The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the third quarter review of average weekly wages [Main Data Here]. The results of the year-over-year comparison should alarm everyone. This is a very serious data point that likely means we are in a recession, it just has not been quantified yet.
By now, everyone knows the term “stagflation”, which means a stagnant economy and large inflation (price increases), the easiest comparison is Jimmy Carter economic program in the 1970’s. However, let me assure you what this latest BLS release foretells is not that. This is far more serious than stagflation. I am not an alarmist, but I am encouraging everyone to take this economic data seriously.
In this graphic I have modified the spread sheet to focus attention on the part that really matters. [Original Data Table 2 Here] What you are seeing here is a comparison of weekly wages for the third quarter (July, Aug, Sept) of this year, compared to the weekly average wages in 2020:
Weekly wages went up a sum total of seven bucks [$7/1,000 = 0.7%] year over year. THAT is ridiculously low. However, worse yet look at all the categories of workers who saw an actual decline in wages. This is not a decline in wage value, this is an actual decline in net wages earned. WAGES HAVE DROPPED !
This is not only saying wages are failing to keep up with inflation, that part is beyond obvious, the data shows actual declines in wages for full time workers. This is far more concerning, check that…. this is four alarm fire – running around the neighborhood naked and panicked level concerning… when you take actual declines in wages and factor in the September inflation numbers [Main Data Here].
Avg. weekly wages can drop if massive numbers of people enter the workforce in specific low paying jobs. However, this is not that, because employment growth has been weak and minimal at best; missing all expectations to the downside. The data on wages declining year-over-year is a genuine decrease in average wages earned.
♦ Now Factor Inflation – The inflation rate is stunning [Table 7 data Here]. Examples: Beef costs 20% more (year over year). Bacon costs 20% more. Eggs cost 12% more. Peanut butter costs 10% more. Home heating oil costs 42% more. Unleaded gasoline costs 43% more. Natural gas costs 20% more. Used cars are 24% more. The list goes on (SEE HERE).
I don’t have to tell you this, you can see it in your receipt at the grocery store and in the gas pumps at your local convenient store. But the point is that massive inflation is eating our paychecks and the inflation is getting worse, not better. Prices continue to skyrocket and the dollar continues to be weakened.
When you overlay the inflation, massive price increases in critical goods that middle-class Americans purchase every day; and when you overlay the massive energy cost increases and the cost of home heating oil this winter; and THEN you consider the reality that wages are actually lower than a year ago, well, it is a perfect storm.
CTH previously stated that from a macro perspective home values peaked in the last two weeks of May and first two weeks of June. Other than institutional investors buying real estate because they need to hold a tangible asset; and some regions where home values are driven by COVID migration patterns; we do not see blue collar working class families purchasing homes, replacement vehicles or expensive durable goods.
Disposable income has been crushed in the past six months. Now we are seeing data to quantify just how bad the issue is. With wages declining and prices increasing, the likelihood the 3rd quarter GDP (July, Aug, Sept) will show a contraction is very high. [Note Q3 GDP release is the first Friday in November]
This is beyond stagflation, because the economy is not only stagnant with inflation high, but also because actual weekly wages have dropped. Overall Main Street consumer purchasing is now focused on staple goods like housing, food, fuel and energy costs.
Some have speculated that a “Great Reset” includes the collapse of the economy to such an extent that government will be the only source of financial stability. I’m not sure if it will get to that level, but this latest BLS data release showing a contraction in wages for the blue collar bread winners is very alarming.
What is it like in your neighborhood? What types of prices for gasoline and foodstuffs are you encountering?
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I live about 40 miles southwest of Atlanta, GA. I usually drive 3 to 5 days a week in both Georgia and Alabama.
In GA, the area I drive in goes as far east as Milledgeville/Madison; as far southeast as Thomaston and Americus; and, as far south as the Providence Canyon/Lumpkin area. Other towns I frequent within that area are, Griffin, Jackson, Monticello, Zebulon, Butler, LaGrange, Manchester, Warm Springs, Talbotton, Buena Vista, Georgetown, and Columbus.
In AL, I go as far south as Eufaula; as far southwest as Tallassee; and, as far north as the Heflin/Cheaha Mountain area. Other towns I frequent within that area are Opelika, Alex City, Lineville, New Site, Heflin, Ranburne, Dadeville, Roanoke, and Valley.
Five to six weeks ago, the cheapest gas in those areas ranged from $1.70 to $1.80 in Lanett, AL; New Site, AL; Georgetown, GA; and, just North of Milledgeville, GA. The most expensive within the remainder of those areas was usually $3.09/3.19. Very rarely, it might be $3.29.
Within the last six weeks, gas has gone up considerably and getting higher by the week. The cheapest now being $2.99 to $3.05 and the most expensive being $3.29 to $3.49.
I’m single; so, I don’t need to buy a lot of groceries; and, of course, I only buy them locally. But, for the last 8 months or more, I’ve noticed a lot of empty shelves and that seems to be getting worse. Food prices have also been increasing during that time and getting higher.
This week, I heard second hand from someone who drives a propane gas delivery truck that propane is much more expensive recently and may double/triple in the near future.
I would advise keeping gasoline and propane tanks topped off and keeping as much as possible in smaller containers if possible. Buy as much storable food as possible/practical and don’t forget the toilet paper… lol
Which reminds me… I was driving through Eufaula, AL on U.S. Hwy 431 last week and noticed a few houses with huge amounts of toilet paper hanging from the trees as part of their Halloween decorations. I couldn’t help but wonder if that was some of the toilet paper that was bought last year when overbuying caused a shortage; and, those people were now thinking, “Well, we have so much now we might as well use it this way.” And, I also wondered if those people might soon regret wasting it…
It seems you stomp all over my neck of the woods.
