What impacts do you see re: economy?

L Sass

L Sass

Cathlete
I just got back from the grocery store. My kids like Canadian bacon, which has been becoming increasingly unavailable. Usually when I ask at the deli they can give me an idea of when it's coming in. Asked today and was told they won't even think of ordering it. The jump in gas prices and feed transportation costs resulted in the price close to tripling, so at that price it'll sit on their shelf.

At that point the bakery lady chimed in and said they also have things they refuse to order anymore, like pecans to make pecan pies (at least that's good news for my hips! HA!) Just wondering what impacts you all are seeing?

Lorrie

www.picturetrail.com/lsass
 
I'm seeing a lot of government intertia and some finger pointing. I know I'm due to purchase a newer car (I'd love another Pontiac Grand Prix) but I will instead skip the monthly car payments buy myself a upscale hooptie and hope the ol' U.S. of A goes down the toidy.
 
>I'm seeing a lot of government intertia and some finger
>pointing. I know I'm due to purchase a newer car (I'd love
>another Pontiac Grand Prix) but I will instead skip the
>monthly car payments buy myself a upscale hooptie and hope the
>ol' U.S. of A goes down the toidy.

My lease is almost up too and the prices are up and the amount of mileage you get is down. Sorry but I am starting to think Foreign car better mileage better payments and better warranties. My brother works for Chrysler and I am all for the Made in the USA but they are getting ridiculous.

beth6395

"You didn't pause your dvd and go make popcorn did ya"
-Cathe Friedrich

http://www.picturetrail.com/juicyfruities2002
 
Whenever Bernanke and the fed drop that interest rate and pump more $$ into the economy the value of the dollar goes down. That makes the price of anything imported go up, like those gas prices. So if you're going to buy anything imported better now than later.

The Wall St investor may like it but it screws the little guy every time. In my whole lifetime (49 yrs) the American dollar was worth more than the Canadian dollar, they are almost at parity level.
 
My DH just bought a Lexus. He wanted to buy US, but our GMC Envoy and before that our Yukon, and before that our Jeep Grand Cherokee had way too many issues. We bought a used Honda Accord for our daughter for college and she beats the crap out of that car and it keeps ticking (even with over 60k in miles on it). That converted us. And both the Lexus and the Honda get much better gas mileage than any American car we've had.

As for other economy issues - I live in the Silicon Valley, land of over consumption, but even here I'm seeing a lot more cyclists on the street. I can actually find a parking place at Whole Foods (although when I do, I'm still parked beside Hummers). If you don't own a home here, finding a place to live is tough. Rentals are hard to find, and when you can find them they are $500 a month higher than they were 6 months ago (a decent one bedroom here rents for about $1500 now).
 
I haven't really experienced any impacts aside from the prices at the pump. What is impacting me right now is all the gloom and doom on the news. I end up turning it off, I get so down. No news BUT bad news. :(
 
>I haven't really experienced any impacts aside from the
>prices at the pump. What is impacting me right now is all the
>gloom and doom on the news. I end up turning it off, I get so
>down. No news BUT bad news. :(

I agree with you Robin. The news is just so depressing anymore. It's a sad, sad world that we live in today. :-(


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(¸.•♥´ (¸ ;.♥•Jennie•♥


Smoke free since: 2/05/08
 
>I haven't really experienced any impacts aside from the
>prices at the pump. What is impacting me right now is all the
>gloom and doom on the news. I end up turning it off, I get so
>down. No news BUT bad news. :(

Robin, it's so funny you say that, I was thinking of posting a thread called "Doom and Gloom." I'm tired of it! I'm no Pollyanna but I can't stand the way the media constantly hypes up the public with these "the sky is falling" reports on everything. Food prices have been going up for over a year - any of us who do the shopping know that - yet the media acts like this just happened. I guess they want us all to be running around in circles, flapping our hands and panicking. I have to think that all this negativity is attracting even more negativity.

Good thoughts, people, think good thoughts! :)

Sparrow



"The winds of grace are always blowing but it's you who must raise your sail." - Sri Ramakrishna
 
Exactly, Sparrow. When you listen to the news reports, everyone is out of work, losing their homes and uninsured. I know there are huge problems facing many people, not only in the good old US of A, but even more so worldwide, but, golly, there have to be some good things happening out there somewhere. I'll try to think on the good things. The redbuds are blooming, my grandson is getting another tooth, my DD is doing well in school, her SO may be home from Afghanistan by Thanksgiving instead of Christmas and summer is right around the corner.
 
