Roszan Holmen. Victoria News

In the evenings, Melissa O’Shea and her husband Keith sometimes play rock-paper-scissors to decide who gets to make a stack of sandwiches for the family to bring to school and work the next day.

For a growing family – the O’Sheas adopted their niece two years ago – the price of groceries is a growing concern. The family of five spends more than $1, 000 a month on food.

Melissa has noticed the price of everything at the grocery store going up and it means that sometimes she has to choose the sale items, even if they’re not the healthiest choice on the shelf.

The cost of living is a growing concern for Greater Victorians.

For the past four years, the homelessness issue pressed most heavily on our hearts and minds. This year, the cost of living took the No. 1 spot.

The finding comes out of the Victoria Foundation’s 2011 Vital Signs report, released yesterday….

Of its 1,600 survey respondents, predominantly women, 42 per cent ranked cost of living as the most important issue facing Greater Victoria today. Homelessness placed second at 36 per cent. In 2010, the ranking was roughly reversed, with homelessness chosen by 47 per cent of respondents.

The stats reveal a growing proportion of people are struggling with finances.

As of 2009, there were 28,280 low-income families in Greater Victoria, a number which has been rising since 2007. Based on these low-income measures, 18. 6 per cent of children under age 17 live in poverty.

Youth are also affected by the cost of living. With the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment at $806, rent is eating up 73 per cent of the average young person’s income.

“For these young folks, that’s a pretty hard start,” Richardson said.

But the rising cost of living isn’t just a concern for low-income individuals.

“More people are impacted,” Richardson said. “As you pick up the papers every day and speak to organizations, you just realize it’s the uncertainty.”

The O’Sheas both have good, steady jobs and yet they are feeling the pinch.

After groceries, child care is No. 2 on their list of expenses….

Utility bills, gas prices, cable. All her bills are going up. While she received a cost-of-living increase at work, she said. It’s not keeping up to the true increases in her living costs. O’Shea calls it “a gentle squeeze.”….