Frugal Living: 25 new messages in 9 topics

misc.consumers.frugal-living
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living?hl=en

misc.consumers.frugal-living@googlegroups.com

Today's topics:

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Saving at the Farmer's Market
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/7d07f732fa29f8b2?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 3 ==
Date: Thurs, Jun 26 2008 8:46 pm
From: Ablang

Most frugal zealots give tips about slashing your food bill as much as
possible. As a foodie and a consciously frugal gal, I'm more
interested in getting the best quality bargain that supports my local
economy. My dollars are as good as votes (some would argue the only
vote that really counts), and I want to make sure I'm voting in line
with my values. My values when it comes to food? It needs to be
delicious, sustainably produced and preferably grown on a small-scale
farm. Luckily, my local farmer's market provides just those things!

Sometimes farmer's markets are more expensive than grocery stores.
Sometimes, items are cheaper, depending on the season and the seller.
Supermarkets are often cheaper because grocers purchase large
quantities from mega farms. But there is much debate about the ethical
practices of many large supermarkets, as they often force farmers to
sell their crops at a significant loss. I'm not interested in saving
money if it means that the person who toiled to create the product I'm
purchasing didn't receive a fair price for his or her efforts.

Now, let me step off my soap box and give a few tips on how I've
learned to save money while shopping at my local farmer's market
(thanks for listening to the sermon, though. And yeah, I know, I'm
preaching to the choir!).

1. Take a pen and paper with you. If possible, bring a friend (running
errands together saves on gas!) to help. Basically, you'll be creating
an impromptu price book that will change weekly.

2. As you're walking, jot down the prices of products you want to buy
and their relative location. Use whatever method is easiest for you. I
make a two lines and write the product and price down with an "X" on
the either side of the "aisle" where the booth is located. Some
markets are kind enough to have booth numbers or names displayed. If
you're so lucky, you can note that cherries are $4 a box at booth six,
etc.

3. Be sure to jot down any other information that is important to you.
Do you want organic produce or are you willing to buy conventionally
grown items?

4. After you've walked the length of the market, take a look at your
notes and circle the least expensive items. Return to those booths and
make your purchases.

In some instances, there will be only one vendor selling what you
want, but most of the time you'll have several growers from which to
choose. Don't let any do-gooder guilt make you spend more for the same
product. Keep in mind that most people don't pay attention to prices
and will purchase items as they go along, and most farmers present
will receive support.

The same grocery shopping rules apply at the farmer's market-don't
shop when hungry, bring a list (this may require that you educate
yourself on what is in season in your area), bring your own bags, and
do your best not to become enthralled with anything you don't actually
need.

http://consciouslyfrugal.blogspot.com/2007/05/saving-at-farmers-market.html

== 2 of 3 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 12:03 pm
From: "bungalow_steve@yahoo.com"

On Jun 26, 8:46 pm, Ablang <ron...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Most frugal zealots give tips about slashing your food bill as much as
> possible. As a foodie and a consciously frugal gal, I'm more
> interested in getting the best quality bargain that supports my local
> economy. My dollars are as good as votes (some would argue the only
> vote that really counts), and I want to make sure I'm voting in line
> with my values. My values when it comes to food? It needs to be
> delicious, sustainably produced and preferably grown on a small-scale
> farm. Luckily, my local farmer's market provides just those things!
>
> Sometimes farmer's markets are more expensive than grocery stores.
> Sometimes, items are cheaper, depending on the season and the seller.
> Supermarkets are often cheaper because grocers purchase large
> quantities from mega farms. But there is much debate about the ethical
> practices of many large supermarkets, as they often force farmers to
> sell their crops at a significant loss. I'm not interested in saving
> money if it means that the person who toiled to create the product I'm
> purchasing didn't receive a fair price for his or her efforts.
>
> Now, let me step off my soap box and give a few tips on how I've
> learned to save money while shopping at my local farmer's market
> (thanks for listening to the sermon, though. And yeah, I know, I'm
> preaching to the choir!).
>
> 1. Take a pen and paper with you. If possible, bring a friend (running
> errands together saves on gas!) to help. Basically, you'll be creating
> an impromptu price book that will change weekly.
>
> 2. As you're walking, jot down the prices of products you want to buy
> and their relative location. Use whatever method is easiest for you. I
> make a two lines and write the product and price down with an "X" on
> the either side of the "aisle" where the booth is located. Some
> markets are kind enough to have booth numbers or names displayed. If
> you're so lucky, you can note that cherries are $4 a box at booth six,
> etc.
>
> 3. Be sure to jot down any other information that is important to you.
> Do you want organic produce or are you willing to buy conventionally
> grown items?
>
> 4. After you've walked the length of the market, take a look at your
> notes and circle the least expensive items. Return to those booths and
> make your purchases.
>
> In some instances, there will be only one vendor selling what you
> want, but most of the time you'll have several growers from which to
> choose. Don't let any do-gooder guilt make you spend more for the same
> product. Keep in mind that most people don't pay attention to prices
> and will purchase items as they go along, and most farmers present
> will receive support.
>
> The same grocery shopping rules apply at the farmer's market-don't
> shop when hungry, bring a list (this may require that you educate
> yourself on what is in season in your area), bring your own bags, and
> do your best not to become enthralled with anything you don't actually
> need.
>
> http://consciouslyfrugal.blogspot.com/2007/05/saving-at-farmers-marke...

