CPI doesn't have a specific listing for "apples" since 2017. It is handled by PPI, which is what I linked.
I agree with a lot of the comments here. The price increases have led me to eat out less (it's not just that things cost more, but the quality of service has dropped significantly at many places). Fast food prices aren't even cheap, I eat much better by spending a little more time cooking. I'm about to jump on board the grocery delivery train and utilize other "we'll shop for you for free" mechanisms that exist. One of the things that blows my mind is broke people complaining about delivery services. One of the funnier things I've seen is gas stations and chains marketing their burgers or pizza or what have you as a new special restaurant. As prices have gone up, I've found plenty of suitable alternatives. Go GATORS! ,WESGATORS
I only eat out for special occasions now, when there are deals, or Chipotle every once in a while. I only eat out for special occasions now, when there are deals, or Chipotle every once in a while. less than once a week for sure. I was back in Florida last year, mom wanted to stop at a McDonalds. I haven't been there in years, but said sure. She just got a quarter pounder, I got a regular sized quarter pounder meal. It was 17 dollars and change. I won’t be back anytime soon, that’s legalized theft.
I assume that many would recognize I am a progressive and very focused on doing what I can to prevent Trumps election. Having said that I have great respect for E.T. and he is a fantastic mod. One thing the GOP is very good at is grabbing certain issues and "messaging" the electorate. Inflation has been tough no matter how one cherry picks it, good luck convincing the general public otherwise. While I will continue the fight against Trump, I do not find ET's post to be "over the top" and I believe it is a powerful message that the GOP will employ as Nov. draws closer.
Picked up two Firehouse subs for lunch today and cost was $32+. Have about 3/4 of a sandwich left. That’s just crazy. Do this on occasion but most of our dining out is at local restaurants on the beach - Turtle Shack, Captain’s BBQ, and the like - where a meal for two will run $50 or more with alcohol. We usually dine at home but I do spend $$ of relatively pricey energy gels and electrolyte powders for cycling. The wife tells me to consider that a hobby cost, not a food cost.
One of my biggest beefs is, well, beef. I refuse to give up my occasional filet mignon or New York Strip. The cost of beef is through the roof, but there is no suitable substitute for me. What can I say, I like my steak.
I have a NY Strip around twice a month, but only buy it when it’s half off. That happens every 6 weeks or so, so I may buy 2 or 3 at a time and just freeze them.
I wait for bogo on name brands. I’m waiting for Publix to go bogo on Bush beans. Then bam! We load up the pantry. As to store brands vs name brands. I’ll use store brands occasionally but compare them one on one. Some times the actual content in the store brand is lesser with more fluid than substance. After draining there’s less actual product.
Steaks we used to buy for $19.99 per lb. are now in the low to mid $30s. The only time I see them marked down is if they are turning brown and reduced for quick sale. We won't buy those steaks. I've not seen any 1/2 off beef sales where I live. I know about steaks as I'm usually the one buying them. Eating steak out at a restaurant is a thing of the past. My wife tells me food and product prices are up tremendously, thinks there may be some gouging on some products. When a product gets too high, she tries to find an alternative or we do without. It's this and we are not paycheck to paycheck people. It's not hard to imagine the pain of Americans trying to take care of their families as inflation has stripped away purchasing power of their dollars.
My wife and I prefer to cook and eat at home. Add in that we are both good cooks it’s easy for us. We are picky produce shoppers so no way we let someone else pick our food and deliver. We’ve cut our beef and pork consumption in half for health reasons so the increase in those costs aren’t gut punches. We have the butcher cut our beef (steaks of choice) or pork chops 1 1/4” thick. Perfect for grilling. We like some here have mentioned are also better off financially than ever before even though retired. And like another poster said we also shop for bargains. This week we will have (at least plan to), but in no particular order,,, Chicken Marsala with grilled shrimp, mushrooms, and fresh grated Asiago cheese. Buttered noodles, salad Mojo pork butt with white rice, chorizo-onion-red-pepper-fresh garlic seasoned black beans, yucca, 1905 salad, and my wife’s home made cream cheese flan Cedar plank salmon with brown sugar (or maple syrup) crushed smokehouse almond sauce, strip zucchini salad, rice pilaf Soft tacos (AYCE lol) and home made sangria Meatloaf, smashed taters, carrots, and Caesar salad Shells shrimp pasta. (Wife got recipe from friend who worked there) salad spaghetti or lasagna with salad (wife took cooking classes at Cusina Mia before they closed). Learned how to make different Italian red sauces from scratch.
I get a lot of my meat at WildFork. Fantastic prices. Been getting the beef tenderloin tails that are on sale for $13.98/lb. And you can usually find coupons online as well. Just made some steak bowls with some sous vide filet tails that we then seared in the skillet.
There’s a whole bunch of places along the I81 corridor and other places that I do kind of on rotation. Usually within about 1:45 or so from my house. I did Bear Church Rock was this week. That was about 8 miles with 2k of elevation gain and the great creek views a good chunk of the way. More on the upper end of a typical hike for me. But Strickler Knob (nice rock scrambles at the end of that), Mary’s Rock, Big Schloss, Little Schloss (where I broke my elbow last year), Duncan Knob, Old Rag, Raven’s Rock, Chinmey Rock in WV (my personal fave a real challenge with an amazing payoff), Half Moon, Long Mountain (that’s a bushwhack for part of it) Cranny Crow, and then around Harper’s Ferry there’s Loudoun Heights, Maryland Heights, Weaverton Cliffs and Annapolis Rocks further west. If I want to stay local I have Great Falls on the VA side, The Billy Goat Trail on the MD side, and lots of state and county options, including Balls bluff (civil war site with the nation’s smallest military cemetery, including a US Senator) among others. If I get frisky I will go down to do one of the Crown Jewels in Roanoke - Mcafee Knob, Tinker Cliffs or Dragon’s tooth. Where I go depends on the weather, how much else I have to do that weekend, how I’m feeling etc. It’s one of the things I really like about where I live. I am 45 minutes from DC in one direction and 45 minutes or an hour from the mountains in the other.
I rarely buy them unless its a treat for the kids and I do the same as you, but my point is the regular price is way higher than it once was.