Question: How are things in metro Atlanta if you have been there recently? It’s normally nuts, and I figure this has got it stupid on steroids.
Atlanta is stupid on steroids even when stupid isn’t on steroids.
I am in ATL in construction. The supply cluster is hitting more and more products.
Lumber has been expensive and somewhat worked thru this but i am interior design and not home building where windows and doors are tough.
But now plumbing products; tubs, faucets and more are depleting imventories.
Install prices have gone up 30 to 50% just this month. The workforce is tired and been at this nonstop for 14 to 18 months.
Permits in ATL are outrageously late.
Suburbs are definitely better.
Spot on assessment of the “Southern Crescent”, thanks, hearing the (difficult) truth helps me feel a little less alone…
Pancake mix is a cheap storable food source, overlooked by many
Plus it makes the very best batter for fried catfish. Mix the pancake mix with ginger ale and it comes out similar to Long John Silver’s crust.
Pancake mix as coating for lake perch is excellent, too. If you wish, just add a bit of your choice of savory seasoning to mix before dredging.
I love me some catfish. Thanks for the tip!
I paid 3.13/gallon in Griffin, 2 days ago. A week ago I paid 3.03. This sucks.
Gas in Phoenix went from $3.19 to $3.39 in one day .
In SE AZ it was holding steady at 2.99.
Last couple weeks it has steady jumped in price.
Today my station was 3.18.
Rural areas are being hit hardest…..3.45-3.55.
Went to Safeway this morning…saw no shortages.
But definitely price increases.
I’m in the Central Valley CA. Gas is $4.29 a gallon (cheapest ARCO), groceries seem way up to me. Have not noticed empty shelves though. Houses are higher than the last bubble and local wages do not support 500k home prices. People listing boarded up garbage dumps in the ghetto for 200k.
I feel like the media is trying to drive this “shortage” crisis. Like suddenly, we have a housing shortage, a car shortage, a toy shortage, etc. Doesn’t make sense to me other than their constant drumbeats will make people hoard and then there will be empty shelves. It’s as constant as the Covid BS
What is the psychology? To pull us around by the puppet strings?
I agree. Clearly, it’s not economically healthy to hand out nonexistent funds to anyone and everyone for any tax credit or stimulus anyone can think of. However, they just seem to be, even beyond that, trying to make people worried. I am hearing about empty shelves, and I believe there are, but I haven’t seen it where I shop, yet. So I have to keep open the possibility this is yet another thing that is being exaggerated for purposes of scaring people. Meanwhile, I am looking for where I can find my own networks between the places where food is produced and the cities.
Here in the Low Country of South Carolina we are paying $3.09 to $3.19 for regular gasoline. Prices of all groceries are up significantly across the board. My mother lives exclusively on Boost–a nutrition supplement drink. I drive all over to find it. I’m forced to turn to the Bezos company at this point.
I would kindly request Treepers’ thoughts on this observation–Obamacare is advertising that basically anyone without employee based healthcare is eligible for Obamacare at virtually no cost. Is this contributing to people dropping out of the labor market and is it a back door manipulation to get the population hooked on single payer? Once that happens, they will have COMPLETE control over the healthcare system.
Notice to those receiving or anticipating receiving their (66% less) pension via PBGC (Pension Benefit Guarantee Corp)…as many airline families are due to bankruptcy of their carrier…there is an IRS for for HTCT (Health Coverage Tax Credit) available to those of us between the ages of 55-65. It will cover/reimburse for 72.5% of health care premiums while we’re waiting for Medicare age to kick in. HOWEVER, it is NOT compatible with Obamacare/state healthcare coverage as best as I can understand it.
Keep in mind, before Bush/Clinton’s NAFTA treason, our medical system was good and affordable. Once the borders opened and illegal invaders got ‘free’ medical treatment, it drove up prices for paying Heritage Americans and bankrupted some hospitals forcing their closure.
Here is an older article about Obozo and his Bolshevik ObozoCare
https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2013/10/01/obamacare-another-private-sector-rip-americans/
And will require you to get the clot shot.
I would say no. Obamacare is really not viable insurance. Many/most healthcare providers won’t even take it. I see people all the time who can’t get treatment because the card is useless.
My Obamascare got terminated without notice in January. When I noticed in March that I hadn’t gotten any statements I called the CA provider. They put me on MedicAid as my income in the pandemic had fallen to near zero. I’ve been on it ever since. I hate it but at 64 and an LA county resident I sure can’t afford a plan of my own.
Gas prices here are never under $4. Typically 4.20-4.85. It’s complete insanity as most of the difference is taxes.
“
in Western NC, gas and food prices increasing nearly every week”
They want you out of there and into an apartment along side the commuter train, somewhere in the Raleigh-Charlotte urban corridor
Article V is the last (very last) non-violent option we have to rid ourselves of the cancer that is the Washington corruptocracy. The literally are no other options now.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to get out from behind your keyboards and get involved- aggressively active- in your local elections and find a way to support Article V in your state.
It is almost a certainty there is an active group working in your statr to join Convention of States – significant traction now across the U.S.A.
Just got back to Minnesota last night after a long trip, the third in a short period. 9/2-10/20 = 10,279 miles across 17 states (virtually the whole of the Central and Mountain time zones). Much of the driving was on 2 lanes, so we passed through a lot of smaller communities. Everywhere, and I do mean EVERYWHERE, businesses are begging for help. Yesterday, passing through a county seat in northern Missouri, we passed a Mickey D’s offering $13/hour. In Moab, Utah, it was $21/hour. Many fast food restaurants have gone to take-out only, and everywhere we asked the answer was the same: because they cannot get help. In the restaurant industry, a small sliver of which is our beat, supply chain issues are ubiquitous. Food processing, container manufacturing, and delivery have all become unpredictable, driving up prices at the wholesale level; again, there is a declining work force among the key dynamics in play here.
