I walk down the dairy section of any grocery store. I look at the  various milk products and the various brands. I am looking for trends as well as the best value for my dollar.

Recently, I have notice in some grocery stores with a simple gallon of milk a wider range in the cost for a simple gallon of milk.  The difference is not from 1% to 2% to whole milk. The difference is from one brand to the next.

The nation average for a gallon of milk is currently $3.50. Just a little less than a gallon of gasoline. I have seen in warehouse discount grocery stores the difference of 50 cents to 75 cents from a name brand to the discount brand.

My first thought is why the price difference? Milk is milk. It is just the difference between a name brand and discount brand. That is when I talked with a couple people who refuse to buy the discount brand of milk. They tell me they can taste the difference after the gallon jug has been open for a couple of days.

We are one week into 2010. The experts are saying our economy is in slow recovery. Money is still tight. Prices of most things are rising. Let us take a look at some interesting price increases.

Milk is $2.48 per gallon unless you go to Walgreens then it is $1.99. Gatorade that was 88 cents is now a $1.08 for a 32 ounce bottle. My favorite canned Iced Mocha has stayed the same at the convenience store, but gone up 30 at Winco.