not nearly $5 a gallon again..that is cause of the two major refineries shut down for maintenance and remodeling. I try to stock up on things...every shopping trip I will buy a couple items that I don't need now, but know I will want/need later... always check expiration date and always take from the BACK of the shelf...as those dates are longer away.But it only adds $5-$10 a month to my grocery bill and I figure I can afford that much better/easier than I could once it all goes up.
@leeloo (1492)
• Portugal
5 Oct 12
Everything seems to be going up, probably due to the hike in fuel prices. I read somewhere that because of the extreme weather the grains, be it corn, wheat etc has one of the lowest productions in years so the prices have gone up, and that means bread, etc goes up. It is one of those times in which we actually notice things going up.
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
5 Oct 12
Yeah, this years drought in the mid west is going to drive prices up next spring...they didn't have enough to sell this summer so they won't have cash to buy next spring..if there is even enough seed to go around. Plus, yes,....fuel prices. Everyone is all "go green" and "GREEN"...with "alternative energy" and electric this or that, but what they forget to tell and recognize is that gas fuel is what makes the trains and 18 wheelers transport food across this country! IF they have to pay $8 for a gallon of gas instead of the $3..then they have to raise their prices for delivery which means the stores raise their prices to the consumer.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
22 Oct 12
It's the same here. I've been adjusting like everyone else, buying less, being more critical of what I do buy, finding ways to stretch food as well as gasoline and everything thing else.
I've always been frugal but now is the time to put it all to use and work on it harder than ever. I got in the habit of going to the store once or twice a week and just picking up things I needed, but then I'd always find things I didn't need, but wanted. I've cut that out and only go once a month for a big shop, then a couple of times in between if and only if I run out of something.
I think eating seasonally is helping, too.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
5 Oct 12
I have, and the price of beef is already crazy. The coupons help, but it is getting harder to get good deals there too.
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
5 Oct 12
That's for sure. Coupons are getting more trouble than they are worth. Back in the day... it was great...high value coupons per item. but today.. most of them you have to buy multiple items to get a dime! Like "25 cents of 3 cans.." granted if you buy/need that item anyway, you save 8 cents a can...big deal on its own, but nothing to write home about. But it doesn't make you want to buy the item...check other brands and I often find a brand cheaper WiTHOUT the coupon. And since this Extreme Couponers show on TLC...they have just ruined it for the rest of us as now manufactures are putting stipulations on coupons..maximum of 4 accepted at one purchase/transaction. or do not double. or you have to buy this item at full price to get this other item for 50 cents off. And that is when you can find a high value coupon..most of them are 10cents or less. I flip through the sunday coupons and might cut 5 or 5.. the rest are things I don't need/use (pet stuff, baby stuff etc) and things that are to expensive even with the coupon! I print some out online, and they are good, but I have found through "playing the game" that you are only allowed to print up to 3 of each coupon PER QUARTER of the year! So I can print out three right now or one each of the next months but that's it. Also...expriation dates... within the month they are put out! Used to be they'd not expire for up to 6 months! Now...30 days is about max. And that doesn't work if you are trying to save the coupons for when the item goes on sale...as it might not go on sale in this 30 days...so you either loose it or buy at regular price and use it but don't get the bigger discount as they show on the show.
But I still clip and use... about $15 a shopping trip.. which is once a month. I don't count it as "saving" I just know I can buy $15 more past my budget that day.
And the price of beef...this is so stupid but I have been eating New York steak and Top Sirloin most every day... why? cause it is cheaper than HAMBURGER MEAT!@!!! $4.99 a lb for 80/20% ground beef, or $3.49 for top rate steak... its a no-brainer!
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
23 Oct 12
Petrol costs have gone up considerably. I pay for 40 pounds of fuel for my car per month. I limit how much I drive my car in order to keep on budget. I look at a supermarket price comparison website and get coupons from that price comparing it does. I eat a vegan diet and have to go to four different supermarkets to get all I need. December is pricey with my car needing insurance, a MOT and road tax. Also I have the expense of Christmas. I have begun my Christmas shopping early to spread this cost out. Yes, the prices have gone up for food, drink and gas and electricity. I am swapping to a fixed price deal for gas and electricity. Phone prices will go up in January so I am going to change the deal I am on. When car and home insurance are up for renewal I will do a price comparison. Peoples expenses are higher but we are not getting in anymore money.
@myfb2009 (8296)
• Malaysia
29 Oct 12
Same situation here, Happy. Everything seems hiking up in price and every month seems we need to put in more money to buy the same quality items. Even food and other household items are going higher. nowadays, prefer to buy in bulk for my household items, to avoid having to purchase them at a more expensive price. How i wish there are more rebate companies coming up giving us more chance to save more money in the long run.
