🧑‍🤝‍🧑 / 🏡 The Price of Tea in China

[It Takes Eleven]

I haven't heard anyone complaining about egg prices lately, picked up a dozen of Publix large (not my definition) eggs for $2.49 last night. I'm filling up for $2.17 to $2.21 a gallon. I laughed at Publix citrus prices, way high. I may have had my last grapefruit if they require me to pay 1.25 to 2.50 each. There are many things that are far pricier than they were two to five years ago, including cars, real estate and health/home/car insurance, but I see some things on a little longer time horizon and consider the manufacturing efficiencies that's had some influence on the march of prices. My buddy and I scored permits to hike the Teton Crest Trail, going in September, and we have to have bear cannisters and spray since it's populated with black and grizzly bears. My BearVault 500 was purchased in 2014, receipt is still in the container, and it cost me $79.95. My buddy ordered one yesterday from REI for $94.95. My HP12c tells me, given an eleven year span, that's 1.58 percent inflation. Not bad, really.

The pain of rising costs gets our attention, but the areas where prices are flat or have fallen elude us. The technology/data pieces are the most stark. TV's have gone from mega expensive to almost disposable. Laptops are cheaper. Both are better. I think about how much I paid for the kids (and our) ipods and music downloads, text and data for phones, renting movies and just shake my head.

Is there something you know that's still affordable - or even cheaper - compared to five, ten or twenty years ago?

RTR,

Tim

 

[Justneedme81]

Computer parts. Price aren't bad compared to twenty years ago. It's still cheaper to build a computer tower than to buy brand new.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

I haven't heard anyone complaining about egg prices lately, picked up a dozen of Publix large (not my definition) eggs for $2.49 last night. I'm filling up for $2.17 to $2.21 a gallon. I laughed at Publix citrus prices, way high. I may have had my last grapefruit if they require me to pay 1.25 to 2.50 each. There are many things that are far pricier than they were two to five years ago, including cars, real estate and health/home/car insurance, but I see some things on a little longer time horizon and consider the manufacturing efficiencies that's had some influence on the march of prices. My buddy and I scored permits to hike the Teton Crest Trail, going in September, and we have to have bear cannisters and spray since it's populated with black and grizzly bears. My BearVault 500 was purchased in 2014, receipt is still in the container, and it cost me $79.95. My buddy ordered one yesterday from REI for $94.95. My HP12c tells me, given an eleven year span, that's 1.58 percent inflation. Not bad, really.

The pain of rising costs gets our attention, but the areas where prices are flat or have fallen elude us. The technology/data pieces are the most stark. TV's have gone from mega expensive to almost disposable. Laptops are cheaper. Both are better. I think about how much I paid for the kids (and our) ipods and music downloads, text and data for phones, renting movies and just shake my head.

Is there something you know that's still affordable - or even cheaper - compared to five, ten or twenty years ago?

RTR,

Bears.....yicks
Good luck with them....
i wouldnt trust a Griz under any condition with any spray or weapon...
Bears...snakes....and mosquitoes.....life could have been better without them

 

[alabama mike]

VCR's?

On a serious note, TV's. I saw recently that some 43, 50 and 60 inch TV's going for $175 and less. One thing that I do wish would drop is my property taxes. Where I live, we get an appraisal every 3 years. This year, my property tax is going up $827 for the year!

 

[It Takes Eleven]

VCR's?

On a serious note, TV's. I saw recently that some 43, 50 and 60 inch TV's going for $175 and less. One thing that I do wish would drop is my property taxes. Where I live, we get an appraisal every 3 years. This year, my property tax is going up $827 for the year!

In most states, when you hit a certain age (many times it's 65) you can file for an exemption from the school tax portion of your property tax. A buddy in an Atlanta suburb missed it the first year he turned 65, missed out on a $4,000 savings. He remembered the next year.

 

[TerryP]

I haven't heard anyone complaining about egg prices lately, picked up a dozen of Publix large (not my definition) eggs for $2.49 last night.

Around Easter of last year I remember posting a link here from the NYT. The article was about people coloring potatoes instead of eggs because of the cost.

I paid $2.21 for Extra large this week.

This is from April of last year:

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🧑‍🍳 Thread 'Since it's part of the national conversation and I'm curious 🙃 ... what are y'all paying for a dozen eggs?'

Feb 8, 2025

I had a delivery yesterday, including a dozen eggs, and I got curious how much more I paid yesterday versus the last few orders.

2/7: $5.51
1/31: $4.96.

OK. That shocked me a bit. That's a .55 jump in a week.

I looked back a little farther. 1/20: $4.17 for the same.

18 days ...

On that note, I saw a report where Waffle House is now charging a .50 surcharge, per egg. (How do they make waffles? As in, with what?) It only applies to eggs according to the report. So, with me, that's an extra buck, at least.

I also read where Cracker Barrell ( @It Takes Eleven this...

• TerryP

 

[TerryP]

Is there something you know that's still affordable - or even cheaper - compared to five, ten or twenty years ago?

Funny you should ask. I was just on a few sites looking at saws.

I don't personally own a chain saw. I don't have need for one; haven't had a need for one. I do have access to several so if the need arose ...

I need to top my Crepe Myrtles this spring. I have a hand held pruning saw that would do the trick IF I want to use that much elbow grease. (It seems important to note I have 12.) A cordless 10" or so would do me just fine.

