Hear me out, and be gentle with your responses. We’re all in this together for the good of all! Today I ask the question: Is inflation hype…inflated?
Inflation is real.
In no way do I want to downplay what is 100% real. Inflation is real. All of us are feeling it in a variety of ways.
But I keep seeing inflation information that is stated as fact. —> And much of it isn’t fact for our family.
I feel like this is saying something because of our family size. Trust me when I say that we buy a lot at the store. From food to shoes – it takes a lot of shopping and purchasing to care for a family this large.
This has me questioning: Are all of the “facts” we read actually facts? Or is some of the information provided about inflation actually inflated? Or biased? Or “fact-ish” but not absolute in all contexts?
Should we all panic, or can we take a deep breath and know that we will all be ok?
Pssst. Here’s the truth about the cost of ground beef in my experience.
Is Inflation Hype…Inflated?
The price of certain foods has gone up considerably – IN SOME GROCERY STORES. Are the online price comparisons I’m seeing an accurate comparison from store to store and proverbial apple to apple?
For example:
If I were to look at the price of a gallon of milk at Aldi in 2020 and compare it to the price of milk at a higher priced grocery store in 2024, I might come up with something like this:
That’s one of the many charts and memes I’ve seen floating around that are always followed by comments like:
- “I know, it’s outrageous!”
- “These prices are killing us!”
- “I blame _____ (pick a president)”
Here’s why I question these “facts.”
I’m calling all of these to our attention today because the truth is, most of the prices on that chart aren’t my prices. My chart would look more like this.
Also? Last month, April 2024, I bought gallons of whole milk at Aldi for $2.62. That’s cheaper than the above chart’s 2020 price. In addition, the price of eggs has been alllllll over the place during the past few years, which has nothing to do with inflation and something to do with bird flu or some such tragedy.
Admission: Some of what I’m saying isn’t fair.
I, Laura, live in Lincoln, NE. We have running vehicles and multiple grocery stores in my city. This means that I have all the access to any store I want and the ability to easily get there. (I use the word “easily” loosely – considering the fact that I have somewhere around 37 kids and going anywhere is an extreme sporting event).
But what I’m admitting here is that because I have access to Costco, Sam’s, Aldi, and multiple other stores, I truly can find and enjoy much better prices compared to someone who say, lives in a tiny town, far from bulk grocers, and only has access to a higher priced, locally owned grocer. Or compared to someone who doesn’t own a car and can only walk to the nearest store for necessities. The majority of us, though, I believe do have access to options that truly can keep our food and clothing costs down.
Unfortunately, I don’t think the Awful Inflation Memes and Scary Chart people are talking about the minority. They are making inflation out to be the worst of the worst for everyone everywhere and I’m here to say:
Hey. Wait a minute.
Are you sure you’ve done thorough research? Are your “facts” thoroughly checked? Would you like to go shopping with me and see how I can save much more money on groceries than you claim that I can? Please do! Go with me! Hold the baby and help me lug my two full carts while you’re at it.
Here’s some of my research:
This. Many of you chimed in on this.
I didn’t want to speak only into my context and say, “Meh. Sure some prices are higher, but not all of them. I’m fine. You’re fine. Stop worrying.” So I asked you what your experiences have been. Most of you agreed that while some prices on certain items have increased, many of you are still finding reasonably priced groceries, therefore feeding our families well is still very doable.
I also looked back at past receipts and compared them to my 2024 receipts. Guess what? My chart looks very different compared to the chart I shared above. Look at this. While some of my staple purchases have increased in price, many of them have stayed the same. A few have even gone down.
I’m not panicking. It truly is going to be ok, friends.
How do you feel about this meme?
Is this “Interesting fact…” truly a fact?
WOW. Does it? If so, that is perhaps a reason to panic. Especially because we are not a family of 4. We are a family of (Laura stops a long, long time to do the math)…
10? 16? 13?
In total, we are a family of 16 with only 10 of us living at our residence. BUT, we also have three housemates so there are actually 13 people living in our house and sharing our food. Plus we always have guests. You see now why I had a hard time landing on a number.
But for fairness sake, let’s just go with the number 10 for current the family numbers living in our home.
If, according to the above Meme “Fact” it costs a family of 4 $11,000 more to buy basic necessities than it did just 18 months ago, then it must cost my family of 10 (Laura stops to do more math)…..
$27,500.
More per year? For all of us to eat and wear shoes?
Stop it. No it doesn’t.
Here’s what is fact for our family:
- Some grocery prices have increased. Some have not.