The question therefore becomes: in the aggregate, does public assistance now pay so well that our fellow citizens, by the millions, have made an economically rational decision to stop working and become dependents of the state? Sundance mentions this in passing in his penultimate paragraph. How far down this road have we already traveled?
John K Evans: I corroborate your cross-country observations. I’ve driven about 10,000 miles during the past few months, also on many two-lane state or county roads. “Help Wanted” signs are everywhere. McDonald’s wage offerings vary by location; higher, of course, where demand is higher. One McDonald’s employed a visibly elderly and frail woman at the drive-up payment window. She could barely move her hand to return change (which dropped onto the pavement). Probably arthritis. I felt badly for her, but, at least she had a job, if that’s what she needed.
The gubmint has put a straight jacket on America.
Some of us just quit to hunker down and find other options.
I cashed out my small retirement funds and am getting back into self-publishing.
Not sure how it’ll go but I’ve had success over the years – at least enough to cover my minimal expenses now that I’m divorced and my daughter has moved out.
I may wind up getting a job again at some point but I was just so burned out on covid crap that I bailed.
Just because you quit doesn’t mean you’re interested in (or that you condone) becoming a ward of the State.
Hang tough.
People look miserable around here all day in masks. Crazy. We can’t all move to Florida. It’ll sink, lol
Or capsize, like Hank Johnson stated about Guam year ago 😉
Mickey D’s in SW Missouri is advertising 15 bucks an hour to start.
You happen to see what they’re charging for a quarter pounder?
…about 1/2 an hour of work?
I thought federal extended unemployment ended on September 6th. There is still state though.
Could it possibly be illness from the vaccines?
It did end – I expected there to be no labor shortage. It was before the vax mandates too.
I’d get a second job if employers would drop the mask, social distancing and periodic testing nonsense. As it is, I stay working remotely until these change.
Not anymore they stopped the extra federal bennies early September. So I don’t know what’s going on. They are encouraging via TV ads for Californians to apply for rent assistance, and make sure to tell you that you don’t have to be a citizen. Free housing. I guess waiting for Section 8 approval took too long.
Interesting how in 1994 in CA we passed Prop 187 – denying illegals welfare benefits but it was struck down by a federal judge.
Corner popular restaurant in gentrifing neighborhood closed. San Diego.
And things will get worse in America.
Because with Joe Biden…There’s no ceiling to his flaws 🙂
Don’t forget Newsome is in charge of the State.
Well….we Canadians can probably beat you all in the gas price game – currently I’m paying around $5.95 (USD) per gallon. And you can imagine the impact that has on the price of everything else….
” The shelter line stretching around the corner …. welcome to the NEW WORLD ORDER ! ”
Song – Ghost Of Tom Joad , by Rage Against The Machine , about 20 years ago.
Prophetic.
” The grapes of wrath grow heavy, heavy for the vintage ” — John Steinbeck
We live in the country of Kickcanastan. A country where politicians kick the can down the road in order to continue to rip us off, it looks like we are finally running out of road.
Having worked in manufacturing throughout my career, I’ve been exposed to the highs and lows of economic cycles and stupid government and Wall Street antics. I’ve learned the hard way to save and stock up when times are good and to conserve when thing are tight.
I though we would have been at this point years ago and so I started to prepare for it. I paid off my debts, planted nut and fruit trees, began a small backyard hobby farm, started to learn about solar power and slowly began to put together a DIY auxiliary solar power system for my home, learned food preservation and stocked up on basics. I have re-powered my older rigs in order to avoid taking on the debt of buying a new vehicle.
Even with all that I know and have prepared for, with the total cluster puck that is staring us in the face, it may not be enough to get through these upcoming years in a reasonably secure manor. Getting ready for the insane suicidal leftism is a whole other level of preparedness.
Me, too. Look into AQUAPONICS, as it can give you fresh fruits/vegetables, as well as PROTIEN (Fish and shellfish) with a very small footprint, and (important to me, as I live in high desert) minimal water use.
Once the system is set up, the only “input” is fish food, and if you use flying insects attraction to lights at night, you don’t even need to spend $ for fish food,..just electricity for submersible lights, and for pumps.
I also have built my own off-grid solar system.
Cost, including a 4 and 6.5 generator back up; $7000.
Saving $150/mo. on grid electricity. Batterie bank cost $2800, and is warranteed for 8 years, so do the math; in 8 years, when the batteries need replacing, I will have saved $16,000.
So yes, OFF-grid solar DEFINETLY “pays for itself”, but “grid-connected” solar is a SCAM.
Sounds like you have a great system. My roof-mounted 7500 Watt grid-tie system paid for itself in approx. 6.5 years. I’ve now had it 9 years and its still working well..
Reduced my monthly electric bill to $0, except for 3 to 4 mos every winter when solar energy at our latitude (+39.5) is at its lowest.
What will you do when the unprepared left wingers come to your house to loot?
Look on the bright side… Gas may be too expensive to buy; but, there’s no need to drive to stores with empty shelves anyway. <<<Sarcasm…
That’s their plan to save the world. Greta Thunberg and AOC came up with it.
They don’t care about the world, only themselves. And Greta and AOC are just useful idiots / broken tools used against the populace of brain dead non-thinking zombies before they too are led to the slaughter / alter for sacrifice.
Gasoline: twice as high as this time last year.
