FoodBozo.com

This simulated calculation of your yearly afternoon food bill may surprise you.

I’m what you would call frugally motivated. As a working single parent I have to manage my expenses on a tight budget. I’ve learned to look at food as a necessity not a luxury.

Since mastering this ideology I’ve managed to close the big black hole where my money used to get sucked into. It was relatively easy to adapt. I was already taking the time to pack a lunch for my son. I just had to pick up some extra groceries to have on hand. These days I’m making my own food 95% of the time. I’m eating fresh quality food that’s prepared healthy and tailored to my tastes. For a little extra effort I eat much better than my colleagues that opt to buy lunches. And at the end of the month my costs are negligible compared to theirs.

Have you looked at your lunch habits lately? Are you eating take-out every day because you don’t see the value in ‘green bagging’ your own lunch from home? Consider a more health conscious and economical alternative.

Read more: A Lunch Box Full of Dollars?

Expect to pay more for these popular grocery items due to shortages around the world.

Prices are on the rise in grocery stores across the country. You may not notice the changes right away; that loaf of bread may be only a dime more expensive than it was last year. The soda you buy may be the same price but it’s now 1.5 liters instead of two. Many of the major cereal manufacturers, such as General Mills, have warned of impending price increases.

Why Are Grocery Prices Going Up?

While almost every grocery store aisle is affected by rising prices, a large part of the reason all comes down to two commodities: wheat and corn. Both food staples have been hit hard for the past two years – a combination of climate change, natural disasters and crop disease. Russia has experienced severe drought for the past two years and had stopped exporting wheat altogether to ensure enough of a domestic supply. They have resumed limited exports as of July 2011 but supplies are still short. A disease called wheat rust UG99 has wiped out crops across Africa and is spreading to other wheat-producing countries at a rapid pace.

Read more: 4 Rising Food Costs That Will Hurt Your Wallet

You’ll be horrified at what a $4 daily coffee habit adds up to over 30 years.

We all do it. We spend little amounts regularly on things like lunch, Starbucks lattes, manicures, golf — maybe even for having a pizza delivered while you watch a weekly game on TV.

These seem like reasonable decisions about relatively small expenses. It’s hard to imagine how much they add up.

The harsh reality is that each dollar that’s spent today isn’t available for something else tomorrow. And these little purchases have a way of robbing us of the things we really want.

Read more: 6 Little Things That Cost a Lot

Cocoa bean prices are on the rise, and some say a hedge fund is to blame