$20 At The Grocery Store: 1995 vs. 2026

Once upon a time in Northern Colorado, you could get a cart full of groceries without going broke. But this is 2026, and we are all destined to be poor.

Why, just last night I stopped by Target in Fort Collins to grab a few things. When did a few things start costing booku bucks? My cart was only about one-fifth full, and the total was a whopping $96.

That's right, folks, if you want to make tacos and also buy tampons, you may need to look into refinancing your home because prices are ridiculous.

Shall we take a look at grocery prices from back in the '90s to today? Yes, it will probably be depressing, but frankly, I'm a glutton for punishment, so let's jump in.

The '90s vs 2026

• Milk in 1995 cost: You could get a gallon of milk for only $2.49. Milk in 2026- get ready to throw up in your mouth because a carton of milk now costs $4.31. Who needs strong bones, I guess. And cereal without milk isn't that bad, I suppose.
• A loaf of bread in 1995 would set you back .99 cents. Not too shabby. Cut to 2026, and you're looking at double the cost to $2.00.
• Ground beef: this is a biggie. It's actually what I went to the store for because I was making tacos for dinner. A pound of ground beef cost around $1.40 in 1995. Buckle your seatbelt, because now that same beef will cost ya $6.00 or more. I guess I'm a vegetarian now.
• Coffee: One pound of coffee used to cost around $3.00. Now it's a whopping $8.00 plus. Who needs to wake up in the morning when you could save money and be a zombie all day?

But it's not all good news. Projections say grocery prices will rise 2.7% by the end of the year. Let's all just stop eating.