Food: Frozen pizza is 20% higher than this time last year. A single steak is close to $20. There are large empty spaces on every grocery shelf. Last year, I bought what I wanted at the grocery store. Now I have to shop very carefully
Isn’t it strange that we had none of these problems under President Trump. I guess the Dems approach to helping Americans is much different than my own.
They are smart enough to know their constituency are intellectually lazy and do no research so they just refuse to tell them WHICH Americans they are helping.
My friend is a 57 yo single gay guy. I’ve tried to educate him on the The Shots but he just refuses to consider anything counter to the CDC narrative. These people are zombies, they just repeat what they’re told with no personal curiosity.
I grew up in the viet nam war era and none of us blindly believed DC. What happened to healthy skepticism? I hold out little hope for a political turnaround, as too many reflexively blame conservatives. These zombies cannot live without abortion I guess.
It’s not a storm until we drag them from their offices and string them up on the nearest lamp post. Until that happens nothing has been accomplished except the expulsion of hot air.
test
Successful ?
It cannot be an official recession until two consecutive quarters have been reported with zero or negative growth. We just had one according to most, the official announcement should be interesting but, many looking at forward indicators are saying we are definitely in a recession sparked no doubt by the draconian pandemic lockdown effects with the added kicker of the new Communist administration locking down hydrocarbon production and everything else with drastic reversals of government policy intended to produce just this result. But the money is there to do lots of wonderful things they tell us if only the rich would pay their fair share and they suck it out of the little guy through money printing. It seems like every time I read another article someone is investing in some new innovation through the vehicle of a foundation which is essentially giving the billionaire class the ability to invest their money tax free like they are one big retirement account. Meanwhile, the Roth is being phased out for the middle class and low limits prevent anyone from putting too much into an IRA.
What I see is the Red Haired Woman staring at a full blown depression coming onshore shore.
Milford, OH. NE of Cincinnati. The store have created a self fulfilling prophecy by putting out quantity limit signs thereby guaranteeing a run on TP and such.
(pun not intended)
So now anytime going to store we scan the isles and see what is grabbable.
We are in mostly bedroom area subburb so if the masses come boiling up out of Cincinnasty …..
Up 21 hrs 9 of which spent in ER with granddaughter/daughter please forgive typos.
All is forgiven. I hope your family’s well- being is protected in these uncertain times.
If you can catch a nap DO SO. You will soon become a nuisance and an impediment if you neglect your sleep.
Best regards,
Christian
Thank you.
Just prayed for you and yours.
Rest dear friend
Sundance,
Shouldn’t the percentage at the top be .007% vice 70% (0.7%)?
The Chicago Marxists only see opportunity in Americas decline.
And in California! They are snapping up property, commercial, residential, and land!
Texas here.
Gas averaging about $2.90.
HEB (TX chain) doing an admirable job keeping shelves stocked. All prices up there. I’d guesstimate about 35% on average. I live close to one of their larger stores and have to go several times a week to get everything I need. Products may not be there today, but show up fully stocked a few days later. There are some items that they have not had in a long time, so I either look elsewhere or do without. I noticed yesterday that COFFEE supply was waaaaaay down. And prices were waaay up. Note to self: stock up NOW. I tend to but 2 or 3 of everything now anyway.
Help Wanted signs are the norm. Rare to see a business without them. Service and skill has declined dramatically. Still living off that government dole that they squirreled away…..and the $300-$400/mo per child they are currently getting.
Vehicles (to purchase) are getting scarce. Dealer in Big Spring told my son he had not received a new truck on the lot in 7 months. The dealership here where I got my current car has very few on the lot that is usually jammed with vehicles. There is a local auto group advertising on TV to buy your pre-owned vehicle! I know we have received letters trying to buy mine.
You want a new piece of furniture? 8-14 weeks. A new ANYTHING….you may get it sometime! Happy Mother’s Day!
Gotta keep the main thing the main thing:God’s great love and care for us. He, alone, will carry us.
God, heal our land. Cause repentance to break out. Restore our nation to honoring You.????????
Our younger son is in the business ( he is a GM at major import dealership)
New inventory near non existent, anything coming in on a vehicle transporter is already sold.
The local Toyota dealership regularly has 80 to 100 new in the showroom or on the lot.
Yesterday they had three..
I can lease a Ford truck make six monthly payments on it, and give it back to the dealership.
From here in British Columbia they take this Canadian manufactured ? vehicle and sell it as a used in Washington State at a terrific mark up.
I hear ya. Same son is selling his used Subaru at a profit! Also, got the ONLY new GMC truck in Texas that met the criteria for using it as a feed truck on the ranch where he works. Certain parts are not available either.
Thanks fellow Texan Treeper.
How much longer do we have to pretend that Biden is a legitimate POTUS?
… not POTUS. he is the POTATUS (not original from me)
Are you actually pretending biden is legitimate? I haven’t spent one minute with that pretense.
In February, I started stocking on on imperishables/dried foods/HBA, etc, because it was a given that we would either have price hikes or lack of inventory. And now we have both.
Paid cash for a new Toyota hybrid earlier this summer, and it appears that it will be worth it in the long run. Ms. wundrin has an accounting background which helped us to become debt free, and frugal in our spending. We have been shopping sales for years, and have stocked up on many food items. Buying a chest freezer last year was a blessing, and it is also well stocked. We try to stay ahead several months on inventory as the missus labels everything with their expiration dates using a thick tipped sharpie. Combining trips during the week has also helped. When I was making the big bucks before retirement, I took an allowance that carried over into retirement, so I never noticed a change in lifestyle.
If what we are seeing today was because of an inept incompetent administration, that would be one thing, but this is intentional and beyond evil. What were these ignorants thinking when 0bama stated that he was going to ‘fundamentally change America’? Rainbows and unicorns? Caviar and champagne for the animal farm pigs, and breadlines for hoi polloi.
