I spent $520 today at the grocery store.

$520 for a week’s worth of groceries for a family of four! Isn’t that an absurd amount for any family to spend on groceries?

Granted, I live in one of the most expensive states and metro regions of the country. My average weekly grocery expense normally hoovers around $250-$350. Big numbers in their own right, but I still wasn’t expecting $520 to pop up on the cash register. The black numbers hypnotized me with their obscene reality. What could I do as the numbers tallied up higher and higher and higher? Walk slowly away from the register? Start putting things back? I felt the eyes of the woman who’d been so chit chatty while ringing me up, weighing on me now, as she now waited for my payment. I felt the eyes of the person behind me in line waiting for their turn.

I paid for it before I knew it. A steady practice of having my card ready as the food slides by. It was a muscle memory. A reflex of whipping the card forward. With the tap of my credit card I heard the distinct beep of the card reader registering my card, taking my money away in the span of a heartbeat in some far off electric network in the sky. Then the receipt began to print and I felt better. The moment was over.

The highest price I’ve ever paid for groceries in my entire life came and went with a beep and a friendly smile from the woman who worked the register.

I’m not even upset. Nor surprised, just strangely numb. Seeing shockingly absurd prices for things is no longer…shocking for me. I pass by my local gas station and watched gas rise for a few weeks to over $6 a gallon for the cheapest gasoline, and now that the price is dropping to over $5-ish dollars a gallon, that feels nice, better than $6 for sure. My perception of what things cost is now warped. I have no clue what is good value anymore. I remind myself constantly that the $12 dollars I just paid for two coffees at Starbucks the other day is the new normal. At the airport recently, I bought 3 bananas, 1 apple, and two coffees, the price? $31 dollars.

My mind doesn’t know what to believe. All I know is I pay more for things now. Inflation is not going away anytime soon, because this is what the majority of voting Americans wanted.

The inflation inducing policies of our federal government were widely known before this administration was voted in. I understand inflation is a phenomenon that is not easily controllable. But from my seat, it sure does feel like my government is actively trying to exacerbating inflation; like the anti-free trade tariffs on goods we import, labor and immigration policies, and starting a war on impulse and no forethought, has gifted Iran their very own Thermopylae to squeeze the supply of the world’s most precious commodity when they feel like it.

Prices these days have been climbing and climbing. The value of my dollar dropping and dropping. A new government report came out recently from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that said a surge in prices had wiped out a year and half of wage gains. Inflation has accelerated to its fastest pace in 3 years time, with prices rising 4.2% in May over the course of a year. That’s decent sized chunk of loss to the value of our hard earned money. The core rate of inflation, taking out fuel and food, rose 2.9%.

This is a giant red flag to anyone with cash sitting in a savings account that you should have that cash in a high yield savings account or money market fund to fight back against this erosion of your money’s value. The average HYSA is pumping out around 3.5%-4%, so just to break even on this killer wave of inflation, you’d need to be getting around 4% yield (which of course in a taxable account you’ll be taxed on).

It’s not just putting cash in the right investment vehicle, the tried and true frugal approach is another way for me to combat rising costs. Could I have done something to reduce this obscene grocery bill of $520? (I’m still grappling with that number).

Of course I could have.

I can’t just walk into the grocery store and think I can buy what I’m used to buying and not get slapped in the face.

Who do I think I am?

Sacrificing for my government’s foreign and domestic policies is the name of the game. I wouldn’t be a good citizen if I didn’t sacrifice my hard earned dollars so that our king can wield his power.

This $520 is my fault. It’s what I get for being lazy. I deserved this price for deciding to go to my local Safeway instead of driving 10 miles further to Trader Joe’s.

In my load of groceries were two 16 oz. whole bean coffees that were premium local roasted. Each were around $17. I could have thrown those back and purchased the large bag of 32oz. of dark roast claiming to be medium roast, that runs for $17.

My wife wanted some margaritas. I wanted some NA beers. Both of those added up to around $26…again, not required.

I also had some cleaning products that I usually don’t buy. This added to the bill.

I bought salmon. Salmon isn’t cheap. Another protein source like chicken or even a different fish might have been cheaper. But I love salmon. Not only do I love the taste of salmon, but it’s so healthy to eat. Full of omega fatty acids, quality protein, vitamins B12 and D, just all around goodness.

What do these higher prices mean for my overall early retirement goals?

My purchasing power for certain goods are now reduced, and likely to be reduced further. Strategic buying is now the standard operation for gas and food. Luckily inflation for core goods looks to less of a problem. The 2%-3% range of annual inflation has been the norm since covid, and core goods rose only 2.9%.

If we take the annual rise of inflation of 4.2% and subtract that from the S&P’s returns (17.37%). Our real (inflation-adjusted) return for this period was roughly 13.17%. Still outpacing inflation by quite a bit, which is key.

