Sorry to hear that! Fresh produce often asks us of a bigger investment than processed foods, so true. Yet, it's also about priorities and where we want to invest our money in - for me, food is one of those areas that will always have the biggest space in my budget since I know how amazing it makes me feel. And for me, health is freedom, happiness and fulfillment in life.
It might be worth it, to compare different stores, search for local co-ops or go foraging during summer time, buy in bigger quantities to get better prices and to go for second-choice produce which often just has some visual blemishes, not impacting the quality in itself. I hope this is helpful ;)