Grocery store prices.

[mikbone]

I live in california.

The wife does most of the shopping.  Anyway yesterday I bought a few things

Dozen eggs - free range, organic $9.95

Pound of butter Land-o-lakes  $8.50

Rib-eye steak 14 Oz  $34.50

 

I make good money.  Dropped the steak like a hot potato.  We just had baked potatoes for dinner.

Bought the eggs and butter but we are gonna start using coupons.

 

What the heck are yall doing?

[zil2]

13 minutes ago, mikbone said:

What the heck are yall doing?

Living in different states, thankfully!

[NeuroTypical]

50 minutes ago, mikbone said:

What the heck are yall doing?

We continue our lifetime habits of bargain shopping.  We also have a freezer of our own chickens and turkeys, and a fridge full of our own eggs.   New for 2022: We started eat out only once a week or less.  Before that we were 3-5x/week-ers.

I've also been eating homemade chili for a long time for work lunch.  I've gotten ok at it over the years, and inflation taking it from $1.50 to $2.25/serving isn't really dire.

[Carborendum]

1 hour ago, mikbone said:

What the heck are yall doing?

I'm guessing that the question is meaning to ask how much we spend on groceries, etc.?

Eggs                       $1.89/doz  (organic $4.35/doz.)
Butter                     $4.09/lb     (organic $6.05/lb)
Grass-fed Ribeye: $11.49/lb   (No organic available).

                 ($34/lb is what I pay at a steakhouse, not at the grocery store.  And it would come with two sides and an appetizer)

Other items:

Gasoline:               $2.55/gal.  (Fully organic  )
Whole Milk:            $2.75/gal   (No organic available).
Bananas:                19cents/ea (No organic available).

I'm making pretty good money as well.  But I don't throw it away like Californians do.  I'd be suffering if I had to feed my family at those California prices with California taxes.  And Texas just passed a law reducing the property tax.  So, now (I believe) CA pays more in property tax than Texas.

You ought to move to Texas.

Edited January 17, 2024 by Carborendum

[NeuroTypical]

BTW, the word "Organic" was basically popularized as a marketing ploy to make middle class white women think they're saving the planet and themselves by buying more expensive food. 

[NeuroTypical]

Oh - and between the Gasbuddy app, and 4 other gas station apps and deals and cards, I've now spent $2.01/gal for gas the last 2 fill ups.

We'd be spending less, but don't want to wait in line for the Costco.

[Ironhold]

https://www.heb.com/

In much of Texas, there's a chain called H-E-B (named for the initials of its founder). 

H-E-B pursues a *very* aggressive "low-cost leader" strategy that includes both store brands and in-store coupons. 

Central to this is the "meal deal", where if you purchase a main course you'll get 2 - 4 sides and a beverage for free. For example, a few weeks ago they had it that if you bought two bags of store-brand chicken nuggets, you'd get a deluxe-sized box of store-brand macaroni & cheese, a bag of broccoli, a box of snack crackers, and a bottle of Italian-style soda for free. Most H-E-Bs have a dedicated end cap display with refrigerated unit and nearby wire racks where they keep the coupons and components to keep them all together. 

This is helping ease the burden, but prices are still creeping up to the point that it's hurting. 

What you see in this photo here? I got this a few years ago for $10. It was a prototype for a charitable "Thanksgiving in a basket" plan I was organizing, where people would assemble enough for a proper Thanksgiving dinner, minus the refrigerated items, and donate the whole assemblage to a local food bank. There's literally no way for me to put this together for $10 anymore; this is more like $20 now, especially as that brand of chili has been discontinued. 

[mikbone]

I don’t even wanna talk about Gasoline.

[zil2]

1 hour ago, mikbone said:

I don’t even wanna talk about Gasoline.

How about Petrol?

[mordorbund]

21 hours ago, Carborendum said:

Gasoline:               $2.55/gal.  (Fully organic  )

I see what you did there.

[Carborendum]

10 minutes ago, mordorbund said:

I see what you did there.

I only use SArCaSm Periodically.

[Carborendum]

15 hours ago, mikbone said:

I don’t even wanna talk about Gasoline.

Hey, don't feel so bad.  It's not even double what we're paying in Texas.

