DALLAS — Even though we once again have the freedom to do the things we could not during the pandemic, you might notice it is costing a little more than you remember.
Supply chain issues and increased labor costs are just a couple of the reasons why companies like Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, and Chipotle have all recently announced they will be raising prices.
A well-documented chip shortage is the reason automobile prices have soared as we emerge from the pandemic.
But inflating costs are something we have seen through history. Several WFAA stories from the early 1970s preserved by the Jones Film Library at SMU show people unsettled by the notion of rising prices.
No matter how low they might seem today.
Among the “jaw-dropping” price hikes is a 1973 story on gas stations raising the cost of fuel to a whopping 40 cents a gallon.
That same year, WFAA reporter Martha McIntyre strolled the aisles of a local grocery store to report on the rising costs of sugar from 67 cents to 75 cents for a five-pound bag.
The price for a can of pork and beans skyrocketed from 15 cents to 18 cents.
But McIntyre enlisted the help of a consumer expert to help with some timeless cost-cutting tips one might still find helpful today.
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The expert called canned, pre-prepared foods “convenience food” and buying the raw materials to make meals themselves could give customers more bang for their buck. She also said creating a shopping list will keep you on track to buy only the items you need.
Finally, and perhaps the most important tip, shop with your brain and not your stomach.
“Do not go shopping while you are hungry.”