Inflation: Official Rate vs. Observed Rate

[Yipper]

You seem to be mighty worked up about my personal preference. If you want to use the auto checkout, go right ahead. I'll continue to go to the cashier.

Just as long as you're not that guy with the checkbook who hasn't already filled in most of the bits before the total is rung up.

 

[milford]

I was chit chatting with a restaurant manager a month ago that I frequent and he was complaining about all the increases in food prices... one of the items he specifically mentioned was enoki mushroom. I was surprised because I recall enoki mushrooms being quite cheap usually around $.99 cents a pack and there were frequent sales at asian markets for as low as $.59. Yesterday, I finally stopped by the local asian grocery market to pick up some grocery and saw enoki mushroom being sold at $2.89 a pack now.... a 200% increase!

 

[GenXguy]

We could probably double the number of posts in this thread, just identifying all the items which seem to get smaller each time we go into the supermarket. It's a huge pet peeve of mine.

Yeah, every trip to the store I know I'm likely to see yet another price increase. And the package sizes, they've been playing that trick for a long time as well. Then if they make it a little larger size, they will call it a new larger size and raise the price. lol

I was estimating my overall inflation for my purchases to be about 15% over the last year. Some people thought that estimate was too high because they just accept the government figures, but as time goes by, I think that estimate may actually be too low. And that has nothing to do with a change in my spending habits, that's just buying the same things and paying the same expenses as usual.

And I won't comment on the off-topic self-checkouts.

 

[foxfirev5]

If my ribeye steaks get any thinner I'll be able to cook them with a magnifying glass. In any event it's probably better for my health. We eat too much anyway.

 

[jimbee]

I agree that shrinkflation is accelerating. I hate that (almost) more than actual inflation because it shows what marketing people think of us (that we're stupid and easily fooled.)

People are easily fooled. I see examples almost every day.

 

[foxfirev5]

People are easily fooled. I see examples almost every day.

Yep. 50% of the people you see are below average intelligence. Fact.

 

[GravitySucks]

Just as long as you're not that guy with the checkbook who hasn't already filled in most of the bits before the total is rung up.

Two weeks ago the person in front of me waited until the groceries were totaled then started rummaging through her purse and pulled out a check book. I haven't seen anyone pay with a check in decades. Teenage cashier looked happy to be able to use her training and completed the transaction with a smile.

Why doesn't someone start a self-checkout thread? I get there is some subject drift in most threads, but this has been pretty egregious.

As to the TOPIC...not only have we seen hefty price increases, the "shrinkflation" (packed goods weight/quantities) has been accelerating.

Agree. Im rewarding those businesses that have gone in the other direction. My Saranac Ales have gone from 12 packs to 15 packs. Genesee beers have moved from 24 beers in a case to 30.

 

[OverThinkMuch]

Yep. 50% of the people you see are below average intelligence. Fact.

The most common IQ is 100, which is neither above or below average - it's average. Less than 50% of people have below average IQ.

100% of people lie with statistics, so I could be wrong, too.

 

[John Galt III]

Two weeks ago the person in front of me waited until the groceries were totaled then started rummaging through her purse and pulled out a check book. I haven't seen anyone pay with a check in decades. Teenage cashier looked happy to be able to use her training and completed the transaction with a smile.Agree. Im rewarding those businesses that have gone in the other direction. My Saranac Ales have gone from 12 packs to 15 packs. Genesee beers have moved from 24 beers in a case to 30.

I've seen a trend toward 16 ounce cans of beer, up from 12 ouncers. I welcome that. Less aluminum use per ounce of beer. And they seem to price the 16 ouncers the same as the twelvers. And a lot of these bad boys are on sale at excellent prices. Making it hard to go straight, lol. Just say no to inflation!

 

[Closet_Gamer]

I use a more modern, hybrid version of self-checkout:

I click "buy now" on Amazon and Pay.
Some guy brings it to me at my house.

Works great! I don't wait in lines and people in Amazon warehouses, shipping and local delivery have jobs that you can do with a basic education. Win win win.

 

[CaptTom]

Works great! I don't wait in lines and people in Amazon warehouses, shipping and local delivery have jobs that you can do with a basic education. Win win win.

Good point. I'm getting so I can recognize three of our Amazon delivery drivers. I'm thinking I might have to give them a tip for Christmas, just like we do with our regular USPS carrier.

 

[youbet]

2) I spoke to one store manager who mentioned that the self check frees up employees to become shelf stockers, which pays more than the cashier position

Shelf stockers make less than cashiers here in the Chicago area. I spent time with my disabled grandson looking for shelf stocker work. He trained to do that in a special needs program for disabled individuals. In all cases, he was offered jobs doing shelf stocking with the opportunity to perhaps "move up" to cashier if he could qualify.

Where are you at that cashiers make less than shelf stockers?

 

[Dtail]

Shelf stockers make less than cashiers here in the Chicago area. I spent time with my disabled grandson looking for shelf stocker work. He trained to do that in a special needs program for disabled individuals. In all cases, he was offered jobs doing shelf stocking with the opportunity to perhaps "move up" to cashier if he could qualify.

Where are you at that cashiers make less than shelf stockers?

Publix in FLA has a nice program for special needs individuals, but have no idea of the pay scale.

 

[youbet]

Yep. 50% of the people you see are below average intelligence. Fact.

Really? I'm not familiar with the distribution of IQ's across the population. Where did you get this information? I'd like to review it. It implies the distribution is skewed to the left, which could surely be the case. But I'm interested in the actual data you looked at.

