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From Wednesday, November 10, 2010
I got an interesting email from a friend this morning, in the form of a newsletter, that I want to pass on to you. She's subscribed to an online coupon program that sends out weekly newsletters and this one bothered her. Here are some excerpts from the "Tuesday Saver":
"With the holidays upon us, there's good and bad news about deal hunting. First, there will be some good deals and it's a great time to stock up on pantry items, particularly baking items. The bad news is, we're headed into some inflation that's going to cause grocery prices to increase, and some of it pretty dramatically. First, the commodity markets and fuel costs are climbing again. That means the raw materials to make goods and the costs to transport goods are increasing significantly, and that cost is going to be passed along to the consumer.
The other way we'll see this cost passed along is in yet another decrease in package size. Two notables are ice cream - now weighing in at 1.5 quarts, down from 1.75 a few months ago, and yet we're still calling it a half-gallon, and peanut butter - down from 18 ounces to 16.3 ounces. So pay close attention to pack sizes because that sweetheart deal might actually be a worse deal that you paid for something just a few months ago because of the pack size changes.
Ultimately, reflecting on my almost twelve years of being a die-hard couponer, I think we're going to see a tough year ahead for savings, so this holiday season should be about stocking up now while you can and making the most of your saving."
This both unnerves me and validates what I've been thinking and seeing at the store for several months. It's about to get ugly, folks! Prices are still low, so now is the time to get busy and get that pantry stocked. Think commodities; wheat, sugar, cooking oil, salt, canned/powdered milk. The holidays are a great time to stock up on baking goods like white flour, brown sugar, evaporated/condensed milk and baking mixes. And watch your weekly sales, too! This week I found canned fruit, condensed soup and chicken/beef broth for $.49 a can. Throw in a coupon or two and you can walk out with free products.
But don't stop there!
-Pick up some extra socks and blue jeans as cotton prices are already rising. If you have small children like I do, it wouldn't hurt to pick up the next size of jeans and shoes.
-Fill up your gas and kerosene containers (and store them sensibly, please) as there are predictions of $4-5/gal gas in the coming months.
-Silver is always good, but make sure you're dealing with a reputable company.
I don't want to come off as a fear-monger or a conspiracy-theorist, but I'm afraid what we have is perfect storm brewing: high unemployment, record foreclosures and bankruptcy, and a second round of QE. Throw in the fact that most of the world is upset at us for one reason or another and top it off with a long, cold winter and you have a real mess on your hands. It could really get ugly, folks. Stock your pantries and your closets and get ready to hunker down.
And PS-The Mister says don't forget to pick up some ammo...desperate people are capable of stupid things!
12 comments:
Nice post, as just a relevant now as it was then.
I do a fair amount of baking (I can bake, just not cook! lol), so I always try to stock up around the holidays. This year, more than ever, I think I'm going to try and buy some bulk staples for extra storage.
My BFF is the same way....terrific baker, not so much a cook. That is until we had some cooking classes and now she's well on her way to becoming proficient at cooking too.
I'm really concerned about cotton in the next 6 months. I hear cotton prices are about to skyrocket because of the drought/fires in Texas, etc.
Very good post, and it certainly applies to this coming winter as well.
The top post for my site to date surprisely is how to make rabbit liver pate and rabbit belly flap jerky.. go figure.
great find on the extra's that you found to bring home and can, also I will be making pickled beets soon and will try your trick of adding the hot pepper to it, will let you know how it goes.
Loved the photos of the kids out at the fairs, sounds like fall is a very busy time in your area with just wonderful things to do.
LOL...rabbit flap jerky...go figure. You just never can tell what people will read, eh?
Yes, do try the beets with hot peppers. So delish. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
This IS a nice area, especially in the fall. I think living in an agricultural area, people really appreciate the harvest, you knw?
It is a post worth re-running. I'm getting ready to do my holiday stock-up when the prices drop. (You always know, because the brown sugar is on the store end cap.)
I've heard reports that sugar prices may be headed up, and it is easy to pick up another bag. I'll get my whole year's worth over the holidays. This is in addition to the maple syrup I have stored, and the year's worth of raw honey. However, I don't seem to be able to store very much cane sugar; we stock up and then run through it. Oh, well.
Hi Jennifer...
My thinking exactly...I'll be picking up a bag each of flour, sugar, brown sugar and a couple cans of condensed milk each week for the next few weeks. Get a small stash going that way and then really hit the sales when they start popping up in early November.
I live on a farm in an agricultural area, and the cotton crops failed, as did the feed crops. Meat is already very expensive, but "you ain't seen nothin' yet"...the herds are already depleted and are getting worse. You'd think the price would come down as the markets are glutted, but a lot is being exported, plus feeding/processing costs have skyrocketed, so the prices have risen accordingly. In our area, due to extreme drought and wildfires, there is just no hay available, and that being trucked in from out of state costs $4 per mile just for the shipping costs. Hay is usually fed here just in winter, but producers have had to feed hay almost all year. This is true for so many commodities; the holiday sales may be too late. Pick up some extra basics every shopping trip, if you can, starting now if you haven't already begun.
I've been telling people at work this for about 2 years now. They are finally starting to realize they should have listened and now they are worrying. It was easy to see this coming, especially if you were in the trades, sew or pay attention to your grocery bills.
Mary-
Wow. I'm so sorry to hear what a tough time you fellers are having. I just heard in the past couple of days that beef is going to skyrocket due to the problems out west. As I stated last year, throw in some high heating bills and the average family is looking at financial disaster.
Kathy-
Yes! It was easy to see it coming IF you paid attention. The average Joe and Jane are too busy worrying about pop culture, football games and the latest gizmos to pay attention to necessary things like food, cotton, commodities. I think it will come as a shock to people when they begin to realize that there are real shortages coming.
Thanks! Just found your blog via Preparedness Challenge. I've spent this whole year stocking up, and I'm so not done. So much more I want to do! Money is super tight, but every week I be sure to do SOMETHING.
Timely post. I quilt and I have watched cotton prices double in a short period of time. It's far cheaper to buy a made in China Wal-mart hand-quilted comforter than just to buy fabric and that doesn't even consider batting, backing, and quilting costs.
I live in a rural town and food prices have doubled here in about 5 years. Our gasoline costs about $3.89 gallon, and my husband had been looking to retire soon, but with no raise in more than a decade, his paycheck is not keeping up with inflation. That's why I am in Farm School.
April-THanks for stopping by. I do the same thing as you...I have a list of necessities and try to pick up a couple extra each week. Even $5-10/week can go a long way towards your food storage if you shop carefully.
Heidi-I think yours is a story we'll hear more and more often in the near future, the retirement thing, that is. About the quilting and such...I try to do what my grandma and great grandma did: I use old shirts and blue jeans to make quilts. My brother, God love him, is a huge man and just a couple of his shirts produce enough scraps for a quilt....so he knows to hang onto his old cotton button-up shirts for his sister. In lieu of batting, I use blankets. Buying a new, inexpensive blanket is often more affordable than using batting. Warmer too.
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