The U.S. Census Bureau {LINK} reports the March retail sales data {pdf LINK} showing a contraction in sales overall (excluding gasoline) and a massive contraction in on-line sales. As we expected, we are seeing the continued demand side contraction for non-essential purchases.
First, when you review the data, keep in mind all of the statistics are based on dollars. Currently the BLS calculates the rate of inflation at 8.5 percent year over year. So, when we look at retail sales figures, we must remember the items being sold cost more. Any reported sales figures in a sector that do not exceed the inflation in that sector, indicates decline in units sold.
The top-line for March retail sales is 0.5% growth; however, the rate of inflation is 8.5%, so the amount of goods sold is substantially less than the 0.5% dollar increase would indicate. Subtract the sales of gasoline (w/ massive price increases), and retail sales are negative (-0.3%) in March. SEE TABLE-2
A good category to note the contraction in non-essential purchases is electronics and appliances. Again, CORE inflation in that segment is around 6%, and yet total sales were only 3.3% higher, meaning less actual units sold. Compared to 2021, electronics and appliance sales dropped 9.7%.
Showing how much people are pinched, gasoline prices are around 60% higher than this time last year, yet gas station sales only increased by 8.9%. This means people are buying a lot less fuel at much higher prices. People have shifted their transportation habits because gas costs so much.
Two more very interesting notes:
Food and beverage stores only reflected a 1.0% increase in sales, amid massive inflation in that sector. People are buying less food at higher prices. The year-over-year rate of retail sales increase for supermarkets is 8.4%, however, prices in the grocery store are well beyond 20%. Again, food prices are changing shopping habits. You can see the same trend in Health and Beauty Care products. Consumers are being thrifty and prioritizing their expenses away from non-essentials.
Secondly, perhaps the most obvious shift in consumer spending is noted in on-line (nonstore) retailers. March retail sales dropped 6.4 percent for on-line shoppers, again as a consequence of much higher on-line prices and some product unavailability.
The bottom line of the Retail Sales report is not unfamiliar to us. What we are seeing is a lessening in overall consumer spending, as the costs for food, fuel, energy and housing have skyrocketed. The demand for non-essential purchases is what we would naturally expect to see amid a nation having to make tough purchasing decisions based on inflation.
The economic policy of the people behind Joe Biden is catastrophic, and it appears to be a feature not a flaw.
That said, wise people -including people here- know how to extend their budgets and make use of raw ingredients for multiple purposed meals. Keep doing that as much as possible to offset the dramatic increases in price. Look for sales, use coupons, multipurpose products and be smart with purchase decisions.
We can and will get through this together.
If you have tips for people to assist with lowering costs of everyday items, please feel free to share them in the comments section below. We always find excellent ideas around us for small ways to save.
Coming from a family whose Tupperware® was a matching set of Cool Whip containers, I can tell you there are times when being frugal is a valued skillset. I welcome all the great advice we share as a community, and I will not let these horrible government officials remove joy.
I’ve been broke more than most, but I ain’t never been poor.
I appreciate you.
Good healthy food should be the primary focus at all times. And this does not mean processed food. However in inflationary periods, eating at home is the best cost savings. Ground, lower cost meat, to make ground beef. Buy in bulk, to obtain more meals. No bars, no restaurants (including McDonalds) will save lots of money.
But the key is to watch where your money goes. Rockefeller became rich by noting everything he spent, and then reviewing how he could save correctly. It worked for me, it will work for you. Thank you Sundance.
I agree totally with knowing where your money goes. There was a time about 35 years ago when our income dropped by about 66%. I wrote every item I bought down in a notebook with the price paid, even a 5 cent item. I knew exactly where the money was being spent and that kept me focused. As a stay at home mom with a teenager with a severe disability (as well as a toddler and another teenager) my ability to bring in income was very limited to help my husband. I shopped sales, became an avid couponer and cooked all our meals, including bread making. We made it through that period with flying colors. Yes, it worked then and it will work now. Thank you Sundance and thank you, Paul.