warning, most farmer's markets just resell mass produced stuff, at
least in my area, the tomatoes and strawberries they sell are usually
a dead giveaway (calif crap)

the supermarket I go too now has a "farmers market area", more highly
prices, but they are really locally grown, with the name and location
of each farmer displayed next to each item. And it's real local stuff,
buggy fruit, half size strawberries, weird shaped tomatoes, dull
looking apples, but all taste great!

== 3 of 3 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 1:52 pm
From: George Grapman

bungalow_steve@yahoo.com wrote:
> On Jun 26, 8:46 pm, Ablang <ron...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Most frugal zealots give tips about slashing your food bill as much as
>> possible. As a foodie and a consciously frugal gal, I'm more
>> interested in getting the best quality bargain that supports my local
>> economy. My dollars are as good as votes (some would argue the only
>> vote that really counts), and I want to make sure I'm voting in line
>> with my values. My values when it comes to food? It needs to be
>> delicious, sustainably produced and preferably grown on a small-scale
>> farm. Luckily, my local farmer's market provides just those things!
>>
>> Sometimes farmer's markets are more expensive than grocery stores.
>> Sometimes, items are cheaper, depending on the season and the seller.
>> Supermarkets are often cheaper because grocers purchase large
>> quantities from mega farms. But there is much debate about the ethical
>> practices of many large supermarkets, as they often force farmers to
>> sell their crops at a significant loss. I'm not interested in saving
>> money if it means that the person who toiled to create the product I'm
>> purchasing didn't receive a fair price for his or her efforts.
>>
>> Now, let me step off my soap box and give a few tips on how I've
>> learned to save money while shopping at my local farmer's market
>> (thanks for listening to the sermon, though. And yeah, I know, I'm
>> preaching to the choir!).
>>
>> 1. Take a pen and paper with you. If possible, bring a friend (running
>> errands together saves on gas!) to help. Basically, you'll be creating
>> an impromptu price book that will change weekly.
>>
>> 2. As you're walking, jot down the prices of products you want to buy
>> and their relative location. Use whatever method is easiest for you. I
>> make a two lines and write the product and price down with an "X" on
>> the either side of the "aisle" where the booth is located. Some
>> markets are kind enough to have booth numbers or names displayed. If
>> you're so lucky, you can note that cherries are $4 a box at booth six,
>> etc.
>>
>> 3. Be sure to jot down any other information that is important to you.
>> Do you want organic produce or are you willing to buy conventionally
>> grown items?
>>
>> 4. After you've walked the length of the market, take a look at your
>> notes and circle the least expensive items. Return to those booths and
>> make your purchases.
>>
>> In some instances, there will be only one vendor selling what you
>> want, but most of the time you'll have several growers from which to
>> choose. Don't let any do-gooder guilt make you spend more for the same
>> product. Keep in mind that most people don't pay attention to prices
>> and will purchase items as they go along, and most farmers present
>> will receive support.
>>
>> The same grocery shopping rules apply at the farmer's market-don't
>> shop when hungry, bring a list (this may require that you educate
>> yourself on what is in season in your area), bring your own bags, and
>> do your best not to become enthralled with anything you don't actually
>> need.
>>
>> http://consciouslyfrugal.blogspot.com/2007/05/saving-at-farmers-marke...
>
> warning, most farmer's markets just resell mass produced stuff, at
> least in my area, the tomatoes and strawberries they sell are usually
> a dead giveaway (calif crap)
>
> the supermarket I go too now has a "farmers market area", more highly
> prices, but they are really locally grown, with the name and location
> of each farmer displayed next to each item. And it's real local stuff,
> buggy fruit, half size strawberries, weird shaped tomatoes, dull
> looking apples, but all taste great!

