ECON Report food and grocery price increases/shortages here - UPDATE, new runs on the stores

[Tennessee gal]

It's just me and DD but we use our dishwasher maybe 2x a week? I use a lot of paper plates and plastic ware LOL.

On the Diet Coke thing I am stocking up a little bit but I think there is actually an expiration date. Not sure but I probably go thru a 12 pack a week. Used to be probably twice as much but I have been drinking a lot more water. I like the plastic bottles but they're a little pricey. Trust me if it comes down to the plastic bottles will be bought.

I am back to every shopping trip just picking up a couple extras here and there- toiletries, paper goods, canned goods and cleaning products. I have quite a bit on hand but if things go south I just want to have as much as possible to get us through as long as possible.

DD decided to put off college until spring. I have mixed emotions. With everything going on, I'd rather her be here during the time leading up to the election and not in Los Angeles. But I want her to start her life. She had a great thing going with her music here in town and performing at several venues. Everything stopped in March and I know she misses performing live. I want her to get out there and live life and have fun and learn to be on her own. Right now, she has bought into all the panic and is afraid to leave the house due to Covid. She got really upset because when I bought my new car I took a photo with the sales guy and had removed my mask. He still had his on as did the guy taking the pic but when I say upset I mean complete M.E.L.T.D.O.W.N. I try to talk to her that you know it's good to be cautious but I refuse to hideout in fear. I am not sure if some of it is since losing her Dad she has a very big fear of losing me. All I can do is pray.

Annie, I followed your Facebook page when your dear husband was ill, praying for you and your family.
My gut says it may be as you mentioned, your daughter is afraid of losing you. You are security for her.
I wish you and our entire TB family God's protection as we face these uncertain times.

 

[Hometown]

Complete strikeout on the last case lot order at the local market. Ordered five cases, different canned veggies and fruit, got zero. The market struck out on most of what they ordered as well.

Did get the 10 lb bag of anasazi beans I ordered from Pueblo Milling via UPS, looking forward to trying them soon. Threw in a shaker of bacon bean spice on the order too, something else to look forward to. DW scored a big bag of jasmine rice yesterday at wallyworld too, I will ask her to look for more on her next trip.

Those anazasi beans are wonderful. I have a feeling you can sprout them and I'd save some to plant and grow your own. Some years back I did that. I loved those beans and was so excited to grow my own.

 

[Dozdoats]

First thing DW said - "Can we plant some?"

 

[annieosage]

Annie, I followed your Facebook page when your dear husband was ill, praying for you and your family.
My gut says it may be as you mentioned, your daughter is afraid of losing you. You are security for her.
I wish you and our entire TB family God's protection as we face these uncertain times.

Thank you. I appreciate that.

 

[Hometown]

First thing DW said - "Can we plant some?"

YES!!!!

 

[hummer]

Don't forget beans for sprouting to eat as greens...

 

[parsonswife]

Two weird out if stocks today. No rubber bands at 4 stores. Over heard vendor saying his Chewing Tobacco order was not coming in again...(Canceled by unifi grocery store distributor) this it was third week in a row that it was not available for him to stock at the stores

 

[4RIVERS]

Went to the WKY Sams Club again today. Meat was well stocked and prices were coming down. 90/10 ground beef was just over $3 a pound and sirloin steak was $6.99 a pound.
They had rice, sugar, flour, most spices, and coffee, but no yeast again. They also didn’t have any TP and less than 20 big packs of paper towels.
Hand sanitizer and masks were available too, though the sanitizer was still on the high side of normal, but at least it’s there.

 

[Great Northwet]

Very interesting thread. I've been thinking about doing my fall stock up early this year and put together the grocery list while reading through many of your experiences at the grocery stores this afternoon. Like many of you, I go to different places for different things, so tomorrow will take some time and a bit of driving to find all the stuff.

At the end of the day, I'll try to do a shopping report to explain where I have found holes in shelves; etc.

 

[Meemur]

At the end of the day, I'll try to do a shopping report to explain where I have found holes in shelves; etc.

Pack your patience! I do my best not to shop on weekends, unless it can't be helped. That's the time that I run into maximum stupidity.

 

[ryken]

Getting ready to head out this morning. My gut is telling me that by fall it's gonna get bad. Want to restock and get some extras. Other than going to work, I just want to stay home. Too many crazies out there.

 

[TxGal]

Well, it took a while but here's confirmation on the lumber shortage people have reported seeing on the thread (there's a video at the link that won't play for me) Fair use and all:

Nationwide lumber shortage affecting local businesses

Nationwide the COVID-19 pandemic is causing a shortage of lumber and pressure treated wood.

www.kbtx.com

Nationwide lumber shortage affecting local businesses
A number of local lumber yard, builders, and contractors confirm they're being affected.

