Examples of current inflation - add yours!

[Montecfo]

Today at Costco: pork tenderloin $1.89 a pound.

Can't remember it ever being lower.

Also pork ribs $2.99 a pound.

Just sayin'.

 

[Fermion]

Pork is really cheap.

Stew beef, not a good cut of beef, $7.49 a pound.

Pork tenderloin, $1.99 a pound.


Doesn't make sense.

 

[Montecfo]

Point is to my eye pork is down in price since as long as I can remember.

And regarding beef prices, substitution is a thing, that's what PCE keeps showing us.

Also healthier...

 

[GenXguy]

If you've already substituted for the lower cost meat long ago, you can't keep substituting each month because you already did long ago. But that helps keep the government inflation figures lower than reality.

 

[Montecfo]

Pork tenderloin is lowest price I have ever seen.
But if zero percent inflation seems too high, legumes are a great source of protein and also cheap.

If you buy a smoked ham on sale for $1.29 a pound that will last a long time. Then cook the ham bone with a pound of dried split peas ($1.48) and will have some excellent low cost protein for a good while.

Or make some hoppin' john. Delicious, complete protein and also good luck.

Afterword you will notice the sun has come out.

 

[GenXguy]

Pork tenderloin (the cheapest) at my chain grocery store is $2.99 /lb Lowest cost bacon 1 lb is $4.79.

Smoked ham $4.99/lb

Lowest cost sirloin steak $5.99 /lb. (looks like a special price)

Boneless Pork Loin $4 /lb (8 oz. cuts), $5 /lb (4 oz. cuts)

Boneless Chicken Breast $3.99 /lb

These prices for the most part are considerably higher than a few years ago, and some are just temporary price reductions / sales.

No Costco or Sam's here.

These are the lowest prices I could, and some will soon be higher.

 

[Montecfo]

Notice I was not pricing chain stores. Sam's club is a good alternative. Hams were recently $1.29.a pound or less, but you have to shop for them,. Especially around the holidays. Same with turkey.

Have you ever heard the "rule of the river"? It is that if you fall out of the boat you have to participate in your own rescue.

If people throw you a rope and you don't grab it, well, that is how the rule came about.

I can go out right now and find expensive meat if that were my goal. But it is not my goal.

 

[GenXguy]

There's no Sam's or Costco anywhere near me, like I said. We only have 4 grocery stores. One is Super Walmart, one is the chain store I posted the reduced prices for, there's ALDI which I rarely go to, and there's another smaller local one that is more expensive. So I wasn't posting the most expensive meat, but rather the least expensive meat around here at the least expensive marked down prices I can find. Of course, I always look for sales/deals. Duh. You're pointing out the obvious, but that doesn't mean prices aren't still going up with inflation. Sale prices used to be lower as well. To get a real sense of inflation, you should compare a special sales price today to the regular price 3 years ago. I'm not sure why you said you could go out and find the most expensive meat. That has nothing to do with what I was doing. That's why I didn't mention the steaks that are around $20/lb.

I would spend a lot more money on gas (and car mileage/maint/time) driving over 3 hours to a Sam's or Costco out of town than I would save. It has to be local to be meaningful.

Don't assume that someone has the same options that you do. The rope you are throwing doesn't exist here.

 

[MichaelB]

I would spend a lot more money on gas (and car mileage/maint/time) driving over 3 hours to a Sam's or Costco out of town than I would save. It has to be local to be meaningful.

Don't assume that someone has the same options that you do. The rope you are throwing doesn't exist here.

This may explain why you see such different price price levels than everyone else. Nothing helps contain prices like active competition.

Whatever the reason, you are a true statistical inflation outlier.

 

[GenXguy]

It seems most people are seeing higher prices like me if you exclude those special sales, which I don't really count sales prices when figuring inflation because we had sales in the past which were even better.

Edited previous post - we have ALDI.