In San Francisco not only is the name of the farm displayed but the
truck with that name is usually adjacent to the stall.
The best tomatoes I ever had are sold by Two Dog Farms in Santa Cruz
County at the Sunday farmers market here during summer months.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Target unit pricing - Here's the real point
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/2a1db67120ad9cd3?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 13 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 12:02 am
From: Jack Bauer

the zak wrote:
> Target unit pricing shelf labels for paper goods like paper
> towels and toilet tissue list the unit price per 100 sheets
> instead of per 100 square feet as do other stores.
> It's inaccurate. Sheet sizes vary. Converting unit pricing
> from per 100 sheets to per 100 square feet is difficult
> to do in the aisle of the Target store.

I have been in several different stores trying to figure out the unit
pricing on bottled water. They will have all different sizes and
brands, but in the end they are all just bottles containing water,
right? But the unit pricing is by the each, liter, ounce, you name it!
Whatever units they can come up with to make it all more confusing.
You can't compare.

And the WHOLE POINT of unit pricing, as they told us back in the 70's,
is that it SHOULD NOT take a college grad with a slide rule or
calculator to figure this stuff out. You should be able to look at all
the similar products and quickly figure out which is cheapest based on
the unit pricing shown on the labels.

But you can't. So who do we contact to enforce the unit pricing laws?

== 2 of 13 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 12:06 am
From: Jack Bauer

Seerialmom wrote:
> On Jun 26, 1:19 pm, "Rod Speed" <rod.speed....@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Scott in SoCal <scottenazt...@yahoo.com> wrote
>>
>>> the zak <don.sak...@gmail.com> wrote
>>>> Target unit pricing shelf labels for paper goods like paper
>>>> towels and toilet tissue list the unit price per 100 sheets
>>>> instead of per 100 square feet as do other stores.
>>>> It's inaccurate. Sheet sizes vary. Converting unit pricing
>>>> from per 100 sheets to per 100 square feet is difficult
>>>> to do in the aisle of the Target store.
>>> Not if you have a pocket calculator.
>> Or any decent cellphone.
>
> My cell phone (Motorola V551) must not be decent...it doesn't have a
> calculator :(

I bet it does, just very hard to find and use. Even my cheapo Nokia $30
cell phone has a calculator. Of course, no camera or bluetooth.

== 3 of 13 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 12:58 am
From: "Rod Speed"

Jack Bauer <jb@nowhere.com> wrote
> Seerialmom wrote
>> Rod Speed <rod.speed....@gmail.com> wrote
>>> Scott in SoCal <scottenazt...@yahoo.com> wrote
>>>> the zak <don.sak...@gmail.com> wrote

>>>>> Target unit pricing shelf labels for paper goods like paper
>>>>> towels and toilet tissue list the unit price per 100 sheets
>>>>> instead of per 100 square feet as do other stores.
>>>>> It's inaccurate. Sheet sizes vary. Converting unit pricing
>>>>> from per 100 sheets to per 100 square feet is difficult
>>>>> to do in the aisle of the Target store.

>>>> Not if you have a pocket calculator.

>>> Or any decent cellphone.

>> My cell phone (Motorola V551) must not be decent...it doesn't have a calculator :(

> I bet it does, just very hard to find and use.

He's right, P83 in the manual, Office Tools, Calculator.

