(WBRE/WYOU) — If you're feeling the pinch every time you go grocery shopping or pay bills, you're not alone. We don’t need to tell you that staples like beef, chicken, eggs, and milk cost significantly more than they did just a few years ago.
A recent Pew Research study confirms this isn’t just your imagination. While government reports show inflation has slowed, prices haven’t truly dropped — so even a small increase hits hard, affecting your wallet and overall financial health.
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The grocery store is where Americans say they feel the pain most. According to Pew, here are some of the items that have seen the steepest price hikes:
Grocery Store Price Spikes:
• Margarine: 56.8%
• Peanut Butter: 48.8%
• Crackers, Bread: 46%
• Eggs: 40%
• Uncooked Beef: 39.2%
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
A customer shops at a grocery store in Wheeling, Ill., Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
It’s not just food. That gut punch you feel when getting your car repaired or paying auto insurance? It’s real. Pew found that car service and repair costs have jumped 47.5% since 2020, while auto insurance is close behind at a 47.3% increase.
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And we’d be remiss not to mention housing costs. A July 2025 report shows home prices are up 6.5% — and the trend isn’t slowing. Renting isn’t much better. According to Rent.com, the average rent for a one-bedroom in Scranton has risen by 47%, while a two-bedroom costs 55% more. WalletHub
(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)
This leaves families across the nation, and especially in Northeast Pennsylvania, wondering how they’ll make ends meet. WalletHub reports that 35% of Americans earning less than $50,000 a year live paycheck to paycheck. Meanwhile, the federal minimum wage remains at $7.25, unchanged since July 2009. Some states have raised their minimum wage, but Pennsylvania has not, leaving many residents struggling under the weight of rising costs. WalletHub
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