I’m thinking an American Holomodor. Many of the top leaders of the Democrats’s ancestors are Bolsheviks from the Soviet Union
The aspects of Holomodor should be required reading. The soviets enacted passports that criminalized passage out of certain areas, forcing starvation and unemployment on millions. The motive was to depopulate the zones of their long term residents and replace them with soviet-compliant foreigners. Sound familiar? Nothing is really new, which is why Bolsheviks hate teaching history.
I ran across this article in the comments here are few days ago. It was a great reminder and well worth the long read.
https://thenewamerican.com/gramscis-grand-plan/
“Crucial to the Gramscians’ success is the disappearance of all memory of the old civilization and way of life. The older America of unregulated lives, honest government, clean cities, crime-free streets, morally edifying entertainment, and a family-oriented way of life is no longer vivid in the minds of many Americans. Once it is gone completely, nothing will stand in the way of the new Marxist civilization…”
Overlay this with the high death rate of our elderly and the extra economic squeeze on those with fixed incomes. There has been an insidious evil at work for decades, and they will not be happy until we are all serfs and peasants.
As much as I fear what is coming in and of itself, I also fear it may be necessary to truly show us what we have (or soon to be had), and to remind us, as a culture, what we have been fighting for since the inception of this great nation and even before that. People will not stick their necks out, they will not stand up and fight until the brink, until they know there is no other option. It may very well be too late at that point. Only by the grace of God can we pull out of this nose dive that has been forced upon our way of life. I pray this is part of His plan, but do we deserve it?
Will your children or grandchildren remember? Do they understand the sacrifices made by those that came before them, the hardships that were endured, the lives that were lost? Do they understand what it is that patriots have fought for these past few centuries? Do they understand the gift that they have been given? Will they recognize it before it is taken away or have they already dropped and lost it on their way to Starbucks?
Take every opportunity to plant the seeds of freedom in our youth, to nurture and protect those ideas, as the forest we have relied upon is ablaze. The seeds of communism have already been commercially farmed, and we all know what fruit that bears. Those farmers are poised to plow new fields they are creating upon the ashes of our freedom.
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” –Thomas Jefferson
Don’t let that tree die. Make sure you have every resource you need in print, do NOT rely on the internet. It’s a great plan to ensure you have sources of food, water, energy and self defense. But that is all for naught if we lose our knowledge and history.
Seacoast of NH, checking in.
Gas is $3.29 Regular, $3.65 Midgrade and $3.95 Premium. Our station has a 20 gallon/day limit (I haven’t checked the others).
Grocery prices are through the roof, and there are empty shelves.
Milk-bone biscuits were OOS for over a month, only to reappear in a smaller package, at a higher price. (they were 16 oz. for $3, now 14 oz. for $3.39)
I drink instant Folgers, and it has disappeared (regular & decaf) from all the stores. (Except the new BJ’s.)
Other brands of instant are also missing, as well as k-cups and ground bags. Coffee- stock up if you find it!
Goya cookies and biscuits haven’t been available for months…
Dog food galore and no cat food (wet)… WTH, oh and dish gloves I can’t find rubber dish gloves even at Dollar Tree… course the hole in the thumb is a daily reminder of Let’s Go Brandon so there’s that.
Already reported my food costs are up $40 per week and I live very frugally. My gas costs are tripled to get to work.
MN
Drove through a local Ford dealer yesterday and their lot is less than half full of new and used vehicles. I could drive all around and through the few models they had.
Gas is running around $3.10 a gallon. Cube steak is $7.00 a pound. (I miss my chicken fried steak)
Canned catfood supply has been intermittent for a month or more but I saw plenty of TP, canned goods, meat, etc.
On a humorous note, when walking though the plumbing section at local Menards (no shortages that I saw) I started wondering when the wokies will complain about all the “male and female” parts everywhere. Then I stumbled through electical and tried to imagine what would they call those electrical connectors that insert into the female companion?
Get to Dollar Tree and snap up the salmon and Tuna before the Marxists they employ get it. Excellent for cat food. I have bulk purchased brown rice to start mixing with my dog feed. Going to try and make it last twice as long.
Northeast Communist State of Washington here. Gas prices are in the $3.70 range. Haven’t seen much in the way of shortages in the grocery stores.
Most everyone I see don’t wear masks. Saw a very positive thing this morning. The Sheriff of Spokane County had a news conference to say ” no deputies or city police officers will even be asked if they’ve been vaccinated”. Considering Washington’s fairy governor’s bs Vax Mandate and police officers being fired all across the state, Spokane County is a conservative oasis that will be flush with new law enforcement officers.
Ditto re: face masks in Idaho. About 30% still wear in Boise, but the rest of the state? Vast majority haven’t been wearing masks since May/June 2020.
St Pete FL
Price of unleaded gas Oct. 2020 – $1.99
Price of unleaded gas Oct 20, 2021 – $3 .29
I have enough money and food to last the rest of my life . . . . if I die next week.
Seriously, we’ve been slowly stocking up for the past year and a half. We’re good to go for a long time but not forever. If the hard times last a year or less, we can make it. If it goes on longer than that, we’re going to be hurting big time. That’s the thing about it, you can’t store enough food to last forever. You simply have nowhere else to store it after a while.
If you have available dirt, buy “heritage” seeds (I THINK its called) it means you can plant the seeds from your produce, for next crop, unlike most store bought produce.
If you don’t have dirt, research “aquaponics”; where the fish fertilise the plants, even as the plants keep the water clean, for the fish.
