Posted: Aug 14, 2010 9:17 AM by Breanna Roy
Updated: Sep 20, 2010 10:49 AM
MISSOULA - We definitely saw a shift in our cost of living this month. During this month's Breanna's Basket price check, we found prices distinctly lower than July, but you've probably noticed prices at the pump are headed in the other direction.
If you're filling up this August in Missoula, you're paying six cents more per gallon of gas. Unleaded gas averaged 2.78 in July, and now that's up to 2.84, marking a 17-cent increase on gas since January.
Meanwhile Montana's average is two cents higher at 2.86, which is actually down a penny from last month's average. (2.87). And the nation continues to pay less for gas than Montanans averaging 2.79 this month, that's up six cents (2.73) from July.
But in the grocery stores, we are seeing relief. in fact this month we're paying more than a dollar less for our basket of goods, as five items went down in price (cheddar cheese, orange juice, diapers, lettuce, peanut butter), and the average price of five other items didn't change at all (eggs, milk, bananas, cheerios, beef).
In fact the only item we're paying more for this month is Folgers coffee which went up four cents on average.
Diaper prices are ringing up at their lowest price of the year at 16.74, that's 23 cents lower than the average price we paid last month contributing to a total August basket price of 53.72 - down a dollar fourteen from July and ringing up as our lowest total of the year by nine cents.
But, something to watch this next month is the cost of bread.
A drought in Russia is causing wheat to surge to its highest price in two years. And now agriculture analysts say you could wind up paying 25 to 30 percent more for a loaf of bread and at least 10 percent more for a pizza by the end of August or early September.
That translates to as much as 90 cents more for a $3 loaf of bread and a $1.40 for a $14 pizza.
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