Cost of everything going up.
I have just finished reading the morning edition of the Los Angeles Times Business section and the news is rather dismal. Rice around the world is in short supply. There have been riots in Egypt and Haiti due to a lack of rice. In the US, Sam's Club and Costco have been limiting the number of bags customers can buy. This is really rather shameful as for many people around the world, rice is a staple. The only rice we eat in our household is brown rice and purchase it so infrequently I cannot say I have noticed a price difference. I went on the Atkin's diet a few years ago-so that ended my consumption of white rice.
However I am a huge consumer of cottage cheese-high in protein and I honestly love it. I can eat it with almost anything. I purchase the large tub from Smart and Final. Over the past year the price has gone up $1.00. Which to me is unbelievable-that is an over 25 % increase in the price. My salary has most definitely not gone up this much. Sadly to say it had not gone up in 6 years-freezes. But that is another story.
Apparently the price of coffee is also rising. I am not a coffee drinker and never understood the $5.00 coffee. Personally I would never pay that much for a cup of coffee. I enjoy tea and sometimes have a hard time spending over a dollar for one cup of tea. I can buy the whole box for about $4.00 and get 25 bags of tea. Places that charge over $2.00 for a cup of tea make no sense to me. More irritating is when you go out to a restaurant and are charged over $2.00 for a simple black cup of tea. Nothing special.
My brother is embarrassed to be with me, but I often have my own tea bags with me. Charge me for the hot water and cream, however why spend $2.00 if I am not going to enjoy the tea.
I have no real suggestions for saving money, however as long as people are willing to spend $5.00 on a cup of coffee, places will charge it. I personally will not subsidize it.
Where will Starbucks and everyone else be when it is time for me to retire?
