Anyone else really not being impacted by current economic conditions? (wage, suspect)
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So let me guess, you don’t have children living at home. Neither do I and I agree that so far the inflated prices have not had a significant impact on our lifestyle, but that is us not everyone. As part of my job I spend a lot of time in public schools. Those young families are starting to feel the pinch of some of these inflated prices, in particular gas, food, and housing. You say that the price of cereal, peanut butter, or bread doesn’t really impact you but trust me it impacts them. Eventually what impacts society at large will end up impacting you and I, it’s just that right now we’re not feeling the brunt of it. Just wait until those families can no longer pay their utility bills, because it’s coming.
I don’t know, my friend, I tend to care a lot when others are so negatively impacted, even when I am sitting in my nice safe economic cocoon. I don’t base what I feel are good policy and politics on just what impacts me. It’s a big country, and whenever the bulk of this country is hurting the fact that I am not is immaterial.
I've had to raise two children through plenty of ebbs and flows in the economic cycle. My daughter has three kids right now and they are probably in the lower middle class financially. They've made some adjustments, but by no means does she ever HARP like many of the people on this forum and realizes, like many, that Presidents in general don't have that much impact on her life. I always had that same attitude.
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Originally Posted by brennan2323
Is it so hard to understand that the value of your dollar is a lot less now? So it does affect you. While I am comfortable now and not too concerned about the rising prices it still does affect me. It affects me when I go to sign up to "adopt" a kid for Christmas, something my family does every year, and see almost double the amount of families needing help this year as compared to last year. It affects me when I see an elderly person asking to have something put back at the grocery store because it's too expensive. Why is that so hard to understand?
Here's a news flash for you. There are always people in the situation that you are referring to. That isn't something that is just happening now.
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Originally Posted by Wartrace
Beef is up 20% year over year. Maybe you just haven't noticed. I highly doubt Costco is immune from supplier increases.
We've had plenty of chicken in the freezer from months ago, and no, there has been no difference in the price per pound.
I'm at Costco right now and the price is $2.99 per pound.
I wish it was only 40 cents. Our gas went from $1.75 to $3.29. HUGE difference.
Ok, where and what time periods are you comparing? I don't know anywhere in the country that have that kind of increase on gas unless of course you are comparing to the heart of the pandemic when no one was driving. If that's the case, it's a waste of time to even argue about that. Demand was at an all-time low and gas was priced accordingly with that demand. Any realistic estimates on gas would take place after people started getting back on the roads, and back on their jobs. And that would be more reflective comparing sometime around March of this year to the current day.
Yes, we've all heard the Henny Penny's on this site with their 5 threads a day that the world is coming to an end with the runaway train inflation.
So, for the rest of the non-curmudgeons, I'd love to hear from you.
For me, I recognize gas has gone up roughly 40 cents in my area from the time people actually started getting on the road again (a realistic way to look at things as few cars were on the road at this time last year accounting for extraordinarily low demand). But I get 41 miles to the gallon so can't say it's been a big deal to me (it will amount to less than $300 a year)
I also must not buy the most common items at grocery stores since the chicken, ground beef, and salad items I get at Costco haven't changed in price. Milk prices are actually up but that's from an historic low (similar to gas). We actually paid more for milk from 2012-2015.
Top 10 items bought at grocery stores (comments in parenthesis are things I don't buy) :
Soda (nope)
Cereal (oatmeal)
Frozen Dinners (nope)
Salty Snacks (nope)
Milk
Laundry Detergent (bulk at Costco)
Eggs (seldom)
Peanut Butter and Jelly (nope)
Packaged Meats (bulk at Costco)
Bread
Add to that a refinance for our house being converted from a rental property to a principal resident and we've dropped over 3% on a mortgage saving us $350 a month (I suspect many have refinanced at these historically low interest rates and had a reduction of their mortgages).
I've also noticed none of the stores in my area have been missing anything I shop for.
Like I said, we know the curmudgeons will come into this thread and scream bloody murder, but I'm really interested in hearing from the other group that don't think the sky is falling and can shelf their silly political opinions.
Nothing here as well. I’m sure some have paid higher prices, but given that people are still buying and pushing demand even higher, it’s not effecting them much.
It's quite obvious that none of these people understand business. You can just reduce using gas because everything runs on unicorn farts and pixie dust.