And some things are actually dropping from their covid supply shock highs; things like automobiles and health insurance have dropped 2% and 6.4% respectively. Prices for tariffed goods look to be easing and staying put, so while they made things higher, that growth looks to be slowing. If a recession were to occur, pausing or removing tariffs could be a weapon utilized by the government to help the economy.

If I’m completely honest, none of this inflation data changes my goals or investment plans. I will still continue on with my 3 Fund Portfolio. I’ll still keep cash tucked away, in SGOV of course.

Another recent BLS report on jobs, told the story of the addition of 172,000 jobs in May 2026, looks to be a good sign for the federal reserve, giving them a clear path towards the fight on inflation. But bad news for potential homebuyers and those locked into low mortgage rates who wish to move.

How I’m Dealing With Inflation

I would be lying if I said that high prices didn’t bother me. They do. My irritation at the cost of a load of groceries inspired me to write this post after all. What helps me deal with rising inflation? A little gratefulness helps. Despite the state of inflation, there are plenty of things going right and just thinking about the good things in my life take away any angst a grocery bill conjures up in me:

I’m lucky I can afford food and that it is readily available for me and my family.

The stock market is still going up.

I’m employed.

My family is healthy.

I lead a comfortable life.

The part of the world I live in is beautiful.

The part of the country I live in is one of the most prosperous places in the world, with views that align with my own.

All the saving I’ve done over the years means I have a safety net below me.

I’ve locked in a good mortgage rate, my hedge against inflation.

I don’t type the above as a brag, I do it to offer some examples beyond just money items, so that maybe you too can frame gratefulness into the equation the next time you pump gas or get shocked by a grocery bill.

For years, I’ve kept a thin worn book written by Marcus Aurelius on my night stand. I don’t read it every night. Sometimes I’ll go months without touching the book. I’ll let dust accrue on it. It’ll fall behind my nightstand or I’ll tuck it down low and replace it with another book(s) in the prominent position next to my bed.

But I always go back to this book: Meditations.

Old pencil marks underline passages. Pages are earmarked. Some passages are like old friends. Others are strangers that I struggle to understand and yearn to learn more about. Marcus finished the book sometime between 170 and 180 A.D. while on campaign. It was a personal book to himself that was never meant for the eyes of others.

Last year, I bought from a used bookstore in Berkeley a book written by Seneca, more accurately a compilation of letters he wrote roughly 2,000 years ago. I’m not looking to become a Stoic, I’m just intrigued by ancient thinking and if I’m lucky, how I can take advice from these wisened ancient thinkers.

Whenever I encounter something in my life that is upsetting or I don’t agree with (and I have the mental space to question my reactions), I try to remind myself of Epictetus’ quote on perception. Something I try to do is that goes “It is not things that upset us, but our judgments about these things,”

Part of what the Stoics believed was valuable was self reflection by writing, more specifically, journaling and documenting the coming events of the day in the morning and the evening reflections on the days events. If anything, daily journaling will help with my “writing muscle”. I’m excited by the prospect. My goal is writing every day for a year in my journal.

Something new I’m introducing into my routine is journaling. Yes, I know I’ve complained I have no time to write anymore, but I’ve decided that can’t be an excuse. If I wake up 15 minutes earlier I will have time to write in my journal. Write what? You may ask. Well, anything that comes to mind. I’ve been getting more and more engaged with Stoicism. I’ve decided that more discipline will help me.

I have three goals with my new endeavor: Discipline. Gratitude. Learning.

I think the discipline part is pretty self explanatory. Writing everyday rain or shine.

The gratitude part is something that journaling back during covid times when I was having a tough go at work really helped me with, just writing down things I’m grateful for really changed my mood on everything from myself, work situation, and my family.

And lastly learning about both myself and stoic writing has me excited. Really what spurred this journaling idea was my purchase of the book The Daily Stoic. I plan on using this book for daily prompts each morning. Each prompt has an excerpt from an ancient stoic writer. I’m anxious to get into deeper thought on ancient texts, but more so, I’m anxious to learn about myself. I’m eager to see if writing each morning about my life will help me manage both my goals and perceptions.

Journaling and stoicism already feels like it’s already helping me.

The grocery bill was $520, and whether I like it or not, that number reflects the reality of the world I’m living in today. I can spend my energy being frustrated by inflation, government policy, gas prices, or the countless economic forces outside my control, but none of that changes what’s printed on the receipt.

What I can control is how I respond.

I can and will continue doing what I’m doing (minus shopping at Safeway). Continue making thoughtful spending decisions, appreciating the stability I’ve worked hard to build, and focusing on the things that truly matter; my family, my health, and the opportunities I still have. Maybe that’s why the idea of journaling and studying Stoicism appeals to me right now. Not because it will make groceries cheaper, but because it reminds me that peace of mind has never come from controlling the world around us. It comes from learning to control ourselves within it.

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Any and all thoughts welcome!