Better Off?
The Presidential Election is upon us, and I managed to vote last week. Since having children, I’ve early voted in each election. This year was the hardest I’ve had to work to get it done. My normal polling place was overrun the two times that I went, so we ended up at a more obscure location.
I bought groceries for my family of six this morning. I grant that I do not always buy the cheapest ingredients. My goal is not to have the lowest cost corn-fed family, but a reasonable menu that fills everyone up with something good. I shop at Walmart and trade down to generics on most categories, when able.
Thanks to my six year habit of online grocery shopping, I have prices from the last time I went to the polls, October 2020. Granted, this was during the supply chain shortage, and even then prices felt high. Sadly, things went from bad to bleak.
The Consumer Price Index is based on a “basket of goods.” Here’s my personal grocery price index:
| Item | 2020 Price | 2024 Price | Price Increase | Percent Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milk | $3.12 | $4.48 | +$1.36 | +36% |
| Heavy Cream | $4.14 | $5.67 | +$1.53 | +31% |
| Sour Cream | $2.72 | $3.72 | +$1.00 | +31% |
| Yogurt | $0.57 | $0.72 | +$0.15 | +23% |
| 1 lb. Beef | $4.96 | $6.22 | +$1.26 | +23% |
| Chicken Breasts | $7.83 | $11.14 | +$3.31 | +35% |
| Bread | $2.28 | $2.97 | +$0.69 | +26% |
| Shredded Wheat | $1.94 | $2.82 | +$0.88 | +37% |
| Peanut Butter | $5.64 | $6.97 | +$1.33 | +21% |
My grocery bill is up an average of 29%. If my grocery budget bought a full year of groceries in 2020, in 2024 it would only buy my family food through September 16.
That’s a whole lot of hurt every single week from the folks who say they’re “helping” me.
- Pricing Data: Prices paid at Walmart or Walmart Neighborhood Market, October 23-30, 2020 vs October 28, 2024 [return]