Yep and OPEC is always 100% cooperative at increasing production and/or releasing reserves to keep prices low.
You're right about cat food - it's been increasing since before the pandemic began, as have other pet supplies. I've been cat-less since March, so I don't know current prices.
I am wondering how much it will cost to fill my oil tank in early January. I had 3/4 of a tank when the season began, and usually fill up twice each season. That's when I'll notice the rising fuel prices, for sure. - buying 150 gallons for my fuel oil tank and 12 gallons for my Mazda3 are two completely different spending experiences.
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Originally Posted by ChrisC
When the grocery store shelves are bare, you'll come off from your condescending high horse. You might even wake up when your stomach starts growling.
When is that going to happen, exactly? What is your expert opinion?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Freak80
My grocery bill has gone up a lot. If that is because Big Ag has to pay higher wages to their ruthlessly-exploited workforce, so be it.
Good point. It's hard to be too upset at price increases knowing that workers are getting paid a better wage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wee-Bey
Sherwin Williams feels like it's about to go out of business. They had a skeleton staff in the store, a greatly reduced inventory and no driver to go get the paint I needed from another store.
I've never been in a Sherwin-Williams store that had more than one or two employees working at any given time.
Yes, we've all heard the Henny Penny's on this site with their 5 threads a day that the world is coming to an end with the runaway train inflation.
So, for the rest of the non-curmudgeons, I'd love to hear from you.
For me, I recognize gas has gone up roughly 40 cents in my area from the time people actually started getting on the road again (a realistic way to look at things as few cars were on the road at this time last year accounting for extraordinarily low demand). But I get 41 miles to the gallon so can't say it's been a big deal to me (it will amount to less than $300 a year)
I also must not buy the most common items at grocery stores since the chicken, ground beef, and salad items I get at Costco haven't changed in price. Milk prices are actually up but that's from an historic low (similar to gas). We actually paid more for milk from 2012-2015.
Top 10 items bought at grocery stores (comments in parenthesis are things I don't buy) :
Soda (nope)
Cereal (oatmeal)
Frozen Dinners (nope)
Salty Snacks (nope)
Milk
Laundry Detergent (bulk at Costco)
Eggs (seldom)
Peanut Butter and Jelly (nope)
Packaged Meats (bulk at Costco)
Bread
Add to that a refinance for our house being converted from a rental property to a principal resident and we've dropped over 3% on a mortgage saving us $350 a month (I suspect many have refinanced at these historically low interest rates and had a reduction of their mortgages).
I've also noticed none of the stores in my area have been missing anything I shop for.
Like I said, we know the curmudgeons will come into this thread and scream bloody murder, but I'm really interested in hearing from the other group that don't think the sky is falling and can shelf their silly political opinions.
You must be young and have never lived thru runaway inflation.
You must be young and have never lived thru runaway inflation.
Actually, I'm 61 years old and have lived through mortgage interest rates of the late '70s through the '80s. It's exactly the reason I feel like the Henny Pennys on this site like to engage in hyperbolic gibberish.
Actually, I'm 61 years old and have lived through mortgage interest rates of the late '70s through the '80s. It's exactly the reason I feel like the Henny Pennys on this site like to engage in hyperbolic gibberish.
Why is it “hyperbolic gibberish”? People are telling you how their lives are impacted and you dismiss it as “gibberish”?
It’s great that you aren’t being impacted but I don’t understand why you are dismissive of other people’s struggles.
Not really impacted, no. I fill up my car once a month, and have always undercut my food budget by buying things as needed and using it all.
My business is booming because people are finding it hard to hire full-time workers so they hire me for project work. I charge a lot.
My offspring are both working in restaurants and get all the hours they need each week. People seem to tip more these days, and hourly wages are higher.
Why is it “hyperbolic gibberish”? People are telling you how their lives are impacted and you dismiss it as “gibberish”?
It’s great that you aren’t being impacted but I don’t understand why you are dismissive of other people’s struggles.
Actually, I'm talking specifically about the myriad of posters that start multiple threads on the same topic to the point where there are 5+ threads consistently talking about the same things (like one wouldn't cover it). Some get their threads shut down and then come right back with another one. I'm not necessarily talking about people in this thread. And coincidentally, the feigned compassion by many of them are negated when you look at their history and see them calling people bums and lowlifes for accepting unemployment when their place of employment was shut down during the pandemic. Just so compassionate
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