Good points. I used to be a steak and pork chop eater and patronized restaurants all too often. All that has changed. Banish all restaurants from one’s repertoire. Banish oils, and replace animal products with complex starches. Banish processed foods except ketchup, mustard, and barbeque sauce. Buy in bulk: oats, beans, split peas, lentils, barley. They offer a long shelf life as well as a healthy meal. Buy tomatoes and other perishable vegetables in cans unless you will use them within a few days of purchase. By red and green cabbage since it stores well long term in the refrigerator and since especially red cabbage offers spectacular nutrition. Buy potatoes, peel and then boil them with onions and green cabbage; once cooked add salt, pepper and ketchup for a cheap meal that provides all aspects of human nutrition. Buy potatoes and onions in bulk but on a two to three week cycle to avoid spoilage. You can live on potatoes alone, if necessary, for years since they are economical and they offer all nutrition that a human requires. Or, eat like a Roman gladiator: beans and barley with a few greens added once in a while. See the websites of Dr. Dean Ornish and of Dr. John McDoughall for hundreds of recipes for highly nutritious and economic meals. Following their recommendations, I cut my monthly food expenses by more than 50%, cut my cholesterol level from 220 to 125, got my blood pressure under control and rid myself of blood pressure meds, lost 80 pounds without portion control, and am in the best physical condition of my life.
As a type 2 diabetic, that much starchy foods would drive my blood sugar over the top. T2d meds only enable progression of t2d and I take none of them. I’m a lot healthier eating virtually no processed foods, and almost exclusively meat, dairy, and healthy animal fats. I cut restaurants out of my budget years ago.
I am informed by a colleague who was a grocery produce purchasing manager for a top quality local grocery chain in my area for many
years that Yukon Gold potatos are the most nutritious breed of potatatos marketed in America. He says they are about three times as nutritious as common po.tatos
Wow! Will def check those references! I like the idea of the gladiator menu with some sweet and regular potatoes thrown in from time to time for variety.
Cook in larger batches, stews and cooked meats can be stored in your fridge for days in glass storage containers with lids, then reheated. Buy meats when you find them on sale and freeze for later use. Evaluate what you eat, and figure out if there are expensive items you can do without, or have only as a treat.
Hubbs and I do not eat at any restaurants. Ok, well maybe someplace like Panera or th.e local Blue Ridge Grill in Brambleton every three months. Thats saves a lot, and also keeps the guilty calories down.
Make your own dirt cheap cleaning products. One of my favorites is to save lemon and orange peels and let them soak in 50/50 white vinegar and water for at least a week or two and then strain through a coffee filter and pour into an empty spray bottle. Be careful if using on stone counters, the acid might damage those. It leaves a fresh citrus scent behind. I use a plastic peanut butter jar to soak in because the vinegar will eat up a metal lid. If you add a tiny bit (1/4 tsp) of dish detergent to it, it works really well on soap scum in the shower. Just spray, let sit for 15 minutes, wipe down and rinse well.
I have some lemon rinds marinating on the counter right now. It is time to move it to a spray bottle. It does clean things nicely.
BORAX—-cheap, a little goes a long way…..couple handfuls in laundry and you can use 1/3 to 1/2 the detergent, and you will not need bleach. It also inhibits growth of microbes…..having trouble with ants……sprinkle some where they are getting in, and they will not touch it. Grimy, greasy hands,,,shake a little on, and it cleans them perfectly, sometimes may need a little soap. It is harmless to humans. I use it to wash my face, neck, and ears at night, some on the tip of a teaspoon, and work it into the washrag…no rinsing needed. If I have a sore that is open, and refusing to heal, I fold part of paper towel into a pad, light wet it, touch it to the borax, and tape it on the sore…next day the ugly stuff is on the pad, and repeating it the second day and visible healing has started.
Good ol’ Borax !
Reminds me of Death Valley Days and 20 Mule Team Borax! I love the stuff – does a good job cleaning grease and grime off of tools, also.
Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide clean amazingly well, are non-toxic and are very inexpensive. They can be used separately or together.
Retired Magistrate here: Use Good Rx for prescriptions. Using my health insurance to buy my 90 day supply of prescription meds was going to cost me $216; using Good Rx cost $38.75.
Take advantage of your local library; they have CD’s and DVD’s, books, magazines that you can check out at no cost. Your tax dollars pay for the library so use it. Enjoy your local parks, county and state. They have bike trails, lakes, nature trails and nature programs for adults and children.
Use coupons and buy whatever you can on sale whether you need it now or not. Go to estate, tag and yard sales where you can purchase clothes, household items and toys at really good prices.
