Janet Yellen blames Americans' 'splurging' for record-high inflation

[OccamsRazor]

What items or categories do you feel are higher, but not impacted by energy or are in plentiful supply?

Everything is tied to and impacted by "energy" in some form or another.

 

[phreddyp]

Was I directing that at you? Don't you have more nickels to make with your cut-n-paste projects? Oh wait... I remember now... It's that oh so fulfilling life you lead by spamming news articles from 4AM to 8PM on local internet forums just for fun.
Buzz off!

He asked you to spell it out, hop to it if you can!

 

[SamSpade]

I will openly admit that I have researched the correlation however, do you not think that the costs of food and beverages (groceries) has increased in a more dramatic fashion than the cost of fuel at the pump? Do you think it is a delayed response from when prices at the pump were $4.50+?
I am thinking it could be however, I also think there are other factors that are effecting food costs.

I remember when I worked with the guys who produce the CPI - actually one of them joked that if the public knew how badly they coded it, they might never rely on it. But the idea is that when apples get expensive, people adjust with bananas. When chicken goes up, they buy eggs or bacon. People don't have unlimited budgets, so when one part goes up, they adjust so they can keep even with what they have.

I don't know why bread goes up 80% but cucumbers go up just 12%. I have noticed that they're all going the same direction, and two months later, it's still true.

I've also noticed a small number of items are very stable in price - it might be because they don't sell at the same volume as say, milk or eggs. So canned sardines or anchovies aren't costing me out of a budget. I've noticed that - as yet - coffee isn't going through the roof. Yet.

One thing about some costs - when they're on the shelf, generally their cost is roughly in relation to what it cost when it was put there, and what it will cost to put the next batch there. Hence, when gas prices are rising, the cost at the pump goes up - because the station owner has to pay the next order and it will be more. When they go down, the price doesn't drop as fast - because the gas in the ground was bought at the old price.

That principle works in groceries and it varies based on volume and how durable it is. Perishable goods, they're pretty tightly tied to demand. Other stuff, not so much.

 

[GURPS]

Buzz off!

Yeah I thought so

YOU HAVE NOTHING ......





and the whiny progressive trolls complain I never engage

 

[SamSpade]

Everything is tied to and impacted by "energy" in some form or another.

And with all the praise heaped on Trump during his first few years from the right - with regard to the economy - I'd attribute MOST of it to his attention to lowering the price of energy across the board. And it rippled through industry, employment, everything.

If we one day find a way to make limitless energy with fusion -

Well this is America - it'll never be FREE.

 

[OccamsRazor]

I remember when I worked with the guys who produce the CPI - actually one of them joked that if the public knew how badly they coded it, they might never rely on it. But the idea is that when apples get expensive, people adjust with bananas. When chicken goes up, they buy eggs or bacon. People don't have unlimited budgets, so when one part goes up, they adjust so they can keep even with what they have.

I don't know why bread goes up 80% but cucumbers go up just 12%. I have noticed that they're all going the same direction, and two months later, it's still true.

I've also noticed a small number of items are very stable in price - it might be because they don't sell at the same volume as say, milk or eggs. So canned sardines or anchovies aren't costing me out of a budget. I've noticed that - as yet - coffee isn't going through the roof. Yet.

One thing about some costs - when they're on the shelf, generally their cost is roughly in relation to what it cost when it was put there, and what it will cost to put the next batch there. Hence, when gas prices are rising, the cost at the pump goes up - because the station owner has to pay the next order and it will be more. When they go down, the price doesn't drop as fast - because the gas in the ground was bought at the old price.

That principle works in groceries and it varies based on volume and how durable it is. Perishable goods, they're pretty tightly tied to demand. Other stuff, not so much.

I agree with most of this. Counter point...

If the bread and cucumbers were both transported the same way to their final sale location, then why such an uneven increase if fuels are what you would consider the greatest impact?

 

[SamSpade]

But, are these very few people the one's responsible for keeping prices sky high for the other 99% of us?

Only if Janet Yellen's extremely ridiculous point is the truth. Which I don't agree with.
No, it's impossible to blame a rich strata of people buying cars and going to football games for why cheese is 6 bucks a pound and eggs run close to five bucks a dozen.

 

[Kyle]

If we one day find a way to make limitless energy with fusion -

Well this is America - it'll never be FREE.

Oh, it will be free. To foreign nations or political contributors.

Just not to us taxpayers.

 

[Kyle]

I agree with most of this. Counter point...

If the bread and cucumbers were both transported the same way to their final sale location, then why such an uneven increase if fuels are what you would consider the greatest impact?

The cucumber will last longer on the shelf than the bread.

 

[SamSpade]

I agree with most of this. Counter point...

If the bread and cucumbers were both transported the same way to their final sale location, then why such an uneven increase if fuels are what you would consider the greatest impact?

Demand. And spoilage.

How many sandwiches did you eat last week? How many cucumbers?

 

[Kyle]

... and eggs run close to five bucks a dozen.

Yeah. That one has climbed steeply in a very short timeframe.

 

[SamSpade]

Oh, it will be free. To foreign nations or political contributors.

Just not to us taxpayers.

My thought is, this is America. Screw that it costs ME nothing to make - you want it, I have it - how much?

Sure it's a bit -jaded. But it's also how capitalism works. I'm good with it.

 

[HemiHauler]

I chose to buy early and with a few days of negotiations between four dealers on 5 different trucks, one of he local dealerships dropped almost 10k off the price of a mid-50s truck.

That tells you how much margin there is. I am 100% certain they still made good money on the thing.

That’s not indicative of dealer margin. Guaranteed it was due to a manufacturer SPIF.

 

[SamSpade]

The cucumber will last longer on the shelf than the bread.

Han't been my experience at home. Cukes become MUSH in the fridge - but those English muffins will outlive my grandchildren.

 

[Kyle]

... but those English muffins will outlive my grandchildren.

 

[Sneakers]

The cucumber will last longer on the shelf than the bread.

not in my fridge.....

 

[SamSpade]

You laugh -

I used to buy them when they'd have this ridiculous sale of "buy one, get TWO free" and that should have set alarms off in my head that should have forced me to LOOK if there's an expiration date on them things, because no one gives two of something away unless they're desperate to unload them.

So I got them - and after a short burst of English muffin interest in the morning, they go back to the top of the fridge, and one day weeks later, I check it for MOLD.

NOTHING. I'm wondering if it's real or not. Or made of lembas bread.

 

[Kyle]

not in my fridge.....

For me, the bread usually molds before I get half way through a loaf.

Just not a bread person I guess.

Fresh vegs go quickly. Cukes turn into pickled cucumbers with onions for the fridge.

 

[Sneakers]

You laugh -

I used to buy them when they'd have this ridiculous sale of "buy one, get TWO free" and that should have set alarms off in my head that should have forced me to LOOK if there's an expiration date on them things, because no one gives two of something away unless they're desperate to unload them.

So I got them - and after a short burst of English muffin interest in the morning, they go back to the top of the fridge, and one day weeks later, I check it for MOLD.

NOTHING. I'm wondering if it's real or not. Or made of lembas bread.

If anything, they start to dry out after a few weeks, but will never mold in the fridge. Not sure why.

I'll take advantage of the buy 1 get 2 deals, and then vacuum seal and freeze the excess. They last forever and thaw perfectly.

 

[Sneakers]

For me, the bread usually molds before I get half way through a loaf.

I keep bread in the fridge too. Never molds, lasts a long time.