And START NOW; growing your own food is not something you just DO; its a learning curve, and you WILL learn from your mistakes; better to start NOW, start SMALL, and make your mistakes NOW, not later when they could mean starvation.
Excellent advice. And buy basic gardening books or take notes from Youtube gardeners while we still have internet. There is much to know. For example. where will you get the necessary fertilizer to replenish the soil every year? Or feed your hydroponics ? And for seed saving, many garden plants only produce seed the second year.
The last time “the end of the world as we know it” was predicted, we laid in a massive food storehouse (well, racks in our basement.) We made the mistake of stocking foods we could eat out of the can, with minimal prep, like spaghetti, beef-a-roni, and ravioli. We never had a big power outage, and that’s not food we normally eat, so it all sat there for ten years. When we tried one, it tasted metallic. Recently we took a carload to the dump. Sad.
But we’ve learned! We restocked with regular food that we eat normally, plus about 20 big cans of dried food, good for 25 years, donated to us by our daughter who moved away. So we’re in pretty good shape, food wise. We have a 55 gallon water drum and four full propane tanks. An airtight woodstove with a burner on top can heat our main floor, and we have a decent supply of firewood. I also have a working treadle sewing machine, so l can keep on making quilts. Oh! We just bought a big box of thick pillar candles for any power outage. Not to mention lanterns, flashlights, and a Costco stock of batteries. I’m sure there are many more things we could do, but for now, we feel secure.
But, to your point, it won’t last forever. Hopefully, we can outlast these traitorous fools.
Northern Virginia in the Washington DC swamp. Chain stores have full shelves, although prices are 50% higher. Housing prices going through the roof and the average single family is on the market a whole 24 until a contract is signed. Basically, prices all up but the place is booming because the people here don’t feel a thing. Sickening.
Fully expected. Literally “from day ONE”, the Bidenites have been attempting to erase EVERY ONE of PDJT’s “Promises made, promises kept”;
Remember how his list of accomplishments included “lowest BLACK, HISPANIC, ASIAN and Woman unemployment (as well as high school drop out, high school graduate only, and even ex felon) unemployment,…AND the first real wage growth for blue collar and non-supervisory workers in fifty years?
Well, now the Bidenites can check another thing on their list.
And, I guess they figure this will add impetus to their stupid “National $15/hr minimum wage, which will inevitably lead (in their deranged minds) to wage/price controls, dictated by the Fed government.
Just as they have in Venezuela, and with the same result.
I see on TGP, where over 700 GE contract workers, walked off the job, due to vax mandate, and it is said to be going “Nationwide” this week.
The combination of the manufactured supply chain fiasco, combined with trashing the economy and exacerbating the “worker shortage” with mandates, has GOT to be hurting the Multinationals and Big corporations.
At what point will they wake up, and realise Conmunism/Fascism ALWAYS initially “partners with” Big companies, to the benefit OF the Big companies, only to, ‘ in the end’ TAKE OVER those companies.
Obama signed a sweeping executive order, giving the POTUS the authority to, based on a declaration of a National emergency (without clearly specifying what qualifies AS a NE, or any limitations) take over ANY business, in any and every sector, in effect “Nationalising” it.
In their “end game”, Conmunist/Fascist screw ALL the “useful idiots” who helped them achieve power, and the schedenfrude for us will be bitter,..
They will also marginalise/disappear all the “opinion makers” who parroted their talking points, as well.
Watch for Bill Maher to go the way of Chris Mathews, its coming.
“Something in the air tonite, Oh Lord!”
and,…”Something happening here, what it is ain’t exactly clear!”
If they want to undo ALL that POTUS did..why did they NOT get rid of the Space Force?
That seems to be one of the few things POTUS did that they kept?
They are woke-a-tizing it.
I live maybe 20 minute drive from G.E. Evendale and all I hear are crickets… For any that don’t know they build a LOT of jet aircraft engines.
These are jobs not easily replaced by illegal alien invaders.
Even the Ohio Star hasn’t covered it.
Something in the air tonight.
I’ve been waiting for this moment all of my life.
Hold on. Hold on.
I typically go out and eat once a day as my main meal. Its a pretty consistent routine of the same restaurants and the same meals. These are locally owned restaurants, and I have noticed that I typically don’t break more than $20 for a meal, or a little over. The other day I got a coffee, a tunafish sandwich, a side of potato salad and a slice of pumpkin pie. $22 minus tip. It seems like most items are up a dollar.
I’ve pointed this out before but this interpretation of the wage data is incorrect. Wage growth spiked dramatically last year because the job losses were mostly in lower wage jobs. As some of those jobs have come back, they bring the wage rate down.
The more accurate data series is the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s stats on wages for those employed in the same job for at least a year. Those wages are +4% or so.
https://www.atlantafed.org/chcs/wage-growth-tracker
Don’t be like the “left.” Let’s only report the truth and make sure our data is accurate. Don’t need to “make up” problems, there are enough as it is….
Very informative. Thank you. We make our side look uninformed if we argue points based on incomplete or misleading information.
Apparently you did not look at the number of actual workers.
The reason a prominent Democrat (Colorado Governor Jared Polis) can tell kids to lie to their parents and get the COVID shot is because he knows the media will cover for him as well as big business corporate America. He knows the Democratic party will stand by him and not disavow him. He knows all the tech oligarchs and leftwing billionaires will praise him. He knows his back is safe.
One other thing he knows. No matter what theatrics the GOP may or may not eventually stage, it will be meaningless and without consequence.
This is why having a fake opposition party is the single greatest enabler for leftist tyranny.
https://iotwreport.com/colorado-governor-says-kids-should-lie-and-get-covid-vaccine-without-parents-knowing/
The “Now Hiring” signs, the jobs posted on Indeed, are lies. Employees are being worked like slaves, and new help isn’t being hired. When someone quits or is fired, they’re not replaced.
