Offline
Rongone wrote in "Gas Prices" that he has more than $800.00 in discretionary spending now that gas prices have dropped. I wonder--have any of you noticed cheaper groceries aside from the fresh, local produce now available? If fuel costs to ship our food make up a large percentage of our food costs then why haven't we seen a drop in food and other commodities in the supermarket? Why then are prescription drugs costs rising and in some instances, skyrocketing? Why are not consumers benefitting in other ways than just the price we pay at the pump?
Offline
They are quick to pass along costs, not so quick to share savings.
Airlines placed a surcharge on ticket prices for high fuel costs a few years ago..
They were in no hurry to give it back. It might still be in effect, for all I know.
Offline
I don't do much of the grocery shopping for case de Lager, but I did have to pick up a couple of things at the Giant the other day and dear Lord what the hell happened with beef prices?!?!
$5.99 for a pound of 90/10 ground beef? $12/lb for a sirloin steak? Nearly $20/lb for a ribeye?
Offline
It's been a while, hasn't it. Beef prices began rising about two years or so ago. Cattlemen competing with ethanol producers=big increases in corn=cattlemen reducing herds because they cannot afford to feed the animals. In 2015, beef prices are up 90% over just a few years ago. If you get to Giant roughly 10-11 am daily you can pick up some of their reduced meat prices, often at substantial reductions. I've gotten some real bargains with chicken, pork, and to a lessor amount, beef.
One thing I buy at greatly reduced prices are their marinated, skinless, boneless chicken breasts that are in a meat case off from the other chicken. I get a big fat chicken breast for sometimes $1.27 or always around/under $2.00. When I get home I open the package and rinse off the marinade, then with a very sharp knife, I get at least two and often three nice thick slices from each breast I buy. I freeze each slice individually, wrap several in a baggie and keep them on hand in the freezer. Each slice makes for a superb,( broiled) chicken sandwich on a bun with a little Helman's, lettuce and/or a dab of a great Thai dressing from the fridge. Those slices are also great if I need a little meat in a dish I'm making--just pull out however many pieces I need from the freezer. It takes only minutes to thaw.
Offline
I buy my beef by the quarter every few years from a farmer friend. It comes cut, wrapped, and quick frozen at a set price per pound, whether it be steaks, roasts, ground....only add-on is a slight fee for pressed hamburger patties.
It has been a few years since I bought any because the hunters I allow in my woods have been keeping me very well stocked with venison.