upworthy

cost of living

Community

Budget shopper shares stunning spreadsheet comparing 2020 and 2025 grocery costs

Plus, an expert gives tips for cutting down your grocery budget.

Image via Canva/Vecteezy Images

Budget grocery shopper shares huge change in grocery costs from 2020 to 2025.

It's no secret to anyone buying groceries lately that food costs have skyrocketed—and data supports it. Food prices have increased 23.6% from 2020 to 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service.

One budget-obsessed grocery shopper shared personal proof of the insane increases in food costs with fellow frugal shoppers on Reddit.

"So, a few days ago I found this spreadsheet I made back in 2020 tracking the groceries I normally buy," a Redditor named ReNamed00d wrote. "Thought it'd be fun to update it for 2025... and wow. Just... wow."

food costs, grocery costs, grocery costs, grocery shopping, grocery prices Spreadsheet of food costs from 2020 vs. 2025.Image via ReNamed00d/Reddit

While noting that some costs had remained the same or gone down, the one food that increased the most was eggs. And the overall price difference over the years has been astounding.

"But looking back at the totals... back in 2020, my full list ran me $273. Now? $386. That's $113 more, or roughly 41% higher. And meanwhile, minimum wage hasn't moved an inch, it's still $7.25/hour!" they shared. "Just thinking about it makes regular grocery trips feel... brutal. Even without adding meat prices, it's clear that keeping a stocked kitchen on a fixed income is way harder than it was five years ago. Honestly, I don't even know what to say other than... be prepared for sticker shock next time you're at the grocery store."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Other frugal shoppers shared their thoughts on current grocery prices. "Also, the prices may have stayed the same but packages got smaller. Shrinkflation is real," one wrote. Another added, "I went to get some store-brand non dairy creamer yesterday. Used to be about $1.15. Now it’s almost five dollars."

And another wrote: "I found my grocery tracking spreadsheet from 2012 recently and was SHOCKED by the differences. What surprised me the most is that the 'expensive' and luxury items didn't necessarily change. It's the cheap staples that went up drastically. The price of onions, dry pasta, tomatoes, olive oil -- those have doubled and tripled. It's especially jarring because the ways I learned to save money on groceries a decade ago don't even help today... My cheap proteins are now expensive, and ingredients that I used to buy at the end of the month to eke out the budget will now break it. I used to buy walnuts because pine nuts are too expensive, and now I'm trying to find cheap substitutes for walnuts. My grocery budget has doubled or tripled and I'm eating the same old crap."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

How to save money on groceries

Although food costs continue to rise, these tips can help keep you save money the next time you go grocery shopping, according to Joe Lytwyn, a personal finance expert at Thimbl.

Start by embracing 'ugly' produce.
"Ugly produce offers significant savings without compromising nutrition," says Lytwyn.

Explore ethnic markets.
"Ethnic markets offer cheaper staples like rice, beans, and spices, allowing you to stretch your dollar further," says Lytwyn.

Prepare before hitting the grocery store.
"Before you shop, plan your meals for the entire week, prioritizing versatile ingredients and making a detailed list to avoid impulse buys," adds Lytwyn. "Never go shopping on an empty stomach, to curb hunger-driven, unnecessary purchases!"

Make smart swaps.
"Instead of costly pre-made sauces, whip up your own vinaigrettes from scratch, which are both cheaper and healthier," says Lytwyn. "For snacks, ditch individually packaged items for bulk nuts, seeds, or dried fruit, portioning them yourself to save money and reduce waste."

Leverage your freezer.
"Don't underestimate the power of your freezer; buying meat or fish in larger quantities when on sale and freezing portions can lead to substantial long-term savings," Lytwyn notes. "When in the store, prioritize the perimeter for fresh goods and consider store brands for pantry items, as they often provide comparable quality at a lower price."