Buy a box fan; put in facing out your window at night and have another window open to blow in cool air. In the morning as soon as it starts to warm up, turn the fan off, close the window and drapes and you can keep your house relatively cool without air conditioning. If you can afford it, purchase and install an attic fan. Can cool off the whole house. Again, turn it on at night to take the heat out of the attic and circulate the cool air through the house at night. Turn it off in the morning and close the windows and the drapes.
Keep the air in your tires inflated at the proper level along with regular oil changes. Make routine maintenance checks of your house and make repairs as soon as you see something that needs repair. Go for walks. Get good walking shoes, leave the smart phone at home and enjoy GOD’s creation.
Most importantly, focus on what you have rather than what you don’t have.
Really, can I ask which drugs you saved money on? I’ve never had any luck when I tried to use them a year or two back.
Retired Magistrate here: Evista for my bones and my GERD medications. Have used it for other meds too. It helps to have a pharmacy who is willing to work with you and find the best price. You can go to their site on line and put in your medication and see what money you an save. They also give a list of the pharmacies in your area which accept Good Rx.
About Evista and bone meds:
Had a supervisor years ago who was using Boniva and developed bone/jaw problems. She said her doctor had never warned her. So when doctor told me I had gone from osteopenia to osteoporosis, I didn’t want to use the bone meds.
Talked with another woman at a dental office who recommended boron, and referred me to a video on YouTube by a Seventh Day Adventist doctor who successfully reversed osteoporosis with boron supplementation.
So I have been using boron supplements instead of the bone meds. And, am feeling fine; will have to tell you how it goes following the next DEXA scan. But meanwhile, here is an interesting recent article about bone meds from Epoch Times:
https://www.theepochtimes.com/how-safe-are-anti-osteoporosis-bone-drugs_4380074.html
And here is an article about the properties of boron supplements, at correct dosage:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29546541/
antibiotics that Publix does not make available for free
also have used mine for muscle relaxers and arthritis pain medications
single fill deals when medicare does not cover it or I am not sure I can handle the medication
also look for a discount compounding pharmacy – they had major discount for a dermatological script
Shouldnt we all have been doing this self reliance stuff already, I was bought up frugal, found a frugal partner, Scottish blood I guess, we live very well, keep fit and healthy and dont need to spend much. Shoot a Beretta bitza, run a 180,000+ mile Toyota four wheeler, crazy seeing people paying out for things they could do for themselves and then bragging about it.
Retired Magistrate here: Yes; my parents went through the Great Depression and World War II and rationing and I was brought up to make do or do without. We lived very well; didn’t know that others had more than we did. We ate well and always had clothes to wear and a nice place to live.
We have been but I wasn’t tracking my grocery bills in the two months prior, or doing meal planning. I overshot my budget twice, $200 one month, $100 the next. Ouch. Tightening up that belt another notch.
All 3 members of our family at our home are on special diets… one a cardiac diet, one a diabetic, and one mega food allergies and celiacs/sprue.
Replaced the lights in my house with ceiling fans. No AC this year. Get out side and enjoy the fresh air, time to get healthy.
We also installed an attic fan.
All my extended family used attic fans when I was growing up. Used to get downright cold at night even in summer. There’s a lot to be said for being more in tune with nature and the seasons-God designed us to be able to adapt, so we should embrace that blessing to the extent we can.
Dish soap works well for hand washables. Years ago I switched from woolite to dryel but with prices so high I have switched back to actually hand washing things with dish soap in the sink. It works very well.
I make my own laundry detergent Mix 1/4cup borax,1/4 cup washing soda and 1/4 cup dawn in one litre of water- add dawn last to minimize suds when mixing. Use 1/4 cup per load of laundry.
Make your own oven cleaner too… 2oz dawn, 4oz lemon juice, 8oz vinegar in 10 oz of water.
I buy the Wool cold wash at dollar tree and it washes as well as Woolite. Suds very well. Not watery.
I’ve decided I’m more comfortable being broke. The few times in my life when I had a few extra bucks, I worried about everything and someone invariably wanted it.
Grew up in Communist Romania. Before the family joined the one parent who managed to escape the country, food was rationed because of Ceausescu’s overspending to build his communist dystopia.
Very familiar what I live through now.
Since we moved here with our lives in 2 suitcases, I’ve been frugal and made it.
Here’s what I do.
Buy clothes/shoes at second hand stores.
