The cost of inflation......

[marvinsc]

There is no need for this topic to go political, we have had serious inflation here under both Political parties. I was talking to the owner of a really good BBQ place today and the subject of high prices across the food industry came up. He said "another year like this one and I won't be able to stay open". He said his costs are up 30% this year and he can't raise prices 30% because people can't or won't pay that. I don't have the answer but it is concerning. I make it a point to support locally owned businesses any time I can.

[Vmass]

I ordered 6 bar size pizzas and a salad yesterday, $120 with tip. It wasn't that long ago a bar pizza was $6-7 bucks. I have also noticed that reservations are not needed as often as they used to be, sometimes you can walk right in to prime restaurants without them.

[dpep]

This is going to be a tough one to keep non political. Good luck.

[bccap]

I agree it will be tough to keep non-political .... But as it's a factor that every western nation is facing, it's pretty tough to blame one of our leaders for the price of a made in China TV or the world market price of oil ......

[trent]

I like going to this fried chicken joint about thirty miles from my house.

We usually get the same thing, and for the longest time I thought it was a great deal
Two chicken dinner combos about $16.50, been that way for last three years. Last time I went there was about seven months ago

Today it was $23.69. Actually still not a bad deal LOL

Hog farmer was telling me everything has went up a little, the hog feed recipe has about thirty ingredients and everyone of those have went up in cost...not much but a little
He said then the mills that make and deliver feed cost in several other areas have went up as well, fuel for trucks, insurance for trucks and employees , employees pay, electricity, upkeep and breakdown cost have went up.

costs of every single part of business has went up just slightly......but when your talking about thirty different things it adds up.

As far as BBQ places go or any type of restaurant food services go...man thats gotta be a tough business in the fitst place.

That why I think a lot of my local places sell out early and close early
Don't want to run the risk of having leftover product, so they only make so much and when it's done it's done.

[Rob S.]

Sounds tasty, I love chicken.

Note to Trent: when a hog farmer is involved in the production of your 'chicken dinner', inspect your chicken a little closer. Does it have wings? What about split hooves, or snouts? Just sayin'

[trent]

Sounds tasty, I love chicken.

Note to Trent: when a hog farmer is involved in the production of your 'chicken dinner', inspect your chicken a little closer. Does it have wings? What about split hooves, or snouts? Just sayin'

two different situations..lol

Guess I didn't do a good job of splitting up the chicken story and hog farmer story

But Ya know the saying, when pigs fly

[Brendan W]

In a past life I was in the animal feed machinery business and last time I looked the biofuel industry was driving corn prices through the roof with knock on effects for hogs, chickens etc.
With high corn prices you see feed compounders forced to use alternatives. In Europe we have found waste paper, used hydrauilic oil. In general the alternates to corn are harder to form pellets and compression ratios go up and the power required. Something is wrong if corn is being used to pretend that somehow gas is renewable?

[LAB3]

two different situations..lol

Guess I didn't do a good job of splitting up the chicken story and hog farmer story

But Ya know the saying, when pigs fly

Rob's got a thing about eating pork, goes way back!

[LAB3]

Here's an interesting look at how things are panning out in the real world. From what I'm seeing they ALL apply with number five being the one that I find most disconcerting, It's truly amazing how many doors get opened with only two years at a private arts academy.

https://www.newtraderu.com/2024/08/07/5-luxuries-the-lower-middle-class-cant-afford-anymore-due-to-inflation/

[650Skull]

Here in Aus 2 supermarkets control over 60% of food sales. They have destroyed my local area, Far North Queensland, dairy milk supply buy selling the local milk at such low prices to the customer they couldn't pay the farmers a sustainable price for their milk so they went out of business. Now all our milk comes from over 2,000 Klm away and the price on the supermarket shelf has tripled.

Monopolies have used their power to keep getting bigger by undercutting small business till they couldn't compete any longer, shut their doors then the monopolies raise their price.

Since the COVID pandemic all of these companies, oil, supermarkets, especially have been making record profits. Most of this has been straight up gouging and blaming it all on the government's and the recession due to an over stimulated economy, when they have been the main contributor to inflation due to raising their profits at the cost to the public and primary producers,

Untill there is a reining in of corporate mergers, where a couple of companies control the majority, prices are going to keep going up. No competition so no reason not to keep raising prices, Take a look at how much these multinationals have making. Now they are have been able to buy back their own shares due to record profits. Dividends go back into their own pockets, CEO's are paid ridiculous amounts of money due to company profits while the employees are payed less.

[650Skull]

Another way they line their pockets, over here, is the pay workers a salary instead of wages. They use their employee power, because they employ so many people, to get special dispensation to subvert paying min wages with overtime rates on weekends and public holidays. Instead of hourly rate wages they get a salary with time in Lou if they work extra shifts.

If a worker is kept on as a part timer, less than 30 hours per week, they are not entitled to holiday or sick pay as it is supposed to b built into their wage.

[Jethro]

The other day I got a high score! I live on my own and usually grocery shop once a week. It's usually about $120 and I bring 2 reusable shopping bags to fit the most of it and sometimes they need to use a few plastic bags for the balance. Yesterday it was a light day, I didn't need much but it was still $100 and it all fit in one bag!

I sure don't understand how people with families can afford it these days.

[rphillips]

Way to complicated for me, In 1971, right out of high school I worked pumping gas during a gas war for $0.28 pr. gal., today the tax on our gas, fed. plus state, is $0.47, tax alone is nearing double the total cost in "71". Early 70's new Chevy pick-up was under $4,000, including tax and registration, today an avg. pick-up ($50,000) X 8% tax = $4,000, You could drive away back then for what the tax is today. Now let's compare that to a corn farmer, everything he purchases has risen drastically, I just looked and todays corn price pr. bu. is $3.80. Corn prices do fluctuate but corn prices reached the $3.80's back in the 70's and 80's... How can that work?????

[Vmass]

Here's an interesting look at how things are panning out in the real world. From what I'm seeing they ALL apply with number five being the one that I find most disconcerting, It's truly amazing how many doors get opened with only two years at a private arts academy.

https://www.newtraderu.com/2024/08/0...-to-inflation/

To the 1st point in your linked article, Massachusetts just passed a $5.16 Billion bill to help address our housing crisis. One of the most interesting aspects of this bill is that it gives single family homeowners the right to construct an ADU on their property. This is new to many areas in MA. Attached in-law apartments have been allowed with a special permit in many communities. This bill allows it in all communities and it includes detached units up to 900 sq ft and the biggest change is that these units do not need to be occupied by the owners or family members.

This is a game changer in Mass..........Victory! Unfortunately, I am not sure I believe this will lower anyones costs.