What Happend to Prices in the US (?)

[madox07]

A friend of mine recently came back from a business trip in the US, he traveled east to west, from New York, then Arizona, Nevada, and finally California. We were talking about stuff, since it was the first time for him in the US, and he was pretty upset about pricing. It seems to me that over the last 10 years, since I left the US, prices in most fields of the economy have at least doubled. Shoot ... when I was in the US you could buy a $1 hot dog or a 50 cent tamale at any 7-11. My friend told me that the hot dogs in gas stations were $2.5 and tamales $1. Price of gas went nuts ... somewhere higher than $4/gallon in California. The highest I remember gas in California (which was always the most expensive) was $2.96. A lousy breakfast at a 3 star hotel in New York City $20 - give me a break. Sam Adams beer $12.99/six back !? Oh yeah and tobacco ... tobacco simply went off the grid. I asked him to bring me a couple of american spirit cigarette packs - a nostalgia thing of mine. That was one expensive nostalgia moment - $10 / pack. What's going on guys? What happened to the American dream? Did wages go up at least, in tandem with prices?

 

[carolinachurchwarden]

In a word? Inflation. It's killing people. The prices of everything is going up, but the income is not, at least not at the same rate. I had to threaten to quit my company a year or more ago to receive a little more salary than what they were bringing new hires in at. I'd been there 3 years and new hires doing the same thing I was were starting at a salary higher than mine.
It's crazy, and we also keep breaking our record taxes haul every year. The government keeps raking in record taxes every year and yet the deficit grows as they continue to vote to raise the debt ceiling. I can't do that, can you? I mean, I can't continue to raise my debt but so far before someone's going to stop me. I just stare at my paystub I disgust as I watch more than 25% of my pay check go to taxes. But, then again, they need that money so that they can study how a shrimp walks on a treadmill.....

 

[mikethompson]

I can't speak to the other things, but in terms of tobacco You guys have it so good.
C&D Bourbon Bleu is $38.95 in Canada
C&D Bourbon Bleu is $9.85 on 4noggins

 

[artificialme]

C&D Bourbon Bleu is $38.95 in Canada
C&D Bourbon Bleu is $9.85 on 4noggins

Wow, that's almost 4 times the price in America. Indonesia seems to have a better price. But, we had hard time to importing tobacco here.
Btw, the most expensive cigarette in Indonesia, as far as I know, is Marlboro. It's cost us $1.7. So much cheaper than in US :D

 

[mikethompson]

That's $38.95 Canadian, With the exchange it is about $30 US, so it is still about 3x as much.

 

[paulfg]

@mikethompson

and I thought Uk prices were expensive at about 14-15 GBP /50 grams.

yes the American prices are not what they were but still cheap.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Five years ago you could buy a pound of Pirate Kake for $29 and a 3.5oz tin of Old Dark Fired for $12.56.

 

[bluto]

Wages have stagnated while cost of living marches on , hence the demise of the middle class
You fall on either side of that divide , the old saying the rich get richer and the poor get poorer has never been more true.

 

[bluto]

American prices are not what they were but still cheap.

This will change in due course
Stock up for price and availability
SMS is also slowly disappearing

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ewww, you're not supposed to actually eat the hotdogs or tamales at gas stations. Those are actually just to cover up the smell of the goat that they store in the back room. Someone is going to get killed one day, accidentally eating one of those things. ::

 

[btp79]

Ewww, you're not supposed to actually eat the hotdogs or tamales at gas stations.

That's what I was thinking!!

 

[legrand52]

And that Canadian price is for 50 grams (1.76 ounces).

 

[blackadderlxx]

The Feredal Reserve Bank issues our currency. During the recession they printed new money (like a lot of it) and called the program "Quantitative Easing". Every time the FED does this, it increases the amount of currency in circulation, which in turn makes the currency in circulation worth less. This is called inflation, but it would more accurately be called a hidden tax. I'll let you infer how I feel about this.

 

[scloyd]

You go to 7-11 for Slurpees and Big Gulps, not hot dogs and tamales.

 

[bluto]

I’m guessing with so much fiat money in circulation , major lending countries dumping us debt , the bond market will next take a huge hit
.. hold onto your butts

 

[briarbuck]

Two words...Taco Bell.
Your friend is wrong about most of the country. Inflation is running at 2%, down from 3% 5-6 years ago. 2% is less that the increase in wages. Food is dirt cheap because of subsidies. Come to the Midwest where you can get a hot dog for a quarter.

 

[mcitinner1]

@Maddox The prices you list are all much higher than they are here in Missouri, but I don't know anyplace you can get a hotdog for a quarter. 8O

 

[craiginthecorn]

If your friend is a Brit, then you've got to factor in the exchange rate. The US dollar is relatively strong right now. On my recent UK trip, things seemed reasonably priced.

 

[mso489]

madox, that's an interesting observation. Of course inflation ratchets up through boom and recession, and boom again. We had a break in gasoline prices that reinstated the consumer love of SUV's and trucks, heavy gas burners. I think grocery prices are still somewhat low, though not on everything. But yes, I think your friend is correct. Low wage workers -- fast food and hotel housekeepers etc. -- have to work several jobs just to pay rent, food, and expenses with zero frills. But pricing is always deceptive and erratic. Back in the 1990's I went to New York City with the anticipation of vast expense for food, which was NYC's reputation, and found all kinds of Chinese buffets and other restaurants that were less expensive than the "provinces," so there are often wild variations and fluctuations.

 

[brian64]

I just stare at my paystub I disgust as I watch more than 25% of my pay check go to taxes. But, then again, they need that money so that they can study how a shrimp walks on a treadmill.....

I of course agree completely in spirit and principle, but the truth is that every penny of the income tax only goes to pay the interest on the national debt. All government spending comes from other types of taxes and from borrowing. It's total insanity.