And prices keep going up

[mangalavara]

I just got back from the grocery store. Lord have mercy.

Yep we are in the age of $30 pizzas , $10 being charged for just 12 average cans of Coke or other soft drinks.

Hell I've even seen small jars of mayonnaise selling for over $10, the Wendy's in my area chrsges $14 for its combo consisting of a soda, a small hamburger, and a small fries! That it.

A ham I used to buy for maybe 7 bucks is now well over $50 for the exact same size.

These products that are detrimental to one’s health are really high in price and will probably get even more expensive. Are the prices of more healthful foods lower? Brown rice is nutritious, filling, and should be more affordable. I hope the cost of leafy green vegetables is decent. Bok choy is enjoyable and beneficial. Fruits such as apricots make us feel good. Additionally, even though nuts tend to be a little more in price, walnuts are quite beneficial to one’s health. I like to pour some into a bowl, sprinkle cinnamon on them, and drizzle them with (real) honey. That’s a healthful dessert that I can have more than three days a week.

Here in Mexico, people eat tortillas, rice and refried beans which is nutritious and inexpensive.

It’s amazing that real food is inexpensive whereas the highly processed stuff (often painted as ‘healthy’) helps deplete one’s funds and makes one feel miserable.

 

[Viker]

Yes! And BOTH the Dems and the GOP are lying to you, and blaming each other. They have all been corrupted by oligarchs.

Time for a bit of socialism, me droogies?

 

[The Hammer]

Time for a bit of socialism, me droogies?

Bingo

 

[icehorse]

Time for a bit of socialism, me droogies?

Not for me.

I think it's time for some well regulated capitalism or free market-ism.

It's nuts to think we didn't need banking regs or campaign contribution limits.

No complex man-made machine ever runs without limiters and such.

 

[Quagmire]

These products that are detrimental to one’s health are really high in price and will probably get even more expensive. Are the prices of more healthful foods lower? Brown rice is nutritious, filling, and should be more affordable. I hope the cost of leafy green vegetables is decent. Bok choy is enjoyable and beneficial. Fruits such as apricots make us feel good. Additionally, even though nuts tend to be a little more in price, walnuts are quite beneficial to one’s health. I like to pour some into a bowl, sprinkle cinnamon on them, and drizzle them with (real) honey. That’s a healthful dessert that I can have more than three days a week.



It’s amazing that real food is inexpensive whereas the highly processed stuff (often painted as ‘healthy’) helps deplete one’s funds and makes one feel miserable.

I was wondering about that too. I hadn't noticed prices going up all that much, but then when I started reading through the thread I realized that for the most part people are talking about products that I never buy.

And I don't do fast food and I drink my coffee black.

 

[Quagmire]

I doubt this is news to anybody but far as I can tell all grocery stores and supermarkets in America have their own app now with a bunch of exclusive deals and digital coupons.

I save a boat load by taking advantage of those. I don't usually go to the store without first checking to see if there are any new coupons I can use.

I don't keep track all that closely but I would guess that I typically save at least 10% maybe 15% by using these coupons. Sometimes it's more like 25 or even 40%.

Most stores also have 'rewards' programs where they give you points based on how much you spend over time. Sometimes you can redeem these for free groceries or money off your bill. It's well worth it too.

At a conservative guess I would say that over the long run I'm probably saving 20% on my grocery bill. With that going for you 5% inflation doesn't seem like much of a big deal.

 

[We Never Know]

I doubt this is news to anybody but far as I can tell all grocery stores and supermarkets in America have their own app now with a bunch of exclusive deals and digital coupons.

I save a boat load by taking advantage of those. I don't usually go to the store without first checking to see if there are any new coupons I can use.

I don't keep track all that closely but I would guess that I typically save at least 10% maybe 15% by using these coupons. Sometimes it's more like 25 or even 40%.

Most stores also have 'rewards' programs where they give you points based on how much you spend over time. Sometimes you can redeem these for free groceries or money off your bill. It's well worth it too.

At a conservative guess I would say that over the long run I'm probably saving 20% on my grocery bill. With that going for you 5% inflation doesn't seem like much of a big deal.

One problem is many small towns don't have many options for shopping. Competition is stagnant.
WalMart and DG Market are the main or only choices for some.

 

[mangalavara]

I was wondering about that too. I hadn't noticed prices going up all that much, but then when I started reading through the thread I realized that for the most part people are talking about products that I never buy.

Yeah. You obviously don’t practice the standard American diet then. The diet that leads to chronic diseases and more doctor visits and drug prescriptions just gets more expensive in every way as time passes. Here in Korea, people are consuming more of that stuff and they are getting heavier and flabbier.

And I don't do fast food and I drink my coffee black.

I’m more into cafés instead of fast food. Recently, I have been ordering less from them considering that the products are high in sugar and saturated fat content. So, I’m trying to make more beverages at home that are not as unhealthful.