Use clothes until they get holes or cannot be mended-reuse as cleaning cloths.
Make my own cleaning products, lip balm and rarely hand cream.
Can aggressively in the fall when the farmers market is overabundant. Make your own spaghetti sauce.
Have a garden, even if a raised bed or container garden.
Start your own seeds-saves lots
Reuse drier sheets as a scrubbing cloth for sinks
Reuse grocery bags for dog poop.
Reuse dog food bags for yard garbage
Compost kitchen scraps and lawn clippings.
Never ‘run to the store’-plan your shopping trips after work.
Stop paying for cable and throw away your TV. Reading teaches you more than TV. You can watch movies on your laptop. Better yet, have the family play games after dinner together.
Tithe at your Church and God will reward your sacrifice-I am a living example of that. His generosity cannot be outdone.
Have a blessed Triduum and a grace-filled Easter.
He has conquered death and renewed the face of the earth.
Best comment yet! Thanks for shining your light so we can see the beauty of God’s grace!
I’ve been stocking the pantry with staples in large glass Anchor Hocking jars or Mason jars. I went on a Mason jar binge about 10 years ago. It paid off. They cost more now. These come in handy for beans, rice, pasta, sugar, flour, cornmeal, etc.
I also wash zip lock bags except ones used for freezing or storing meat.
I wash my shirts and pants in cold water, use softener, fluff on air, and hang to dry.
I stocked up some canned meats that have expiration dates 3-4 years down the road.
Fresh vegetables and fruits may be more costly this year; but, I am cutting back the junk food from my grocery lists.
Living with basics isn’t new to me. It actually makes life easier. Healthier eating will be a big plus.
I haven’t had cable for 7 years. When we lost cable during a storm, the channels I usually watched, plus more I didn’t have, picked up on my old antennae. I cancelled cable and bought an indoor antennae. Works for me.
I found out that the older I get, the less I need or want. I garden, I read, and take care of my Mom. After losing my husband and my Dad to cancer in the last 2 years, my motto has become, “what doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger.”
I refuse to live in fear and I have great faith He will provide and protect. He already has. Philippians 4:12-13
We at the Treehouse are never victims. We are doers, movers, and shakers.
Sharing and giving away things to people who truly have a need is also rewarding. Decluttering burns calories, too!
The house is easier to clean. Less cleaning products needed. First things to go were Hollywood/Disney movies, political and corporate media books, lots of CDs from people I can’t look at, much less listen to. Throw out the crap! The air is cleaner.
I appreciate you, Sundance.
Sorry for your losses, husband and dad in 2 years is a lot. And I am glad to know I am not the only one that washes and reuses Zip-Loc bags. I do have a really hard time w/the de-cluttering. Too many times I have binged cleaning only to regret later that I got rid of an item.
Thank you. I have done the same thing you did! I am getting rid of the obvious things that I know I don’t want anymore. Some things aren’t important to me anymore. Lots of things I still hold on to!
I appreciate you too, Sundance.
Reading CTH next to my spinning wheel, current knitting project, some raw fleece, 4 yards of linen fabric, and sewing machine. I learned these skills at the knees of my mother and grandmother. Never thought they would be a necessity, instead of just a hobby. Beer bread to be made tomorrow. And on my mind lately has been searching for alternatives to wheat, or at least for cutting down the amount of wheat needed to be used. Like rye, for instance. Storing some other grains.
Tips for hard times? Well, I would say that The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery is probably my favorite book for all things living independently. And for us ladies, I would say take Proverbs 31:10-31 seriously. It is an ominous list of tasks, but our Lord helps us.
I heard on Poplar Preparedness’s channel today (YouTube) that there are people now looking in other’s shopping carts and getting uppity when they perceive someone is buying too much food. If only they would take that outrage to those causing the shortages, instead of to Great Aunt Mabel for buying 3 extra cans of cat food.
You are in my prayers, Treepers, Sundance. ❤ We’ll make it. If God is for us, who can be against us?
I have Carla Emery’s Old Fashioned Recipe Book. It is a treasure. Bought it many years ago. She certainly “lived off the land”.
I love that you have a spinning wheel. I have never done that, but over the years, I saved a lot of the clothes my daughter grew up in, and I am now making a “memory” quilt out of them. I’ve never made a quilt before, so I’m sure I’m not doing it “right”, but like I told my husband, homemade isn’t supposed to be perfect — imperfection is a reflection of my love of doing this for my daughter. My sewing machine is 40 years old and needs some work (you should hear it squeal in complaint when I rev it up)! But, I like figuring it all out and even the cussing when I screw up and have to rip out the seams.