 

[jim584672]

To me Walmart has prices that are not even competitive for food. I see flyers with MUCH better prices. Last week I got $1.89 chicken breasts. $1.99 pork chops are this week. 12 cans of tuna for $12.00. Many items from other stores beat Walmart on a regular basis.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Today at Costco: pork tenderloin $1.89 a pound.

Can't remember it ever being lower.

Also pork ribs $2.99 a pound.

Just sayin'.

It has been that here for about the last 3 months

 

[GenXguy]

To me Walmart has prices that are not even competitive for food. I see flyers with MUCH better prices. Last week I got $1.89 chicken breasts. $1.99 pork chops are this week. 12 cans of tuna for $12.00. Many items from other stores beat Walmart on a regular basis.

Yeah, grocery store sale prices will often beat Walmart's regular prices. I got 74 cent cans of tuna recently at regular store, but that was a special.

 

[Fermion]

To me Walmart has prices that are not even competitive for food. I see flyers with MUCH better prices. Last week I got $1.89 chicken breasts. $1.99 pork chops are this week. 12 cans of tuna for $12.00. Many items from other stores beat Walmart on a regular basis.

Sort of.

The thing is, the other grocery stores will have a good price on a few items, like a 5 pound bag of potatoes on sale for $1.50 while Walmart it will be $2.89 but then a tub of cream cheese at the other store will be $4.99 regular price while Wal-mart will be $3.99 regular price. I find that if I don't want to drive to 7 different stores, Wal-mart overall will be cheaper.

 

[Fermion]

example:

Walmart $2.19
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Campbell...-4-oz-Microwavable-Bowl/10307967?from=/search

vs

Safeway $2.99

https://www.safeway.com/shop/product-details.125350018.html

 

[GenXguy]

Sort of.

The thing is, the other grocery stores will have a good price on a few items, like a 5 pound bag of potatoes on sale for $1.50 while Walmart it will be $2.89 but then a tub of cream cheese at the other store will be $4.99 regular price while Wal-mart will be $3.99 regular price. I find that if I don't want to drive to 7 different stores, Wal-mart overall will be cheaper.

I usually only go to 2 stores, which are a block within each other.

Oh, I forgot about ALDI, which is close by as well. I almost never go to, so that makes 4 grocery stores within about 4 miles. I'm not counting Dollar stores and Walgreens type of stores.

 

[Fermion]

Our town has only a Walmart, a Safeway, a non chain grocery store, and an outlet grocery store with very limited selection.

So yes I really couldn't drive to 7 stores lol....unless you count gas station food sections.

 

[Montecfo]

Aldi is a good spot for low prices.

Genxguy, I feared trying to help you might be a fool's errand, and you have proven me correct.

I am curious what metro area in the country there is no Costco and no Sam's.

Anyway, I'm going to let you hang out under that rain cloud. But just rest assured I offered you an umbrella.

And as an aside, if I were as unhappy as you seem to be I would either move or at least quit bellyaching.

(I know, the only price that does not rise is your home value, can't afford to move there are no realtors, yadda yadda)

Best of luck anyway.

 

[folivier]

When I do stew meat (rice and gravy down here) I always look for whatever is on sale and buy the cheapest. It doesn't matter since it cooks down for so long.

 

[youbet]

Sort of.

The thing is, the other grocery stores will have a good price on a few items, like a 5 pound bag of potatoes on sale for $1.50 while Walmart it will be $2.89 but then a tub of cream cheese at the other store will be $4.99 regular price while Wal-mart will be $3.99 regular price. I find that if I don't want to drive to 7 different stores, Wal-mart overall will be cheaper.

I find that to be very true.

My general routine is:

1. Check the sale fllers from 3 other groceries I like to see if any one of them has several items I need on deep-discounted sale. (Several items to make a trip worthwhile) If so, I go online and enter a curbside pickup.

2. Go to the Walmart site and order the balance of the items we need and enter a curbside pickup scheduled a half hour or so before or after the first one.

