The Price of Things

[Bradster941]

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Revisited.

Lately, amongst other things, I have been shocked by the increase in food prices.
Not just 3-5-7 % increases, but 20 and 30% jumps overnight.

A few weeks ago Kraft cheese jumped from a $1.98 to $2.58. A 20 + % increase. Wow

In addition, tonight I bought another brick of the same cheese at the same $2.58 price, but discovered it is no longer 9.6 oz., but rather 8.0 ozs.

So what have you noticed increasing by 20% or more in price over the past few weeks?

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[rushworks graphics]

its all to do with gas prices............as the gas prices increase so do delivery of food etc and that means prices go up. everything gets hit in the end! not cool!

 

[CentralSigns]

You also find that you can't comparison shop, as the cheese is a different size for every competitor. The competition is 8.3 oz and $2.69. Have to have a calculator to figure out price per oz so you don't get tscrewed and buy the more expensive one.

 

[Fred Weiss]

As a coffee hound I am feeling some bitterness (pun intended) over the 33.9 ounce can of Folgers. In the last 18 months, it has gone from $4.95 to $5.95, $6.95, $9.95 and now to $11.95 ... an increase of 141% or almost 8% a month for 18 months! In addition, we've noticed a considerable slide in the quality of meat being sold in supermarkets over the last couple of years. The Mrs. bought a couple of T-Bones last week that looked great but which we can best describe as "mystery meat". While it looked good and cooked just fine, when we cut into it we found that it had no grain to it and, instead, had the consistency of reconstituted, pressed beef.

 

[animenick65]

You also find that you can't comparison shop, as the cheese is a different size for every competitor. The competition is 8.3 oz and $2.69. Have to have a calculator to figure out price per oz so you don't get tscrewed and buy the more expensive one.

That's what unit pricing is for. Usually things such as cheese are broken down into oz for unit pricing, making comparison pricing possible and easy.

 

[andy]

its all to do with gas prices............as the gas prices increase so do delivery of food etc and that means prices go up. everything gets hit in the end! not cool!

It's a combination of bankers looking for something to replace all that "mortgage backed" stuff they used to do and Mr Bernanke.

Traders don't make a fortune from speculating with property anymore... now they make a load of money betting on the price of Coffee, Coca, Tin, Lead and anything else classed as a commodity.... this speculation makes then a butt load of money while the rest of us end up paying more for almost everything we buy.

The other problem is Ben and his printing machine.... the more dollars the fed create and pump into the system the less perceived value the dollar has internationally... why invest in US Dollar denominated trades this week when by the end of next week Ben will have diluted the dollar even more meaning you lose money.

Oil is more expensive because it's more heavily speculated than ever and it's priced in a currency which is getting weaker by the week.

 

[JimJenson]

You will also notice the price of items made from rubber and/or plastic on the rise, since both of those materials come from oil.

We have an oil driven economy.

 

[Gino]

They just had a sale on 1/2 gallons of Bushmills. Instead of $42.50 a 1/2, it was $39.00 a 1/2, so my wife picked up three this week instead of two. Savings of a little over 50% of a 5th.

Recently, I commented on how toilet paper has shrunk 1/2". That's a considerable downsizing and a very important part of our culture.

 

[Malkin]

Fred: Watch this short video regarding the use of meat glue.

 

[mikefine]

As I wrote my invoice for $45.00 for a custom 18" x 24" corplast sign, which is about the same price I charged in 1992, I thought to myself what could I get for $45.00? Not much....Not a tank of gas, not a few groceries. Certainly nothing custom! Need to start charging more.

 

[TheSnowman]

We went and bought diapers last night for my daughter at Sam's Club, they went from like $.18 each, to $.38 each. Costs me $.40 everytime my kid takes a dump. Awesome...

 

[James Burke]

I commented on how toilet paper has shrunk 1/2". That's a considerable downsizing and a very important part of our culture.

Definitely not a good fit since people are getting wider.


JB

 

[fmg]

Recently, I commented on how toilet paper has shrunk 1/2". That's a considerable downsizing and a very important part of our culture.

I don't understand how 8 massive rolls = 15 regular rolls.
Wheres the math in that!!!

 

[Fred Weiss]

Fred: Watch this short video regarding the use of meat glue.

While this seems like the answer to other meat issues I've experienced, it wasn't what I described in my post.

 

[Locals Find!]

I am raising 3 kids and I can tell you that everything we eat has gone up. Meat 20-30% since last month milk has gone up, eggs, cheese, bread. Hell even a jar of peanut butter cost me $7.00 this week. $7.00 for peanut butter. Its crazy. Cereal is even worse 1 box a sitting for these 3 kids, and they aren't even obese they are skinny. When they get to be teenagers I am going to have to sell a kidney to cover the food bills at the rate this is going.

If I try to raise my prices to compensate everyone howls that I am ripping them off and treating me like I am evil. I really feel like giving up some days lately and I am just a lowly broker.

 

[Gino]

I am raising 3 kids and I can tell you that everything we eat has gone up. Meat 20-30% since last month milk has gone up, eggs, cheese, bread. Hell even a jar of peanut butter cost me $7.00 this week. $7.00 for peanut butter. Its crazy. Cereal is even worse 1 box a sitting for these 3 kids, and they aren't even obese they are skinny. When they get to be teenagers I am going to have to sell a kidney to cover the food bills at the rate this is going.

If I try to raise my prices to compensate everyone howls that I am ripping them off and treating me like I am evil. I really feel like giving up some days lately and I am just a lowly broker.

Got that right. You've finally admitted it.........:ROFLMAO:

 

[Locals Find!]

Got that right. You've finally admitted it.........:ROFLMAO:

Never denied being a broker Gino. Also, never said I was competing at your level either. Just trying to run my business same as you.

 

[bob]

I don't understand how 8 massive rolls = 15 regular rolls.
Wheres the math in that!!!

Perhaps you are confounded by long division and non-integer numbers. It's quite simple, assuming the numbers 8 and 15 are correct, one massive roll is equivalent to 15/8 of a regular roll.

Just because something cannot be expressed in integers that you can count off on your fingers does not make it suspect.

 

[Gino]

Never denied being a broker Gino. Also, never said I was competing at your level either. Just trying to run my business same as you.

Didn't say you were. I was just commenting on your fessin' up there, Addie. Nothing at all of how you run your business.

However, if you're finding it hard to justify buying a jar of peanut butter or some meat....... perhaps you're going to the wrong stores for your groceries.

For what it's worth, we grow a lot of food on our own land and can for the most part control what's going in it. At the end of the season, the Goddess will can and cook things off and freeze much of it for use all winter long. We are now just using up the ends of most of last year's harvest. We buy much of our meats from local butchers, fish from a well trusted guy and about the only thing we buy at a regular grocery store is popsicles, paper products and some odds & ends. After that, we occasionally eat something out, but we’re very careful of where and how the place prepares the food. I don’t think we eat at a fast food place more than 4 times a year….. if that.

It’s all how you prioritize. Don’t let your kids dictate what they want to eat…. Feed them healthy food and you control what goes into their mouths instead of buying based on sugar content or price.

Try watching Dr Oz a time or two and catch up on how you can help your family eat…. And eat well, instead of complaining about it.

 

[Pat Whatley]

The size of packages was discussed on NPR last weekend. Consumers are used to paying X amount for certain items...the only way producers cankeep that price point is to reduce size. We're apparently too stupid to notice the difference.