jsu said:
They are hitting us hard everywhere you look. Groceries have skyrocketed, utility rates are going up. It looks like my kids are getting electricity and heat for Christmas this year.
The grocery prices are horrible. I work in pricing at my store and everyday I hang tags. DO NOT believe those tags that you are saving...you are NOT!!
Yesterday, I hung over 300 tags and with the exception of maybe 50 or so, which were repeat tags....all the prices went up anywhere from 10 cents to 1.00 an item!
And I get a kick out of folks shopping. We had those Chef Boyardee's ON SALE for 88 cents a can...hardly anyone bought them. The following week, our sales ad listed them for 10 for $10...they sold like hotcakes!!! I just don't get it!! LOL. They just spent 12 cents more per can ... $1.20 more instead of buying them at 88 cents a can for a total of $8.80. But they think 10 for $10 is a good deal...it is, depending on the item. Folks need to really pay attention to the prices.
Also, each tag that hangs in the store tells you what the actual price of the product is!!! You just have to know how to read it. At our store, you would not know, as it looks like a code. It would read 00295...which is $2.95. But I also noticed recently, let's say an item is $2.95, then a week later they put it on sale for $1.50 or 2 for $3.00 (depending how they print the tag), the actual price will read $2.95 in the code. But when the sale goes off, the product goes up to $3.05 and that is what the actual price code will read too!!
Oh, forgot to mention...found out yesterday...that ALL grocery stores are going to this new tag system our store is currently using. Now, I don't know if that is all the stores in our company or all the stores nationwide....so if everyone is going to this new tag system, the actual price is listed on the tag at the bottom right (if the tag is yellow and short)...it the tag is red and long....to top portion is still the same as the yellow tag.
Also, we have a new tag system coming out regarding seafood, meats, produce, etc. The product, if fresh (not processed) will state where this product came from. It will make it easier now, if another outbreak occurs, to determine where the product was purchased from. This is nationwide and starts 1 October. If the food is cooked or processed, it will NOT have the origin on it.
Groceries have gone up so much in just the last 2 months, it's not funny anymore!
And our store is NO LONGER locally owned. Another large company owns it and controls what we sell and don't sell and sets the price, etc.
And this other company owns several grocery chains.
The electric bill was pretty good this past Summer regarding A/C...I hope to keep our gas bill down this Winter for heating. It will be cold as heck downstairs (wear a sweater and socks), but atleast toasty when you go to bed upstairs!!! I keep the thermostat at 72 during the Winter and Summer...sometimes I lower it or raise it a degree a two, when the temps drop or rise horribly outside! But I am averaging around $250 each month or lower. However, I turned off my A/C this week, weather is getting cooler outside, and won't need to turn on the heat until hopefully November. It will run until about Feb/March, depending on the outside temps. So, I have a few months a year when the bill is nothing. This past gas bill was $23 bucks...and it will remain low like that until Nov/Dec time frame....whereas, my electric bill will drop to less than $100 a month when using the gas. So, it kinda' balances out, as long as you control the box that controls the heat and A/C.
I will be using the fireplace a bit more this year if the downstairs gets a horrible chill. We had to cut a tree down (it was dead and leaning towards the house) last year and that is what we will use in the fireplace this Winter and hopefully have enough left over for the following Winter!
I am still filling up my car once a month....well, I did push it 5 weeks this last fill up!!! But that was really calling it close!!! LOL ...and yes, I use my car everyday...to work, to drive the kids to school, to do errands.
As for groceries...USE COUPONS!!! You will save money. Make a list of all the coupons you used and write down what you saved. Put that money in a jar and at the end of the year, see how much you saved. I did that one year, and by November, I had over $700 in my coupon jar, NO BS!!!! I used alot of coupons that year!!! I don't use them as much anymore, as many of the products I use to buy, I don't buy anymore and we use BJ's for our bulk shopping. The jar includes coupons that if you buy one item, you get one free...make sure you add the money for what you would have paid for the item that was free. I need to start that again, come January...it was hard to get it started and remember to put the money in the jar, but after a few shopping trips...you will get the hang of it. Just use your regular grocery store...don't travel further to save 20 cents...you waste more in gas! And I do not buy generic....I am a brand person when it comes to food, like BUSH's BEANS, CAMPBELLS, LAYS, WISE, etc. I have tried some generic foods, yuk! When it comes to paper products, I buy the cheapest paper towels, paper plates, and napkins, etc, but TP...that is SCOTT!!! LOL
Well, that's it for now....wishing everyone a wonderful day!