3. Go get the stuff.

Typically Walmarts everyday prices are equal to or lower than everyday prices at the other stores. But Walmart doesn't have sales and the other stores frequently have deep-discounted sales on a few items.

Walmarts produce has been "OK" but I will sometimes make a third stop at my favorite store for produce and go inside and hand pick my selections.

 

[GenXguy]

Aldi is a good spot for low prices.

Genxguy, I feared trying to help you might be a fool's errand, and you have proven me correct.

Yes, it was foolish to point out the obvious didn't even apply to me. There's no Cosco or Sam's without a 3 hour round trip drive. If it was as simple as driving a short distance for a lot lower cost, I would have already done it. lol

Anyway, I'm going to let you hang out under that rain cloud. But just rest assured I offered you an umbrella.

Believe me, you didn't really offer anything, because those places aren't available here. I already know how to do price comparisons among the places I actually have access to.

And as an aside, if I were as unhappy as you seem to be I would either move or at least quit bellyaching.

I never once said I was unhappy where I am. I'm pointing out factual prices that are available just as you did. My bills which have gone up most aren't even related to food. These are simply facts, not "bellyaching". lol

(I know, the only price that does not rise is your home value, can't afford to move there are no realtors, yadda yadda).

Yes, my home value has dropped, even in nominal dollars. I never said there were no realtors, but I don't have a need for one. You are definitely misreading. Even if I did sell my house and move to a higher cost of living area with a Sam's or Costco, I would be far behind financially from what I am now. A little savings at Sam's or Costco isn't going to make up for it.

 

[CardsFan]

Within 4 (easy) miles of our house we have, 2 Walmart's, 3 Aldi's, 1 Fresh Thyme, 1 Sam's, 1 Ruler's (think Kroger's alternative to Aldi's), 2 Schnucks's, and 1 Dierberg's (the last 2 are local stores).

So, we look at the weekly sales and figure out what we want that's on sale. DW goes to Ruler's for staples and generic stuff (weekly $5 off $20 coupon).

Examples of sales: Fresh Thyme had NY sirloin roasts for $5.99/lb, and the week before Boneless rib roasts for $7.99/lb. We will buy one, and slice into thick steaks. Aldi's will occasionally have chicken quarters (legs and thighs) for under $1/lb. Bought another turkey at Ruler's for $.69/lb, and a ham for about $1.50/lb.

As mentioned above, pork can also be inexpensive, but you need to check prices and look for deals/sales.

On the flip side, I used to be able buy a whole beef tenderloin at Sam's for about $10/lb (3-4 years ago). Now they are $20/lb.

 

[Gumby]

Yes, it was foolish to point out the obvious didn't even apply to me. There's no Cosco or Sam's without a 3 hour round trip drive. If it was as simple as driving a short distance for a lot lower cost, I would have already done it. lol...

And yet, by your own admission you don't go to Aldi's ("almost never," you say). In my experience, Aldi's is almost always the cheapest option by far. When I go grocery shopping, I start at Aldi's. I only go to another grocery if it is not available at Aldi's. So, in my opinion, you should should start going to Aldi's for the vast majority of your shopping. Then maybe you will be able to stop regaling us with tales of how expensive everything is.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Luckily we have Winco and no one beats both their prices and quality.

 

[GenXguy]

And yet, by your own admission you don't go to Aldi's ("almost never," you say). In my experience, Aldi's is almost always the cheapest option by far. When I go grocery shopping, I start at Aldi's. I only go to another grocery if it is not available at Aldi's. So, in my opinion, you should should start going to Aldi's for the vast majority of your shopping. Then maybe you will be able to stop regaling us with tales of how expensive everything is.

ALDI doesn't have the same selection and has a smaller selection. For example, I got their brand of cereal once, and I didn't like it at all. So, the lower price wasn't really a bargain. Seems like I always have to wait in line there, also, those times I actually go. By the way, prices have gone up at ALDI also.