Ran across the Consumerist on Survival Blog and thought it a useful tool for those who are concerned with both saving money and receiving good value when money has to spent.
Their Shrink Ray is both funny and sad and illustrates "how" Large Food Corporations change weights and amounts of ingredients but use the same size packaging. Any consumer or modern Alpha Strategist needs to know that information as per unit cost is one of the keys to savings and value.
Ah, Unemployment, the new American Pandemic, a terrible affliction that has reached my doorstep in the form of losing my job in the down economy. Fortunately I had a month and half of lead time before the closure and put it to work via stocking up on goods that would have to be purchased with expensive but cheap money over the upcoming months whilst the job search, or new venture is launched.
Expensive but cheap money, one asks, isn't that an oxymoron?
Allow me to explain, right now after years of working the household is well stocked with the items that make a home a home, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, soap, toilet paper etc. as time rolls forward those items will be depleted through normal usage, to purchase replacement items two months from now, with dwindling cash reserves is quite expensive when there is no other income coming into the home. But the money is "cheap" as it was created out of nothing at all but a vague promise of "full faith and credit".
By purchasing those household items over the past two years, in bulk, the Alpha Strategy helped me to avoid the "Expensive but Cheap" conundrum, as well as sidestepping the 10% inflation on those items that has bumped prices upwards.
Reviewing my notes from 2008, a jumbo box of Surf detergent at Sam's Club in 2008 cost 14.54, today they cost over 17.00, so every box of Surf purchased in 2008 has made around 3 dollars per box..not to bad a ROI.
There is one item that has retreated in price due to Govt Subsidies, Light Bulbs, in 2009 those mercury filled, energy efficient bulbs were 9 dollars for a pack of 8, now they are 3 dollars for a pack of 8 due to Subsidies from the Govt.
Win some, lose some.
Well, for better or worse the US rolls forward into a uncertain future, it should be rather clear by now to all but fanatics that Obama's policies have, on the main, failed, now the US is looking at a mountain of debt, a War that is in shambles, and political leadership that enjoys the trappings more than the job.
Meanwhile, the small, quicker fish should be moving into Yr 2 of garden planning and harvesting, conserving cash to purchase durable goods, if not purchased already, and have finally realize the truth of the matter, the plaintiff cries from the flooded streets of New Orleans post Katrina "Help us, Help us" have been answered in the only manner the Govt knows how to..ineffectively.
Death Taxes and Inflation.
With the Federal Reserve unlikely to tighten monetary supply, now would be a good time to stock up on Items one will need this Fall, things such as Motor Oil and Filters, Tools, Ammunition, Bulk Food and perhaps Christmas Gifts.
It has been a long and cold winter but the first real green shoots are coming up now, which means "time to plant the early spring garden".
This year's foray will be mostly herbs as last yr's experiment just did not have enough room for proper vegetables to flourish, Basil and Cilantro and Oregano will be the main crop this year as they are used the most around the house in cooking.
Prices on food and fuel rose in December prompting the Fed to contemplate raising interest rates, which means the proto recovery, or faux recovery will be over before it begins.
Well, here at the Last Cause we tend to look eskew on anti Hunger groups in the US as the dichotmy, Obeisity and Hunger is simply to large to reconcile.
However, this story caught the eyes:
"..Nationwide polling found 18.2 percent of households reported "food hardship" -- lacking money to buy enough food -- in 2009, according to the group. That is higher than the government's "food insecurity" rating of 14.6 percent of households, or 49 million people, for 2008.
Households with children had a "food hardship" rate of 24.1 percent for 2009 compared with 14.9 percent among households without children. Twenty states had rates of 20 percent or higher. Seven Southern states led the list..."
Food insecurity? They made that up, or the respondents did not understand the question, or perhaps did not know how to prepare simple foods, after all Children's palates have been subtly changed via massive amounts of Sugar in nearly every food product aimed at the pre 12 yr old market.
A decent larder/pantry/storage would see people through the hard times, yet it would not include the Sugary foods, but would not be bland and tasteless either.