- 13 people (6 adults, 7 kids) live in our house and eat our food.
- I have only had to increase our grocery budget by $200/month since 2017 when there were only 6 people living in our home. That’s a increased total of only $2,400/year. Here’s how I’m doing with our grocery budget so far this year.
- We eat well rounded, high quality meals that include fruit, vegetables, whole grains, meat, and dairy.
- Restaurant prices and processed food prices at the store seem to have gone up quite a bit. We avoid these to save money.
- Shoes, underwear, and socks cost more than they used to. We have a lot of shoe, underwear, and sock wearing people in this house. Our costs for these items have increased, but definitely not by $1,000’s of dollars.
- We have two kids in diapers (down from five kids in diapers, so woohoo for that!). Diapers and wipes are not costing us thousands more per year than they used to.
- We buy yearly family memberships to places like the Lincoln Zoo and Children’s Museum. The costs for these have gone up – by only 20 total dollars for the entire year. This increase is minimal.
- We enrolled Keith in soccer this spring. This was our first time to do that since moving to Lincoln so I don’t have past fees to compare prices. But it only cost $48, which breaks down to $6/game.
Again, I know we can’t all compare costs across America as costs of living vary. I also know that as our kids get older, our expenses will increase. But that will be because they eat more, do more, and care more about their clothes – not solely because of inflation. :)
Sample grocery cart for our family, just to prove that yes, I know a thing or two about buying food:
What might help us all be free from inflation stress:
1. Shop around. Maybe find a new favorite store or two.
There are certain grocery stores that I do not frequent because their prices ARE actually outrageous. (It’s worth noting that these stores were more expensive, compared to my favorite, lower priced stores all along, not just through and because of this inflation streak.)
If these higher-priced stores were where I did the majority of my shopping, I, too, would be worried and upset. But instead, I have found the lowest priced, best quality options that work for our family.
2. Find sales.
They still exist!!
I’m continually encouraged by the food mark-downs I regularly find that offer us great prices on high quality staples. Grocery stores offer loss-leader prices that help us stock up on groceries at truly good prices. Clothing still goes on clearance at the end of every season. Name-brand shoes (if you need high quality) can be found at outlet malls for great prices, and in my experience last longer than “cheaper” shoes at Walmart or Target.
Maybe we have to work harder now to find good sale prices. But many of us are working pretty hard to complain about inflation, so perhaps we could instead use that energy to score some deals! ;)
Underwear and socks I found on clearance for our four littlest kids, May 2024 —>
Our favorite free range chicken thighs marked down to just $1.98/pound, May 2024 —>
3. Hand me downs (and thrift store clothes) are your friend.
I am amazed at the clothing that is available for free or cheap – all around us. Many churches offer free clothing to the community, and not just for people who struggle to make ends meet. In my experience – there’s usually enough to go around and then some. I am shocked at how many people have loads of clothes that they want to get rid of.
Thrift stores still offer “$0.99 days” and “fill a bag for $5” days. It’s so much fun how many times I have complimented someone’s great shirt or dress only to hear, “I picked it up for $3 when I was thrifting!” or “I got it at the Clothing Giveaway!” or “I found it on clearance at the sidewalk sale!” You guys rock.
4. Eat at home more instead of at restaurants.
I promise I’m not trying to be a buzz kill with this one. Or sound like a broken record. But if I’ve seen inflation hit something hard, it is definitely take-out and restaurant prices. It’s not the restaurant’s fault. They have to pay higher wages to be competitive in keeping employees and some of their food costs have gone up as well. That all gets passed down to the consumer.
Here are some ways our family eats out without eating out. And here’s a little cost break down I did for foods like Pizza, Chicken Nuggets, and Hamburgers that I make at home for much less than the cost of restaurants. Great coffee? I did some math here too.
Inflation is real, but you are amazing.
My encouragement today is to look around you to embrace what is true. Don’t believe the scary memes that tell you that we are all going to go broke.
You have resources, you are smart, and doggonit, Rotisserie Chickens are still just $4.98. We might have to make adjustments as we settle into some newly inflated prices that are here to stay. But we are resilient. We can make modifications and we can thrive because of them!
Weigh in on this. When you look at actual facts based on your experiences, do you see that some of the inflation hype is inflated?
