Inflation

[Dunkopf]

Quote:
We switched to Costco for groceries and saved $400 the first month. I was shocked. I need to do raised bed, but am a little intimidated because I have a black thumb.

Careful of Costco. Do a price book to keep track of the prices of various items by the pound or ounce or can (whatever the standard cost unit is for that item). So that way you can compare the Costco price to say, Target or Safeway or Walmart... I've found often enough that the canned stuff, for example, isn't cheaper than the generic canned stuff I can get elsewhere (and sometimes more expensive than the brandname stuff too.)

You have to really pick and choose at Costco and Sams. We know which stuff is the cheapest at Sam's and we look for specials at all the bis regular stores. We go wherever the super sale is and stock up on whatever product they are selling at cost or less to get people in the store. Of course having a large family helps justify Sam's, but things like detergent, dog food, trash bags, cheese, sour cream, coffee are all cheaper at Sam's by quite a bit. Often you have to buy a much larger quantity than a typical family uses, but if you have and storage capability it's a good deal. We probably save about 400 a month using Sam's. If you can save 5.00 a month at Sam's or Costco it pays for the membership.

 

[newfoundland]

This is such an interesting thread because almost everything that has been written is mirrored over here in UK. We also have high petrol prices, about £6 a gallon. This of course affects everything else in the shopping basket. We have high unemployment, especially amongst the young people. The government has imposed some pretty tough measures to reduce the budget deficit, and most people are finding it a bit of a struggle just at the moment. We know there is worse to come, as these things cannot be turned around in a year or two. However, when I look back across my life, I realise how far the ordinary person has come. When my husband and myself die, we will be able to leave our children our few acres and a modest house, which is so much more than our parents were able to leave to us, despite their long years of toil and serving in both world wars! This is a situation where you do really need to take the long view. It's very tough for us, but getting our financial house in order will benefit our children and grandchildren in the long term, could there be a better reason to knuckle under and get on with it? This is our world war, and we have to be as determined as our parents/grandparents to see it through with resolve and good grace!

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Careful of Costco. Do a price book to keep track of the prices of various items by the pound or ounce or can (whatever the standard cost unit is for that item). So that way you can compare the Costco price to say, Target or Safeway or Walmart... I've found often enough that the canned stuff, for example, isn't cheaper than the generic canned stuff I can get elsewhere (and sometimes more expensive than the brandname stuff too.)

You have to really pick and choose at Costco and Sams. We know which stuff is the cheapest at Sam's and we look for specials at all the bis regular stores. We go wherever the super sale is and stock up on whatever product they are selling at cost or less to get people in the store. Of course having a large family helps justify Sam's, but things like detergent, dog food, trash bags, cheese, sour cream, coffee are all cheaper at Sam's by quite a bit. Often you have to buy a much larger quantity than a typical family uses, but if you have and storage capability it's a good deal. We probably save about 400 a month using Sam's. If you can save 5.00 a month at Sam's or Costco it pays for the membership.

I have noticed that the first few trips to Costco were pricey. However my last trip was not due to the fact that we already much of what we needed stored. So for us, it really makes sense.

 

[Q9]

Quote:
Yep.....that would be the "free" market.
As if you and I trading eggs uninhibited, untaxed, unregulated or otherwise not leached from and/or controlled could possibly ruin the world the way they have with their elitist monopolist fiat currency.

Again the truth; government abhors anything it cannot tax or control.

Rufus

Reagan isn't exactly my favorite president, but he did sum it up very well one of his awesome quotes. "If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving, subsidize it."

It's easy to project evil motives on to politicians - I do it all the time - but I'm beginning to try to give them the benefit of the doubt. Many are probably doing what they sincerely believe is good for the country. They're just mind-blowingly ignorant of all the relevant subjects.

Although I don't doubt that many DON'T have our best interests in mind.

 

[Wifezilla]

"Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity, but don't rule out malice" - Heinlein's Razor

 

[Hornetkc5]

We have moved from the East Coast to the west coast. From RI to IL about 2 yrs ago to find a nice farm house in the country. Not to expensive the move was because DH graduated from trucking school and found a job out here on vaction visiting my parents. We were struggling back home in RI. Now that we have moved out here we are doing well after 2 years and paying for the move it was a rocky road but we made it! But what a change Beach house to farm house with a pond and 10 acres! I love it but the DH not so much! We went from no garden to a huge garden. No animals to 24 chickens and thousands of fish because our pond was stocked to the gills! We sell Koi fish in the summer, can all our veggies, you know what the chickens do, and we only drive to work and on my way home I stop at walmarts for anything we need! We have saved hundreds and have a nice quiet place to call home! Hubby misses his family and the beach but I let him visit often! He says we are so little house out in the woods with the three girls! We do pretty good

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Quote:
Again the truth; government abhors anything it cannot tax or control.

