Marketplace: Interactive: How far will $35 go at the grocery store through the decades?
Ever wonder how far your money goes at the grocery store today compared to decades past?
When you adjust food prices for inflation, you might be surprised to learn that your dollars go further today compared to 30 years ago -- for most products at least. Don't believe it? See for yourself with this grocery shopping simulator that reveals how much your grocery bill varies over the past three decades.
How it works
You start with $35.46. That's the average weekly grocery budget for an individual on a thrifty plan for a nutritious diet, according to Census data. Of course, $35.46 in 2012 is not worth the same as in the past thanks to inflation. In 2002, that amount (adjusted for inflation) is the equivalent of $27.57. In 1992, it's $21.50. And in 1982, it's $14.79.
To calculate your grocery budget in the simulator, food prices from the Consumer Price Index have been adjusted for inflation using the Department of Labor's inflation calculator. ...
Go to the website and try out the simulator. Pretty slick.
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