By Jessica Gruenling
Published: Jul. 10, 2020 at 10:46 PM CDT|Updated: 8 hours ago

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) - Nationwide, the COVID-19 pandemic is causing a shortage of lumber and pressure treated wood.

A number of local lumber yards, builders, and contractors confirmed to KBTX that they are being negatively impacted.
The shortage comes from more people doing DIY projects, and lumber mills not being able to keep up with the demand. Lumber mills are also dealing with fewer workers and having to shut down if an employee contracts COVID-19.
“It’s slowing us down,” said Deno West, the owner of DENO Fencing.

West says they’ve had to look outside of Bryan and College Station to get supplies.

“We’re actually having to make trips to Houston, make trips out of different towns to try and get lumber,' he said.
West says they’re not trying to raise prices, but they have started to see a back up.

“I’m actually three or four months out. We try to stay back up. That’s the goal. It may sound crazy, but we try to order all of our stuff months a head of time so we don’t have to deal with it but we’re still dealing,” said West.

Some construction companies says they’re also having issues getting things like nails and screws.

 

[WalknTrot]

Well, it took a while but here's confirmation on the lumber shortage people have reported seeing on the thread (there's a video at the link that won't play for me) Fair use and all:

Nationwide lumber shortage affecting local businesses

Nationwide the COVID-19 pandemic is causing a shortage of lumber and pressure treated wood.

www.kbtx.com

Nationwide lumber shortage affecting local businesses
A number of local lumber yard, builders, and contractors confirm they're being affected.

By Jessica Gruenling
Published: Jul. 10, 2020 at 10:46 PM CDT|Updated: 8 hours ago

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) - Nationwide, the COVID-19 pandemic is causing a shortage of lumber and pressure treated wood.

A number of local lumber yards, builders, and contractors confirmed to KBTX that they are being negatively impacted.
The shortage comes from more people doing DIY projects, and lumber mills not being able to keep up with the demand. Lumber mills are also dealing with fewer workers and having to shut down if an employee contracts COVID-19.
“It’s slowing us down,” said Deno West, the owner of DENO Fencing.

West says they’ve had to look outside of Bryan and College Station to get supplies.

“We’re actually having to make trips to Houston, make trips out of different towns to try and get lumber,' he said.
West says they’re not trying to raise prices, but they have started to see a back up.

“I’m actually three or four months out. We try to stay back up. That’s the goal. It may sound crazy, but we try to order all of our stuff months a head of time so we don’t have to deal with it but we’re still dealing,” said West.

Some construction companies says they’re also having issues getting things like nails and screws.

Talked to the neighbor beef farmer the other day, who's family is into construction. He and wife want to put up a garage/storage building yet this summer on their retirement place, and he was saying how smart we were to have done our last big pole building when we did about 3 years ago. Now materials are hard to come by, and costs are up 20-30% if you are lucky.

 

[Terrwyn]

Two weird out if stocks today. No rubber bands at 4 stores. Over heard vendor saying his Chewing Tobacco order was not coming in again...(Canceled by unifi grocery store distributor) this it was third week in a row that it was not available for him to stock at the stores

It must be because Amazon bought them all. They seem to gave a gazillion of them. Saw them when I was buying office supplies the other day.

 

[ExCop]

Went to local BJ's yesterday. Out of weird stuff. Almost no fresh fruits, fresh veg barely stocked. Finally had paper towels and TP. Fresh chicken 1\2 stocked, steaks lightly stocked @ $12.00/lb. Whole sirloin usually 7.99 now 9.99/lb with cut steaks at 10.99/lb. Flour is back in stock.

 

[CaryC]

I don't give a care what the CDC says. Lysol spray is a joke unless you completely soak a surface, then let it air dry. Maybe. Sprayed in the air, an even bigger joke. The stuff is basically designed as an air freshener and nothing else.

For surfaces, use a bleach solution in a spray bottle, (again, you have to soak the surface!) or use a cloth/sponge to apply a liquid solution. A Lysol solution (the liquid product mixed in water) is probably a decent disinfectant, same as any of those other liquid household cleaners.

You really missed the point on that one.

The point was they recommended buying a product 3 months AFTER it was sold out.

 

[coloradohermit]

I did a quick run to Walmart with a fairly short shopping list for a friend who can't get into town due to allergies. A 5 lb roll of 80/20 ground beef was $17.98 which works out to $3.59/lb which doesn't seem bad these days. A 24 pack of BarS hotdogs was $3.54 or 15cent/dog - also not bad. Most of the shelves seemed adequately stocked. Plenty of produce.