Rufus

Reagan isn't exactly my favorite president, but he did sum it up very well one of his awesome quotes. "If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving, subsidize it."

It's easy to project evil motives on to politicians - I do it all the time - but I'm beginning to try to give them the benefit of the doubt. Many are probably doing what they sincerely believe is good for the country. They're just mind-blowingly ignorant of all the relevant subjects.

Although I don't doubt that many DON'T have our best interests in mind.

Sanity lies in the tension between business, government and labor all three have shown themselves incapable of restraint if given too much power. Currently we have the bizarre situation in which one leg - business has successfully co-opted another leg (government) and convinced the general populace that both government and labor are the problem. Did you even get to watch the movie The Trap - The Lonely Robot, Q? I really am interested in your take on it.

There are mighty forces afoot now with Japan and the middle east all rocking the teetery, water logged, fiat boat.

 

[Q9]

I have WHAT in my yard? :

Quote:
Reagan isn't exactly my favorite president, but he did sum it up very well one of his awesome quotes. "If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving, subsidize it."

It's easy to project evil motives on to politicians - I do it all the time - but I'm beginning to try to give them the benefit of the doubt. Many are probably doing what they sincerely believe is good for the country. They're just mind-blowingly ignorant of all the relevant subjects.

Although I don't doubt that many DON'T have our best interests in mind.

Sanity lies in the tension between business, government and labor all three have shown themselves incapable of restraint if given too much power. Currently we have the bizarre situation in which one leg - business has successfully co-opted another leg (government) and convinced the general populace that both government and labor are the problem. Did you even get to watch the movie The Trap - The Lonely Robot, Q? I really am interested in your take on it.

There are mighty forces afoot now with Japan and the middle east all rocking the teetery, water logged, fiat boat.​

I don't think I've even heard of that movie.

What's it about? (I assume it's relevant to what we're discussing here.)

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

The development of an ethos of how economies actually function sort of how we got to the strange place we are in internationally. It's called The Trap by Adam Curtis. It was a BBC series of six shows. The one I recommend is The Trap - The Lonley Robot. It is on google videos. I'll post the link here in a couple.

Here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7484462974129442912# It's an hour and I don't agree with everything he says, but there is alot of stuff there. Well worth the time. I am genuinely curious what you think.

 

[rufus]

I have WHAT in my yard? :

Quote:
Reagan isn't exactly my favorite president, but he did sum it up very well one of his awesome quotes. "If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving, subsidize it."

It's easy to project evil motives on to politicians - I do it all the time - but I'm beginning to try to give them the benefit of the doubt. Many are probably doing what they sincerely believe is good for the country. They're just mind-blowingly ignorant of all the relevant subjects.

Although I don't doubt that many DON'T have our best interests in mind.

Sanity lies in the tension between business, government and labor all three have shown themselves incapable of restraint if given too much power. Currently we have the bizarre situation in which one leg - business has successfully co-opted another leg (government) and convinced the general populace that both government and labor are the problem. Did you even get to watch the movie The Trap - The Lonely Robot, Q? I really am interested in your take on it.

There are mighty forces afoot now with Japan and the middle east all rocking the teetery, water logged, fiat boat.​

Well, everyone is entitled to their opinion, however I must disagree with you about the causes of our problems. I see organized labor and liberal politicians as the culprits. The unmitigated greed of organized labor has produced the de industrialization of our nation.

Labor unions in the past have pushed up the costs of their labor beyond their worth. Where does the money for increased wages come from? Not from profits, that would cause the corporation to lose it's financing.

It can't really come from increased prices for the product because foreign competition could under sell them.

For a time, we saw industry cheapen their products by making them fast, cheap and plastic. But that failed. The market place saw through that. Cheap, shoddy merchandise doesn't sell.

The end result was that wages of non union labor were held down. This produced a two tier work force; privileged union workers and oppressed non union workers.

Eventually, organized labor shot itself in the foot. They killed the goose that laid the golden egg. When companies become unprofitable, they go on the block. Most are joint stock companies, and anyone with the cash can buy into them. And foreign investors do not buy companies to deal with difficult unions.

No, they buy companies so that they can move them to countries with compliant work forces and minimal regulation. While the company may still have the same logo and an American sounding name, the ownership and manufacturing are overseas.

Check out the history of Schwinn Bicycle.

While the industrial output of the nation was falling, the social welfare system was growing. That coupled with the tendency to engage in wars that were not really productive brought our nation deeper into debt.

Where does it end? I don't know. I sure wish there was an easy way out, but there does not seem to be one.

Rufus