God bless, and thanks for the info on the The Encyclopedia of Country Living. I do have a book on healing herbs and a book called The Complete Guide to Natural Healing. Might need some help since doctors seem quite unreliable these days.
There was a discussion here about raised bed gardening recently.
Many expressed concerns about deer and 2 legged predators.
I saw this and thought – perfect!
It was a cover for the top of the raised bed. Made out of 2×4 and metal screen. A box. And it had hinges so you could prop up to have access…and would be feasible for locks. A frame and all sides had screen.
Think of of a box on top of a box.
I saw it on advertisement for off grid farming or something of that nature.
Really nice looking. Also saw really nice container gardening on/next to wooden fence.
Plenty of resources out there.
And like the saying goes…
Necessity is the mother of invention.
I have found breaking open rotten eggs and leaving them keep the deer away, it is also good for the plants. These days eggs are too expensive to let get bad.
Irish Spring soap works well for me. I cut it in chunks and put it around the plants, I also put some shavings actually on the plants. Keep an eye on it and replace it as needed. Ammonia works too, soak some rags and put the around in the garden. Ammonia is also an excellent degreaser, and it’s cheap. I mix some with water in spray bottle, use it to clean my stove, works great!
Don’t forget human hair! It repels almost all garden predators. I cut my own.
Also repels snakes – works great.
Wifey cuts my hair, too (what little there is left to cut, that is) and we put it around the door and the deck to discourage reptilian intrusions. Like I said, it doesn’t take much hair to repel those critters.
I have a pet lizard running around the house – he was in the laundry – then the kitchen now who knows tried to let him get out but he went for the closed part of the slider and when i opened was sandwiched comfortably between the two panes of glass I tried for his tail but granny is tooo slow these days so this is good to know
Put hinges with removable pins on both sides. Pull the pins on one side and lift to work on that side. Close and replace the pins and then go to the opposite side, pull the pins and lift to work on the other side. Use big nails for hinge pins that fit but are loose to make it easy to pull out with just your fingers 🙂
if you have tote lids you can cut the lid off the siding, cut the square into lengthwise pieces, staple as many pieces together to make a sizeable arch, staple the arch to the lid’s siding and cover with shade cloth and you have a cover for your plants. totes and lids can be picked up at thrifts saw a video on this today
“Coming from a family whose Tupperware® was a matching set of Cool Whip containers, I can tell you there are times when being frugal is a valued skillset.”
I don’t ever recall having Cool Whip until I was an adult. Having “whip cream” in anything as a kid was a rare treat.
Mom used old margarine tubs, cool whip containers (store brand, not Cool Whip), and never, ever bought anything with a national label. I still remember “generic” groceries in late ’70s and early ’80s. You guys remember those? Cans were plain white labels with black lettering “Peas” “Corn” etc.
I never owned a pair of Levis until I was grown. Mom and Dad bought the store brand jeans for me (“You just tear them up and outgrow them anyway!”) Lol.
I reuse containers for painting projects. Much easier to do touch up with something that fits in my hand and I don’t spill. I am saving my current batch for growing stuff. I moved from a condo to a house in Dec. My house has a quarter acre with some great oaks, a palm I am getting rid of and a palm I like. Lots of weeds so my cardboard boxes are rehabilitating the back yard edging and for a garden.
One thing I do at the grocery store is check the pre-made hamburger patties. Most of them are a quarter pound per burger. For some reason they don’t sell all that well, people seem to like packages of ground beef. Today I got four grass fed premium burgers for $3.69, far cheaper than buying a pound of ground beef the next section over that was $5.99 and not nearly the quality. They are always marked down due to being close to expiring date, but I don’t care. Sometimes I eat them as burgers and other times I crumble them for casseroles or meat loaf.
I also find hitting the meat department the night before the new sale ad comes out they tend to have more marked down meat. I don’t know if they are trying to make room for the new week, or I hit the timing for close to expiration date. I rarely pay full price for anything meat wise and find some really good deals.
Also hitting the grocery stores about a week after the food stamps arrive. The stores stock up in anticipation of this. Meats that are still in stock after a week of stamper shopping are marked down drastically. My sister used to can these meats.
