How are you handling rising food and energy costs?

[shh]

I live on the surface of the sun 9-10 out of 12 months so there's no cutting back on electricity - I refuse to sit and sweat in my own home, but I keep it as high as I can tolerate.

What really kills us here in Florida are auto and home insurance rates. Many of us live in very modest homes, nowhere near the ocean, but pay for those who do. Policies are skyrocketing - I'm not talking by hundreds - I'm talking THOUSANDS of dollars as new policy renewals come in. Food costs are bad, but insurance is becoming a major black swan financial catastrophe in this state.

This isn't hyperbole: it's genuinely frightening. I can easily see many forced out of homes and selling their cars (despite needing a car in most of Fl to work, shop, live, as there's no practical public transportation). How many households can absorb both a $1-2k auto insurance increase and a $3-5k home insurance increase the same year (on top of already high polices)? On top of all the other inflationary increases?

 

[MICKIMINI]

I live on the surface of the sun, so there's no cutting back on electricity - I refuse to sit and sweat in my own home, but I keep it as high as I can tolerate.

What really kills us here in Florida are auto and home insurance rates. Policies are skyrocketing - I'm not talking by hundreds - I'm talking THOUSANDS of dollars as new policy renewals come in. Food costs are aggravating, but insurance is becoming a major black swan-type financial catastrophe in this state.

This isn't hyperbole: it may cost many their homes and cars in the near future. How many households can absorb a $3,000-4,000 increase (on top of an already high policy) in just 1 year? On top of all the other inflationary increases?

That is truly scary! We are getting killed in NH with electricity rates up 112% (not a typo) and fuel oil in the $6.50 range (I bought for the year at $4.99 in May). We are considering a move to FL in the next couple years.

We have two 2020 Subaru's and pay $600/6 months for 250/500 coverage but we are low mileage. Our 1450 SF house/1 car garage is about $900 but we have extra coverage and jewelry. I'm pretty stunned! We have appointments in two weeks at two neighborhoods to look at a new build (obviously we are watching prices decrease) and from what we figured H03, wind and flood would be about 2K-2.5K for a 300K house. Are we totally wrong? Thanks!

 

[shh]

That is truly scary! We are getting killed in NH with electricity rates up 112% (not a typo) and fuel oil in the $6.50 range (I bought for the year at $4.99 in May). We are considering a move to FL in the next couple years.

We have two 2020 Subaru's and pay $600/6 months for 250/500 coverage but we are low mileage. Our 1450 SF house/1 car garage is about $900 but we have extra coverage and jewelry. I'm pretty stunned! We have appointments in two weeks at two neighborhoods to look at a new build (obviously we are watching prices decrease) and from what we figured H03, wind and flood would be about 2K-2.5K for a 300K house. Are we totally wrong? Thanks!

If it's a new build, your home insurance costs will definitely be much lower. Insurers only want to insure newer homes right now. Most of us don't have the option of living in a new home. Flood is national - FEMA - they have fairly standardized rates, but have gone up a lot recently. Still nowhere near HO/Hurricane insurance though.

Auto is all ZIP code driven: doesn't matter how little you drive. If you're in a market with high rates of unlicensed, uninsured drivers, heavy litigation, you're paying much more. Even with a stellar driving record.

I strongly recommend getting specific HO and auto quotes before committing to anything, so you know for sure what you're dealing with.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Hillshire Farm 1 lb lunch meat for turkey or ham was $11.99 now. He didn't even want to pay the sale price of $8.99, so I only bought one.

It's $7.50 at Walmart through their grocery ordering for us. It may be less depending on the exact location as we know sometimes the pricing is higher online ordering than if we went into the store.

It's still stupid high, it's still outrageous though IMO even at $7.50

 

[barkley]

i know we are fortunate to be able to do it but i stock up BIG when items are on sale. i mean like cases of canned soups, veggies and other shelf stable stuff. i have a full size freezer in addition to the one on the fridge so the same goes with meat. we are fans of leftovers so little to no waste which helps allot.

utilities-again admitting to be fortunate, we are on an electric cooperative so no rate hikes and in fact we will be getting our yearly 'capitol credit' checks next month (non profit so they have to refund). we do try to maintain a temp via the a/c or heat year round and i've found that it costs less to maintain vs. adjusting up or down so that helps but i have budgeted 20% more to my yearly propane costs for 2023 'just in case'.

Found it online at for nearly $1 less per jar than walmart with a scheduled delivery

historically i've shopped for allot of shelf stable dry goods through walmart using their shipping but in the last 6 months or so i think they've taken the attitude that it's not worth it for them to sell via shipping vs. on site b/c the price difference can be obscene. the identical items at the physical store are much less expensive even at their full price. many items are no longer available for free shipping when you hit the minimum order or they are only available through one of their 'marketplace' contractors who are charging insane prices.

i agree with looking online for items though-i've found items much less expensive than the best sales the stores are offering.

