Good morning,

I went to my local Winco (a big discount grocery store here in Northern CA) last night and noticed prices going up for the first time this summer - ramen noodles up several cents, and a few other items likely to be on many folks' stock up lists. At Walmart the little propane cylinders and camp. fuel had been "on sale" all summer and just went off.... Now that I think about it we are getting close to deer/elk hunting season so that probably accounts for it but it still means folks stocking up now will likely pay higher prices through the end of the year..... Glad I am done!

-- Kristi (securxsys@cs.com), August 04, 1999

Answers

I do most of my shopping at Sam's Club. I have seen prices jump up in the last couple of months. Lipton gal. tea bags were $5.79 a package of two, now they are $7.79. Food prices will never go down again. I have already saved a bundle by stocking over the last year. If you like peppers, then better stock up now. The mexican crop has failed. I bought a case of Ro-Tel when the price was .50 a can. It was on sale this week for .79 a can. Stock up on chocolate chips, baking chocolate, and powder now. Tootsie Rolls are very good stock items. Also check the local discount store for Rival ice-cream mix. A little added to powdered milk will make a world of difference in the taste.

-- Carol (glear@usa.net), August 04, 1999.

What a good idea for the Rival ice cream mix! Thanks alot. I use vanilla and a bit of sugar in the powdered milk, but I think this would taste better, it would be more convenient anyway.

Prices are going up steadily. Anyone who is buying groceries weekly should be able to see it. Most of the time the price increases happen after a period of weeks. There will be a few weeks with steady prices then bang! they go up sharply. This has continued to occur, but I have also noticed a steady, slow increase in staples and other foods I am storing. So much so that I have stopped shopping at Sam's altogether, and Walmart. I only shop at Sav-a-Lot and Big Lots now. I do go to Food Lion and pick up things that I can't find else where, but these are not things I am storing.

I go to a Mom and Pop type store and buy things in bulk at a considerable savings. Things like jello in bulk, pudding mix, clear jel, butter powder, cheese powder, medicinal herbs, etc.

Sylvia

-- sylvia (msbrit@usit.net), August 05, 1999.