Almost 80% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck barely able to afford to put food on the table. That’s terrible news considering the predictions currently assume that grocery prices will steadily continue to rise during 2019.
Grocery prices are expected to rise by 1 percent or 2 percent this year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. It may seem small, but with so many U.S. households already living paycheck to paycheck, it could be just enough to have a real financial impact. Although food prices rose by just a fraction of a percent last year, and that was the first increase in three years, and it looks like prices will rise consistently during 2019, according to WCVB 5, an ABC News affiliate.
Some food items, such as pork, eggs, fats, and oils could see prices decline during 2019, the USDA predicted. However, that’s not great news considering egg prices climbed nearly 10.8 percent last year. The prices of beef, poultry, fish, and sweets are all expected to increase. “Electricity and diesel costs, as well as many other costs associated with food production, transport, and retail sales, are expected to rise, placing upward pressure on prices,” officials wrote. Fresh vegetable prices increased from November to December, rising 3.4 percent, and are 4.6 percent higher than in December 2017.
That means that not only will our food prices be going up, so will the cost of electricity and other utilities further strapping American families. This leaves families already living paycheck to paycheck making the tough decision of where to cut costs. The trade war’s tariffs are expected to play a role in the rising cost of food in 2019.
Living Paycheck To Paycheck: The New Crisis And Normal For The American Middle Class
Rising food prices threaten those in an unstable financial situation. Any increase in food prices is usually thanks to burdensome regulations or taxation. This small, but noticeable increases also disproportionately affect the poor, yet big government advocates want even more expensive regulations. So much for that lie that liberals care about the poor.
