A receipt has revealed just how bad the cost of living crisis is

The cost of living crisis is only getting worse and a receipt has revealed exactly just how bad things have got.

A single receipt has revealed just how expensive everyday Aussie basics have become in the cost of living crisis.

Plenty of Aussies have become hardened to the increased cost of living.

Inflation is at 7 per cent, RBA rates are at 3.85 per cent and new data also shows rental prices in some suburbs have increased by almost 50 per cent in the past year.

I’ve become almost numb to the increasing cost of living.

Sure, everything is more expensive, but it has become normal, and for the sake of my anxiety I try not to think about it.

I also live in Sydney and it is easy to lose perspective when you are surrounded by overpriced coffee, clothes and Roxy Jacenko’s daughter Pixie getting chauffeured to primary school in a Mercedes owned by the 11-year-old.

Yet a $31 receipt has reminded me exactly how cooked and out of control things have become.

On Wednesday, I headed down to my local supermarket to buy some basics to help get me through the week.

My haul was very simple, but the cost left me spooked.

I felt like a middle-aged dad getting the electricity bill, having a breakdown and trying to time his children’s showers.

I got butter, milk, bread, vegemite and some cheese slices – it cost me $31.20.

Deep breath.

Yes, $31 and I didn’t even get anything fun like a Kinder Surprise.

Seriously that is all I got! Source: news.com.au

Going to the supermarket has become so expensive. Picture: Bianca De Marchi/NCA NewsWire

I usually do weekly shops and I hadn’t realise how expensive classic basic Aussie items had become.

Finder has found that 40 per cent of Aussies rank groceries as one of their most stressful expenses.

Plus, over 71 per cent of Aussies have adapted their eating behaviour to try and keep their grocery bills down. In fact, 35 per cent are abstaining from meat and seafood to try and save some coin.

I know we all hear buzz words like inflation but how have everyday grocery items become so unaffordable?

Finder’s personal finance expert Taylor Blackburn said: “As the dollar loses value, it becomes more expensive to manufacture food, and those price hikes are then passed along to consumers.”

Groceries aren’t just more expensive for the sake of it but that doesn’t mean Aussies aren’t feeling the burn.

“Millions of households are starting to feel the effects on their hip pocket with the latest quarterly figures from the ABS revealing food and alcoholic beverages have gone up by 8 per cent,” he revealed.

It also important to note that while inflation is at 7 per cent, some grocery items have inflated well beyond that.

Brodie Haupt, CEO and co-founder of digital lender, WLTH explained: “According to an April UBS report, food and grocery prices at Coles and Woolworths rose by an annualised 9.6 per cent with staples like dairy and meat up at least 10 per cent,” he revealed.

Aussies are giving up meat to save money.

I can admit that I didn’t have my bargain hat on when I was grabbing my basic shop. Sure, I grabbed the cheese that was on special, but I’m pretty brand loyal to Western Star, and I really rate A2 milk.

Still, the total was not something I saw coming.

So should I give up on brand loyalty? According to Canstar Blue’s editor Christine Seib plenty of Aussies have been forced to.

“Aussie supermarket shoppers have already given up on brand loyalty,” she said.

“Our surveys show that about a third of buyers have switched from brand names to supermarket-branded products or go to multiple supermarkets for their weekly shop to nab the best bargains at each one.”

Ms Seib explained that change in habits can help save you money at your local supermarket.

“Australians are also cutting their grocery costs by buying less or cheaper alternatives – going for a lower-grade cut of meat or only seasonal fruit and vegetables,” she revealed.

“Basically, lots of people have already decided that brand loyalty doesn’t pay off, nor does sticking to your old favourite brands and types of groceries.”

Sadly I think my $31 receipt reveals a problem not even ditching brand loyalty can solve.

Originally published as A receipt has revealed just how bad the cost of living crisis is