[eastbay]

I thought it might be fun to share a few stories describing what regular everyday stuff now costs. We often talk about inflation and how much more expensive things are getting, but a few actual examples might be interesting to share with everyone.


For example, we thought it might be nice to have some guacamole this afternoon and decided to buy a few avocado's.


$2.00 apiece for two so-so avocado's from the local supermarket. $4.00 for two. I assume they were recently trucked in from California.


They were on sale today. A few days ago they were $3.00 each. A few days ago they looked a bit better too.

[emersonbiggins]

I started an Excel spreadsheet over the most common items that I buy at the grocery store. It's only two weeks old, but I'll definitely share my info once trends have been established.

[heroineworshipper]

Toothpaste: $3 for 12oz in 1997. $5 for 12oz today.
Crest spinbrush: $2.50 in 2001. $8 today.
Incense: $0.89 in 2005. $7 today.
carwash soap: $4 in 2007. $7 today.
Cable TV: $37 in 2000. $50 today.

[one_more_day]

There are two foods I use a lot of that I have been tracking since October of last year when I made some bulk purchases. The purpose of tracking was to see how much I was saving by using my set-price food. It can't go up in price when you already bought it, right?!

October 2007: Pinto beans .50 per lb., Pasta .88 per package

July 2008 not even a year later

Pinto beans: 1.15 per lb., Pasta: 1.49

These are some basic foods that people turn to in times of economic stress, and they are going through the roof!!! I was pissed last fall when I saw that beans were 50 cents per pound. I thought it was outrageous. Now I'm really, really glad that I made the investment.