Hubby just came up from the basement to tell me we still have 25 bags of our favorite coffee downstairs. Just need to keep an eye on sales. He now buys his specialty Kcups on Amazon since he has not found a lower price. We must have 10 boxes of them right now.
He is overly concerned about running out of some things. Not like we live in the boondocks. (as an illustration, our city has over 20 Dollar Trees just in the city and two Krogers just within walking distance.)
CNN had a recent article about how beef prices are the new egg prices, and they are soaring. Something I don't buy, so wouldn't know.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/21/busin...es-record-high
"what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" Mary Oliver
The beef cycle is much longer than poultry. Disease, drought, shipping problems, feed issues, and demand all create issues in cow herds. In Australia, whole huge herds had to be liquidated due to drought. No water to provide or to grow feed. Takes years to build a herd again.
Beef is not just a US issue since about 10% comes from outside the US and we know what issues exist around imports.
Cattle herds are the lowest since 1951.
The news today had articles about the proposed 50% import taxes on Brazil set to take effect Aug. 1. TACO?Originally Posted by Tradd
"what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" Mary Oliver
Sibling in CA says fed. gov. ordered a near-by lake - one used to irrigate local fields - to be pumped, and hauled 5 hours away for fires. Says fields are not only starting to dry up, but that there is no one to do the picking/harvesting. Says one can see, for example, oranges falling off and rotting around the base of the trees. So, I imagine prices on some of these things will be going up.
To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than a thousand heads bowing in prayer." Mahatma Gandhi
Be nice whenever possible. It's always possible. HH Dalai Lama
In a world where you can be anything - be kind. Unknown
Re coffee, one technique I know people use is to reuse 1/2 their used grounds and 1/2 new grounds for the next pot. DH hates it, but I know others who don't. YMMV!
What's your best money-saving, inflation beating technique? I think mine are:
Use chicken thighs instead of breasts.
Use the "flour dregs" from when we make bread/biscuits in dumplings or to thicken gravy or stews in winter.
We don't bake during summer to keep the house cooler.
You?
I purchase optical equipment from Japan and Germany with some frequency. This equipment has no US manufacturers. Recent price increases across-the-board on this equipment due to tariffs has caused me to simply decline to purchase. I suppose this improves our trade balance…. It certainly improves my bank balance - simply doing-without is a 100% savings :-)
- I primarily heat with wood that I gather/harvest from my own land, and process by hand myself.
- Most of my yearly electricity comes from my solar panels
- I have cut my caloric intake considerably, but that probably has long-term positive health effects that will save me even more over the long run
- I exercise a lot, and keep active, to keep medical costs down
- I drive a used electric vehicle that I purchased for ~$9000 in early 2020 that is still going strong, and has nearly zero maintenance costs
- I source my meat primarily from local farmers who raise animals for me, and get my seafood from local fisherfolk
- I have significantly raised the deductibles on my insurance policies
- I try to keep my taxable income as low as possible to keep taxes near-zero, and to qualify for subsidized medical insurance
- I pay for a membership in a concierge medical practice which is on-island, which saves me a fortune in off-island visits, provides better quality of care, and hopefully keeps me healthy, as the doctor is strongly motivated to keep me healthy to keep receiving my $$$ while not needing to spend too much time on me :-)
- I elected to begin receiving my social security at the earliest possible date - the first check arrives this month
- I participate in a cost-sharing program at my fire station to purchase food from the mainland and bring it over, to stock our kitchen, and eat at the station several times a week out of my “share”, typically with someone else doing either the cooking or the cleanup. We brought my Dad in last week to cook his chili for us all for dinner.
- When I see a cool ad for something that attracts my lust, I put it in my online shopping cart, but don’t consummate the purchase for 48 hours. This cooling-off period keeps me from spending money most of the time.
A few I can think of now..
- Found a senior center that provides exercise equipment and classes for free!
- Only buy online if can’t find or get locally. If only can find at Amazon…put in cart and only buy when enough for free shipping.
- Low cost T-mobile cell carrier provides free Netflix.
- Only go to movies (a few times a year) during senior or lower cost days.
- Found local produce company that provides quality, low cost fruits/veggies at substantial savings.
- Just purchased a larger freezer to cook larger meals to split and freeze for a later date. Also studying how to morph meals into a variety of entrees.
- Check various sites monthly for free or low cost entertainment.
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