 

[Quagmire]

One problem is many small towns don't have many options for shopping. Competition is stagnant.
WalMart and DG Market are the main or only choices for some.

It's almost criminal the way some store owners take advantage of lack of competition too.

I remember we were on our way up the California Coast in the mid-90s to go see a grateful Dead concert up north and I tried warning my friends (who wanted to see Big Sur) that we better do our shopping before we hit the coastal highway or they would wind up having to take out a mortgage just to have a decent breakfast at a cafe.

They didn't believe me. I stopped at the food 4 less and stocked up anyway and I got to laugh at them all the way up the coast as I watched them pay $4 for a bag of potato chips or $12 for a plate of pancakes. and like I said, this was in the mid-90s.

 

[Quagmire]

Yeah. You obviously don’t practice the standard American diet then. The diet that leads to chronic diseases and more doctor visits and drug prescriptions just gets more expensive in every way as time passes.

Maybe that's a good thing. I mean maybe people will start making healthier choices just to save money.

Here in Korea, people are consuming more of that stuff and they are getting heavier and flabbier.

We (Americans) do tend to export our bad habits. McDonald's and KFCs are everywhere now and so is high blood pressure, chronic heart disease, and diabetes.

I’m more into cafés instead of fast food.

Much better atmosphere too.

Recently, I have been ordering less from them considering that the products are high in sugar and saturated fat content. So, I’m trying to make more beverages at home that are not as unhealthful.

I think that's a good move. It gives you more options too.

 

[Stevicus]

I'll ask you the same: what is it that you want the government to do? Set prices on all consumer goods and try to force producers, importers, wholesalers and retailers to obey? And when those producers, importers, wholesalers and retailers go out of business, do you think the government should take on all those tasks?

Sounds like an excellent idea. It's been done before, you know. Back during WW2, FDR implemented the Office of Price Administration. An economist and countryman of yours, John Kenneth Galbraith, was a big supporter of price controls. The results were a resounding success. The US had the largest economy in the world by far, outproducing all of the Axis Powers combined. It kept prices stable and inflation at bay. Even better, the result was the greatest economic boom in the history of the country in the post-war era.

 

[sayak83]

I just got back from the grocery store. Lord have mercy.

As seen from the link, production levels of several important groceries are very low due to extreme weather events destroying yield.
Just another symptom that is going to go from bad to worse as climate change progresses. At least you won't have famine in the West, Mid East, Central America and Africa will not be as lucky.

 

[F1fan]

Everybody go buy creamer.

I bought my half and half today. Same price.

What are you buying, caviar? I have not seen any unusual price hikes. In fact I just stocked up on some beef because a local store had it on sale. I do notice that the prices of cheese will be high one week, and then on sale the next. I just stock up when it's on sale.

 

[Kathryn]

I bought my half and half today. Same price.

What are you buying, caviar? I have not seen any unusual price hikes. In fact I just stocked up on some beef because a local store had it on sale. I do notice that the prices of cheese will be high one week, and then on sale the next. I just stock up when it's on sale.

LOL no caviar here, just creamer.

 

[Kathryn]

No thank you. I drink my coffee black.

Lucky you, I guess.

You know what? I used to buy creamer for 3.49 and now it's 5.09. Oh well.

 

[We Never Know]

Lucky you, I guess.

I guess I'm double lucky. No coffee or creamer for me

 

[Kathryn]

I was wondering about that too. I hadn't noticed prices going up all that much, but then when I started reading through the thread I realized that for the most part people are talking about products that I never buy.

And I don't do fast food and I drink my coffee black.

I don't do fast food ever but I do drink my coffee with creamer. Lord have mercy, I guess I am going straight to hell.

 

[Kathryn]

I find it intriguing that you think of that as expensive. I think you guys are just really used to things being cheap...

Yeah, like last year.

 

[Kathryn]

No such thing as "unskilled" labor/workers.

BS.

 

[Koldo]

Have some examples from where you live?

Surely!
Here in Brazil, we don't work for hourly wages (or daily wages if it is not a formal job). We work for monthly wages. The minimum monthly wage is federal and it is at R$ 1412.

$1 = roughly R$5.

A regular federal minimum wage worker in the USA, without the conversion, earns about the same ammount of money as a brazilian. With the conversion though, they earn about 5 times more.

The other poster mentioning paying 14$ for Wendy's combo. We don't have Wendy here but as a frame of comparison, a regular Big Mac meal here in Rio de Janeiro (since the size got smaller over time I am going to call it a small hamburguer too) costs about R$28. In other words, the brazilian would have to work twice as many hours to be able to afford it.

He also mentioned paying $10 on 12 coke cans, whereas a brazilian here would have to pay like R$4 per can (we generally buy them in bottles since they are much cheaper this way).

And that's for ordinary products. Eletronics are much more expensive here.