How are you handling rising food and energy costs?

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Starting January 1, 2023, our state sales and use tax began applying to 30+ additional service categories. Businesses that provide these services will be required to collect 6% sales tax from their customers in the new year.

Ooohh I see. I honestly didn't know there were places that didn't charge that.

 

[RedAngie]

Yes, I was surprised that a few days after Christmas Target hardly had ANY such merchandise left. Even a few weeks before the holiday the selection was sparse.

In general over the past few years I’ve noticed much less leftover holiday merchandise in most stores. Unlike Christmas Tree Shops, maybe others are getting wiser about over ordering.

On the other hand, my local Michael’s arts and crafts still has a ton on leftover Halloween stuff for 75% off.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Target never sold a lot of its Christmas merchandise for clearance. It sent back all its trees, most of its lights and decorations, and its outdoor decorations after the holiday vs selling it. Pretty much anything they could keep without degradation, they did not sell the customers.

Foods, wrapping paper, and miscellaneous "fad" items (aka, identified by the year or the hollywood trend) did get sold in clearance...

When I worked at Spirit Halloween in college they did discount most things (Playboy was never discounted, fog machines were never discounted, some other higher end props weren't discounted, etc) in the store right after Halloween but anything that didn't get sold was boxed up and put in a POD for the next season. When the next season came around the POD was delivered and the merch would start at full price.

The second year I was there though we spent a lot of time in the beginning of the season going through the store with a lead detector because it was discovered they still had a decent amount of merch that contained lead so that cut down on some merch to start with that year.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yes, I was surprised that a few days after Christmas Target hardly had ANY such merchandise left. Even a few weeks before the holiday the selection was sparse.

In general over the past few years I’ve noticed much less leftover holiday merchandise in most stores. Unlike Christmas Tree Shops, maybe others are getting wiser about over ordering.

On the other hand, my local Michael’s arts and crafts still has a ton on leftover Halloween stuff for 75% off.

I think the delay in cargo ships and supply chain issues put a crimp on that. Remember when all of a sudden Khol's and such didn't have much merch at all and them bam they had a bunch? Places were getting things in too late for the season. I mean I got amazing deals on swimming suits at both Khol's and Macy's at a time last year when they normally wouldn't have been discounted quite yet.

Maybe it'll affect purchasing habit of retails for a bit especially with the increased prices people are less inclined to purchase quite as much other stuff in lieu of things like food and all. Who knows.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Target never sold a lot of its Christmas merchandise for clearance. It sent back all its trees, most of its lights and decorations, and its outdoor decorations after the holiday vs selling it. Pretty much anything they could keep without degradation, they did not sell the customers.

Foods, wrapping paper, and miscellaneous "fad" items (aka, identified by the year or the hollywood trend) did get sold in clearance...

The last 3 years or so, the targets I've been in usually are picked fairly clean except for wrapping paper and those bizarre things that make me wonder who in the heck thought that would sell long before they'd even think of restocking any of it. They're simply not stocking nearly as much as they used to. Michaels and Home Goods had quite a bit of stuff left. But those two places were so expensive to begin with, pretty much half price brought it down to what it should be. But Target, Home Depot, Walmart, and Lowes were all the same. Picked over long before Christmas.

 

[RedAngie]

Well, Lowe’s and Home Depot need to clear out their Christmas stuff by December 1 in order to display grills and patio furniture. I’m really not being all that facetious.

 

[RedAngie]

One thing that several Walmarts had tons unsold was a doggie advent calendar with 25 separate areas filled with a treat. I finally bought one for 75 cents to give to my cousin for her dog.

In years past many stores had excess candy canes well into late January. I’ve noticed that has pretty much disappeared too.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

One thing that several Walmarts had tons unsold was a doggie advent calendar with 25 separate areas filled with a treat. I finally bought one for 75 cents to give to my cousin for her dog.

In years past many stores had excess candy canes well into late January. I’ve noticed that has pretty much disappeared too.

There have been so many recent warnings about pet treats (and even advent calendars for children were recalled as the chocolate had lead in it or something, from China). So I feel like a lot of people are more careful what they buy. I know I am - I stick with products absolutely Made in the USA (not just manufactured in the USA) for my dogs, and even more so, mainly just buy products I know.

https://www.poisonedpets.com/alert-vets-warn-about-new-treats-from-china-poisoning-dogs/

 

[barkley]

going to brave the grocery store today-will report back later.