Master the art of couponing and diligently checking unit prices.
"Beyond traditional circulars, actively seek out digital coupons on store apps and manufacturer websites, combining them with loyalty programs for maximum discounts," says Lytwyn. "A less common but highly effective tip is to meticulously check unit prices; a smaller package might seem cheaper, but calculating the unit price often reveals that larger sizes offer better value. Stock up on non-perishable items when they're at their lowest price."

From Your Site Articles
grocery costs
CommunityJoy
Education

This surprising map reveals the real value of $100 in each state

Your purchasing power can swing by nearly 25 percent from state to state.

Image by Tax Foundation.

Map represents the value of 100 dollars.

As the cost of living in large cities continues to rise due to inflation, tariffs and other economic factors, more and more people are realizing that the value of a dollar in the United States is a very relative concept. For decades, cost of living indices have sought to address and benchmark the inconsistencies in what money will buy, but they are often so specific as to prevent a holistic picture or the ability to "browse" the data based on geographic location.

Each year, the Tax Foundation addresses many of these shortcomings using the most recent Bureau of Economic Analysis data to provide a familiar map of the United States overlaid with the relative value of what $100 is "worth" in each state. In recent years, they've further updated their data so that you can break down the value of your money across every single metro area in the United States. It's an incredibly valuable tool with so many people considering, or having already migrated from states like California to Florida, Texas and other states with friendly state taxes rates and more affordable housing options.

The map quantifies and presents the cost of living by geography in a brilliantly simple way. For instance, if you're looking for a beach lifestyle but don't want to pay California prices, try Florida, which is about as close to "average" — in terms of purchasing power, anyway — as any state in the Union. If you happen to earn, or luck, your way into Silicon Valley tax brackets, head to Hawaii, D.C., or New York. You'll burn through your money in no time. And in some of those places like Hawaii, there are quality of life measurements that often exceed raw purchasing power.


So, where does your dollar go the furthest in 2025? The financial planning site GoBanking.com compiled its own list of cash purchasing power across each state and found that in California, you get the least bang for your buck, only $87.42 in real purchasing power for every $100 of cash. The average person in California makes $96,344, one of the higher income levels in the country. However, just living in California on average costs residents a staggering $86,408, leaving the average person with little flexibility for long-term financial planning projects like retirement, saving for a new home or even buying a new car.

At the other end of the spectrum is Arkansas, the state where your dollar goes the furthest. In fact, that $100 bill burning a hole in your proverbial wallet is in fact worth more than its technical value, with a real value of $113.49. On top of that, the cost of living is only $37,067, less than half of that in California. Further, the average cost of a new home in Arkansas is $208,743, less than one-third of a new home in California. Not coincidentally, in 2023, Arkansas was the top destination for people moving to another state within the United States, followed by Texas.

value of $100 in each state, money, economy, inflation, tariffs, Arkansas, California, Florida, Texas A woman holds six $100 billsImage via Canva

How about Florida, which has received outsized attention in recent years for its overt efforts to draw residents from California and other states with higher costs of living? According to the most recent data, Florida is in fact much closer to California than Arkansas, coming in only in 40th place on the GoBanking rankings, with $100 in cash only being worth $96.55. However, the annual cost of living is still only slightly more than half of that in California, $53,505. And if you're looking to buy some real estate, the average home is valued at $404,924. That's still well outside the purchasing power of many Americans but with built-in advantages such as warm weather and the top-ranked state education system in America, it's obvious why so many people, especially those with families, are choosing Florida over California in recent years.

According to U.S. News and World Report's data analysis, California only has the nation's 23rd best education system and is ranked a paltry 37th overall in their state rankings. It's quite a contrast for a state that bills itself on the promise on opportunity, natural wonder and positive lifestyle options. And with 2024's wildfires, the constant threat of earthquakes and other factors, California clearly has challenges beyond economics if it wants to remain one of the more attractive states in the nation.