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
6 Oct 12
Our city was already pretty expensive for food and gas, higher even than in the US,and prices have been gradually increasing for everything. We are trying to be even more frugal but our efforts have just resulted in our bills staying about the same. When next spring hits, where they are predicting even higher prices, I'm sure we'll have some tough times.
@lkbooi (16070)
• Malaysia
7 Oct 12
Hi happythoughts, the situation is the same here. Price of everything would go up right after the price of gasoline has increased 
Yeah, the salary remains the same and it could hardly follow the step of prices going up every now and then. For people who don't good in making money like me could live a more frugal live to survive
Happy posting 
Yeah, the salary remains the same and it could hardly follow the step of prices going up every now and then. For people who don't good in making money like me could live a more frugal live to survive
Happy posting 
@scorpiobabes (7225)
• United States
6 Oct 12
Yes. I've had to redo our budget over and over and over each month. Before, we had budgeted something for eating out once a week-that money has gone away. Our food budget was $100 a week, then $85, then $75, then $65. Now we have absolutely no stockpile, and while I make sure Jim gets as much meat as I can find, I'm stuck with PB sandwiches (though that is more because of a dental condition). He used to drink 4-5 Amp energy drinks a night, but after a visit to the doctor, he's cut that down to one. He still drinks too much soda. Some weeks, we are scraping up leftovers or things that we don't expect to eat at a particular meal. It's frustrating since I'm not working now.
@clocks123 (1225)
• United States
14 Oct 12
yes, i have to be very careful with my expenses. yes, prices in food have gone up. i am careful what i buy. i watch for coupons which aren't too good when you have to buy two of one product. that isn't much of a savings is it. i keep my change in a jar it really adds up. i have to be very careful what i buy. i only buy what i really need these days. the new year we may find our utilities and i hope and pray not our insurance premiums will rise. let us pray for some relief.
@bellis716 (4799)
• United States
7 Oct 12
Everything has gone up - food, clothing, over the counter medicines, gasoline, utilities, etc. There is only one thing that i can think of where the price has not increased. The man who cuts our grass and uses the trimmer has not increased what he charges in the last 2 years. This is not a luxury item. My husband, age 84, has COPD and emphysema. He also has to use a walker when he leaves the house.
@jugsjugs (12967)
•
20 Oct 12
The prices of every thing every where are going up all of the time, also some of the items seem to have less of sizes as in they are smaller amounts for the same amount of money.I have also noticed that some christmas sweets that you buy in a tin are the same price as last year, yet there are less in a tin and the tins are a lot smaller than last year and the year before.
We tend to buy things that are on special like washing powder and get stocked up on it, as that way we get to save some money in the long run.
@cerebellum (3863)
• United States
6 Oct 12
It seems that everything is going up except wages. They keep saying the economy is getting better, but it sure doesn't seem like it when you shop. Prices will probably go up some more because of the dry year we had and crops didn't do well. It seems there is always some reason!
@Cricket127 (548)
• United States
6 Oct 12
Yes I've noticed that food prices have been going up. Before I was able to get by on $80-$100 a week with a few coupons and now it's over $130 and that's with $10 in coupons on average! If you have some good ideas so these costs can be brought down, let me know as there is only so much we can cut back on!
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
5 Oct 12
yes, the cost of food seems to have gone up significantly over the last little while. i am probably like a number of people here in saying that CHristmas is going to be tough this year just because the cost of everything has gone up but wages have stayed the same.
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
5 Oct 12
No, I haven't really noticed a difference. I buy much of my food directly from the producers, and there really hasn't been a change there. I guess that the stuff that is grown elsewhere and shipped in has gone up in price, but the local food seems to be holding fairly steady in terms of price.
@alberello (4752)
• Italy
5 Oct 12
Well, I'm Italian, from exactly ten years, our currency has been replaced with the common European call EURO (€).
We citizens, we have not benefited at all!
Everything, but I do mean everything is increased (at least inherently currency that circulated first called LIRA), as much as 100%.
In fact, € 1 is equal to 1936.27 Italian lire (approximately we do 2000). All a time (up to year 2001) cost 1000 Italian lire now costs one euro. The double!
@AgentGulaman (3546)
• Philippines
6 Oct 12
Inflation rate in our country also increased and is pegged at around 3.7% (or so, I can't remember the exact figure but it should be near this one). So yes, I do feel the rise in prices too. This is mainly due to typhoons in our area and maybe some effect from next year's election. Good thing that my investments are earning me interests more compared to the inflation rate.
@echoforever (5180)
• United States
5 Oct 12
Yes I surely have. It is going crazy pretty much everywhere and I don't think it is going to be getting better soon. I do not know what to expect for the future. We're struggling in our area greatly and if things continue I wondered if more riots might start in the USA. They protested wall street this spring. Now I wonder if things might get ugly concerning the food prices.