I'm making plans for a trip to Europe, and I'm seeing the impact in the weak dollar vs. the strong Euro. I remember when the dollar was stronger than the Euro (about 80 dollars to 100 Euros), then they got pretty even for a while, but now, it's about $150 for $100 Euros: that makes the hotels I'm looking at pricier than I'd like.;(
 
>In my whole lifetime (49 yrs) the American dollar was worth more than the Canadian dollar, they are almost at parity level.>


Dave - I'm 44 and when I was little, our dollar was worth more than yours.;)

"The high point was on 25 April 1974, when it reached US$1.0443."
 
I have to say that I haven't felt the impact either, aside from higher gasoline prices. I buy my groceries from a small, independent market and they've always been expensive, so I haven't felt the squeeze there, either.

And I've about had it with all the gloom and doom, too. Neil Cavuto on FOX is like a breath of fresh air, so if you're longing for a dose of optimism tune into his show. I LOVE him!

I was listening to Clark Howard on the radio the other day and he believes the current state of our economy can be blamed, in large part, on people who spend beyond their means. He called it "false wealth", the use of credit cards to support a lifestyle that we can't truly afford. We've lived large for decades and now we have to pay the piper.
 
>Exactly, Sparrow. When you listen to the news reports,
>everyone is out of work, losing their homes and uninsured. I
>know there are huge problems facing many people, not only in
>the good old US of A, but even more so worldwide, but, golly,
>there have to be some good things happening out there
>somewhere. I'll try to think on the good things. The redbuds
>are blooming, my grandson is getting another tooth, my DD is
>doing well in school, her SO may be home from Afghanistan by
>Thanksgiving instead of Christmas and summer is right around
>the corner.

Robin, I agree, there are so many good things out there! We can focus on them without burying our heads in the sand. My cherry tree is in bloom, a good friend who's been really sick for a year just got a clean bill of health, and my ipod is loaded with some great Buffett tunes. :D

Sparrow


"The winds of grace are always blowing but it's you who must raise your sail." - Sri Ramakrishna
 
As a business owner, I'm noticing that it is getting VERY hard to get paid for work done. It's so frustrating to have to keep calling people and bugging them to pay their bills. My accounts receivables are huge! Oh, and the diesel prices for our fleet........depressing.:(

BTW, I agree with Dave. I was not impressed with the rate cut again. I really don't understand what difference it makes to cut the fed rate when banks aren't loaning out money anyways (no matter what the rate). The only thing that did was weaken the dollar further so that we can continue to see gas prices and therefore prices for everything else increase. Boils my blood I tell ya!
 
I agree with Michele...Neil Cavuto is my DH's favorite on Fox, he is a positive person isn't he?:)

We are having some pretty bad housing issues here in Vegas. In fact I was perusing Forbes web site and Las Vegas was listed as the 5th worst economy-wise in the nation. So many new high rises, houses that went up all over that people cannot afford anymore...nothing is selling, they are cutting jobs in the casinos...We have noticed that the strip doesn't look as busy as it did last year at this time...its tough I tell ya. But like Robin says, you have to look at all the things in your life that are good right?:7
 
Gas prices haven't bothered us because we don't own a car (hate 'em). We went to the supermarket yesterday and for the first time noticed that prices were higher. But when we went on the website for our grocery delivery place, the prices were still excellent(whew!). Our apartment maintenance has stayed the same. Most of the people in my office are still frantically busy. So, all in all, we haven't noticed much change. Hope it stays that way!
 
The only impact I see for my family and everyone I know are higher gas prices. I don't see anybody unemployed except for one....and he got fired for calling in too much. Grocery prices have been going up before this gas thing hit. I remember for years my juice was 2.22.....In Jan it went up to 2.58. I am just trying not to drive around too much. I like to grocery shop at wal-mart, but it is kind of far. I might start going to the local grocery store even though prices are higher there.

BTW, I don't know if all CVS's have the same deal, but Dean's milk is 2.79 a gallon.

Have a great weekend and try not to drive too much ;)

Sara
 
Did they replace the worker that got fired? If he was always calling in you might not miss him but if someone retires will they be replacing that worker as well?

An economic downturn may force an employer to freeze hiring and cut through attrition. No one loses their jobs but those that remain working will be forced to pick up more and more.
 
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