The few things on my list were mostly well stocked except printer ink. I got the last one of the one I was after. I got 4 packages of wide mouth canning lids. $3.18 for a 12 pack of lids seemed a little high, but I haven't bought any in so long I don't have a basis for comparison. I'm just glad to have found them since I'm hearing about shortages.

I will say once again that if you have shopping to do, anywhere, 7:30 am is definitely the time to do it!

 

[workhorse]

Also, I note Walmart and Lowes both have hardly any painting supplies...like rollers, paint roller handles, and sandpaper. Of note, the big Walmart by me had ZERO bicycles. I am guessing it is the China supply chain.

That and the fact in our area school ended a month early parent’s working from home here go ride a bike. Also so many people laid off try to find fishing hooks or sinkers.

 

[WalknTrot]

You really missed the point on that one.

The point was they recommended buying a product 3 months AFTER it was sold out.

My point is that the stuff isn't effective, whenever or whether they recommend it or not.

Don't listen to the voice behind the curtain in the first place.

 

[dlee]

Also, I note Walmart and Lowes both have hardly any painting supplies...like rollers, paint roller handles, and sandpaper. Of note, the big Walmart by me had ZERO bicycles. I am guessing it is the China supply chain.

Time to become a bicycle repairman. per a book called What to do when the Communist come. I don't have authors name.

 

[Martinhouse]

Had I been able to ride a bike back then, I'd have gotten a couple sets of the solid tires 20 or 30 years ago.

Where I live, rural Arkansas, the roads are narrow, they have no shoulders, and the good-ol'-boy pickups are wide! I NEVER see bikes on the roads here. Come to think of it, I never see anyone walking on the roads here, either.

 

[TKO]

That and the fact in our area school ended a month early parent’s working from home here go ride a bike. Also so many people laid off try to find fishing hooks or sinkers.

I find the dudes at work are loving this working from home stuff. They just love love love it! The chicks, not so much. They miss lunch with their BFF's, get tired of taking care of the kids all day, get tired of fixing lunches, tired of teaching the kids, get tired of the kids in general. All I hear from women at work is how they can't wait to get back to the office. The men...they are loving it because they can sleep in a bit longer, no commute, and save 300 dollars a month in gas/lunch(what one co-worker down the street told me).

I love working from home myself. FEWER BS meetings. When someone is talking and you could care less what they say...go grab a bottle of water and relax. Get a piece of toast. Of course, red driver types want to be in the office because they just get joy out of beating on others. They feel no fulfillment unless they are towering over people and think no one can do their jobs unless being beaten on.

 

[ryken]

Went to wally world today. Was really surprised how many isles were bare. Especially the canned goods section. Makes me wanna stick up even more.

 

[Dobbin]

Time to become a bicycle repairman. per a book called What to do when the Communist come. I don't have authors name.

I have looked for that book online - the nearest I can get is Upton Sinclair's "The Book of Life" (1921) where he seems to talk about the ups and downs of a socialist/communist life.

Sinclair was, of course, "progressive" - and enjoyed much the "Woodward and Bernstein" affection of his age. He set the tone for the New Deal.

Dobbin

 

[Terrwyn]

Time to become a bicycle repairman. per a book called What to do when the Communist come. I don't have authors name.

That title sounds like it might be from the now defunct Paladin Press. I checked Thift books list from there but didn't see it. Just a thought.

 

[Great Northwet]

Very interesting thread. I've been thinking about doing my fall stock up early this year and put together the grocery list while reading through many of your experiences at the grocery stores this afternoon. Like many of you, I go to different places for different things, so tomorrow will take some time and a bit of driving to find all the stuff.

At the end of the day, I'll try to do a shopping report to explain where I have found holes in shelves; etc.

So I went to 4 stores today, all for different items. Grocery Outlet had Steelhead for $10lb. Learned later that one of the guys in the house got the same thing for $8lb.

No shortages of anything at GO. Next went to Target-I think these are new to serve yuppies in local urban markets. This is not a sprawling big box, but a smallish corner store around 10'000 sqft. I got 12 quarter lb. beef patties same as before for $10,49 and that was 3 months ago, so no inflation there yet.(85/15 lean). Egglands best dz. $3.19.

I digress, GO didn't have any tuna. Target had Albacore 5oz. at $1.39 so I bought 20. No empty shelves at Target.

I stopped by a convenience store to get one of those little bottles of white wine for a recipe. Change tray is still there full of pennies, nickel or 2. So no coin shortage here that I can find.

I'll try a big box in the suburbs tomorrow when I go out for a hike.

 

[joannita]

I bought a case of tuna at Aldies' about 4 weeks ago. The cashier said she was surprised the register would let me do it. A lot of items had limits of two or four.