> Even my cheapo Nokia $30 cell phone has a calculator. Of course, no camera or bluetooth.

== 4 of 13 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 2:18 am
From: the zak

On Jun 27, 3:02 am, Jack Bauer <j...@nowhere.com> wrote:
> the zak wrote:
> > Target unit pricing shelf labels for paper goods like paper
> > towels and toilet tissue list the unit price per 100 sheets
> > instead of per 100 square feet as do other stores.
> > It's inaccurate. Sheet sizes vary. Converting unit pricing
> > from per 100 sheets to per 100 square feet is difficult
> > to do in the aisle of the Target store.
>
> I have been in several different stores trying to figure out the unit
> pricing on bottled water. They will have all different sizes and
> brands, but in the end they are all just bottles containing water,
> right? But the unit pricing is by the each, liter, ounce, you name it!
> Whatever units they can come up with to make it all more confusing.
> You can't compare.
>
> And the WHOLE POINT of unit pricing, as they told us back in the 70's,
> is that it SHOULD NOT take a college grad with a slide rule or
> calculator to figure this stuff out. You should be able to look at all
> the similar products and quickly figure out which is cheapest based on
> the unit pricing shown on the labels.
>
> But you can't. So who do we contact to enforce the unit pricing laws?

http://www.target.com/gp/help/display-contact-us-form.html?displayLink=tsm
http://www.target.com/
gp/help/display-contact-us-form.html?displayLink=tsm

== 5 of 13 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 2:21 am
From: the zak

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=ocaterminal&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Government&L2=Our+Agencies+and+Divisions&L3=Division+of+Standards&sid=Eoca&b=terminalcontent&f=dos_enforce&csid=Eoca
http://www.mass.gov/
?pageID=ocaterminal&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Government&L2=Our+Agencies+and
+Divisions&L3=Division+of
+Standards&sid=Eoca&b=terminalcontent&f=dos_enforce&csid=Eoca

== 6 of 13 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 2:51 am
From: clams_casino

Jack Bauer wrote:

> They will have all different sizes and brands, but in the end they are
> all just bottles containing water, right?

You obviously have not tasted some of the off brands at Walmart.

I find the 24 packs of 1/2 L Poland Springs to be the best value /
quality that frequently go on sale here for $3.99.

While we don't drink them at home, they are very convenient to have in
the car when traveling.

== 7 of 13 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 3:24 am
From: Shawn Hirn

In article <g423ig$b8i$1@news.parasun.com>, Jack Bauer <jb@nowhere.com>
wrote:

> the zak wrote:
> > Target unit pricing shelf labels for paper goods like paper
> > towels and toilet tissue list the unit price per 100 sheets
> > instead of per 100 square feet as do other stores.
> > It's inaccurate. Sheet sizes vary. Converting unit pricing
> > from per 100 sheets to per 100 square feet is difficult
> > to do in the aisle of the Target store.
>
> I have been in several different stores trying to figure out the unit
> pricing on bottled water. They will have all different sizes and
> brands, but in the end they are all just bottles containing water,
> right? But the unit pricing is by the each, liter, ounce, you name it!
> Whatever units they can come up with to make it all more confusing.
> You can't compare.
>
> And the WHOLE POINT of unit pricing, as they told us back in the 70's,
> is that it SHOULD NOT take a college grad with a slide rule or
> calculator to figure this stuff out. You should be able to look at all
> the similar products and quickly figure out which is cheapest based on
> the unit pricing shown on the labels.
>
> But you can't. So who do we contact to enforce the unit pricing laws?

I suppose, your elected officials at the state, local, and federal
levels. They all have a say in how unit pricing is done, one way or the
other. For bottled water though, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to
convert between liters and ounces, so that's not the best example.
Besides if frugality is your main concern, with water, your best bet is
to drink tap water and filter it if necessary. The cost of Brita water
filter (and a few filters) is a lot cheaper then bottled water on a per
gallon basis.

