Wed, May 21 2008
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Published May 04, 2008 09:19 pm - Soaring food bills can sink budgets Area shoppers trim grocery costs to keep families afloat By Liz McMahan Phoenix Staff Writer Jeri Todd recently thought she wanted to buy a tomato at the grocery store.
Then she saw the price: $1.89. She put the tomato back and instead bought a lower-priced can of diced tomatoes. They served her purpose just as well and saved her money. Todd, 64, is among growing numbers of shoppers paying closer attention to grocery prices these days. U.S. Department of Agriculture officials have predicted the price of food will increase between 4 and 6 percent this year. That is in addition to a 4 percent increase last year, the largest in more than a decade. Margo Mitchell, president and chief executive officer of Consumer Credit Counseling of Oklahoma said she’s seeing people recently who are concerned about making ends meet while paying higher grocery and gasoline prices. The two go hand-in-hand as the nation’s quest for alternative fuels has driven grain prices up and as the price of oil has hit record highs. Mitchell said that like the clients she sees, she’s also become personally aware of the higher grocery prices. “It hurts me to pay anywhere close to $2 for a loaf of bread,” she said. “That’s the going price these days.” Her first advice for coping with the rising prices is for people to figure out where they are financially. “They are going to have to put together that budget that everybody avoids,” she said. “They really need to know how much money they have and how much they have to pay out every month.” Secondly, she suggests prioritizing debt — making sure the house payment and car payment are made. Then, she has several tips for grocery shopping: • Plan the menu for the week or month. • Make a list of the items you will need to purchase and buy only what is on the list. • Don’t go to the grocery store hungry. 
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