 

[Schneewittchen37]

I love Aldi.

But shopping at Aldi takes some adjustments.

You must plan you meals around what you know Aldi carries. If you instead just plan your meals and then expect to find all the ingredients at Aldi, you will probably be disappointed.

My issue with Aldi is execution. I suggest you never try to have a Taco Tuesday using only Aldi ingredients. Germans don't seem to have the right palate for Tex Mex.

Aldi Taco Mix = gross
Aldi Mex Rice = Bland
Aldi Refried Beans = smoky? why are my beans smoky?

So, if I'm doing an Aldi run, I stick to basics they can't mess up like flour and bananas. Or things they should be expert in, like spatzle and ham.

Oh, and they are understaffed on purpose and it looks like a train wreck, but because it is.

 

[MICKIMINI]

If it's a new build, your home insurance costs will definitely be much lower. Insurers only want to insure newer homes right now. Most of us don't have the option of living in a new home. Flood is national - FEMA - they have fairly standardized rates, but have gone up a lot recently. Still nowhere near HO/Hurricane insurance though.

Auto is all ZIP code driven: doesn't matter how little you drive. If you're in a market with high rates of unlicensed, uninsured drivers, heavy litigation, you're paying much more. Even with a stellar driving record.

I strongly recommend getting specific HO and auto quotes before committing to anything, so you know for sure what you're dealing with.

Wow - we'll check it out. We are looking at Stone Creek in Ocala (our #1 choice) and The Villages (a maybe). Prices went from 250K to 450K in the past two years and we had given up, but prices are finally dropping. We hope to pay cash so may have some negotiating power. Both areas seem to be mostly seniors. Thanks for the info - great info while we do our research.

 

[Smugpugmug]

My issue with Aldi is execution. I suggest you never try to have a Taco Tuesday using only Aldi ingredients. Germans don't seem to have the right palate for Tex Mex.

Aldi Taco Mix = gross
Aldi Mex Rice = Bland
Aldi Refried Beans = smoky? why are my beans smoky?

So, if I'm doing an Aldi run, I stick to basics they can't mess up like flour and bananas. Or things they should be expert in, like spatzle and ham.

Oh, and they are understaffed on purpose and it looks like a train wreck, but because it is.

Can confirm that after living there for 2 years. Mexican restaurants in Germany are SO bad. Not a single one I tried could get it right.

All of my coworkers rave about Aldi's meat selection but I've never been to one in the US.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Oh, and they are understaffed on purpose and it looks like a train wreck, but because it is.

I've never found Aldi to be understaffed and they have long been a place to pay their employees a much higher amount than other grocery stores around. Doesn't look like a train wreck either. Newer ones and remodeled ones have also gone to a more open floor plan instead of a snaking through the store. The newest one around me is constantly busy as is the Walmart right by it.

I do agree with the PP about meal planning. They aren't like a mega super market. Even Walmart has cut back on the variety of stuff over the last several years. I find them to be a good supplement place and a base stuff place like bread, milk, yogurt, etc. I liked their cereal too. We tend to shop at Walmart but have no issue popping over now to Aldi.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Can confirm that after living there for 2 years. Mexican restaurants in Germany are SO bad. Not a single one I tried could get it right.

All of my coworkers rave about Aldi's meat selection but I've never been to one in the US.

It's been a while since we've bought it there so can't speak to present quality but we used to get pork chops all the time at Aldi and really liked it.

 

[barkley]

I bought 10 lbs of butter when it was $3 and froze it

i did the same when it was going for $2.99

We bought a garage ready freezer this summer along with a food saver machine. We are able to buy large packages of meat on sale, wrap, label and freeze.

we do the same. we also buy sale items and cut or grind them into the cuts/bulk sausage/ground meats that are less likely to go on sale.

 

[fla4fun]

Utilities I just use only what I need. I wear lightweight short pajamas around the house so I can keep the temp higher in the house. I don’t run heat in the winter anyway. I do one load of laundry once a week, and run the dishwasher once per week. That is easier when a person lives on their own.

For groceries, I only buy what is on sale and have a firm $40 per week budget. I use cash, so there’s no fudging the numbers. When the cash is gone, no more food until the next week. I stretch meat by using pasta or rice, use store brand when possible, and have given up things like soda or juice even when they are on sale. My favorite treat is when strawberry jam goes on a buy one/get one sale and I can have a peanut butter and jam sandwich.

It is doubly difficult when a person is long term unemployed like I am. Prices keep going up and I can’t even get an interview, so no money coming in. Not looking forward to the holidays . . .

 

[Schneewittchen37]

I've never found Aldi to be understaffed and they have long been a place to pay their employees a much higher amount than other grocery stores around. Doesn't look like a train wreck either. Newer ones and remodeled ones have also gone to a more open floor plan instead of a snaking through the store. The newest one around me is constantly busy as is the Walmart right by it.

