Let me tell you about the grocery prices I’ve found that have NOT increased!
Everyone is complaining about inflation and the rising cost of groceries. I get it. I don’t like it when prices go up.
I’m a BIG grocery shopper for our Big Family. With so many people that I get to feed every day, and while striving to stay within a wise budget, I am very focused on what is reasonable to buy and how to manage costs of all the food we need. And well…
This is really exciting!!
Yes, I’ve noticed a rise in some prices. But guess what else?
- Not everything has increased. Keep reading to learn what I found out.
- Weekly sale prices and loss leaders are still very, very good.
- There are still great grocery markdowns if you take a few minutes to look for them. And best yet…
- Some prices are actually lower than they used to be.
I just spent some time looking at my online accounts, comparing my Costco and Sam’s purchases from early 2022 until now, early 2024. Friends, please don’t believe all the hype and fear we’re hearing about how grocery prices have increased exponentially. While it is true for some products, it simply isn’t true across the board. Or across the grocery store aisles as the case may be. :)
Are grocery prices as bad as everyone says that they are?
Not based on my receipt comparisons from February 2022 to February 2024. Below you’ll see everything that hasn’t gone up and even some prices that have gone down! Take a look here at some staple foods I buy that I noticed that have gone up in price. But then take notice of the actual amount that they have increased.
- 3-pound bag of organic petite Baby Carrots was $3.98 and is now $4.86. (That’s an increase of $0.88, but do you know how many baby carrots are in a 3-pound package? It’s a lot of carrots.)
- 3-pound package of Tortellini was $9.48 and after inflation is now $9.78. (Up only $0.30?? To feed my entire family? Ok.)
- 2-Pack of Mayonnaise was $5.58 and is now $6.11. (That’s an increase of $0.27/jar.)
- 2-pound package of Sliced Colby Jack Cheese was $6.88. Two years and inflation later, it’s $7.24. (That’s less than a penny per slice more than I paid in 2022.)
Would you call these increases “exponential??” I don’t.
And now for the really fun discoveries I made while looking at old and new receipts!!
Grocery Prices I’ve Found that Have NOT Increased
- Organic Grass Fed Hamburger Meat at Sam’s was and still is $4.98/pound. (This is the price I’ve paid for years, not just since 2022.)
- Regular Hamburger Meat still regularly goes on sale for $2.98/pound at various grocery stores. All meat goes on sale at a variety of times throughout the year. Watch the ads and stock up on prices we’re used to.
- Chicken Legs at Costco and Sam’s used to be and still are only $0.98/pound.
- Organic Spring Mix and Spinach at all stores where I shop are still less than $5.00, just like they used to be. (I just bought some at Sam’s for $4.12 and Walmart usually has them for $4.98.)
- Banana’s price-per-pound has actually gone down a few cents from 2022 to 2024.
- Costco and Sam’s still offer their amazing Rotisserie Chickens for just $4.98 each.
- Sam’s 5-pound bag of shredded cheese was $13.68 in January 2022. February, 2024 it is $12.68. That is a dollar LESS.
- Also a dollar less is my favorite frozen fruit mixture from Sam’s. It was $11.98 and is now $10.98.
- Just about every store I’ve seen still has store-brand pasta at $0.98 for a 1-pound package.
- Gold Potatoes were at Costco and Sam’s for just $0.52/pound – not a sale price.
This isn’t everything, but these are many basics I shop for regularly. Isn’t this encouraging?!
I realize that my prices may not be your prices. But I am guessing that if you compare your receipts from two years ago and today, you will find what I found. Some small increases, some actual decreases, and some prices that have stayed the same.
Be encouraged!
My goal for today is to share that we really can keep feeding our families well within a very reasonable budget.
Share with us here what you’ve experienced where you live and where you shop. :)