Consumer Price Watch

By SUSAN CATLING

Gas

Prices for regular unleaded gas as of Feb. 4:

Edgartown

Airport Mobil 2.599

Depot Corner 2.599

Edgartown Mobil 2.659

Oak Bluffs

deBettencourt’s 2.579

Jim’s 2.759

Vineyard Haven

Citgo 2.599

Tisbury Shell 2.599

West Tisbury

Up-Island Automotive 2.459

Menemsha

Menemsha Texaco 2.239

Massachusetts state average (source: AAA) 1.86

There were no free cookies with a fill-up at Depot Corner this week but Up-Island Automotive continues its 10 per cent discount on Sundays.

Grocery Basket

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Consumer Price Index for all food is expected to rise three to four per cent this year, compared to a 5.5 per cent increase from 2007 to 2008. Historically the most volatile prices occur with eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables. The list this week includes a subtotal for eggs, bananas and red delicious apples and will track them over time.

Valentine’s Day is next week; we tried to shop for chocolate but found comparables impossible, so instead we shopped with a color theme.

On Feb. 4 we shopped for:

Post Cranberry Almond Crunch cereal (13-ounce box)

Red peppers

Beef for stew

Ocean Spray cranberry juice (64-ounce bottle)

Newman’s Own Sockarooni pasta sauce (24-ounce jar)

Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea (20 bags)

Healthy Request tomato soup (10 3/4-ounce can)

Sugar free strawberry Jell-O (3-ounce box)

London broil

Low sodium V8 (46-ounce bottle)

B& M red kidney beans (16-ounce can)

Progresso red clam sauce (10.5-ounce can)

Dannon Fruit On The Bottom cherry yogurt (6-ounce cup)

Red delicious apples

Grade A eggs in one-dozen carton

Bananas

The total cost* before tax for each order was:

$38.40 at Reliable,

$39.79 at Stop & Shop,

$52.30 at Cronig’s without Our Island Club card, or

$47.07 at Cronig’s with the card.

The cost for eggs, bananas, and apples was:

$4.37 at Reliable,

$4.97 at Stop & Shop,

$5.41 at Cronig’s without Our Island Club card, or

$4.87 at Cronig’s with the card.

*Stop & Shop had Post cereal, red peppers, Jell-O, and Celestial Seasonings tea on sale with their free frequent shopper card; sales run from Friday to Thursday. Cronig’s gives a 10 per cent discount to Our Island Club cardholders, which charges an annual fee.

These prices represent a snapshot in time only; on any date prices may vary.