[NeuroTypical]

I went to walmart.com and created a cart for a batch of my No Nonsense Ultra-low Fat DaddyChow Chili:

10 servings.  Subtract the $7 because they don't charge it if you walk through the store and bag it yourself.  Add maybe $2 for all the spices/seasonings/powders, liquid smoke, hot sauce, tabasco sauce, and honey/maple syrup, and that comes to a little less than a buck fifty a serving.

Healthiest dang thing you'll eat all day, lots of protein, and as long as you know the secret of smoked paprika, you can learn to ignore the fact that there's no meat in it.

 

[zil2]

48 minutes ago, NeuroTypical said:

No Nonsense Ultra-low Fat DaddyChow Chili

I think by the end of the year we're all going to need the recipe - or is it top secret?

[NeuroTypical]

Oh not at all secret.  It's supposed to be healthy, cheap, and boring.  (Just like me, my wife would say.)  And it varies from time to time.  And folks with refined or particular tastes could probably find something wrong with it.  But here are the basics:

It's all canned goods.  Store brand/sales are best.  Get the no-salt version whenever possible.

- At least 5 of these beans: Black, pinto, navy, garbanzo, kidney (light red or dark red), cannellini, black eyed peas
- At least 3 of these canned veggies: green beans, corn, spinach
- One chopped onion (or onion powder or minced onion spice)
- Two minced garlic cloves (or 2 tbsp garlic, or garlic powder, or minced garlic spice)
- Big 28 oz can of diced or crushed tomatoes
- A can of Rotel diced tomatoes and green chili
- A small can of mushrooms (holy crap these got expensive last year.  I used to add a large can.)
- As a thickener, either a cup of rolled oats, or a cup of quinoa cooked.
- A glug or two of maple syrup, or a dollop or three of honey (probably the most expensive thing on the list).

For the spice/seasoning/hot sauce, go with what you like.  I always add:
- Smoked paprika.  Smoked, not just regular old paprika.
- Fresh ground pepper. (I got a battery powered pepper grinder with led lights for Christmas - yay me!)
- Tabasco sauce
- An assortment of cumin, paprika, oregano, turmeric, other stuff.
- Hot or not, you choose.  Sometimes I'll add jalepenos, sometimes plain old not-hot chili powder.  I get a fun assortment of small 2-3 oz hot sauces from Santa, one goes into each batch.

People who like food will tell me I should use frozen not canned.  Or fresh not frozen.  Or dry not canned.  Or I should stick everything in a pot, heat to boiling, and simmer for 10 minutes.  Do all that if you like.  But I just mix it all cold and scoop it into 2-cup tupperwares and freeze them.  One for lunch.  4-6 min in the office microwave. 4-6x/week.  For 20+ years.  
 

Edited January 18, 2024 by NeuroTypical

[NeuroTypical]

(BTW, that thing beans do to your gastrointestinal system is a function of gut bacteria.  If you have beans as a constant part of your regular diet, your gut has the correct bacteria.   It's the starting the food, and the stopping for a few days that cause the issue.)

[zil2]

13 minutes ago, NeuroTypical said:

(BTW, that thing beans do to your gastrointestinal system is a function of gut bacteria.  If you have beans as a constant part of your regular diet, your gut has the correct bacteria.   It's the starting the food, and the stopping for a few days that cause the issue.)

Exactly.  Home made burritos are possibly my favorite (non-dessert) food.  People don't seem to believe that as long as you eat them long enough, your body adjusts.

[Traveler]

On 1/17/2024 at 11:37 AM, mikbone said:

I live in california.

The wife does most of the shopping.  Anyway yesterday I bought a few things

Dozen eggs - free range, organic $9.95

Pound of butter Land-o-lakes  $8.50

Rib-eye steak 14 Oz  $34.50

 

I make good money.  Dropped the steak like a hot potato.  We just had baked potatoes for dinner.

Bought the eggs and butter but we are gonna start using coupons.

 

What the heck are yall doing?

Preparing for what is coming next!

 

The Traveler

[askandanswer]

On 1/18/2024 at 4:07 AM, mikbone said:

What the heck are yall doing?

