I've seen several people comment about price fluctuations in a variety of preps. A local store has a sale on tuna right now-- 2 cans for $1.00. It seems like it's been awhile since I've seen tuna at that low a price. I just wondered how it compares with others' "regional prices"?

-- winter wondering (winterwondering@yahoo.com), August 13, 1999

Answers

Four months ago when I began to stock, I saw that some Y2k-type items were sale priced and often set at the end of the aisles. Things such as good tuna, Clorox, detergent, tp, spagetti sauce, etc. However, in the past few weeks I've noted in my frequent forays that prices have gone up on these items, or they are no longer at sale prices. As if when store chains learned that these were "hot" items, they decided they didn't need to sell cheap to get business. I have still the options of shopping sales and using coupons, but see a difference.

As to tuna, there are various kinds: light, white, solid, albacore. The prices run from cheapest upwards as in the list here. Light has been selling occasionally at 2/$1.00. It is not as palatable as the others, which I find delicious, and usually I find it contains more water than the others as well.

Camping goods remains at same price locally in No. VA. I am seeing more empty shelves of things that are on prep lists, and see people's carts recognizably carrying such things...and I want to shout, "Hurray!" I think as more and more people begin to shop this way, the prices will escalate...as they have done gradually recently here.

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), August 13, 1999.

The things I have noticed increasing in price here in Ark are: Clorox, Kool-Aid, canned fruit, cheese products, and tea. Socks, and underware are cheaper than last year. But sewing supplies and fabric prices are way up. Good cotton sewing thread is at a luxury price.

-- Carol (glear@usa.net), August 13, 1999.

Tuna is all over the map. Cheap now is 99 cents a can. I'm sure I bought a bunch for 79 a can a month or so ago. Two for $1--that would be great. Canned chicken? The Swansons is quite expensive like $2.39 a can, but the Hormel was $1.69 a week or so ago, and $1.79 a can at the same store this week. Store brands of things tend to run less expesive like two cans of beans for $1 of White Rose or 99 cents for a can of meantballs and spaghetti. The brand name meatballs and spaghetti runs $1.47 to $1.59 (!)I have a pretty good amount of food here now, but I'm not even staying here. Still, if I come back later on and my friend hasn't had to eat it--which, God bless him if he needs the food, I'll be delighted for him to have it--then I'll have plenty of food.

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWayne@aol.com), August 13, 1999.

In Oklahoma City, I am finding bargains, but it takes a lot of looking, and its very volatile, and there's some odd price swings (e.g. the 5 lb bag of potatoes was $1.79, up from about 99 cents the last few weeks.

There hasn't been much in the way of "4 for a dollar" in the canned vegetables, as has been true for many summers here in OKC. The best I've generally found has been 3/$1.

Prices of staples have been good, Sam's had 50 pound bags of rice for about $11, and even at buy for less its $7.50 for 25 pounds, and 33 cents a pound for dried pinto beans. Buy for less has huge end displays of 25 pound bags of rice (I have never seen them do an end display of bags of rice.) They have another end display of Chlorox.

The oriental grocery has a big end display of propane burners, and the little cartridges that fuel them.

Buy for less has expanded its canned meats, has added 50 pound bags of beans ($20.00). Prices of oils and shortenings at Sams are great, $10 and change for a 35 pound soybean frying oil, $15 for 5 liters olive oil. Buy for less added the 5 pound metal can Crisco (at a Sam's price).

-- robert waldrop (rmwj@soonernet.com), August 14, 1999.

I don't think we see a leveling off food prices like we usually do once the summer is over this year simply because of stocking up for y2k.

I kicking myself for not doing more shopping earlier on when there were more sales.

-- LJ (mrg99@thedoghouse.com), August 14, 1999.