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When I researched cost of living comparisons online, the stats indicated that salary-wise one needed $5,000 less per year in NC than in in NH. I'm sure some of this comes from the lower property taxes in NC. However, it seems that income tax and sales taxes would pretty much offset that difference since NH has neither tax (yet).
The biggest expense, I find, is groceries and non-food essentials. Just about all food items are way more expensive than they are in NH (and I'm not just talking about lobster! :-)
Butter, eggs, cheese, all dairy products, veggies, fruits, meats -- everything is more expensive. It doesn't seem to me that goods have to be trucked that much farther. In fact, I would think New England is farther, therefore greater transportation costs should drive those prices higher.
In NH I never paid more than $1.99 for store brand butter, sometimes on sale it was 2/$3.00. Even Land O'Lakes was around $2.69 or so. Here it's much higher. Are there no dairy farms in NC?
I'm now becoming pretty good at shopping the sale items and store loss leaders, and planning around those instead of just picking up items on a whim.
I sure hate coupon clipping, and reading the store advertising flyers - it takes so much time each week, but seems it has to be done. I figure I save about $20-30/month, which isn't a lot, but I'm not in the business of giving money away if I don't have to. Anybody out there relate to that? :-)
I'm wondering how these costs compare with where you come from?
What do you suppose accounts for the high cost of groceries in NC?
What are the best food stores to shop in the Raleigh area? Any "insider" hints on how to shop smarter?
I'd be interested in your observations, both from the local folks and those who are new to the area.
There is much less dairy farming in NC than in New England and NY and the prices reflect that. Local traditionally raised foods: pork, poultry, collards, corn, melons, peaches, sweet potatoes tend to be much more reasonable. Apples aren't grown around here very much. We used to buy often at the Raleigh farmers market (where the wholesalers are) because it was so much cheaper, especially for things like a bushel of sweet potatoes or peaches.
My overall food costs decreased when moving from DC to NC, but from the surveys I've read, the cost of food in NC is about the same as the national average. Nothing special going on here.
North Carolina ranks 7th in apple production. Around 85% of those apples come from Henderson County in the Asheville Metro Area.
I second what Alice has told you. During the season that our Farmers Market is open I buy from them, also from local farmers selling in selected areas around the city. The local produce here is much better than we had in Michigan, not sure if it is the weather or just different types. In the grocery store, well I shop only on the sales ad and if I need anything else well I just pay extra or go without. I really have not seen much of an increase in anything except dairy and meat (which the meat here is much better quality, I go to a butcher that way I am getting local, fresh and the seafood can't be beat). All in all my grocery bill is much the same as in MI, I cut coupons and shop sales oh and most of the time I don't buy name brands.
Being new to the area and comming from Calif. i actually find the prices of grocreys to be cheaper with the exception of produce and milk.So many items i see in the stores from boxed cereral,dry pasta, to lets say a package of Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches that i like. In an Albertsons or Safeway in Calif.if they were not on sale they are around $4.99 .Target here i think is$3.99.
Yoplait Yogurt if not on sale was $.95 cents each.Now if you happen to be at Target which was not a Super Target but did carry some food items, they were at .52.But not always convienient to go. Here in Target or Wal Mart they are around .48 each.So overall, i feel that prices are cheaper here.
I have found that milk is much more pricier in NC than anywhere else. I found that to be the only higher priced grocery item so far. BJs has the cheapest milk around from what i have found. Even SuperWalmart is $3.50+ for 1% milk.. I think BJs was $2.90 something last night for 1%.
I have found that milk is much more pricier in NC than anywhere else. I found that to be the only higher priced grocery item so far. BJs has the cheapest milk around from what i have found. Even SuperWalmart is $3.50+ for 1% milk.. I think BJs was $2.90 something last night for 1%.
Linda
North Carolina's dairy industry is dying as a result of increased production and fuel costs, interstate dairy competition and a shortage of young farmers willing to carry on the state's dairy tradition. North Carolina lost an additional 25 dairy farms during the past year, which resulted in a decrease from 365 to 340 farms. North Carolina is dairy deficient, and thus, depends on milk and dairy products from other states to adequately meet the demand. In 2005, Iredell, Randolph and Alleghany were the state's top three dairy counties, although all three lost hundreds of dairy cows last year as farm numbers continued to drop.
North Carolina's dairy industry is dying as a result of increased production and fuel costs, interstate dairy competition and a shortage of young farmers willing to carry on the state's dairy tradition. North Carolina lost an additional 25 dairy farms during the past year, which resulted in a decrease from 365 to 340 farms. North Carolina is dairy deficient, and thus, depends on milk and dairy products from other states to adequately meet the demand. In 2005, Iredell, Randolph and Alleghany were the state's top three dairy counties, although all three lost hundreds of dairy cows last year as farm numbers continued to drop.
You sure know your dairy facts!!! Thats interesting to know though and certainly is a reason to see higher prices on milk. It does stink for us with kids that go thru milk like water.
You sure know your dairy facts!!! Thats interesting to know though and certainly is a reason to see higher prices on milk. It does stink for us with kids that go thru milk like water.
Linda
I switched to 8th Continent soy milk years ago. Comes in 8 varieties now.
Orange County used to have quite a few dairy farms but dairy farming is generally a tough biz. Which would you choose, milking cows 2x/day for low $/lb or selling land to Chapel Hill wannabees?
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