A year-over-year comparison of my food bill

[Aden]

I just looked at last year's figures and for the months of June and July, and this year I paid 68% more for food. I am now able to compare numbers because I started keeping track in June 2010.

June 2010 = $441
June 2011 = $756

July 2010 = $744
July 2011 = $975

June/July 2010 = $1,185
June/July 2011 = $1,731

Not reflected in these numbers are $199 worth of supplements I bought in July 2011. I left them out because I did not spend money on them last year.

I will update this thread at the end of August, and then maybe every 3 months after that. To get a clear picture of how inflation has affected my food bill, I really have to look at a period of 3-4 months because the numbers are so erratic. The reason they are erratic is because I try my best to buy things on sale or on closeout. If I see a bargain I stock up on enough of the product that I think it will last until the next sale.

These numbers reflect food purchases for two slim adults (Mrs. Aden and I). We avoid all GMO, transfats, MSGs, etc. This means we buy mostly organic products. I split my shopping between a locally-owned health food store, Whole Foods, and Krogers. I also buy milk, meat and eggs from local farmers. We never eat out more than once a month.

[Original_Intent]

So you are trying to actually measure real inflation, without any hedonics, or other gimmicks used to come up with the CPI... I'm pretty sure that's illegal, and if not very soon will be.

[TheViper]

Fantastic tracking. Most of us have been seeing a change in prices but haven't put them down to actual figures like that. Thanks for taking the time to track it all and share it.

[extrmmxer]

Thats why it's called the hidden tax. How many American's actually keep track of their food spending. I know I don't. Thanks for doing this. Keep it up.

[HOLLYWOOD]

Sorry... your "FOOD BILL COMPARISON" doesn't count... The FEDERAL GOVERNMENT and FEDERAL RESERVE dictated to us what the REAL INFLATION RATES are in America.

<Sarcasm Off>

It's amazing how the libtards, progressives, and socialists stand behind the White House Regime and their Economic Circus Twirlers into what to believe...

[sofia]

EXCERPT FROM THE GREAT TOMATO BUBBLE:

John then mentions that he has noticed that the town merchants have increased the prices of their goods and services.

"Have you guys noticed how expensive milk and eggs have gotten lately?" John asks.

"Yes! I noticed that too." said Bill. "And a cup of coffee now costs 2 tomato notes! Why is that Mort?"

Anticipating that this question would arise, I launch into my cleverly planned explanation:

"Well gentlemen, there are three underlying causes behind the price inflation you are seeing at the town stores. First, when the town merchants learned of your new prosperity, they increased their prices because they knew you could now afford to pay more. That's typical capitalist price-gouging."

"Those greedy bastards!" shouted Frank.

I continue:

"Yes. Greed is a main factor. But our shopkeepers aren't the only greedy businessmen. The second reason for this inflation is that the folks over in Oilville have got us over a barrel. They too have increased their oil prices. Because all of the goods we buy have to be shipped by train and truck, the increase in transportation costs gets passed on to you the consumer."

Mike leaps to his feet and angrily declares: "I say we bomb Oilville back to the stone age and just take their damn oil!"

"I don't know about going to war, but we definitely need to develop solar and wind energy here in Tomatoville." adds Frank.

"What's the third reason for this inflation?" asks John.

To which I reply:

"The third reason isn't related to greed. It is due to the prosperity of the people over in Potatoville. As Potatoville develops its economy, they grow and sell more potatoes. This increases their own demand for oil. That increased demand pushes oil prices up. Again, because our economy runs on energy, Potatoville's prosperity is contributing to the inflation you are seeing here in Tomatoville."

To my amazement, the men, acting as if they have been enlightened by some deep philosophical discourse, all nod their heads in agreement at the utter nonsense I have just spewed. We then resume the game.

http://www.TomatoBubble.com

[hugolp]

Great document. Keep posting.

[bwlibertyman]

Are you buying the same food? If I buy beans in 2010 but buy watermelon in 2011 my food prices will go up.

[Jace]

..

[mconder]

I just looked at last year's figures and for the months of June and July, and this year I paid 68% more for food. I am now able to compare numbers because I started keeping track in June 2010.

June 2010 = $441
June 2011 = $756

July 2010 = $744
July 2011 = $975

June/July 2010 = $1,185
June/July 2011 = $1,731

Not reflected in these numbers are $199 worth of supplements I bought in July 2011. I left them out because I did not spend money on them last year.

I will update this thread at the end of August, and then maybe every 3 months after that. To get a clear picture of how inflation has affected my food bill, I really have to look at a period of 3-4 months because the numbers are so erratic. The reason they are erratic is because I try my best to buy things on sale or on closeout. If I see a bargain I stock up on enough of the product that I think it will last until the next sale.

These numbers reflect food purchases for two slim adults (Mrs. Aden and I). We avoid all GMO, transfats, MSGs, etc. This means we buy mostly organic products. I split my shopping between a locally-owned health food store, Whole Foods, and Krogers. I also buy milk, meat and eggs from local farmers. We never eat out more than once a month.