While looking at a few models I glanced at their corded, electric models. Over the last 10 years I'm thinking those prices have dropped by almost 2/3rds. What I saw around $90-100 then is now $30-40 today. From what I remember, the 40v cordless prices haven't changed much.
I know the oscillating saw I bought last fall was a lot cheaper than the one I bought 12 or more years ago.

Now that I think about it, hand tools like hammers. There's not much change there.

 

[footballer]

Reverse? I think this is the third time hearing about this from other people. This video, Pat Buchanan, explaining about how G Newsome in Ca, rules and regulations, will come to have detrimental effects all over the country, not just Ca. With oil refineries stopping production, with hundreds of Mom and Pop gas stations shutting down and many independent truckers leaving Ca. More goods and food come through Ca ports than anywhere else in our country, I believe. Without the ability to ship those goods out to the rest of us, we may be in a bit of trouble. Especially the people who live in Ca. Of course, this could all be a bunch of BS, maybe a conspiracy. Some of you guys on here that are more educated than I, with more ability to research, check this out. Is what I am seeing real?

 

[50+yeartidefan]

In most states, when you hit a certain age (many times it's 65) you can file for an exemption from the school tax portion of your property tax. A buddy in an Atlanta suburb missed it the first year he turned 65, missed out on a $4,000 savings. He remembered the next year.

.....sure cant bitch about Tennessee property taxes,..
We just turned a bit over 900$/years for our house...property... farm...buildings..barns...pool...etc
But we bitch anyway..
Bet lake property is higher...lol

 

[TerryP]

Bet lake property is higher...lol

 

[It Takes Eleven]

.....sure cant bitch about Tennessee property taxes,..
We just turned a bit over 900$/years for our house...property... farm...buildings..barns...pool...etc
But we bitch anyway..
Bet lake property is higher...lol

My property taxes are less here than in Georgia, despite being valued more.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

My property taxes are less here than in Georgia, despite being valued more.

When we lived in dahlonega ga. Our taxes were higher n moved to tn and no income tax with lower property taxes was hugh windfall

 

[It Takes Eleven]

When we lived in dahlonega ga. Our taxes were higher n moved to tn and no income tax with lower property taxes was hugh windfall

I bet. I'm happy that income from federal pensions are not taxed in Alabama, either.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

I bet. I'm happy that income from federal pensions are not taxed in Alabama, either.

That a hugh incentive to move to AL after retiring.

And we dont have to fill out stupid state tax forms either
Always hoped in my life the federal income tax would go away n just have a national sales tax instead...i hate doing taxes.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

That a hugh incentive to move to AL after retiring.

And we dont have to fill out stupid state tax forms either
Always hoped in my life the federal income tax would go away n just have a national sales tax instead...i hate doing taxes.

For me, it being Alabama was incentive enough, but as I made a multi-decade case of why moving back to Bama for retirement made sense beyond my heart strings, cost of living was a factor.

 

[Krimson]

That a hugh incentive to move to AL after retiring.

And we dont have to fill out stupid state tax forms either
Always hoped in my life the federal income tax would go away n just have a national sales tax instead...i hate doing taxes.

Sales tax is the way to go. Everybody pays then.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Sales tax is the way to go. Everybody pays then.

True. On one hand, it incentivizes saving and living beneath your means. On the other hand, it means the grandma living off Social Security spending every dollar she has every month is taxed on every dollar she receives. That's where the tweaking becomes necessary. Someone living hand to mouth shouldn't pay a higher percentage of their funds than someone who only has to spend half their money to live comfortably. It's not really a flat tax; it's the opposite of progressive tax rates.

 

[Krimson]

True. On one hand, it incentivizes saving and living beneath your means. On the other hand, it means the grandma living off Social Security spending every dollar she has every month is taxed on every dollar she receives. That's where the tweaking becomes necessary. Someone living hand to mouth shouldn't pay a higher percentage of their funds than someone who only has to spend half their money to live comfortably. It's not really a flat tax; it's the opposite of progressive tax rates.

Guess there are different perspectives. The grandma you referred to that's say spending 30k a year is paying 10%, I know probably higher but same principle no matter the number, pays $3k in taxes where the person spending$150k is paying $15k.

I agree it would take some tweaking like maybe not applicable to groceries but the point I like is you're taxing foreign visitors, drug dealers, people getting paid under the table, etc and it gives me the option to buy or not buy certain items. Probably no perfect system but I'd like to see that over income taxes.

 

[TerryP]

I bet. I'm happy that income from federal pensions are not taxed in Alabama, either.

...when a state has something in common with Illinois, but you wonder if it's for the same reasons.

 

[TerryP]

I agree it would take some tweaking like maybe not applicable to groceries but the point I like is you're taxing foreign visitors, drug dealers, people getting paid under the table, etc and it gives me the option to buy or not buy certain items. Probably no perfect system but I'd like to see that over income taxes.

It's just convaluted.

South Carolina has a 6% rate. In Charleston, you're paying 9% when city and county taxes are added. It's 3% on groceries, as long as they aren't prepared. If they are prepared, it's back to 6%. If you are eating at a restaurant it's the 6% but since you are eating in Charleston it's now 9% and since you are eating IN Charleston, an additional 2% for a total of 11% to eat mediocre food with a bunch of 'effin tourist.