Price of Groceries (Chicago, Peoria, Addison: home, live in, zip codes)

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by lincolnparker

A lot of us in Lincoln park here do not really pay much attention to the cost of groceries for cost of gas for that matter

Why? Too drunk to notice?

[NYrules]

I just went to Super Wally World and yes you are right. Prices on everything have basically doubled or close to it. Last year at Wal Mart a 12 pack of Diet Pepsi = $2.49, now $4.29!. Last year Skim Milk (Deans) = $2.29, now $3.09. Last year Kellogs Raisin Bran 25 oz box = $3.89, now $4.89. Last year Grade A Large Eggs dozen = $.99, now $2.09! Last year Dannon lite and fit yogart = $.50 per cup (10 for $5), now $.79 per cup. These are just some of the things I buy on a weekly basis and keep track of what I spent through keeping all of my receipts and I can glance back at those from last year to only get more and more *****ed off as my salary has not went up at all even as all this is going on!

[At1WithNature]

i see how they do it...they get us fat in the 90's by super sizing everything and now that they have us hooked on food, they put the prices through the roof!

[scarletneon]

Originally Posted by NYrules

I just went to Super Wally World and yes you are right. Prices on everything have basically doubled or close to it. Last year at Wal Mart a 12 pack of Diet Pepsi = $2.49, now $4.29!. Last year Skim Milk (Deans) = $2.29, now $3.09. Last year Kellogs Raisin Bran 25 oz box = $3.89, now $4.89. Last year Grade A Large Eggs dozen = $.99, now $2.09! Last year Dannon lite and fit yogart = $.50 per cup (10 for $5), now $.79 per cup. These are just some of the things I buy on a weekly basis and keep track of what I spent through keeping all of my receipts and I can glance back at those from last year to only get more and more *****ed off as my salary has not went up at all even as all this is going on!

Hint: Store brands are your friend.

[Lookout Kid]

CarolinaBredChicagoan was really on base with his endorsement of HarvesTime Foods (that's actually how it's spelled). That place has incredibly fresh produce and great prices. Techinically it's in Lincoln Square, but it's very much a Hispanic-oriented business, which seems to scare away some of the new LS gentrifiers for some reason. I think they're somehow affiliated with Edgewater Produce on Devon.

Buying "private label" (i.e. generic) stuff at Trader Joe's or Aldi is also a cost saver. And there's always good ol' coupon clipping, which my wife does after enduring much ridicule over the years. And pay attention to those saver's club deals at Dominick's and Jewel.

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

CarolinaBredChicagoan was really on base with his endorsement of HarvesTime Foods (that's actually how it's spelled). That place has incredibly fresh produce and great prices. Techinically it's in Lincoln Square, but it's very much a Hispanic-oriented business, which seems to scare away some of the new LS gentrifiers for some reason. I think they're somehow affiliated with Edgewater Produce on Devon.

Yeah, I've shopped at that place for years. They doubled the size of it about two years ago. Much better produce than the mainstream stores at much lower prices. I'm almost sorry you or I said anything about it, Lookout. More and more of the gentrified set are finding this place, but I still feel like I should keep it a little bit of a secret to protect those prices...

Buying "private label" (i.e. generic) stuff at Trader Joe's or Aldi is also a cost saver.

My Dad's a faithful Aldi disciple. He came to visit for a week and we went to Aldi, spent 20 bucks, augmented that with an item or two from Trader Joe's and HarvesTime, and ate like kings all week. (Because even in a foodie town, I can't get my dad to eat out more than 3 times in a week...)

[Attrill]

Prices at Costco seem to be about the same as last year, I have a pretty standard list of things I buy on my trips there and I'm not paying any more than last year. The only prices I keep a regular eye on are meat prices, and Costco and Peoria Packing have almost the exact same prices as last year.

[nessatar]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

CarolinaBredChicagoan was really on base with his endorsement of HarvesTime Foods (that's actually how it's spelled). That place has incredibly fresh produce and great prices. Techinically it's in Lincoln Square, but it's very much a Hispanic-oriented business, which seems to scare away some of the new LS gentrifiers for some reason. I think they're somehow affiliated with Edgewater Produce on Devon.

Buying "private label" (i.e. generic) stuff at Trader Joe's or Aldi is also a cost saver. And there's always good ol' coupon clipping, which my wife does after enduring much ridicule over the years. And pay attention to those saver's club deals at Dominick's and Jewel.

I love HarvesTime! It's only a block from my apt. They also have a great meat counter (if you're into that...) and a really nice bread selection.

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

Originally Posted by nessatar

I love HarvesTime! It's only a block from my apt. They also have a great meat counter (if you're into that...) and a really nice bread selection.

Chicken thighs for .49 a pound? You're darn right I'm into that.

[myrc60]

I work for a major manufacturer of products many of you use on a regular basis everyday. We have raised our wholesale prices over the summer and there are still a few more coming down in the next month or two; paper, beauty and health care, pet food, it's all gone up. Our wholesale prices are the same in all of the lower 48 states. Here in SC there is no food tax unless it is prepared food. The state taxes our gas at about 19cents per gallon; I know Illinois' tax is higher than that. If CarolinabedChicagoan were using his car he would be paying a lot more up there than he would here; there is no doubt in my mind. When we came down here in 2003 prices at the store were lower here than in Chicago. That may not be the case anymore since we are now using our food supply as our energy supply. If this country will get our food supply out of our energy supply you will see prices go down at the grocery store.