What Inflation?....

[Halbhh]

US productivity is down to 1948 levels.

Here's the actual U.S. productivity graph since about that time (the same time frame you just spoke about):

United States Nonfarm Labour Productivity - 2022 Data - 2023 Forecast

As you can see, it's mistaken to claim it's fallen to 1948. U.S. productivity is far far higher than in 1948....

 

[QvQ]

You are right. It is the largest decline in productivity since 1948. It is that "hook" at the end of the line chart.

 

[Halbhh]

You are right. It is the largest decline in productivity since 1948. It is that "hook" at the end of the line chart.

Ah, you didn't actually mean what you wrote above then:

US productivity is down to 1948 levels.

Instead you only meant just that there was a significant decline recently, for one year....

That's not saying much, though. For example, if we took one of the years where global temperature declined (maybe that big down zig during the late 90s), and said it was falling more generally, we'd just be mistaken:

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/2020-tied-for-warmest-year-on-record-nasa-analysis-shows

 

[QvQ]

Yes, everyone occasionally miswrites or misspeaks. Productivity declined is what was intended.

 

[QvQ]

Oil starting to climb again. Rats! I track all the data, interesting to see where it is all going. Inflation doesn't matter exactly. The government tosses more money in the street. Everyone has a wheel barrel full of money to buy bread but watch the shortages.
So far, supply chain issues are clouding that. There were many safeguards put in place since the Great Depression to ensure our food supply, so inflation of hard goods is only "recession.
The economy should just be adjustments, but adjusting can be a major hardship, witness 2008. I think the Fed and banks are in good shape, corrected after 2008.
Things should be getting better right along.

 

[Halbhh]

Organic Eggs were the price I thought they would be: $6.99 for 2 dozen Organic Eggs right now, today (I bought some) -- which is about 17% more expensive today than 1 and 2 years ago.

I have the receipts.

@QvQ -- if your store really charges $12.69 now vs $6.00 1 or 2 years ago, your store is very much overcharging you by a huge amount.

Now, normally pay $6 for eggs. Price today $12.69

You can easily find a better price if you try and drive far enough.

As I suggest above, try a once per month trip (or even once every 5 or 6 weeks), and stock up at a store that has far better prices. Buy enough eggs, coffee, etc. for a month or more.

Coffee was on sale, and they had so much they stacked it on the floor.

 

[QvQ]

I shop Once a Month. Glad to hear there is coffee in the pipeline. As for shortages, a few months ago a friend in another state reported that the frozen food cases in all the stores in his area were empty. I went to our stores and the cases were fairly normal although we couldn't get frozen orange juice.

 

[QvQ]

So today an out of state report Gas $5.25 a gallon. Hasn't come down a cent. I don't know what gas is here, haven't bought any but a few weeks ago, $3.89
Seems like all prices are local now.

 

[Halbhh]

We are usually among the highest priced states here for gasoline.

But I'm now filling up as I type, at $4.45/gal.

Of course, I didn't pick the highest price station....

 

[Halbhh]

AAA reports national average today in U.S. is

Current Avg. $3.918

AAA Gas Prices

 

[QvQ]

Yes, the report this morning, $5.25 was for gas today. I haven't bought any lately so don't know the local price. I know our local station is always cheaper than the one in town, which seems odd. A little country crossroad Gas 'n Go being cheaper than surrounding towns.
All prices seem to be local like eggs. Maybe our egg producers were impacted with the bird flu or something?

 

[Quasiblogo]

Guess I could start doing things that I did when I was a kid:

* If a shoestring breaks, tie the broken ends together
* Iron a patch on a pair of jeans with holes at the knee. Oh wait, holes are a fashion now!
* Baking soda on my toothbrush, for brushing
* mow the lawn with one of those push mowers with the spinning blades
* when I mow, and I pause for a refreshment, drink water out of the water hose
* consider Kool-Aid, SPAM and Tang nutritious. Besides, I loved green Kool-Aid, the taste of fried SPAM--and the space program consciousness of Tang.
* walk barefoot outside when not mowing
* bike to the grocery store
* keep only two pairs of shoes (I was one of 10 kids): high-top PF Flyers and going-to-Church shoes. Are PF's expensive know? Oh, some KMart brand, then!
* To rule out: when I was a youngster, it was humiliating to eat my Mom's Velveeta cheese sandwiches at school. To think that Velveeta is now in the Let Them Eat Cake category! That was considered lower class stuff. You know, like driving a Cadillac with retread tires. Oh well, guess I'll wait for that government handout of free, surplus cheese. Remember that?

 

[Halbhh]

QvQ, you seem to be in the worst place in America for buying almost any ordinary things.

