Price focus intensifies.

Frustrated and nervous about rising prices everywhere, more consumers are groaning about increases on the shelf and the pump. They are hunting for and finding lower-priced options at Wal-Mart, Target, Sam's, Costco, farmers' markets, and dollar, drug, and even convenience stores.

* "Milk is extremely expensive these days, and seems to expire quicker than it used to. I live alone, so buying a gallon is not an option. But when I buy the half gallon, it seems that it expires before I get to use it all. As I'm pouring it down the drain, I can't help but envision dollar signs flowing down the drain with it. As expensive as gas is, at least it doesn't go bad if I don't use for a couple of weeks!"

* "Fresh produce is the worst! It's getting harder and harder to eat healthy! We're going to have to go back to growing ourselves or at least go back to cleaning them yourself "

* "People are cutting back where they can, and some prices are coming down as a result. Especially clothes. My beauty salon has reduced the price of haircuts. I wasn't the only customer who was cutting back on hair cuts because of what's happening at the pump and in the supermarkets."

* "Deli prices are especially high. I'm using more peanut butter and tuna and less meat and cheese."

* "In particular, egg prices shocked me. Large eggs at Trader Joe's went from $1.29 to $1.79."

* "Many drugs are terribly expensive, but Wal-Mart's $4 specials are helping some and forcing down prices at some other places."

* "I am finding the cost of vegetable shortening to be too high."

* "Everything's up. I'm back to shopping around and picking up the best buys wherever they are, from Aldi's to CVS and Wal-Mart to Walgreens."

* "Prices are dramatically rising, and it IS very difficult to manage my brother's social security which does not keep rising. It irks us to pay over $3.00 for generic milk and $2.00 a dozen for eggs. Even the high fat ground meat is extremely high, but I found that Sam's Club is selling 10% lean for $2.00/lb."

* "Milk and orange juice are way up."

* "The prices are really hard to take at our local Publix--the week after the Winn-Dixie a block from them closed, EVERY can in the store went up 10cents! They have us by the 'short and curlies' and the prices keep going up. I have started traveling every couple weeks to a Wal-Mart Superstore about 7 miles away (Publix is 3 blocks away)--as a fr'instance: Post Selects cereal: Publix $3.89

Wal-Mart $2.79 Diet Barq's 12 cans: Publix $3.99

Wal-Mart $3.29 Dentu-Creme 3.9 oz Publix $4.99

Wal-Mart $3.79

... and this is just a sample ... There are a LOT of complaints from local people. We have heard that the closed Winn-Dixie will reopen as a Wal-Mart grocery store--we can't wait!"