Casual economic indicators....ie.....just what I've seen

[Tony1790]

Originally Posted by the.camera.eye

Being an employee of a somewhat local grocery chain (not Food City, and most definetly NOT White's.) I can comment on prices of gas and groceries. The prices of staples (bread, milk, eggs, etc.) have increased dramatically over the past year or so, and especially in the last six months. I know the hike in the minimum wage will most likely add a few more cents to all products as well.

My wife was working at Krogers until she was "hired" by the post office as casual labor, she went to 3 days of orientation, but nothing since. She hasn't actually started working, she's been told that the PO is trying to cut costs. So I don't know if she'll actually start or what. So now it's just my check that we are getting by on. I was supposed to change to part time to work on my class work, but I'm still working full time hours and letting my classes slide.

As far as the minimum wage forcing up prices any, I can't see that making a huge difference, min wage was unchanged for 10 years and is still practically slave labor wages as it is. They say that only teens and the retired are working for min wage, but I've met many adults that make little more than min wage and that is their full time job.

Tony

p.s. Yeah, home prices seem to be rock solid here for the most part, I don't know who is buying all of the $250k to $450k houses.

[gsp4ever]

Home prices may appear to be "rock solid" for now but the Tri-Cities will fall prey to the same phenomenon as the rest of the US economy. The TRI typically lags behind the rest of the US in the boom-bust cycles so expect the housing bust to be later coming to the area.