Gas in small town Wi. $2.98-$3.09
Shelves are rows of 15 of one item of 1 or 2 deep
Id been avoiding news to maintain my cheerful disposition but could see” something is up”!
My thoughts are that the imported taliban would go for the grid .
I know how to be poor, but off the grid that’s what we need to know how to be.
All biblical signs are pointing to the rapture
Otherwise Lord help us
We’re in need of a miracle.
Wise comment. How will we connect with each other without the grid? We don’t have telephone wires running down the road from house to house. We don’t have dependable local postal services anymore– they are corrupted at the top. We don’t have small local newspapers with announcement sections and classified sections. For starts we will need CB systems and walkie-talkies. You can download apps that make your cellphone into a walkie-talkie independent of towers.
Have you looked at your 401Ks lately?
I think it’s time to move everything to a self directed IRA account.
You can hold some gold and silver with your self directed IRA…
Recession hasn’t happened yet, because the Fed is still pumping money into the markets and keeping asset prices high. However, they have already begun to taper and the tap is scheduled to be turned off by next summer by which time a massive market correction will be upon us. Those of you invested in the stock market should look at diversifying your portfolios, build your cash positions, start selling off stocks gradually. Meanwhile, learn to grow your own food, get to know local farmers so you can supply eggs, milk and meat locally. Build a personal relationship with these people now, so when there are massive shortages in the chain stores, you are at the front of the line with the local guys.
You are under the assumption we all own portfolios and live next door to farmers. The only “personal relationship” I can build with a supplier is with the dairy manager at Krogers.
nimrodman: Ribeye for the Big Guy.
Excellent sticker placement! I am going to order some for a few friends and myself. We will be putting them everywhere we go!!????
Prices here in central NC up on everything. This article has a huge ghost in it…suspect tptb will blame it on wufli…but I think it’s because folks don’t have the money to go to the fair….
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – The N.C. State Fair’s attendance remained lower than previous years as Sunday saw 93,182 fairgoers.
Thursday saw 27,209 in attendance – the lowest number on record since the event began opening its doors on Thursdays in 2008.
I just don’t “get it”,…
OUR narrative is that the Conmunists are “in league” with the Big, multinational corps, and doing their bidding,…
And yet, the Bidenistas CREATE a supply chain disturption, thats killing the big multinationals, as their products CAN’T get to the largest consumer market in the World.
The fake “mandate” is resulting in companies with over 100 employees, experiencing a MAJOR drain of skilled workers, who have PLENTY of alternatvives for employment, due to the labor shortage,…
HOW, exactly is this part of some “Grand design” by TPTB, with Obummer (who, IMHO is too LAZY to try to conquer the World) or $oro$, or even Xi, who is up to his elbows in his OWN set of self-created peoblems, “pulling the strings”?
Or, is it a monumental cock-up, a result of Hubris, the “natural” progression of Civilisations to eventually self-destruct, as INEVITABLY, Civilisations evolve a ruling class who are totally divorced from the consequences of their actions, and they “fiddle while Rome burns”, and when told the people are starving as they have no bread, blithely say “let them eat cake!”?
Biden IS the perfect avatar, to represent a clueless, decrepit, corrupt and brain dead “elite”, wandering around muttering to themselves, drooling idiots all.
I guess I just don’t believe the “grand plan”, and master puppeteer; instead I see NO puppeteer, NO ONE “in charge”.
BlackRock, Dutchy.
FYI: At a gas station I use to fill the tank before heading into Fenway Park:
On October 5th, 2021 – when the Red Sox beat the Yankees in the AL Wild Card game – regular gas was $2.96 / gallon
On October 20th, 2021 – when the Red Sox lost to the Astros in the ALCS Game 4 – regular gas was $3.35 / gallon
…29 cent – or, 9.8% – increase in 15 days.
Today, the price was $3.38 / gallon.
At this rate soon I won’t be able to afford paying attention. Sigh.
I live in metro Atlanta/Buckhead/Fulton County.
GAS
I never buy gas in Fulton County because it’s ~$.50/gallon higher than Cobb County (3 miles north). The closest station to me was charging $3.49/gallon this week – a drastic increase from just a few days/week(s) ago.
Gas Buddy app, gives gas pricing in my area.
Today Range: $3.19 to $3.89 ($.70 spread)
The price of gas depends on what county you live in. Every brand charges as much as $50 more PER GALLON if you live in Fulton County instead of Cobb, even if the same brand station is 2 miles apart but one is in Fulton, the other in Cobb, there will be a major price difference.
QT $3.19 – only brand that charges the same in Fulton/Cobb in the 2 stations I go to (3 miles apart).
FOOD:
Aldi’s & Publix (Atlanta & Florida)
Very noticeable increases 6-3 months ago. Extreme increases in the last three months and the increases are now weekly.
I have been well aware that food increases and shortages were coming:
My solution:
I have (finally) honed in on Publix marketing plan and I shop accordingly. Know that Publix policies can vary from GA to FL and probably in other states.
If I buy the sale items in Publix that I use, the price is a little more than Aldi’s.
Whole Foods
I have an Amazon Prime account but only used it today to purchase 2 sale items at further discounts with a Prime account. I won’t regularly shop at WF as the pricing is too inflated, but I am now looking at this discount option for purchasing food as WF is a new store nearby me too. The WF app shows the sale items, plus WF is sending me a weekly email. Finally reading it. I think WF is desperate for customers.
