Sorry, Your Grocery Bill is Going Up, Up, Up

(MSNBC) Paula McGowan has cut out soda, switched to store brands for other foods and even sent her boyfriend hunting for deer so she can put food on the table.

Still, she finds herself struggling with higher food prices.

“It’s milk, bread, just the basic stuff,” she said. “We’re looking at basics and it’s all going up.”

After two years in which overall food prices barely budged, groceries are getting more expensive.
The price of food at home is projected to rise by 4 to 5 percent this year, and another 2 to 3 percent next year, according to the Agriculture Department. That’s adding another financial worry for many people already living with tight budgets thanks to the weak economy and high jobless rate.

The percentage of people who say they had enough money to buy food in the last 12 months fell to its lowest level in three years, according to a Gallup poll released this month.

The vast majority of Americans surveyed — 79.4 percent — said they have been able to buy the food they need. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

McGowan, 44, lives with her boyfriend in Versailles, Ky. Her job in information technology has been stable, but her boyfriend has had bouts of unemployment and now runs his own lawn mowing business. That’s making it difficult to keep up with rising costs.

“I literally live paycheck to paycheck,” she said.

McGowan isn’t alone. Nearly one-third of Americans say rising food and gas prices are making it difficult to save money, according to a recent poll from Country Financial.

When she goes to the grocery store, McGowan said she brings a detailed list, coupons and a strict budget. She buys low-cost but filling food like rice and pasta in bulk and relies on cheaper protein like eggs to stretch the couple’s meals.  Read More...