== 8 of 13 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 3:48 am
From: Tim Smith

In article <slrng686v1.8np.don@manx.misty.com>,
don@manx.misty.com (Don Klipstein) wrote:
> In <c75904f4-f182-445f-abdf-1234a304b95d@56g2000hsm.googlegroups.com>, the
> zak wrote:
>
> >Target unit pricing shelf labels for paper goods like paper
> >towels and toilet tissue list the unit price per 100 sheets
> >instead of per 100 square feet as do other stores.
> >It's inaccurate. Sheet sizes vary. Converting unit pricing
> >from per 100 sheets to per 100 square feet is difficult
> >to do in the aisle of the Target store.
>
> My experience at the supermarkets where I usually shop is that they also
> give unit prices being price per 100 sheets.

On average, that is probably actually more accurate a predictor of how
much a roll really costs, since most people will consume paper towels by
the sheet, not by area.

For example, given a roll X with sheets of a given size (let's call that
size 1), and a roll Y, with sheets 10% bigger (so, size 1.1), all those
spills small enough to clean up with one X sheet would take one Y sheet,
so the net result would be that the extra 10% on the Y sheets would be
completely wasted on those spills.

Here's a table:

Spill Size # X sheets # Y sheets
---------- ---------- ----------
( 0, 1 ] 1 1
( 1, 1.1 ] 2 1
( 1.1, 2 ] 2 2
( 2, 2.2 ] 3 2
( 2.2, 3 ] 3 3
( 3, 3.3 ] 4 3
...

I think most spills will be in the ( 0, 1 ] range, using 1 sheet of
either, where the extra 10% on the Y sheets is completely wasted on
those consumers who don't carefully tear off the dry portions after
using a towel and save those for small later spills.

--
--Tim Smith

== 9 of 13 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 5:20 am
From: val189

On Jun 25, 11:49 pm, the zak <don.sak...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Target unit pricing shelf labels for paper goods like paper
> towels and toilet tissue list the unit price per 100 sheets
> instead of per 100 square feet as do other stores.
> It's inaccurate. Sheet sizes vary. Converting unit pricing
> from per 100 sheets to per 100 square feet is difficult
> to do in the aisle of the Target store.

Yeah, it's a math nightmare and not worth the time to do any real
figuring. Paper goods are still a relatively cheap product and small
part of total living expenses, so I just buy according to quality I
desire.

Instead of grabbing a paper towel every other spill etc, I grab a
cheap, ( dozen for 4 bucks ) washcloth which can go in the wash and it
costs nada.

== 10 of 13 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 9:54 am
From: sarge137

On Jun 27, 1:02 am, Jack Bauer <j...@nowhere.com> wrote:
> the zak wrote:
> > Target unit pricing shelf labels for paper goods like paper
> > towels and toilet tissue list the unit price per 100 sheets
> > instead of per 100 square feet as do other stores.
> > It's inaccurate. Sheet sizes vary. Converting unit pricing
> > from per 100 sheets to per 100 square feet is difficult
> > to do in the aisle of the Target store.
>
> I have been in several different stores trying to figure out the unit
> pricing on bottled water. They will have all different sizes and
> brands, but in the end they are all just bottles containing water,
> right? But the unit pricing is by the each, liter, ounce, you name it!
> Whatever units they can come up with to make it all more confusing.
> You can't compare.

Interesting. We shop at two different stores on a regular basis. A
Kroger chain store and a military commissary. In both cases every
beverage (water, soft drinks, fruit juice, etc) they sell is unit
priced per ounce, regardless of the packaging or volume of the
package. In fact, I don't remember ever seeing a unit price shelf
label that wasn't expressed per pound or ounce so long as the label on
the product is expressed in those terms (which is pretty much
everything on their shelves). Even the OTC drugs they sell are unit
labeled per dose.

I guess I don't understand the compulsion to buy what's cheapest visa-
a-vis what's best (a matter of personal opinion). In most cases you'd
have to buy in pretty large quantities for the difference to matter
much. For example: We eat canned albacore tuna packed in water. Our
regular grocery store carries three national brands. We've tried all
of them, and I personally see no difference, but my wife has a
preference which happens to be the most expensive. The price per
ounce between the cheapest and most expensive is about 15 percent.
Not enough to matter given the volume of the stuff we buy. She buys
what she likes.

