Collectibles Markets vs Economy - Why does it have to be this way?

Exhibitman · #1 11-14-2023, 01:23 PM

I haven't seen the massive spike in my food costs. It has been in line with the inflation figures. That said, I am a cook and we do not buy much in the way of processed foods (no soda, cereal, chips, prepared meals, etc.), so I don't know how much those have changed relative to raw ingredients. Also helps that I live in one of the best agricultural states and I get a lot of my produce, eggs and meat locally. My utility costs have been pretty steady too, but that is probably more the weather than anything else. We had a very mild summer in SoCal this year so we rarely ran the AC for more than a few hours and we are technically out of drought so there are no premium water charges. The only really vicious cost increase for us is medical: 17% premium increase for 2024.

Peter_Spaeth · #2 11-14-2023, 01:57 PM

Our food buying is pretty much like yours but our bills are way up.

Exhibitman · #3 11-14-2023, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Our food buying is pretty much like yours but our bills are way up.

Mine are up, but up in line with the inflation stats. Might be the local aspect. On my last trip to NY, I noticed that produce costs a lot more in the East than it does out here. Moving veggies from Bakersfield to LA is a heck of a lot cheaper than from Bakersfield to MA or NY. But our average pizza sucks, so you have that going for you, which is nice.

packs · #4 11-14-2023, 02:36 PM

Do you guys go out to eat at all? I'm paying $8 for a medium coffee and plain croissant every morning in NYC. And that's at Pret A Manger. Not even a fancy independent place.

raulus · #5 11-14-2023, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by packs

Do you guys go out to eat at all? I'm paying $8 for a medium coffee and plain croissant every morning in NYC. And that's at Pret A Manger. Not even a fancy independent place.

There could be a hint in there about why you're feeling strapped financially.

packs · #6 11-14-2023, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raulus

There could be a hint in there about why you're feeling strapped financially.

I doubt it since I don't feel strapped financially. I do think it's a little much to be paying for a no frills breakfast.

raulus · #7 11-14-2023, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by packs

I doubt it since I don't feel strapped financially. I do think it's a little much to be paying for a no frills breakfast.

Right on. Glad to hear you're doing all right financially. You had me worried earlier with some of your posts.

But turning to your breakfast, I'm a simple man with a small brain, so I apologize if this is obvious, but I guess I'm struggling to understand why you would keep doing something every day if you feel like it's a bad bargain?

But maybe there's some other important non-economic element here, like it's an important part of your superstitious routine, or maybe you're there to support your wife who manages this location?

timzcardz · #8 11-14-2023, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by packs

Do you guys go out to eat at all? I'm paying $8 for a medium coffee and plain croissant every morning in NYC. And that's at Pret A Manger. Not even a fancy independent place.

I go to an independent place, the coffee cart right outside or Pret A Manger (29th and 7th), Large coffee and two buttered rolls, $6 including a tip!

And he usually gets it ready for me between the time he sees me down the block and when I get to the cart.

BioCRN · #9 11-14-2023, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Also helps that I live in one of the best agricultural states and I get a lot of my produce, eggs and meat locally.

California and Arizona produce/meat and most non-processed food costs are way out of whack with most of the nation. The meat is generally reasonably priced and they're practically giving away produce compared to what is going on in the Mid-West and East-Coast.

I'm not talking about a 10-pound bag of dried beans (though it's also very cheap), but a variety of field-fresh stuff.

You can eat very well on the cheap in most of Cali and Arizona if you're cooking it yourself and you shop to value availability rather than simply whatever your heart desires.

I'm uh...staying out of the other parts of this thread. I'm just really impressed by how much fresh produce I can get for next to nothing when I'm around that part of the West Coast and the meat is rather reasonably price, too.

bnorth · #10 11-14-2023, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BioCRN

California and Arizona produce/meat and most non-processed food costs are way out of whack with most of the nation. The meat is generally reasonably priced and they're practically giving away produce compared to what is going on in the Mid-West and East-Coast.

I'm not talking about a 10-pound bag of dried beans (though it's also very cheap), but a variety of field-fresh stuff.

You can eat very well on the cheap in most of Cali and Arizona if you're cooking it yourself and you shop to value availability rather than simply whatever your heart desires.

I'm uh...staying out of the other parts of this thread. I'm just really impressed by how much fresh produce I can get for next to nothing when I'm around that part of the West Coast and the meat is rather reasonably price, too.

I was extremely impressed by the large number of very large greenhouses growing produce in Arizona. When attending the U of A for growing produce in greenhouses we got to tour a few. As someone who grew produce commercially for a few years. Price is mostly determined by the subsidies received. It is in all honesty the most important part of growing produce for profit.

BioCRN · #11 11-14-2023, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bnorth

I was extremely impressed by the large number of very large greenhouses growing produce in Arizona. When attending the U of A for growing produce in greenhouses we got to tour a few. As someone who grew produce commercially for a few years. Price is mostly determined by the subsidies received. It is in all honesty the most important part of growing produce for profit.

I miss UArizona's greenhouse webcams. It was nice to see what they happened to be working on.

I used to work in research agriculture (BASF, Syngenta), but I currently work in a lab environment government position focusing on post-harvest testing.

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