 

[Babs Johnson]

Edith Massey might not be able to afford her obsession any longer.

 

[JaxDad]

Or Frank Reynolds…

 

[jo-jo]

Well, Lowe’s and Home Depot need to clear out their Christmas stuff by December 1 in order to display grills and patio furniture. I’m really not being all that facetious.

We always bought a real tree. We were at disney until the Dec 10. Couple days later starting looking for a tree. Prices were really high. Decided to look at fake trees at lowes , etc. About Dec 13th , got a $400 tree for $100.

 

[mrodgers]

Just bought a tub of salad, small package of cherry tomatoes, head of broccoli, small jar of pizza sauce and 4 $1.35 drinks. $35

 

[sasywtch]

Yesterday at Walmart, 18 ct eggs=$9 I realize it's the bird flu or whatever, but everything I buy has gone up. My butter up 35 cents, sausages I buy, up 25 cents. Doesn't sound like much but when you get 100 items and all have gone up, it adds up. I did notice beef prices were up but only needed 1 lb hamburger to go with the one I had at home to finish off the taco supplies we had the night before. That hamburger was up a dollar a pound. Oh and buying the lottery ticket to win that billion dollars LOL

 

[barkley]

Yesterday at Walmart, 18 ct eggs=$9

OUCH! at my local walmart today-$4.79.

pricing is odd-used to be i could get a 4 pack of greek yogurt and save about a dollar as compared to buying them individually-now it's less than half the savings. same with double pack of pop and fresh-not nearly the savings buying it vs. 2 cans individually. lunch meat seems to have increased at least 30 percent. what is going on with ginger ale? not a single can of any brand at 2 different stores. noticed the bump up in price on great value brand pasta-and it's selling well b/c the shelves were pretty bare, shrinkage on bags of coffee-already hated the overpriced 12 oz bags, saw that many have decreased to 10 oz at higher prices. the only real 'value' i've seen at walmart is some of their prepared food in the deli area (cold prepared to take home and cook) their stefano brand calzones are a good value at $3 each (dh likes the cheese-steak ones)/oven ready cheese steak and meatball subs at $4.47 is a decent deal and the marketside flatbread pizzas at $5.87. much less expensive than getting them at the pizza places, don't have to pay tax on them-and no tip guilting.

BIGGEST PRICE SHOCK OF THE DAY-stopped at kfc to take advantage of the $5 pot pie deal, glanced at the menu to see-

16 piece meals (chicken/4 sides/biscuits) before tax-$59.99 , yup won't be doing kfc often.

 

[mrodgers]

16 piece meals (chicken/4 sides/biscuits) before tax-$59.99 , yup won't be doing kfc often.

That doesn't compute to me because I have no idea what it was before. But that's enough food to feed 6 possibly 8 people, so seems reasonably cheap to me. That's cheaper than 6 people getting individual meals just about at any fast food joint unless you'd just get a 2 bite hamburger

 

[RedAngie]

I don’t know how KFC remains in business. The ones in my extended area never seem to be busy, and it’s been that way for decades. Several have closed. I haven’t been to one in about 30 years.

Maybe KFC is like all those mattress stores that never have any customers: fronts for nefarious activity.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don’t know how KFC remains in business. The ones in my extended area never seem to be busy, and it’s been that way for decades. Several have closed. I haven’t been to one in about 30 years.

Maybe KFC is like all those mattress stores that never have any customers: fronts for nefarious activity.

It wasn't something we had a ton of time but we def. did have KFC growing up. But at some point it just became too expensive. It's probably been a good 10+ years. My in-laws have eaten it more recently but had already started saying it was really expensive before the pandemic.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My FIL loved KFC so we would often get it for him on his birthday.

For ourselves, maybe once a year or so. I never noticed it being expensive before, will have to check again.

We did get a chicken sandwich meal there recently and thought it was actually a really good sandwich. Fries were terrible, took one bite and threw the rest away. Not a fan of fountain drinks, either, but DH always wants to get one, and as usual, it was weak and flat. I would get the sandwich (alone) again, though.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Have to go grocery shopping today, wish me luck!