For you eggs are $12, for the rest of us, usually more like $6 for a pack of 2 dozen organic.

For you, gasoline might be $5.25, but for even here in this higher than average gas location I live, it's only $4.45.

That's a big difference!

Much less compared to the U.S. as a whole:
AAA reports national average today in U.S. is

Current Avg. Gasoline $3.918/gallon

AAA Gas Prices

It's like you live in some odd spot where everything is worse than even most high priced places by a large margin.

Yes, the report this morning, $5.25 was for gas today. I haven't bought any lately so don't know the local price. I know our local station is always cheaper than the one in town, which seems odd. A little country crossroad Gas 'n Go being cheaper than surrounding towns.
All prices seem to be local like eggs. Maybe our egg producers were impacted with the bird flu or something?

 

[Halbhh]

Guess I could start doing things that I did when I was a kid:

* If a shoestring breaks, tie the broken ends together
* Iron a patch on a pair of jeans with holes at the knee. Oh wait, holes are a fashion now!
* Baking soda on my toothbrush, for brushing
* mow the lawn with one of those push mowers with the spinning blades
* when I mow, and I pause for a refreshment, drink water out of the water hose
* consider Kool-Aid, SPAM and Tang nutritious. Besides, I loved green Kool-Aid, the taste of fried SPAM--and the space program consciousness of Tang.
* walk barefoot outside when not mowing
* bike to the grocery store
* keep only two pairs of shoes (I was one of 10 kids): high-top PF Flyers and going-to-Church shoes. Are PF's expensive know? Oh, some KMart brand, then!
* To rule out: when I was a youngster, it was humiliating to eat my Mom's Velveeta cheese sandwiches at school. To think that Velveeta is now in the Let Them Eat Cake category! That was considered lower class stuff. You know, like driving a Cadillac with retread tires. Oh well, guess I'll wait for that government handout of free, surplus cheese. Remember that?

It's funny to me because even though you included some odd stuff and also humorous stuff that isn't serious.... you had a couple (like the first 2) I've done not so long ago (I tied broken shoestring together with square knot just a few years back), and would again in a moment as needed, lol! I just ironed on a patch in this last week on one pair of shorts.

 

[QvQ]

For you, gasoline might be $5.25, but for even here in this higher than average gas location I live, it's only $4.45

That is for Oregon, as I said twice, I haven't bought any gas lately so I don't know what it is here.

 

[Halbhh]

That is for Oregon, as I said twice, I haven't bought any gas lately so I don't know what it is here.

That must have been another thread where you mentioned Oregon. (you didn't in this thread until now)

I didn't know you live in Oregon until now. I feel sorry for you! I know ya'll have a massive heat wave at least once this summer. Horrific.

Used to be Oregon seemed pleasant, but in the last couple of years those massive and dangerous heat waves make it seem hellish.

 

[QvQ]

So today an out of state report Gas $5.25 a gallon.

That must have been another thread where you mentioned Oregon. (you didn't in this thread until now)

It is still high even at $3.91

 

[Halbhh]

It is still high even at $3.91

Now that I can agree with.

So long as we mostly have cars that average only a mere 25 miles/gallon on the road -- like my own old car I have right now -- then $4/gallon feels kinda high.

Like, if you knew gas would be $4/gallon, you would have bought the 33mile/gallon or the 36 mile/gallon car, right? I know I would.

 

[Halbhh]

That is for Oregon

Even if you are just near Oregon, it's been bad sometimes this summer for hotter than normal, eh?

Even today for much of the Northwest.
This map shows how much hotter or cooler than normal for today, August 18th, temperatures were in places around the world

Climate Reanalyzer

The U.S. West coast, especially the Northwest, has just suffered, and it's not over, because more heat is coming at least a couple of days next week by forecast.

 

[Quasiblogo]

It's funny to me because even though you included some odd stuff and also humorous stuff that isn't serious.... you had a couple (like the first 2) I've done not so long ago (I tied broken shoestring together with square knot just a few years back), and would again in a moment as needed, lol! I just ironed on a patch in this last week on one pair of shorts.

Oh, I can add a few more tips based on my past frugality:
* dispense with the knee patch and make the trousers into shorts
* skip the sports shirts for exercise. Just cut the sleeves off a sweat shirt.
* When safe, coast your car a lot more when approaching red lights and stop signs and downhill grades
* Park your car and go inside a fast food joint to order takeout, instead of chewing up gas in the drive through lanes
* Trim your shrubs with manual hedge trimmers, instead of with gas/electric powered tools
* When practicable, use handsaws and axes to trim branches and fallen trees of small diameter