Grocery Costs Continue to Rise

Each month I try and stay within my $425 budget for two on groceries, which at our house means all over the counter medications, cleaning supplies, toiletries, makeup, and food.  We self-insure for prescriptions so it is likely that we spend more on over the counter medications than other families, plus we have a couple of diseases which won't kill us but that we have to take pills for from time to time.

The last few months have been irritatingly difficult to stay on our grocery budget.  Last month we were almost $100 over.  I have decided that since we have almost stopped eating out, I am going to let myself go over on the grocery budget when absolutely necessary.  It is cheaper to spend money on good food to eat at home versus eating out, plus better for us.  We like a varied diet so we sometimes buy more expensive cuts of meat and fish than others may - but I try and find them on sale.  Everyone has choices - we have made specific choices based on our tastes.

The cost of groceries has increased across the board.  There used to be a time when I refused to pay more than $1 per 100 grams of cheese.  I have not come across a sale price below $1 for some time now so this week I broke that rule and paid just over the limit on a large family pack that I cut up and froze into weekly size portions.

Generally, I won't pay more than 99 cents per lb for fruit of any kind - except cherries when in season.  Those I will go up to $3.99 per lb.  In the summer this limit is reasonable, in the winter not so much.

I was very happy at a bargain find yesterday when I came across some ground beef for 30% off - then an additional 10% off the total grocery price as it was 10% Tuesday.  I bought all of the packs they had on discount.  I stock up when possible, but lately, it doesn't seem to happen that often.

I feel very fortunate that we have a paid off home, no debt, a company that is making money and a part-time job for myself.  I wonder how those on a more fixed income make out when they can't buy much with the money left over after paying their mortgage or rent.  Sometimes I feel guilty that we have so much - but we have worked many years for what we have, and have lived frugally most of that time as well.  They say the economy is doing better, but then why are so many family and friends having difficulty finding decent jobs.  I watched a program about Victoria the other day and they were saying that this is the best tourism year since before the big crash in 2007.  Apparently, the tourists were a combination of Canadian and American travelers.  This is a good sign, and I hope it continues but in the mean time we will still count our pennies and search out bargains, trying to stay on budget.