Houston shoppers are feeling the squeeze at the checkout line, and new data confirms it isn’t their imagination.
The Consumer Price Index for Houston and Sugar Land shows residents are paying just over half a percent more for the same basket of goods compared to just two months ago, a small but significant trend that could push costs up 3.6% by the end of the year. Meanwhile, grocery prices are already up 2.8% from last year.
“Certain things are astronomical compared to what they used to be,” said Julia, a Houston shopper.
Shopper Landon Rich felt that firsthand during a recent grocery run. He went in expecting to spend $350 to $400 on a full restock and walked out having spent $415. Always slightly more.
It’s not just a feeling. A new survey from the University of Houston found that 78% of Houstonians say their wages are not keeping up with the cost of living. One in three, 33%, say it’s their single biggest challenge right now.
“They feel like it’s hard to afford just everyday living,” said Maria Perez Arguelles, assistant research professor at the University of Houston who helped conduct the study.
Earlier this week, KPRC 2 also reported new Kinder Institute Research that 1 in 5 Houstonians are turning to personal loans just to get by, though experts caution against letting that debt pile up.
Experts say there are practical ways to ease the burden at the grocery store:
Swap name-brand products for store brands
Meal prep in bulk
Shop for groceries by the season
Freeze leftovers
But perhaps the most honest advice came straight from a researcher.
“Just for now have patience,” Perez Arguelles said.
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