> And the WHOLE POINT of unit pricing, as they told us back in the 70's,
> is that it SHOULD NOT take a college grad with a slide rule or
> calculator to figure this stuff out. You should be able to look at all
> the similar products and quickly figure out which is cheapest based on
> the unit pricing shown on the labels.

Absolutely right! But, another example of a feel good law with no
real intention of enforcement. Take a look at some of the discussions
of the National Do Not Call Registry you can find in the groups.

> But you can't. So who do we contact to enforce the unit pricing laws?

Your best bet would be to contact the Consumers Affairs Division of
your state Attorney General's Office. But, unless they've got an axe
to grind with the business for other reasons don't expect much
response

== 11 of 13 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 10:49 am
From: zekfrivo@zekfrivolous.com (GregS)

In article <a1919ffc-ab39-49d0-94cb-d1a9fb89bdc9@b1g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>, sarge137 <rbooth9858@yahoo.com> wrote:
>On Jun 27, 1:02=A0am, Jack Bauer <j...@nowhere.com> wrote:
>> the zak wrote:
>> > Target unit pricing shelf labels for paper goods like paper
>> > towels and toilet tissue list the unit price per 100 sheets
>> > instead of per 100 square feet as do other stores.
>> > It's inaccurate. Sheet sizes vary. Converting unit pricing
>> > from per 100 sheets to per 100 square feet is difficult
>> > to do in the aisle of the Target store.
>>
>> I have been in several different stores trying to figure out the unit
>> pricing on bottled water. =A0They will have all different sizes and
>> brands, but in the end they are all just bottles containing water,
>> right? =A0But the unit pricing is by the each, liter, ounce, you name it!
>> =A0 Whatever units they can come up with to make it all more confusing.
>> You can't compare.
>
>Interesting. We shop at two different stores on a regular basis. A
>Kroger chain store and a military commissary. In both cases every
>beverage (water, soft drinks, fruit juice, etc) they sell is unit
>priced per ounce, regardless of the packaging or volume of the
>package. In fact, I don't remember ever seeing a unit price shelf
>label that wasn't expressed per pound or ounce so long as the label on
>the product is expressed in those terms (which is pretty much
>everything on their shelves). Even the OTC drugs they sell are unit
>labeled per dose.
>
>I guess I don't understand the compulsion to buy what's cheapest visa-
>a-vis what's best (a matter of personal opinion). In most cases you'd
>have to buy in pretty large quantities for the difference to matter
>much. For example: We eat canned albacore tuna packed in water. Our
>regular grocery store carries three national brands. We've tried all
>of them, and I personally see no difference, but my wife has a
>preference which happens to be the most expensive. The price per
>ounce between the cheapest and most expensive is about 15 percent.
>Not enough to matter given the volume of the stuff we buy. She buys
>what she likes.
>
>> And the WHOLE POINT of unit pricing, as they told us back in the 70's,
>> is that it SHOULD NOT take a college grad with a slide rule or
>> calculator to figure this stuff out. =A0You should be able to look at all
>> the similar products and quickly figure out which is cheapest based on
>> the unit pricing shown on the labels.
>
>Absolutely right! But, another example of a feel good law with no
>real intention of enforcement. Take a look at some of the discussions
>of the National Do Not Call Registry you can find in the groups.
>
>> But you can't. =A0So who do we contact to enforce the unit pricing laws?
>
>Your best bet would be to contact the Consumers Affairs Division of
>your state Attorney General's Office. But, unless they've got an axe
>to grind with the business for other reasons don't expect much
>response
>

Unit price. Seems I forgot all about that system.

Kroger food ? I grew up with them but they have been long gone
for many years here.