Did you account for any other possible contributing factors? You like buying sushi with your rice this year, whereas you only ate sushi the year before or making a switch from generic to shopping for major brands, or shopping at whole foods vs. Safeway or whatever?

[spudea]

get out of here! Obviously you refuse to substitute Ramen noodles for steak.

[headhawg7]

get out of here! Obviously you refuse to substitute ramen noodles for steak.

lmao!!!

[MelissaWV]

Are you buying the same food? If I buy beans in 2010 but buy watermelon in 2011 my food prices will go up.

As is obvious from the other posts, you will likely be ignored on this.

"Buying organic" also means you are dealing with trendy organic foods, in addition to regular rises in food prices. The same exact food is costing more partly because they can charge more.

This also has a great deal to do with where you are living, and what kind of diet you follow. Personally, my food bill is about what it's ever been, and I eat very well. Some weeks chicken is on sale, and some weeks it's beef. I get eggs for little/no cost from a co-worker who'll only accept a buck or two for feed in return. I buy certain things when they are plentiful, and then process the food at home, which helps me avoid a lot of the sugarladen food that shoots sky high during times like this.

I spend roughly $100/week, and that includes non-food items. It's how it's been since 2008. I'm not going hungry.

Your experiences may vary due to the aforementioned factors, but the sky is not falling.

[torchbearer]

68% increase?

[showpan]

I have a family of 4 and my weekly food bill has gone up from $120/140 last year at this time to $190 just today. Last week was $220 because we were out of some cleaners and laundry soap. It had stayed at around $130 for about 5-6 years. I do my own taxes and write off the sales tax so I have a pretty good record of what each particular items have gone up. I also buy pretty much the same things from week to week and always buy sale items. Hamburger, Chicken, Pork Chops, Country Style Ribs, etc. This changes weekly by what is on sale. We rarely buy steak anymore. I also use coupons when I can and if something is a really good price, I will buy 2-3 times the amount I normally buy. We shop at Smiths, Walmart and Albertsons to take advantage of each store sales and also Family Dollar for our cleaners and a few other items. The prices are out of control lately for most things that have increased from anywhere between 20% to over 100%. I would say the 68% increase is pretty close on average, maybe even low.

[Seraphim]

I'd say here in Toronto, my grocery bill is up about 40%.

It's more like 25% + a substancial reduction in the packaged quantity (which is inflation indicator #1).

I have a family of 4 and my weekly food bill has gone up from $120/140 last year at this time to $190 just today. Last week was $220 because we were out of some cleaners and laundry soap. It had stayed at around $130 for about 5-6 years. I do my own taxes and write off the sales tax so I have a pretty good record of what each particular items have gone up. I also buy pretty much the same things from week to week and always buy sale items. Hamburger, Chicken, Pork Chops, Country Style Ribs, etc. This changes weekly by what is on sale. We rarely buy steak anymore. I also use coupons when I can and if something is a really good price, I will buy 2-3 times the amount I normally buy. We shop at Smiths, Walmart and Albertsons to take advantage of each store sales and also Family Dollar for our cleaners and a few other items. The prices are out of control lately for most things that have increased from anywhere between 20% to over 100%. I would say the 68% increase is pretty close on average, maybe even low.

[showpan]

I'd say here in Toronto, my grocery bill is up about 40%.

It's more like 25% + a substancial reduction in the packaged quantity (which is inflation indicator #1).

I would attribute 25% just in the last 2 months. I am about an hour from Vegas so the prices here are naturally a little higher than the city since they know they have got you....lol....A large can of Maxwell House coffee for example has gone up from $7 to $11.49 in just 2 months. We just bought a couple of the small cans for $4.99 on sale before they go back up too.

[Seraphim]

Shush mundane - QE is not inflationary to necessity goods.

I would attribute 25% just in the last 2 months. I am about an hour from Vegas so the prices here are naturally a little higher than the city since they know they have got you....lol....A large can of Maxwell House coffee for example has gone up from $7 to $11.49 in just 2 months. We just bought a couple of the small cans for $4.99 on sale before they go back up too.

[showpan]

Shush mundane - QE is not inflationary to necessity goods.

I would suspect a market shift towards futures speculation as investors look for better returns.

[Aden]

As is obvious from the other posts, you will likely be ignored on this

Not really. Thanks for your input, though.

Are you buying the same food? If I buy beans in 2010 but buy watermelon in 2011 my food prices will go up.

Did you account for any other possible contributing factors? You like buying sushi with your rice this year, whereas you only ate sushi the year before or making a switch from generic to shopping for major brands, or shopping at whole foods vs. Safeway or whatever?

There were changes but I think that they even out, or work in favor of limiting inflation. You be the judge.