Ssshhhhh! That’s our secret!
I remember when hitting the yard sales and antique stores were an activity, now everything is on the internet. It just is not the same as having a meandering Saturday. It takes the fun out of the hunt of trying to find what you are looking for.
my area still has yard sales
Thank you Sundance i truly love this tree that sed i have ben thinking about this for some time so how do we get through this together . BARTER it has worked for two thousand years . example i am a commercial fisherman in Alaska for years i would send a lifelong friend a cooler of salmon and halibut he lives in Sacramento Cal he would send me fresh fruit and vegetables .i had what he wanted and could not get and he had what i wanted and could not get . it goes way past just food i have another friend who works for a company that sells oil and fuel filters he also likes salmon and halibut and i need a case of oil and fuel filters every spring before fishing season same deal he has what i need and i have what he wants . if we did this right we could set up a site to do just that i do not want to complicate Sundance’s life any more than it all ready is so i sagest we find a way to pull this off without adding stress to our tree . post what you have and what you need see if there are any takers . up side is we cut out the TAX man and we are dealing with like minded people i know we have a very broad group here so there will be something for just about every one i am just throwing this out there to get the conversation going . i am not young and my TECH skills are limited but i know we have treepers that could help with the set up . getting thru tuff times is much easer when people pull together .think WW2 SUNDANCE would appreciate you’r thoughts on this . all i know is trust and love has to start some ware if some one gets screwed it will only happen once we will weed out the chafe in no time prayer for all treepers
R.D.
COOK YOUR OWN MEALS AND SNACKS…you’ll eat more healthily and save money. CUT UP YOUR CREDIT CARD.
I will add that buying seeds is always a good investment. Many of the basic foods are very easy to grow. Five dollars worth of seeds can equal hundreds of dollars for the food. The nutritional value of greens cannot be underestimated either. In many climates you can grow them around. Plant them in small amounts and every 10 days. Harvest right before cooking. A lot of bang for the buck and very simple to grow. God bless y’all
Didn’t know about the “every 10 days” after the initial planting. Will do. Greens get buggy fast here though… so our family does nasturtiums. You can eat the leaves, the flours and the green pods (they call them “poor man’s capers”). In southern climates they will go year round… a nice change from lettuce, cabbage, spinach, chard or kale.
The best way to save big is to leave your old life behind and start a new one in Paradise. I did and am very grateful of my decision. Learn a little Español! Mexico 🇲🇽
this was an email I received yesterday from Grip6. I’ve made purchases from them in the past.
“We’re updating our prices on April 25th, and we want to be transparent about it. Our Classic Series Belt is moving from $35 to $39, and most product prices are rising about 10% across belts and wallets, while sock prices will remain the same.
We haven’t had to raise prices since 2016, primarily because we’ve become increasingly efficient at manufacturing and automation. But this year we finally couldn’t beat the curve of inflation. As an example, the raw aluminum price has moved up about 40% in three years; but really all raw material, labor, marketing, and overhead has increased about the same or even more.”
Sizeflation is coming once again. More great recipes and left over ideas, will be popping up. Grandma’s recipes she always made something out of nothing.
When you wrote “sizeflation,” I thought you were referring to the phenomenon of increasing price and decreasing package size of many products.
My wife and I have always lived as if we had only one income. As a result, we, mostly her, have made meals that are healthy, tasty, and best of all we always had leftovers. Hence, make meals that will generate at least enough meals for two days. We had 3 boys around our table well into their early twenties. Every thing made was eaten, and their was only one rule when our boys filled their plate: “Take all you want, eat all you take. As next time you will not be allowed to take so much”. By the way, all 3 are good in their own kitchens now.
This is when one can appreciate having survived shortages, high prices, really bad economic times. During WWII inflation zoomed, ration stamps were needed for everything from foods to shoes, and wages were frozen. My parents realized that they had done better during the Depression. And we were all aware of their efforts to keep us fed and clothed and happy. Later we went through our own tough times, either personal or those laid on us by the likes of Jimmy Carter. Double digit interest rates, sky high gas, gas lines, and sometimes no more gas when one reached the pump. And on and on. Most of us are great appreciators of Donald Trump and the better times he promised and delivered. (How moronic are those who whine about his tweets? It never occurred to him that that was the only way he could make his own voice heard, undistorted by the enemy media. Now we manage to buy what we need and get along without the rest. We have no loyalty to gas stations (no service any more by a guy we knew and trusted) and we Gas Buddy our way to the cheapest. Covid aced travel. We had done a lot so are just fine staying home. At some point this will pass. Talk to someone who survived other times. It may help!
