Secrets of the City

I’ve definitely switched from Kowalski’s to Rainbow (except for late-night snack runs).

Groceries are cheap? Not the stuff I buy. Yesterday’s PiPress had an interesting article on food prices, grain prices, and the fuel so many love to hate.

I still want a Kowalski’s in my ‘hood, though…

Just checked food prices fell by .2% last month!

… you’re right, they’re still expensive.

I’m sorry, am I supposed to feel bad about finally getting a break on my grossly overinflated gas bill? Seriously, even though it’s probably bad in the long run, I’m still happy things are a little cheaper. Now if only milk, eggs, and cheese would drop.

As I have mentioned before, watch the price of diesel fuel, not gasoline, when thinking of how fuel costs impact the costs of groceries and other goods. Diesel prices have dropped, but not as much as gasoline and E85.

It’s E85 that’s keeping foot prices up.

If you mean my foot, up you smartass, you’re right, matt.

I meant Chicken feet.

Oh, never mind.

Damnit, now I want some deep fried chicken feet.

Seriously, diesel is still over $1 more per gallon at the pump than gasoline. Used to be diesel was cheaper than gas. Not anymore.

Its frustrating that diesel’s price is so high. Its easier and less costly to produce than ether E85 or gasoline. Yet the market dictates its price and its higher.

Its frustrating that diesel’s price is so high. Its easier and less costly to produce than ether E85 or gasoline. I’m not sure where you are getting your information, but fuel-grade ethanol is much easier to make than any refined petroleum fuel, including diesel. See for yourself.

I have heard the higher cost of diesel is actually linked to the (usually) ever-increasing demand for gasoline in the US and our stagnant growth in refining capacity. Refineries can be set up to optimize gasoline production or diesel production.

 Because of the higher demand for gasoline vs. diesel, fewer refineries optimize for diesel fuel, hence scarcity and higher prices.

I bought gas today for $1.72 at Costco. I was pretty happy with that!

I wonder the floor is going to drop out on the global pricing structure of really hoppy micro brews.

I am on a tight budget, and grocery shopping is where I don’t skimp very much; I like to treat myself. That said, I mostly shop the periphery of the store (produce, dairy, meat, bread) and peek down the aisles to see if there are sale signs on any products I like. So if I have canned goods, I bought it on sale. Ditto frozen food.

My favorite cheap healthy meal is ramen. I buy “expensive” ($1.29) stuff from United Noodle, and doctor it up with seaweed, hard-boiled egg and grated carrot or some other vegetable. 

Furthermore, I have low standards for booze, and with much experimentation, have become good at discerning at a glance good cheap red wine from crappy cheap red wine. It’s been quite a task, but someone had to do it.

My info comes from my work. We considered manufacturing our own bio-diesel as a cost saving measure, so I had the fun of pricing out the manufacturing costs of the bio-diesel manufacturing facilities and operations. At the time it was only cheaper than market dyno-diesel with the help of a government subsidy. In the research process the refining process of Dyno-Diesel was also looked at, this included gas(some one else in the office got to do this one) and the inherent costs are much lower than the bio-diesel plus there is an extra product to sell, but permitting was considered imposable for dyno, and the subsidy couldn’t be guaranteed to last for the bio so the entire plan was scrapped.