I often buy the cheaper Giant Eagle brands, which I find in most
cases are better than the other brands, and cheaper. Got the gas
perks also.

greg

== 12 of 13 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 12:30 pm
From: sarge137

On Jun 27, 11:49 am, zekfr...@zekfrivolous.com (GregS) wrote:
> In article <a1919ffc-ab39-49d0-94cb-d1a9fb89b...@b1g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>, sarge137 <rbooth9...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> >On Jun 27, 1:02=A0am, Jack Bauer <j...@nowhere.com> wrote:
> >> the zak wrote:
> >> > Target unit pricing shelf labels for paper goods like paper
> >> > towels and toilet tissue list the unit price per 100 sheets
> >> > instead of per 100 square feet as do other stores.
> >> > It's inaccurate. Sheet sizes vary. Converting unit pricing
> >> > from per 100 sheets to per 100 square feet is difficult
> >> > to do in the aisle of the Target store.
>
> >> I have been in several different stores trying to figure out the unit
> >> pricing on bottled water. =A0They will have all different sizes and
> >> brands, but in the end they are all just bottles containing water,
> >> right? =A0But the unit pricing is by the each, liter, ounce, you name it!
> >> =A0 Whatever units they can come up with to make it all more confusing.
> >> You can't compare.
>
> >Interesting. We shop at two different stores on a regular basis. A
> >Kroger chain store and a military commissary. In both cases every
> >beverage (water, soft drinks, fruit juice, etc) they sell is unit
> >priced per ounce, regardless of the packaging or volume of the
> >package. In fact, I don't remember ever seeing a unit price shelf
> >label that wasn't expressed per pound or ounce so long as the label on
> >the product is expressed in those terms (which is pretty much
> >everything on their shelves). Even the OTC drugs they sell are unit
> >labeled per dose.
>
> >I guess I don't understand the compulsion to buy what's cheapest visa-
> >a-vis what's best (a matter of personal opinion). In most cases you'd
> >have to buy in pretty large quantities for the difference to matter
> >much. For example: We eat canned albacore tuna packed in water. Our
> >regular grocery store carries three national brands. We've tried all
> >of them, and I personally see no difference, but my wife has a
> >preference which happens to be the most expensive. The price per
> >ounce between the cheapest and most expensive is about 15 percent.
> >Not enough to matter given the volume of the stuff we buy. She buys
> >what she likes.
>
> >> And the WHOLE POINT of unit pricing, as they told us back in the 70's,
> >> is that it SHOULD NOT take a college grad with a slide rule or
> >> calculator to figure this stuff out. =A0You should be able to look at all
> >> the similar products and quickly figure out which is cheapest based on
> >> the unit pricing shown on the labels.
>
> >Absolutely right! But, another example of a feel good law with no
> >real intention of enforcement. Take a look at some of the discussions
> >of the National Do Not Call Registry you can find in the groups.
>
> >> But you can't. =A0So who do we contact to enforce the unit pricing laws?
>
> >Your best bet would be to contact the Consumers Affairs Division of
> >your state Attorney General's Office. But, unless they've got an axe
> >to grind with the business for other reasons don't expect much
> >response
>
> Unit price. Seems I forgot all about that system.
>
> Kroger food ? I grew up with them but they have been long gone
> for many years here.

Yeah the Kroger brand is gone from many markets. But, Kroger, Inc. is
alive and well. They operate almost 3,000 supermarkets between the
midwest and west coast. And many times that many convenience stores,
delis and bakeries. Check Wikipedia, or the Kroger corporate web
site. You may actually have a Kroger store in your area that goes by
a different name.

> I often buy the cheaper Giant Eagle brands, which I find in most
> cases are better than the other brands, and cheaper. Got the gas
> perks also.

I agree. I buy many store brand items. But it's because I think
they're superior, not because they're cheaper - though they almost
always are. We also get the gas discount - 3 cents per gallon just
for scanning their shopper's card, and 10 cents per gallon if you've
bought at least $100 worth of groceries on that card in the past
month. And as a bonus their "street price" for gas is the lowest in
the area. The down side of that is that the lines at their pumps are
sometimes so long that I'm not willing to wait 20 minutes or more to
save 30 cents to a dollar on a ten gallon fill up.