 

[braumeister]

Really? I'm not familiar with the distribution of IQ's across the population. Where did you get this information? I'd like to review it. It implies the distribution is skewed to the left, which could surely be the case. But I'm interested in the actual data you looked at.

It's a normal distribution. 100 is the midpoint, so everyone within one standard deviation is considered "average" with a score between 85 and 115. That's about 68% of the population.

 

[Dtail]

Really? I'm not familiar with the distribution of IQ's across the population. Where did you get this information? I'd like to review it. It implies the distribution is skewed to the left, which could surely be the case. But I'm interested in the actual data you looked at.

I believe @Foxfire was just stating a mathematical fact, using 50% as the average default midpoint, although not using standard distribution concepts.

 

[youbet]

It's a normal distribution. 100 is the midpoint, so everyone within one standard deviation is considered "average" with a score between 85 and 115. That's about 68% of the population.

Thanks braumeister. I was just reading a bit about the calculation. It appears the calculation is made assuming normalcy of the distribution rather than the other way around where the data is plotted and it's normalcy calculated. Interesting. Not something I ever looked at before although parts of my career involved statistics.

What doesn't seem to compute is Foxfire saying " 50% of the people you see are below average intelligence" and you saying " everyone within one standard deviation is considered "average." That means Foxfire is saying that 50% of the people are more than 1 standard deviation below average. I don't think so.

 

[youbet]

I believe @Foxfire was just stating a mathematical fact, using 50% as the average default midpoint, although not using standard distribution concepts.

Yeah. It seemed as if Foxfire was assuming 50% of the data points were above and 50% of the data points were below "average." That's something that seldom happens in real life as normal distributions of data are rare.

I'm curious, what "mathematical fact" are you referring to?

 

[Dtail]

Yeah. It seemed as if Foxfire was assuming 50% of the data points were above and 50% of the data points were below "average." That's something that seldom happens in real life as normal distributions of data are rare.

I'm curious, what "mathematical fact" are you referring to?

I was just using his terminology and yes agree with your statement.

 

[jollystomper]

Shelf stockers make less than cashiers here in the Chicago area. I spent time with my disabled grandson looking for shelf stocker work. He trained to do that in a special needs program for disabled individuals. In all cases, he was offered jobs doing shelf stocking with the opportunity to perhaps "move up" to cashier if he could qualify.

Where are you at that cashiers make less than shelf stockers?

Mid-Atlantic area.

For example, here is data from one source, salary.com, for checkout cashier and grocery stocker in Washington, D.C:

https://www.salary.com/tools/salary-calculator/checkout-cashier/washington-dc

Checkout cashier median salary : $27,400, 90th percentile $35,997.

https://www.salary.com/tools/salary-calculator/grocery-stocker/washington-dc

Grocery stocker median salary: $31,362, 90th percentile $37,569.

 

[youbet]

Mid-Atlantic area.

For example, here is data from one source, salary.com, for checkout cashier and grocery stocker in Washington, D.C:

https://www.salary.com/tools/salary-calculator/checkout-cashier/washington-dc

Checkout cashier median salary : $27,400, 90th percentile $35,997.

https://www.salary.com/tools/salary-calculator/grocery-stocker/washington-dc

Grocery stocker median salary: $31,362, 90th percentile $37,569.

Thanks jollystomper!

When working with our special needs grandson to find employment in the private sector (grocery, drug store, department store), it became clear he would be considered for shelf stocking but not cashier or "check out" positions. And shelf stocking was the lower paying area, or so that was what we observed. Perhaps there are considerations such as his need to work day shift and with supervision available. And a long line of frustrated customers irritated with their wait would not be a good thing for him to deal with as a cashier. So he (we) finally settled for a part time stock shelving position at $13/hr, day shift. It's with a well known, national drug store chain.

I'm having a little trouble navigating the site you included in your post to check on wages in our area vs those in DC, but I'll figure that out later. I'd like to understand if additional training to be able to move to a cashier position would be worthwhile or not. From your links, apparently not.

 

[SecondCor521]

Thanks jollystomper!

When working with our special needs grandson to find employment in the private sector (grocery, drug store, department store), it became clear he would be considered for shelf stocking but not cashier or "check out" positions. And shelf stocking was the lower paying area, or so that was what we observed. Perhaps there are considerations such as his need to work day shift and with supervision available. And a long line of frustrated customers irritated with their wait would not be a good thing for him to deal with as a cashier. So he (we) finally settled for a part time stock shelving position at $13/hr, day shift. It's with a well known, national drug store chain.

I'm having a little trouble navigating the site you included in your post to check on wages in our area vs those in DC, but I'll figure that out later. I'd like to understand if additional training to be able to move to a cashier position would be worthwhile or not. From your links, apparently not.

Night shift pays a bit better around here as far as I can tell. I think it's about a $1-$2/hour differential.

May or may not work for your grandson and your family and may or may not be worth pursuing, but something to possibly consider.

 

[youbet]

Night shift pays a bit better around here as far as I can tell. I think it's about a $1-$2/hour differential.

May or may not work for your grandson and your family and may or may not be worth pursuing, but something to possibly consider.

Thanks SC521.

Yeah, I worked nights many years in the factory and it did pay a bit more. And it's likely that retail pays more for night shift work too. But we're having enough trouble getting the grandson going on public transportation during the day without thinking about trying to get it arranged for night shift.

His pay level is mostly a matter of pride and perceived fairness/equity. Between some puny public sector benefits and a trust DW and I have established, he really doesn't need to work to survive. But I'll tell ya, when he showed me the check stubs from his first three weeks of work in the private sector, he was beaming with pride!