Of course, those numbers are always in flux. And political leaders in California have promised concrete reforms in order to address the state's high cost of living compared with the value of the its social and emergency services. If you want proof of how quickly things can change, look at a similar analysis of the value of $100 in each state from 2015:


- YouTube www.youtube.com

However, those negative statistical trends aside, California continues to have an incredible pull on our collective imagination. 423,194 Americans left their state for California according to the most recent data in 2023, placing it in third behind our previously mentioned top two states, Arkansas and Texas.

So, it's clear there are a number of factors that determine the best place of live in America. When it comes to raw purchasing power, you cannot beat Arkansas. But there's so much else to consider: public resources like education and healthcare, job opportunities (you probably won't make nearly as much in Arkansas as you might in California) and other factors such as proximity to family, friends and personal interests.

There's no doubt America is rapidly changing and that includes what people value the most when they decide where to live. In uncertain economic times, the face of America will likely change radically in the coming years, with the political, economic and social landscape shifting in meaningful ways.

From Your Site Articles
money
EducationBusiness
Culture

Woman who moved from Ireland to Boston shares why the American dream is 'all a lie.'

"I have been bamboozled."

via Kayleigh Donahue/TikTok and Zeeshan Kundi/Pexels
Kayleigh Donahue explains the differences between the U.S. and Europe.

Living abroad is a dream many people have, whether it's spending a summer in a foreign country or packing up their entire life to make the permanent move. In fact, about a third or more of Americans would move to another country if they had the means, and many do. Some estimates show that between 4-5 million non-military US citizens live abroad.

But life is funny, and sometimes these ex-pats come back to the United States for a variety of reasons like family or career, which gives them an extremely interesting perspective when they begin their re-entry.

Take American-born TikTok user Kayleigh Donahue, for example. She's going viral on the platform because of her unflinching take on why it was a mistake for her to move back to the U.S. after spending 4 years in Ireland.

She moved back to the Boston area. Kayleigh moved back to the U.S. from Ireland to make more money, but that didn’t go as planned.

Even though she got paid more, the cost of living was so much higher that she saved less money than she did in Ireland. She also missed the generous number of vacation days she got in Europe as compared to America.

"I have been bamboozled," she begins in the now viral clip with over 600 thousand views.


@kayshaynee

popping off always #americanabroad #usavseurope #movingabroad #livingabroad #europevsamerica #fyp


Many people like Kayleigh move abroad, especially to European countries, for a slower way of life, better work-life balance, more opportunity for travel, or just to see something different. But America is the land of opportunity, right? For some, that promise always beckons, no matter where they go. So even though Kayleigh had an amazing life in Ireland, she wound up moving home to advance her career and make more money.

“Basically, I really got sucked into the American Dream way of living when I was abroad, which is funny because I loved living abroad,” Kayleigh said. “But you know, making more money, that’s enticing. Good job, that’s enticing. It’s not true. It used to be. It definitely used to be. You could come here and make a ton of money, make a great life for yourself. But the younger generation today, in this country — screwed. It’s literally all a lie that is sold to you. It’s such a struggle, and the older generation doesn’t seem to see how much of a struggle it is for the younger generation here.”

In the end, who wants to work harder for a lower quality of life?

“Needless to say, I will most likely be moving back to Europe where 20-plus days of paid vacation a year is literally the law, and I will make less money, but somehow, you know, the cost of living is lower there and I can save more,” Kayleigh concluded the video.

Viewers applauded Kayleigh for coming to the realization:

"Yep, I made the same mistake. Then I realized that people and quality of life are more important than income. Enjoy life!" one wrote.

"Get that. We moved back to US and it was horrible. We moved back to the UK. Happier now was 6 weeks off a year" said another.

"I think there are actually very few people who derive their enjoyment and self-worth from their job. Quality of life is so much more important," another user added.