This is what's happening in Eden:

One feature of our retail grocery sector is that it's dominated by two large chains, Coles and Woolworths, who between them, control about 70% of the market. Aldi showed up about 25 years ago and they have about 20% although their range of producers is much more limited. And then you have the IGA - Independent Grocers Association of Australia with about 10% or less. 

A few weeks ago, the media was full of stories about a recently announced plan by the federal government to review the operations of our supermarket sector. Farmers have been trying to figure out why there is such a huge difference between what the supermarkers offer them for their produce, and how much customers are then being charged by the supermarket. 

The Albanese government is finalising plans to launch the first full-scale price-setting review of Australian supermarkets in almost two decades, conducted by the consumer watchdog with compulsory information-gathering powers and backed by ministerial decree.

I don't think anyone is holding out any real hope that a government inquiry will result in lower prices. The government doesn't have much ability to influence prices.

Assistant Minister for Competition Andrew Leigh tells The Saturday Paper  “Duopolies can do one of two things: they can squeeze the consumers or squeeze their suppliers. And I think a read of the economic consensus over the last 20 years would have been that there was more squeeze being placed on suppliers than consumers,” Leigh says.

“But right now the anger seems to be quite hot in both directions: a concern from farmers that they’re not getting as much for their produce as they feel is fair and concerns from consumers that they’re paying more than they should.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 20, 2024 by askandanswer

[Phoenix_person]

On 1/17/2024 at 12:37 PM, mikbone said:

What the heck are yall doing?

Not buying ribeye steaks and bougie eggs, for starters. Here in their home state, Land o Lakes butter is about $7/lb. Store brand is $4.

On 1/17/2024 at 1:56 PM, NeuroTypical said:

BTW, the word "Organic" was basically popularized as a marketing ploy to make middle class white women think they're saving the planet and themselves by buying more expensive food. 

Fun fact: "organic pesticides" exist, and they're not regulated nearly as strictly as "regular" pesticides. 🤢

On 1/17/2024 at 1:59 PM, NeuroTypical said:

Oh - and between the Gasbuddy app, and 4 other gas station apps and deals and cards, I've now spent $2.01/gal for gas the last 2 fill ups.

We'd be spending less, but don't want to wait in line for the Costco.

Hy-Vee gives out fuel saver points equal to the number of points the Vikings score during football season. Between that and their regular fuel saver deals, I can usually get at least three tanks of gas over the course of the NFL season for under $1/gal.

Edited January 22, 2024 by Phoenix_person

[Backroads]

I haven't the foggiest idea what we're doing, and I'm sure my two-income household is a fraction of your income. No shade, just know a few doctors. Um, we still have a bunch of meat from the last cow we bought. Bulk eggs are cheap. Taking the time to drive half-way across town to the cheap grocery store is totally worth it.  My daughter's medication order the first week of January took out the deductible for the entire family with the medication company footing the entire bill, so most health care for the rest of the year ought to be free/cheap. 

[mikbone]

Food Maxx is our new store.

Found T-bone steak $6.99 lb

Butter 4.99 lb

Eggs  6.99 for 18

Need to get a chicken coop…

[Backroads]

18 hours ago, mikbone said:

Need to get a chicken coop…

I need to get this darn kid I grew up with to stop fighting the town chicken request. I can't rely on the illegal chicken owners forever.

[JohnsonJones]

On 1/17/2024 at 7:44 PM, mikbone said:

I don’t even wanna talk about Gasoline.

I paid $1.50/gallon yesterday.  That was with some of it off (cheaper than normal), but it was quite inexpensive for me.  Bread was around $2.50 a loaf.  A Dozen eggs is under $3.  A gallon of milk is around $2.49 so not terrible.  

California on the otherhand was running around $4.70 a gallon which is a massive difference of costs. 

[mordorbund]

On 1/29/2024 at 7:36 PM, JohnsonJones said:

I paid $1.50/gallon yesterday.  That was with some of it off (cheaper than normal), but it was quite inexpensive for me.  Bread was around $2.50 a loaf.  A Dozen eggs is under $3.  A gallon of milk is around $2.49 so not terrible.  

If the United States is willing to get involved in the Middle East because of our interest in petroleum, I think we should do some "nation building" in India to free up their untapped dairy resources.