WF is offering all frozen pizzas at 50% off to Prime Members. It was their 365 brand and was $2.50 per pizza. Obviously, WF’s loss leader. So glad no other shoppers were there to see how many I bought!
I rarely eat/buy meat.
Clark Howard, a well-known consumer advocate, has a big operation in all areas of purchase (food, electronics, new/used cars, cell phone packages, insurance, etc) I get his weekly eNewletter. He spotlights 6 topics each week, including senior issues. Recent topics:
1. What you Can do To Fight Energy Costs This Winter
2. Best And Worst States For Workers Over 65
3. Ten Least Expensive Major Cities
4. Will I Benefit From Social Security Increase If I’m Not Collecting Yet?
I rely on Clark Howard for research on any issue. He is a well-known penny pincher.
Above is my approach to inflation.
My neighbor works at a retail store for very specific items. She says that every weekend they are flooded with Hispanic people spending $100s at her store. Their sales are through the roof. These people apparently have disposable income. She said also she is seeing an increase in sales the weekends the extra child tax credit is paid out.
My husband works in an industry that is also affected by government payouts. They have listed on their spreadsheets when payouts are given because there is always a lull in business when that happens. The government payouts, which are responsible for some of this inflation, are not being used to pay bills.
If you can find someone who raises cows without antibiotics buy it , and have it processed. Join a group and share. One half cow processed will last a small family about a year. You should be able to buy the cow, pay someone to feed it out the last few weeks on grain, and process it for you according to your specific needs for less than ave. of $3.00 a pound. Sure beats paying $5.00 for a pound of ground beef. You get the grade of ground beef you want, lean or extra lean, and the steaks and roasts cut and what you don’t usually eat you can have ground into hamburger meat. Be sure to tell the processor that you don’t want the liver and tail and save on that. Thank Goodness we have been able to do this for several years and pray we can continue. Find a farmer who will sell you mostly organic eggs.
43.00 a
Sure is clear as a bell that you never grew up on a real farm with real animals and real gardens.
How many people are in this small family that 1/2 of a cow is going to feed for 12 months?
Organic is nothing but government regulated growers/producers…for the suckers.
Don’t be fooled.
The government took over agriculture way back in the 40’s-50’s and completely destroyed it.
Yes, my husband and I came from big farm families who were self-sufficient until the Government wanted to get into the act and steal it away from us. My Dad, God rest his soul, fought them tooth and nail in the 50’s and educated all 7 children on the liars running this country.
We were a very political family and community oriented, long before today….
I just shake my head and roll my eyes. Mom and Dad are rolling over in their graves.
Grew up on a farm, too–“cows” were never butchered for the dinner table.
Cows were milked for years, providing skim milk, cream, butter, buttermilk, etc.
One teensy little detail I hadn’t seen anyone mention; with wages down that will mean less taxable income. And with less taxable income you know what comes next from those Democrat Despots … raise taxes.
They were going to try to do that anyway, but now the situation they’ve created is so bad their only solution is to screw things up even more.
Uncle Joe never met a tax he didn’t like … as long as it wasn’t on him.
Boise, Idaho: I got gas for my vehicle last week. Regular 87 octane was $3.79. Our gas prices have always been higher than most areas of the country–maybe because there’s no easy, direct east-west highway route to Boise?
Didn’t check what diesel was, but ethanol-free gas is $4.95/gallon.
From my realtor a few days ago (note: The capital city of Boise is located in Ada county, most populous county in Idaho):
Ada County housing unit sales in September were 20% lower than they were last September, and pending contracts were also down 20% lower compared to the end of last September. This should mean lower same month sales in the next several months.
As you can see from the chart below, unit sales began to slow beginning in June, and average and median prices began to fall beginning in July. Unit sales in the last 4 months were 24% lower than they were a year ago for those same months and inventory has doubled, from 21 days to 42 days.
Average and median prices rose 32% from October 2020 to July 2021, a period of 9 months. That kind of month-to-month price escalation is untenable.
Haven’t yet seen empty shelves at grocery stores or Walmart, Target, etc. In Boise…..
Ok, women’s wages grew more than men’s wages shrank. It could be that some married couples are switching things up. He becomes the primary caregiver (his wages drop) and she becomes the primary breadwinner (her wages increase).
Or if they both already work, maybe she’s increasing her hours while he reduces his.
On the other hand, it could be single men whose wages are lowering. Or that wives wages are not increasing, but only single women’s wages are.
Praying for my fellow Americans either way.
Seen in Costco…
Bare shelves…
“What is it like in your neighborhood? What types of prices for gasoline and foodstuffs are you encountering?”
the people predicting a 10%+rise in grocery costs in the next 60 days are wrong in the sense that I believe it’s happened in the PAST 60 days.
Central IN. Spent $150 at Mart-Mart for stuff that last year cost &100-110. Gas about $3.41 for regular unleaded. Already eating less (no beef, lots of rice, chicken twice a week). I bought 3 footlongs and some chips at Subway for some homeless guys, price came to $38.00. “Budget” breakfast at Denny’s with coffee – $13.00 incl. tax. Not doing that again! Interesting note — Denny’s is hiring, w/$500 signing bonus, paid vacations, and “No E-Verify! Background friendly!”
Electric bills coming in at $25.00 – $35.00 per month more for same KwH (I keep track of that stuff). We’re gonna have 2 more years of this junta — and even if we somehow managed to elect sane leadership, the Left has done / will yet do so much economic damage that any hopes I had for retirement are entirely gone now. Was gonna finally replace my 20+ year old Buick, but the price on new cars is insane. Bought one for my kid this summer, and we can barely afford that. Times like this, and no doubt times still to come, make me appreciate the beauty of Christ. Never fails, never devalues, never lies, always uplifts and sustains.