I do agree with the PP about meal planning. They aren't like a mega super market. Even Walmart has cut back on the variety of stuff over the last several years. I find them to be a good supplement place and a base stuff place like bread, milk, yogurt, etc. I liked their cereal too. We tend to shop at Walmart but have no issue popping over now to Aldi.

There's 3 of them near me, one is only a few months old. Yep, it's already a disaster. I live in Maryland, in the 'burbs between DC and Baltimore. Perhaps your regional office cares.

Anyway, in my area an Aldi's only has 2 employees, one angry lady to scowl at the line creeping and growing toward the back of the store (and throw jars into your cart!) and one pimply teenager to slowly swirl the fetid mop around the produce aisle.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I'm more big picture with this. We mostly just modified life expectations to keep our kids with us until the volatility drops off, world seems very twitchy to me. I know of quite a few families who have coalesced this way, particularly with Gen Z adult kids navigating the job market & student loan expenses, although I know a few adults who found themselves alone and ended up joining forces with siblings. In particular, it seems good fit for divorced or widowed parents who would otherwise be managing big homes all alone. Sharing space, expenses and chores is how my culture's first generation in the US gathered wealth and to me it seems smarter by the day.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Honestly I haven't noticed much change. Groceries have gone up a bit but our oldest has moved out so it has kind of balanced itself out.
Gas a bit more but we both have short commutes - so maybe extra $60 a month on gas? Not really sure.
All our utilities have stayed the same. Suspect our water bill may go down with once less person here.
Not expecting our car insurance or home insurance to go up except for perhaps small regular increments ($5 a month, etc).

 

[fla4fun]

Auto is all ZIP code driven: doesn't matter how little you drive. If you're in a market with high rates of unlicensed, uninsured drivers, heavy litigation, you're paying much more. Even with a stellar driving record.

I have car insurance that does offer some tiered pricing based on the number of miles driven annually. I am in the lowest bracket, driving under 9,000 miles per year. I actually track my miles driven weekly to ensure I stay in compliance. The next range is 12,000 miles which is closer to the national average, and it’s several hundred dollars more. They also offer a small discount for paying the premium on an annual basis. Every little bit helps. I do agree that location and demographic play a big role in the base rate, but it does pay to shop around and ask what can be done to reduce rates before buying.

I am not looking forward to the renewal next April though. I expect it to be much higher.

 

[disykat]

We're in such a period of flux with DH's recent retirement followed immediately by a 3 week road trip vacation that I have absolutely no idea what our regular monthly budget even is! The exact monthly income we'll have coming in is still working itself out. We definitely prefer to keep to a budget so we'll be working that out over the next few months. We have plenty of money to meet our needs so we just try to be as frugal as possible while we kind of set our new norm.

 

[barkley]

I have car insurance that does offer some tiered pricing based on the number of miles driven annually.

i have this type of coverage as well and it does save so we track and try to balance out driving between our vehicles. while one gets better mpg it works out to a better net savings to maintain the lower mpg on both.

They also offer a small discount for paying the premium on an annual basis.

i just got my renewal-this discount alone is 12% on my policy (and i don't have to pay the $5 monthly 'processing fee' they charge for doing it 12x per year vs. 2x).

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I just went grocery shopping yesterday. Butter is up $1.00. A medium size container of vegetable oil is almost $7. Eggs are up almost $2 since my last shopping trip. I shop the sales as Kroger and Publix. The BOGO's at Publix are great. Kroger and Publix both have digital coupons on their App. Paper ones when they can be found. I buy meat when it's BOGO and in bulk when on sale and freeze in individual portions. My meals are planned according to the weekly ads and what is on sale. We have an extra small fridge/freezer in the garage and a stand alone freezer too. I also shop Costco and have been going there more frequently. Expecting our electricity rates to go up any day now.

 

[TAX GUY]

We spend an average of $275/week on groceries, for two of us! About three months ago, we changed our eating habits (more healthy options) so we knew we'd see an increase in spending ("bad" food is more affordable). The silver lining is that our son is off to the Air Force so what we spend now, was what we spent in the recent past when he was home.

We've been ok with electricity so far, even during the summer running central A/C our largest bill was *only* about $150. We heat with propane (cook with it too) so luckily no major price hit there, yet.

Gas..... don't get me going on that. While I do appreciate grocery store memberships to allow for per gallon discounts (we need to get groceries anyway), pricing has been absurd for the past year. It was *better* over the recent months with pricing decreasing AND our governor suspended the state gas tax (.24) until December, so that helps. However, prices have been increasing and that state tax will be back soon.

So far, we haven't had to make any decisions and go without, however, I do heavily focus on sale items and will stock up on some items when the sales are good. I'll plan dinners around what meats/fishes/proteins are on sale (not a typo, I do the cooking so I head up the grocery shopping)