Heather says
The “$11,000 more” meme cracked me up. We are a family of five and the three kids are all teens–they are runners and they EAT. (Like I see your posts and think that meal that she says feeds 10 wouldn’t feed our 5!) When I saw that posted on a friends fb wall I couldn’t believe all the people chiming in about how real it was. I couldn’t just pass it by–I pointed out that our family of 5 doesn’t spend that much a year, so it definitely hasn’t increased by that much for us! Even if we were at $0 then, we haven’t hit $11,000 yet. Granted, I don’t know what they consider basics–mortgage? (we don’t have one) vehicle payments? (we don’t do those either) gas? (we spend A LOT here because of my husband’s travels, so that with groceries is over $11,000/year, but it isn’t $11,000 more. So the definition of basics would mean something, but none of them have gone up that much for us. I’m with you, inflation is real and is hitting some areas pretty hard, but we all need to breathe and trust that being smart with the gifts we are given will work out in the end!
L says
I consider our family a middle-class family of 6 with a home and vehicles for people of driving age to go to work. We live in the midwest in a rural area although some very large cities are 45 minutes east and west of our family. However when I do shop in the larger cities, the prices aren’t much better and sometimes worse.
Inflation is very real here. I shop at the cheapest store in town as much as I can except that it does have limited inventory not just in variety, but also has issues with staying stocked. These prices are at this store. In early 2020 cream cheese used to be $0.75, now I get excited when it is on sale for 2/$3. Blocks of cheese, used to be $0.99, now $1.67 when on sale. Bread, $0.99, now $1.49. Lettuce, used to be $1.49 now $2.99. Canned tomatoes used to be $0.67, now $0.79. I could go on and on. I do have concerns about how much more inflation our family can withstand. We have a substantial garden, but even the supplies to preserve our garden produce have gone up in price.
J.B. says
Inflation in my world is real, and it’s apparent in nearly every essential item we purchase. From Butter, Mayonnaise, Olive Oil to Electric Rates, Propane Rates, Property Taxes, Insurance Rates, Medical necessities and Gas. When traveling in the U.S. for work the service and value received at present (airlines, hotels, restaurants (even fast food) )reminds me of third world country conditions just a few short years ago.
We shop thrift stores, clearance, mark downs, and price compare needed grocery items on a list before stepping foot in a store.
We have a large garden, start seeds indoors.
We do our own home & car repairs/maintenance. Oil, parts, sealant and paint prices are all up….. way up.
I’m happy that there are some that aren’t as affected as others but there are many that are feeling the gross inflation from every direction.
Melinda Johnson says
Love this! I could do way better , shop around, make more at home, use less pre packaged food, plan meals better, etc. Especially when the 9 yr old starts soccer in July! (We didn’t do much sports with the older kids, wish us luck!)
You’re an inspiration and I’m glad you wrote this all out and debunked this myth! Our groceries did go up significantly but it’s because of laziness and my health struggles. But I have teens that I need to teach to cook more anyways. So, we will do better! Thanks!
Stephanie says
I’ve noticed when I shop at the major huge corporate grocery chains (Albertsons where I am, Vons, King Snoopers, Jewel, Shaw’s in other parts of country it’s all owed by the same company), the prices are BAD and the only time I shop there is for the loss leaders which haven’t been as plentiful but are still around. I have noticed increases in prices but have found shopping at Aldi and Grocery Outlet (Grocery Outlet is a Western grocery surplus type store I’m sure many other kinds exist all around) and my local farmers market when I can keep the budget close to what it was prior to 2020.
I will also say I avoid a majority of frozen, processed and packaged foods as those seemed to be the items that have just went through the roof or only buy them when they are on major sale (it has happened!) as I do like them on occasion when Mom cannot with the cooking:)
I have noticed that most of what is really increased is name branded items so perhaps if you look at the store brand options it may be better no matter where you are. My mom lives in the Midwest and swears by Hy-Vee brands for many things and I still get circulars from them in my inbox and note that the prices on store items are decent.
I think the biggest thing is just the willingness to change what we buy. I understand that we all feel like we deserve (insert expensive goodie here) but sometimes we have to adjust for a season. Who knows you may end up finding a less expensive goodie you love even more than that other overpriced one:)
Braver says
I fee like an awful lot of people enjoy being Chicken Little. Like their sky is always falling. They’ll be quick to agree that “it’s outrageous!” But if you look at the economy holistically, the fact is unemployment is back to pre-pandemic levels (that means people who want to work can find work). Some things have gone up in price, but plenty have stabilized (prices at the big-box hardware stores are back to 2020 prices and there’s no longer the dramatic supply shortages from 2020 when it comes to appliances, for examples). We eat out a lot. Some restaurants have upped their prices, but others haven’t. Some places went out in these post-pandemic years, but my area is also seeing a lot of new businesses opening. Housing prices and rent are ridiculous…but my area is also seeing a lot of new building construction. We all need to take a breath and look at this rationally and holistically! It’s definitely not black and white.