 

[33dInd]

Food grade 5 gallon barrels are flying of the shelfs
Neither me or son could find any food grade

 

[mudlogger]

Food grade 5 gallon barrels are flying of the shelfs
Neither me or son could find any food grade

The white buckets at Lowe's are food grade, if you haven't checked there.

 

[AlaskaSue]

The Kodiak Safeway, CostSaver, and Walmart (that’s basically it for getting groceries) looked pretty normal - stocked pretty decently but some items at end of ‘use by’ dates, some holes not yet filled due to late delivery, etc.

Back home in Wasilla, I saw quite a few empty shelves in every area of the store. Prices are up significantly; one bag of items came to just under $80. Cheese, crackers, small beef roast, some nuts, trash bags, whipping cream, bday card For $78. :/.

 

[20Gauge]

Getting ready to head out this morning. My gut is telling me that by fall it's gonna get bad. Want to restock and get some extras. Other than going to work, I just want to stay home. Too many crazies out there.

I have been talking to people about that for the last month or so. There are just too many things that are not going to end well this fall.

1) Election with 50% of the population pissed off no matter what!
2) The Virus is going to be worse due to weather so cases will go up and the stupidity
3) Local wise, we are looking at the time frame for Hurricanes
4) The economy may tank again due to #2.

So the wife has been boosting what she is stocking. Usually it is me reminding her not to let things get to the last one on the shelf before restocking. Now she is getting antsy when there is less than 3 cases on the shelf....lol

 

[WalknTrot]

(N. MN) I was out yesterday morning. Grocery store looked great. I bought more canning lids cuz they had a bunch. Left with more canned goods, a good back-stock of Diet Coke, cleaning supplies, etc. as long as I was there.
A sleepy early Saturday morning and all was well.

Was just checking out next week's specials. Meat is coming back to normal. The grocery store has beef chuck roast or steak, $3.99/lb, NY Strip $7.97/lb. pork spare ribs $1.99/lb, pork steak $1.66/lb. From the looks of things, they are back to regular brands, and not having to advertise (push) the store brand like they were in the thick of it a few weeks ago.

 

[dlee]

That title sounds like it might be from the now defunct Paladin Press. I checked Thift books list from there but didn't see it. Just a thought.

My bad the book is WHAT TO DO WHEN THE RUSSIANS COME a survivos guide it is avallible still at amazon or used books.

 

[TxGal]

Shopped HEB and Kroger this morning in Huntsville. Limit of one on facial tissues in HEB, didn't look at their other paper products. Kroger had limit of 2 on tp and paper towels. Plenty of meat/poultry, fresh veg & fruit. Canned fruit and vegs decimated. Hardest hit is canned peaches. HEB has a sign up say they were unavailable from supplier. Kroger just had a sign up apologizing for the inconvenience. Kroger also has a sign up limiting bottled water to 2 gal.

It had that empty look again, definitely wasn't a good feeling.

 

[ryken]

Went to wally world and Kroger yesterday. Kroger was well stocked. But wally was very empty. Kinda surprised since the mad rush seems over. Canned goods were pretty much gone. Just Lima beans. And as luck would have it, we love lina beans. :-)

 

[Profit of Doom]

Perhaps we should also consider what happens when China is scoured off the face of the Earth by the floods.
Might have some problems getting meds and such.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Went to wally world and Kroger yesterday. Kroger was well stocked. But wally was very empty. Kinda surprised since the mad rush seems over. Canned goods were pretty much gone. Just Lima beans. And as luck would have it, we love lina beans. :-)

This is because everyone I know is grabbing two to four cans of whatever they typically eat every time they go to the store... and more people shop at WM because of finances and the convenience of already being there anyway. That's how one stocks their pantry when there's a plandemic happening and there are limits on the amount you can buy.

 

[Meemur]

Canned veggies are hit and miss all over, I think. Fareway is my go-to for canned veggies, followed by Aldi, which often has limits. Fareway has a sign -- we reserve the right to limit the number of items a customer can buy -- but I've been able to buy six cans of each type of veggie. Aldi has lower limits ( 2 - 4), depending.

I like frozen veggies much better! I vac seal my own, but I increased the number of cans in my pantry due to CV-19. They will get eaten.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Canned veggies are hit and miss all over, I think. Fareway is my go-to for canned veggies, followed by Aldi, which often has limits. Fareway has a sign -- we reserve the right to limit the number of items a customer can buy -- but I've been able to buy six cans of each type of veggie. Aldi has lower limits ( 2 - 4), depending.

I like frozen veggies much better! I vac seal my own, but I increased the number of cans in my pantry due to CV-19. They will get eaten.

No limits on beets or sauerkraut at Fareway!

 

[Nich1]

No limits on beets or sauerkraut at Fareway!

I wonder why?