http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2985559Oh my.
spinbaby (1000+ posts) Mon Mar-10-08 07:01 PM
Original message
Things we can't afford anymore
We're fairly well off in that we kept our jobs through the Bush years, even though we make only about 3% more than in 2000. Tonight I went for groceries with a list and a budget. I didn't come back with everything on my list.
Here's what I came back without:
Beef--the smallish pot roast planned for the weekend was about $13.00.
Pam--at $3.99, I'll grease and flour my pans.
Wheat germ--$5.25 for a small jar.
Brand-name flour--King Arthur cost $4.79. I bought the store brand for $3.08.
Almond extract--when did it get to be $6.79?
Lemons--79 cents each.
I'm just stunned by grocery prices. We're not nearly at the point of subsisting on rice and beans, but we're feeling squeezed. I can live without lemons and wheat germ, but I worry about the poor. I'm going to find some money for the food bank this week.
It's an enormous bonfire. The first few primitive comments:
HockeyMom (1000+ posts) Mon Mar-10-08 07:03 PM
Original message
Add roast chicken
$13.00 for a 7 lb. roaster.
knitter4democracy (1000+ posts) Mon Mar-10-08 08:43 PM
Response to Original message
39. Wow. Really?
At Horrocks here in town, a 4lb chicken is about four bucks. Amish chicken, too.
malta blue (1000+ posts) Mon Mar-10-08 07:03 PM
Response to Original message
1. The prices at the market have been concerning me for weeks.
I don't usually go with a set budget, but I know what I can afford, and lately I have had to leave luxury items behind and even the actual groceries. Like you, I left the Pam on the shelf the other day.
spinbaby (1000+ posts) Mon Mar-10-08 07:09 PM
Response to Reply #1
7. We're going to leave a lot on the shelf
We don't buy much convenience food but we do eat well. Lately prices for foods that we consider to be part of a decent diet have been out of sight. More and more, I'm having to decide--walnuts or wheat germ, lemons or lettuce, beef or pork. Only couple of years ago, I'd have just picked up what we needed without thinking twice about it.
phantom power (1000+ posts) Mon Mar-10-08 07:05 PM
Response to Original message
2. For what it's worth, expect it to get worse.
ignoring market noise in the signal, it's probably going to get worse for the rest of our lives.
superkia (1000+ posts) Mon Mar-10-08 08:03 PM
Response to Reply #2
32. You are correct, the numbers only climb. If we continue to use the...federal reserve for our worthless paper, inflation will continue to rise and are debts to them will only get higher. Instead of using our own money backed by gold or something of worth, we BORROW paper, backed by nothing and ALL of our income taxes go directly to the few elite bankers to pay some of the interest and never get out of the debt. Its all a scam and most have no idea how our money system works. Most think our income tax goes into our system, it doesn't, thats why we have a few other legal taxes:
* Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)
* Capital gains tax
* Corporate income tax
* Estate tax in the United States
* Excise tax (includes taxes on cigarettes and alcoholic beverages)
* Federal income tax
* Federal unemployment tax (FUTA)
* FICA tax (includes Social Security tax and related programs)
* Gasoline tax
* Generation Skipping Tax
* Gift tax
* IRS penalties
* Local income tax
* Luxury taxes
* Property tax
* Real estate tax
* Recreational vehicle tax
* Road usage taxes (Truckers)
* Sales tax and equivalent use tax
* School tax
* State income tax
* State unemployment tax (SUTA)
* Telephone federal excise tax
* Vehicle sales tax
* Workers compensation tax
Horse with no Name (1000+ posts) Mon Mar-10-08 07:05 PM
Response to Original message
3. This is a wonderful organization for the people who don't qualify for assistance and fall through
the cracks. It might be church based...but when you are hungry, I can't see how that matters.
www.angelfoodministries.org
Here is the April menu:
2 lb.
Fully Cooked Meatloaf
1 lb.
Beef Fajita Strips
3 lb.
Breaded Frying Chicken
2 lb.
St. Louis Style Ribs
2 lb.
Lasagna Dinner Entree
1 lb.
Gourmet Sausage
1 lb.
Fully Cooked Meatballs
16 oz.
Broccoli
15 oz.
Refried Beans
12 ct.
Tortillas
26 oz.
Pasta Sauce
16 oz.
Pasta
6 oz.
Pancake Mix
16 oz.
Fresh Carrots
3 lb.
Golden Yukon Potatoes
4 oz.
Chicken Noodle Soup (Makes 64 oz.)
4 lb.
California Oranges
Dessert Item
ALL THIS FOR THE LOW COST OF JUST $30
APRIL SPECIAL #1
7.5 lb. Family Variety Grill Box - $20.00
(2 lb. Meaty Baby Back Pork Ribs, 2 lb. Thick Cut Country-Style Pork Ribs (4 x 8 oz.), 1.5 lb. Thick Cut Sirloin Filet (Baseball Cut 4 x 6 oz.), 1 lb. All Beef Patties (4 x 4 oz.), 1 lb. Mild Italian Sausage)
APRIL SPECIAL #2
4 lb. New York Strip Box - $19.00
(4 lb. New York Strip Steaks (8 x 8 oz.))
APRIL SPECIAL #3
4.5 lb. Stuffed Chicken Breast Combo - $18.00
(1.5 lb. Cordon Bleu (4 x 6 oz.), 1.5 lb. Broccoli Cheese (4 x 6 oz.), 1.5 lb. Chicken Breast Kiev (4 x 6 oz.))
HOLIDAY SPECIAL #4
Senior Convenience Meal Box - $18.00
(Five Delicious Individual Dinner Entrees with 2 sides each: • Grilled Chicken Breast w/ Rice & Gravy, • Salisbury Steak & Gravy, • Macaroni & Cheese, • Chicken Tetrazzini, • Beef Chili Macaroni Casserole: Includes five breads, milks, margarine, and desserts.)
Well, when the primitives get around to having to spend circa 67-75% of their income on food, as do those in the socialist paradises of the workers and peasants, I'll take their complaints seriously.
As it is, the primitives more likely than not spend more on credit card fees, credit card interest, credit card penalties, than they do on groceries.
So franksolich, usually a nice guy, one of the nicest guys one can hope to meet, a concerned and caring guy, can't be sympathetic very much for the primitives and their "high" grocery prices.
