By Petra-Ann Brown, Brown Financial Services
Seriously.
Who is buying up all the chicken foot?
Chicken foot used to cost less than $2. Now I go to the store to get chicken foot for my Saturday soup and suddenly the same quantity is costing over $4.
At this point, I need answers.
Did the price of chicken foot really go up that much…
or did the grocery stores finally realize Caribbean people love chicken foot soup and decide they could make more money?
Because something is happening.
From “Throwaway Food” to Premium Price
What makes it funny is that many of the foods our parents and grandparents grew up eating were originally the “cheap cuts.”
Chicken foot.
Oxtail.
Beef tongue.
Back then, these were the affordable options.
Now?
You practically need a financial plan before buying oxtail.
And it made me realize something:
Demand changes value.
The moment more people want something, the price changes.
The Inflation We Actually Feel
Sometimes when people talk about inflation, it feels disconnected from real life.
We hear percentages and economic terms.
But inflation feels very real when:
- your grocery bill jumps unexpectedly
- the food you grew up on suddenly feels expensive
- or the things that used to stretch a paycheck no longer stretch the same way
That’s the inflation people actually feel.
Not the headlines.
The grocery cart.
The Money Lesson
One of the biggest financial mistakes we can make is assuming prices will stay the same.
Life changes.
Markets change.
Costs change.
Which is why flexibility matters so much when budgeting.
Because the truth is:
The amount that covered groceries two years ago may not work today.
And if we don’t adjust our budgets, habits, and expectations accordingly, it can quietly create financial stress.
Adjusting Without Panic
Now this doesn’t mean panic every time prices rise.
It means paying attention.
Maybe:
- you adjust portions
- shop differently
- buy certain things less often
- or increase the grocery budget realistically instead of pretending prices haven’t changed
Because sometimes financial peace comes from accepting reality instead of fighting it.
Final Thought
I still bought the chicken foot.
The soup was still good.
But I definitely stood there for a moment questioning how we got here.
Because if chicken foot prices are rising like this…
I’m a little nervous for the rest of us.
About Petra-Ann Brown
Petra-Ann Brown is the founder of Brown Financial Solutions, LLC, a financial coaching practice that empowers individuals to take control of their financial lives. She is also the host of Island Money 365 podcast, where she shares inspiring immigrant stories and provides invaluable financial resources to the community.