To be honest I started only buying essentials over a year and a half ago my entire family also continued to work through the shutdowns allowing us to save the stimulus checks. We are well stocked and well prepared.
Eyes of a mouse and ears of an elephant….
You can save orher ways besides your eating habits: Do your own hair coloring – it’s easy and saves lots of $$$. I have been doing mine since 2006. Change your hair style to one you can maintain yourself. Cancel cable, use your phone for internet. Cancel streaming services and other subscriptions, including Amazon Prime.
“… and a massive contraction in on-line sales. As we expected, we are seeing the continued demand side contraction for non-essential purchases.” This explains to me an experience I had just a few weeks ago which had frankly seemed pretty odd until seeing this post.
The largest on-line musical instrument retailer is a place called Sweetwater Music which is about 150 miles from me. It has a beautiful store and the building includes practice rooms, display rooms dedicated to just about any musical instrument you could name (I actually saw a guy playing a theramin in there one day), a used gear department, a cafe, a theater and on and on. I have a work buddy of 30 years who also plays guitar and now that we’re both retired we find reasons occasionally to go there and kick the tires (and have both purchased new guitars (as well as an amp for me) in the last year.
I have been hankering, for, gee, 40 years for a certain model of guitar that I’ve never laid hands on one I cared for how it played. So on their website I hit the ‘notify when available’ on an OEM model of this guitar I’ve wanted so long, that gets very high ratings and reviews and also has a months long wait time to get one.
Suddenly I was getting the full court press to actually order the guitar which will not be available until August. After a bit of back and forth via e-mail I relented and ordered the guitar knowing that all purchases come with a 30 day money back guarantee. Now usually, this place is a “kick all the tires you want and take all the time you want” yet suddenly, they’re on me like bad perfume. Seeing these numbers, now I get it … (A Sire butterscotch blonde T7 for any players that might be wondering.)
If a person is a commonsense driven consumer, and old like me, we have had many Democratic Presidents in our lives. All of these attacks on our way of life, aren’t new.
I grew up poor, my Dad was NCO military, but my life has been rich, in my eyes.
In 2008 I lost my cabinet company. Along with my wife and kids. I’m still driving the same truck I had then. The WooHan bio-weapon was like Deja Vu all over again, but it wasn’t.
Trump’s economy is still here where I live. Remodeling is becoming a great business, and I’m very busy. Chinese materials and Illegal alien slaves, build a terrible house. The new housing ‘model’, whatever the size of the house or neighborhood, they build in, they use the cheapest materials and cheaper labor. They start falling apart before the house closes.
There was no recovery on the other side of 2008. Business was terrible for 8 years.
Then came Trump, in 2016. He put us back to work.
My store has not yet raised prices on some of the larger packages of things like flour and pasta.
Before, the smaller packages that most people preferred were more economical per ounce. Now the larger ones are.
Save vegetable scraps (carrot tops, broccoli stems, tough cabbage leaves/cores, etc) in a bag or container in the freezer. When full, use a pressure cooker or just simmer the scraps awhile with spices, strain, cool, then freeze the vegetable broth you just made for free in quart freezer bags. Use in recipes calling for vegetable, beef or chicken broth.
Save your chicken or turkey bones/skin/scraps, cook in a similar manner, and you have more broth.
Learn how to feed sourdough starter, master sourdough baking….including so many fun things (crackers, waffles, pizza crust) you can make with the “discard” before starter feedings that don’t require long rise times. Sourdough baking can do amazing things with just starter, flour, water and salt.
Grow sweet potatoes if you can! They keep over the winter when stored properly, and then you can use a couple of them to start new slips to plant for your new crop. My sweet potatoes from last fall’s crop are still “like new” and we have a bunch left yet, despite using them often. The spot where I grow my sweet potatoes is quite weed-free now because the plants spread and keep weeds down. Butternut & spaghetti squash also keep well over the winter.
Discretionary spending- that is a new concepts for many Americans. As for the Communist and Socialisy wing of the Democrat party, they are dumbfounded!