Prairie Fare: Are you experiencing sticker shock at the grocery store?

“Are you sure?” I asked the checker at the grocery store.

I couldn’t believe the cost of two small bags of groceries was over $100.

“Yes, that’s right,” he said.

I checked over the receipt to be sure I hadn’t been charged $20 for a can of beans by accident.

“Every item is at least $5 or $6,” my husband said as we rolled our cart out of the store.

On average, food prices are 2.9% higher than a year ago, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Restaurant prices, on average, are 3.9% higher than a year ago.

To put it in perspective, that’s the percent that some retailers are adding if you pay with a credit card.

We aren’t alone in feeling the pinch. An Associated Press consumer affairs poll revealed that about 86% of people are feeling stressed by the grocery store prices.

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