Allison says
It’s hard to say for us. Grocery prices have certainly increased and nearly doubled (or more) for many items we buy regularly. I just added a can of sweetened condensed milk to my grocery list and saw that the Walmart store brand was $2.29. That would have been about a dollar a few years ago. We pay almost $4.50 for a gallon of 2% (store brand) milk in PA (which, in case you’re wondering, is the 4th largest dairy-producing state in the U.S. It’s half that when we leave the state). Our local property taxes increased 32% this past year (to the maximum allowed by law). I’m not sure my family of four is paying $11K more per year… but it’s definitely in the thousands. My estimate would be $3K-$5K more for the things that we buy every year (and we go very easy on processed foods, do not carry debt other than our modest 15 year mortgage with a fantastic rate, etc.). There is way less buffer in my checking account at the end of the month than a few years ago. I’m very thankful that my husband and I are on the same page about being good stewards of our resources. It would be enormously difficult if one of us was a serious spender.
Jen says
I also live in PA and our milk has been around $4.50 a gallon for several years now…it is because of state minimums on milk prices…other states don’t have those regulations. So milk is always an outlier.
Beth says
That state minimum is kind of brilliant (costly to you, but brilliant). Milk here in rural Ohio is 2.50/2.70ish and dairy farms are shutting down right and left. It is the end of an era and it is sad!
JoLynn says
Here in Japan, we feel inflation in everything, and particularly groceries. Feeding two teens and now being a nursing, mostly stay-at-home mom again after many years, it is tempting to give in to fear and worry. This is especially true as I don’t bring in a significant income anymore and am not likely to until baby is in school/ preschool. I pray before I shop, and utilize as many money-saving techniques as I can while keeping us all healthy and well-fed.
Inflation is real. I would estimate that everything has gone up between 20-25%. Many of the food items we buy regularly have gone up between 50-100% in price while also going down in size or, in the case of meat, including much more skin or fat per 100grams. Most fruit is outlandishly expensive now–even apples, in season! *sniff, sniff. I figure if we want to eat friit besides oranges and bananas, I’m going to need to grow it!
We keep modifying our menu, and most processed food or pre-made food is out. But we still eat deliciously and my nursing down time often involves watching cooking programs or scrolling for healthy, yummy, affordable recipes.
I keep reminding myself that God is our family’s Provider and He has been so faithful so far. He won’t stop being faithful just because the global economy is being messed with.
Thankful to have a Heavenly Father!
Jen says
Thank for saying this. I feel the same way. I have been shocked by the increase in prices at a lot of big box stores, especially processed and frozen items, but we primarily shop at Aldi and Trader Joe’s and most items are about the same price as they always have been. I live in the Philadelphia area which has pretty high grocery prices, but potatoes, oatmeal, ground beef, chicken, milk, etc haven’t increased much in price over the last 4 or 5 years.
Allison says
That’s funny to hear that about the other side of PA — potatoes have more than doubled in the Pittsburgh area. A few years ago we could buy a 5 lb bag of potatoes for never more than $1.99 — now a good deal is $4. We can usually find deals on ground beef and stock up then, but a lot of other staples for us (including canned/dry goods) are up nearly double. A can of peaches at Aldi near us was 69 cents a few years ago… it’s $1.59 now.
Tammy says
Thank you, Laura, for being a balancing voice in the digital world! I understand that you are not saying prices are unchanged–you are clarifying that while they have changed in many ways, it is not to the panic-inducing levels that generates clicks and shares across the Internet! Amen!
As we each find the costs that have increased in our own communities and adjust as needed, it is wonderful to step back and realize how incredibly blessed we all still are in our first world wealth, but also that common sense can also still win the day!
Marie says
The value of the US Dollar has been declining for decades. That decline is rapidly increasing and inflation, in turn, will likely continue to increase as well. This rapid increase includes the cost of virtually everything that is essential. Additionally, wages have not kept up with the rate of inflation. I understand that you and many of your readers feel unaffected by inflation, but many in this country are suffering financially. Could you tell me how this post is helpful to those who are suffering?