Up until April of 2011, I did not account for 100% of purchases. Nothing big, but a few coffees a month may have slipped through the cracks. I counted 100% of grocery purchases but may have forgot to add a $2 drink from the gas station. Since April I have kept track of every single penny. So that made this year's inflation seem greater. However, the rest of the changes work in favor of making the inflation smaller.

We moved from Virginia to Kentucky in May. This means we no longer pay tax on food, which we used to in VA.

In VA all of our shopping was at a small, local natural food store, or at the Krogers (95% of Kroger purchases are from the hippy section and produce). The natural food store did not have good prices, but we wanted to support them. We also bought some food at the farmers market. For meat we bought whole lambs from a local farmer, which came out to $4.90 a pound. Here in KY we shop at the hippy section of Krogers, Whole Foods, and a HUGE natural food store that competes with Krogers and Whole Foods in prices. We buy our meat at a local farm, $3.50 lb for chicken, $3.00-$3.50 dozen eggs (in VA we paid $5.00 for eggs). Eggs are the bulk of our protein.

In 2010 we ate out 1-6 times a month. This year we eat out (as per family constitution) 0-1 time a month. In last year's figures eating out was tabulated under the "food" expense. This year our one meal a month is tabulated under the "allowance" expense.

Besides not eating out as much, our diet and eating habit is the exact same. We use the same cook books and recipes that we have for the past 4 years. Our #1 goal is eating healthy food, and #2 goal is saving money by seeking out deals and sales.

[edit] The only significant change year over year that I am aware of, is that last month I started to buy supplements and superfood (whey protein, hemp protein, Nutiva products, superfood drinks, etc). I pointed this out in my original post and DID NOT include these $199 worth of purchases in the figures I gave you (even though we count them as "food" expenses in our budget).

[madengr]

get out of here! Obviously you refuse to substitute Ramen noodles for steak.

Nothing's better than a thick, juicy steak.
Stale bread is better than nothing.
Therefore, stale bread is better than a thick, juicy steak.

[libertybrewcity]

fatty

[enjerth]

I have heard it said, watch the price of eggs. Well, maybe they are on to that. I haven't see much of an increase in the price of eggs.

However, there are a few huge ones. Most meat products I buy are up around 80% over last year. Many dairy products are as well. I don't know if I can contribute that to typical inflation or corn ethanol. Probably the latter.

[MelissaWV]

I will say, the price of anything with "organic" or "low fat" on the label seems to have doubled (I don't buy those, though), and the cost of milk is up (I buy the 99 cent size), and the cost of processed kid-friendly convenience garbage seems to have tripled (don't buy that, either). The price of good meat here is about the same with the exception of veal, so I've stopped having it. Veal is not worth double its old cost per pound. Beef is still fairly priced. Ground pork is insanely cheap and can be had for a dollar or so, and makes delicious hamburgers and potstickers. Obviously there are price increases, but it depends on where you are and what you eat as to whether or not it's going to have doubled your grocery bill.

Trying to compare accurately between two different life situations, two different states, etc., doesn't seem particularly accurate to me.

[123tim]

Nothing's better than a thick, juicy steak.
Stale bread is better than nothing.
Therefore, stale bread is better than a thick, juicy steak.

[123tim]

I have a family of 4 and my weekly food bill has gone up from $120/140 last year at this time to $190 just today. Last week was $220 because we were out of some cleaners and laundry soap. It had stayed at around $130 for about 5-6 years. I do my own taxes and write off the sales tax so I have a pretty good record of what each particular items have gone up. I also buy pretty much the same things from week to week and always buy sale items. Hamburger, Chicken, Pork Chops, Country Style Ribs, etc. This changes weekly by what is on sale. We rarely buy steak anymore. I also use coupons when I can and if something is a really good price, I will buy 2-3 times the amount I normally buy. We shop at Smiths, Walmart and Albertsons to take advantage of each store sales and also Family Dollar for our cleaners and a few other items. The prices are out of control lately for most things that have increased from anywhere between 20% to over 100%. I would say the 68% increase is pretty close on average, maybe even low.

Sounds accurate and close to our experiences.

[123tim]

We're also getting less product for the same price.

The same size package often has less product in it, or the package has gotten smaller.

[MelissaWV]

We're also getting less product for the same price.

The same size package often has less product in it, or the package has gotten smaller.

Buy things that aren't in packages?

[amy31416]

Buy things that aren't in packages?

Pretty tough to get the pasta, cereal, coffee and blueberries to the car without it. I found that out the hard way.

[MelissaWV]

Pretty tough to get the pasta, cereal, coffee and blueberries to the car without it. I found that out the hard way.

The blueberries at the farm stand don't come in packages Coffee is still the same amount in the package, though way higher in price (glad I don't drink it). Pasta is still the same amount of pasta... and is still around a dollar here (less when it's BOGO).

The packaged stuff that people are getting less of is generally stuff like Doritos, cereal, frozen food, and so on... at least that's the impression I get.