@kayshaynee

so lucky to live this life🤍 #movingabroad #americanabroad #thenetherlands #europetravel


Kayleigh made good on her promise. As of January 2025, she now lives in Amsterdam with her Dutch husband, and they seem to be loving their life abroad.

A Mercer survey in 2024 put Amsterdam as the sixth best city in the world for quality of life. It's a place with rich culture, amazing public transportation, and a reasonable cost of living to earning potential ratio.

@kayshaynee

I guess I live here now??? #movingabroad #dutchtiktok #amsterdam #americanabroad #internationalcouple

Young Americans really aren't asking for that much. They just want to be able to afford and enjoy their life, and they're willing to work hard for it. America should be giving them those opportunities instead of losing more and more talented young people to other countries.

This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

From Your Site Articles
living abroad
CultureJoy
Community

Man lives on a cruise ship 300 days a year for the same cost as renting in Florida

He's spending less while spending more and more time cruising.

Image via Canva

A man works from his laptop while relaxing on a cruise ship

Living permanently on a cruise ship seems like a dream of the uber-wealthy. You spend your days lounging on the deck by the pool or touring an exotic location. Nights are spent dancing in the nightclub or enjoying live entertainment. You no longer have to worry about traffic, cooking or laundry. Your life has become all-inclusive as long as you’re on board.

At Upworthy, we’ve shared the stories of a handful of people who’ve been able to spend their lives on a permanent cruise because they’ve figured out how to do so affordably. Or, at least, at about the same cost of living on land. Insider recently featured the fantastic story of Ryan Gutridge, who spends about 300 nights a year living on Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas. He only leaves the ship for a few weeks a year during the holidays.

Gutridge works in IT as an engineer for a cloud solution provider and can do his full-time job right from the ship. “I do meetings in the morning and afternoons, but I can also go to lunch and socialize or meet people at the gym,” he tells Insider. “I've even met people that I stay in contact with and that have come back and cruised on this ship with me multiple times since.”


Gutridge says that living and working on a cruise ship has improved his mental health. “Working from home was isolating. I don't have kids or pets, so it's easy to become somewhat introverted, but cruising has really helped and made me a lot more social,” he says.

So, how does he afford life on a permanent vacation?

“I have a spreadsheet that automatically records all my expenses, which helps. I also set a budget every year,” he says. “This year, my base fare budget is about $30,000, and last year when I started really looking at the numbers and evaluating how much base fare I paid to be on a ship for 300 nights, I found it was almost neck-and-neck with what I paid for rent and trash service for an apartment in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.”

Currently, the average price for a one-bedroom apartment in Fort Lauderdale is $2,088 which would cost Gutridge about $25,000 a year.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Gutridge believes that the key to living on the ship affordably is loyalty programs. He’s actually spending less in 2023 than he did in 2022, even though he’s spent more time cruising.


Bon Voyage Sailing GIF by ZhotGiphy

“Now, because I cruise so often with Royal Caribbean, I've moved up in its loyalty program. My drinks and internet are free. If people are going to do something like what I do, I recommend trying different brands because they all offer something different. But once you commit to one, you should stick to it so you reach those loyalty levels,” he says.

When he’s not on the ship, he makes doctor and dentist appointments and spends time with his friends. Then, it's back on the high seas, where he has a routine. Monday through Friday, he works, eats healthy, and goes to the gym. On the weekends he'll let loose and have a few drinks.

If the ship arrives at a location he enjoys, he’ll take a PTO day from work and go sightseeing.

aerial photography of white and blue cruise ships during daytime Photo by Fernando Jorge on Unsplash

Eventually, Gutridge wants to get rid of his apartment and sell his car, so his primary residence is a Royal Caribbean ship. “I have a strong relationship with the crew on this ship,” he says. “It's become a big family, and I don't want to rebuild those relationships on another ship — I joke that I have 1,300 roommates.”

This article originally appeared three years ago.

From Your Site Articles
cruise ships
CommunityJoy
Trending Stories