Laura says
Ah no – We are ALL affected in many ways and it isn’t fun. This post was written to be helpful to all who are worrying, complaining, or believing lies from scary memes and less-than-accurate information we might read about. Without a doubt, many are suffering and those of us who are finding ways to hang in there with different resources can most certainly step up to help those less fortunate. Our family has loved seeing many ways our city is putting together additional resources for people who are suffering more because of inflation and we are doing all we can to help.
Virginia Lowry says
I understand the examples and comments are centering around families with children, and that is an animal I know nothing about. I am a senior citizen (77) and inflation hits us too. While we can adjust some of our food buying, eating out, wardrobe, etc., our medications keep going higher and higher.
I am fortunate to have a pension as well as Social Security, and my medical expenses, except medication, is reasonable, unlike many in my position. We may receive a SS increase but the pension never changes. There are many who have to make the choice between food and medication. Having thoughtful neighbors who provide a meal once a week is a blessing. And those of us who do not have families to feed and clothe could do better and provide a dessert or side dish, or something to help out a family.
Unless children have a parent who teaches them how to handle money on a day to day basis they won’t learn it at school.
I am thankful for all of you who are passionate about working within your budgets. Thank you for finding creative and fun ways to teach your children the value of a dollar and how to handle it. They are blessed indeed. May each of you be blessed with more wisdom each day.
Csandst1 says
I lived in NJ and Florida for the past 20 years. Florida and NJ have had the same price for a gallon of milk during all that time, $2.99 for skim. No idea why inflation doesn’t affect that. I shop at Aldi, Walmart and BJ’s. Tissues, paper towels and toilet paper are at least 30% higher. Aldi sold the super pack for toilet paper in 2020 for $13.99. Now it’s $19.99.
I buy less food and serve smaller portions. Except for ground beef, I don’t buy any other cuts of beef. Too expensive. When I do use ground beef, I reduce the amount called for by 50%. No one notices. I buy as little prepared food as is reasonable and don’t buy any snacks.
Our food costs have increased about $2,000 since 2020. We are a family of 4 adults. I include personal hygiene, cleaners, paper goods and medicine on our food budget.
Ann says
I am glad that you are not feeling the effects of inflation. In Illinois, we sure are. I cannot eat processed foods, and almost never eat out. The four bags of groceries I buy every week for my husband and I that used to be $125 weekly now exceed $250. To fill my gas tank the cost has more than doubled. Even Trader Joes bananas have increased in price for the first time ever. Inflation will force me to retire later because we are pulling from savings to make ends meet.
Laura says
Ah, but we ARE feeling the effects for sure. We have just found new ways to stretch our budget to make it work for us. God continues to provide and I know He will do this for you too. :)
Jesse says
This is obviously a weighty subject. I am struggling with it because having followed Laura since the beginning I know she is by nature an encourager. It obviously really depends on where you live. I am finding most of my prices to be doubled. Coupons barely help and because we live very rurally it is not cost effective to shop at multiple stores very often. I do not want to be chicken Little but I do think sometimes it is good for all of us to learn to sit with others in their discomfort better and maybe this is our chance to do that. My husband’s industry has taken a major hit since 2020 and we are left with 20-30k less a year. That is a reality for us. We also have a child with a medical condition that requires us to have lots of appropriate foods at all times. It is also a reality that in our area prices have doubled. Does it mean God is not providing? No. He has been abundantly faithful. But for those of us feeling a lot of stress and weariness perhaps just sitting with us and offering a gentle ear is best. I don’t know if I am saying any of this well. It honestly brings a big lump to my throat. I am thankful to see the conversation open. May the Lord continue to do what He does best and shepherd His flock.
Melissa says
Where I live in Washington state, prices have definitely gone up quite significantly. I’m not sure how much my personal grocery budget has increased overall since two children moved out in the past few years (one of which of which was a bottomless pit at every meal) and I no longer really track my spending like I used to. I use store specific apps, ibotta, and fetch to help save where I can and mainly cook simple meals from scratch. I used to shop at Winco, but now I shop more at Safeway (they have great prices in my area by shopping the ad for the loss leaders) and then Walmart for the rest (which is now often cheaper for me than Winco). Costco is an hour away and they don’t have that great of prices for what I buy, tho I do go there every few months to stock up on things we do use. My hubby has gotten a few small cost of living raises, but they definitely don’t cover the additional cost of everything. Auto insurance, home insurance, health insurance, property taxes, they are all going up, up, up. I am concerned for my grown children who are just starting out in life. Thankfully, the two that moved out are really good at budgeting, but if the money isn’t there, it isn’t there. I just continue to pray for the Lord to provide for all our needs.