NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner and you might want to start saving up because it's going to cost you more.
We're paying more for everything these days and so we should expect to pay more for holiday staples, like the tree and turkey.
Step inside the meat market and you'll find just about everything...but the main course?
The meats.
"Where is my turkey from how was it raised? Did it have a pillow under its head and a smile on its face?" said Joseph Dugdale, one of the owners.
Dugdale says people are already ordering their turkeys for Thanksgiving a bit earlier than he has seen in years before.
He says it could be because of the price increase.
"There is probably 20 or 30 cents a pound on each bird no matter where you get it from," he said.
The American Farm Bureau Federation says turkeys are actually at an all-time high this year.
The retail price for fresh boneless, skinless turkey breast reached a record high of $6.70 per pound in September, that's 112% higher than the same time last year when prices were $3.16 per pound.
"People don't realize they get boxed, then they get shipped, then they get stored, so all of those variables cost a little bit and this year they all cost a little bit more," he explained.
Another challenge for turkey farmers? The bird flu.
But it's not just turkey on the table. You will likely also be paying more for your Christmas tree
Milt Yakey says inflation has affected the cost of operations on his farm. But even more than that has been the lack of rain.
"We lose trees every year but we lost a few more this year," Yakey said.
He says he has more customers than trees, which is forcing him to bring trees in this holiday season.
And as far as inflation??
The problem with the price is it's going to go up because there is just a lack of trees."
"I don't really care about cost, I just like growing trees," Yakey said. "That's just the way it is, as long as I don't lose money."
Both men's biggest advice to consumers is to plan and don't procrastinate when it comes to your holiday traditions. The longer you wait, the fewer deals you'll find and the more you'll end up having to pay.