== 13 of 13 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 12:52 pm
From: Seerialmom

On Jun 27, 12:02 am, Jack Bauer <j...@nowhere.com> wrote:
> the zak wrote:
> > Target unit pricing shelf labels for paper goods like paper
> > towels and toilet tissue list the unit price per 100 sheets
> > instead of per 100 square feet as do other stores.
> > It's inaccurate. Sheet sizes vary. Converting unit pricing
> > from per 100 sheets to per 100 square feet is difficult
> > to do in the aisle of the Target store.
>
> I have been in several different stores trying to figure out the unit
> pricing on bottled water. They will have all different sizes and
> brands, but in the end they are all just bottles containing water,
> right? But the unit pricing is by the each, liter, ounce, you name it!
> Whatever units they can come up with to make it all more confusing.
> You can't compare.
>
> And the WHOLE POINT of unit pricing, as they told us back in the 70's,
> is that it SHOULD NOT take a college grad with a slide rule or
> calculator to figure this stuff out. You should be able to look at all
> the similar products and quickly figure out which is cheapest based on
> the unit pricing shown on the labels.
>
> But you can't. So who do we contact to enforce the unit pricing laws?

Depends on where you live. It could be the consumer protection
department or the weights and measures people. I agree that if
they're going to say that BW brand A is .05¢ an oz then BW brand B
right next to it should not say .69¢ per ea.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Shop Lane Bryant Online Store
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/4f6c58a50b5485e9?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 3:56 am
From: RABBIT

Shop Lane Bryant Online Store Sales And Find plus-size suits and
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== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 8:26 am
From: George Grapman

RABBIT wrote:
> Shop Lane Bryant Online Store Sales And Find plus-size suits and
> stylish career apparel to accentuate your figure.find something
> special at Lane Bryant online store.Their customer service is great
> and I allways shop here for my wife and she loves when I do.
>
> http://lanebryantonline.blogspot.com/

Funny how those items do not appear on lanebryant.com.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Bedroom Furniture
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/9eda600e7986d3c3?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 4:50 am
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http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/96f1e7c2d075b5dd?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 5:35 am
From: sneakeroutlet18@yahoo.com.cn

==============================================================================
TOPIC: google groups
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/1ad6efab460db467?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 5:37 am
From: The Real Bev Far From Home

clams_casino wrote:
> The Real Bev Far From Home wrote:
>
>> hchickpea@hotmail.com wrote:
>>
>>> BTW, quiet around here the last few days. Have the google spammers
>>> figured out they no longer have an audience???
>>
>> I'm reading news through a feed (reader.usenet4all.se) that claims to
>> reject googlegroups posts. They seem to be telling the truth.

There seemed to be a bit of a delay, compared to my ISP's feed, in
receiving messages, but that's probably not a huge problem.

> Saw on another newsgroup that Verizon is dropping all alt newsgroups
> (amongst others), forcing their customers to access newsgroups via
> google groups (and other sources).
>
> Several have been really upset to find many users are filtering out all
> google groups postings.

Probably the same people who use them to post. It's kind of nice when
people select themselves out of the system.

Cheers,
Bev -- Far from home

==============================================================================
TOPIC: sell shox oz nz tl r4 r5 turob energia shoes
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/b5e25cef9084219d?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
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==============================================================================
TOPIC: How many here own food freezer?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/79858a8bd8f90308?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 1:14 pm
From: James

On Jun 26, 4:26 pm, "Rod Speed" <rod.speed....@gmail.com> wrote:
> Nicodemus <Ancient-of-D...@Heaven.net> wrote
>
> > Samantha Hill <samh...@TRASHsonic.net> wrote
> >> JonL wrote
> >>> How long can you keep meat frozen b-4 you start looking at it....and wondering.....hmmm....??
> >> It's all dated, and I don't have the chart handy but
> >> I know you can keep it for something like six months.
> > This begs the question..what about them vacuum seal bags..
>
> Not necessary, particularly with meat. The meat wets normal bags quite adequately.
>
> > they say by removing the air the meat stays longer..the next
> > question in my my mind is the added cost of vacuum bags..
> > the whole thing just cascaded into a mathematicians nightmare..
>
> Nope, just have two separate column in the chart, stupid.
>
> > Oh I forgot the cost of a backup generator in the event of a power outage..
>
> Not necessary if the power doesnt go off for more than half a day and the freezer contents
> are insured or paid for by the power company when it stays off longer than that.

During the big blackout of 2003, we had no power for just over 2 days.

I took the foil/bubblewrap insulating jacket off the hot water heater
and put it over our small chest freezer then added some wool blankets
and a sleeping bag. And I did not disturb until the power was back.

When it was restored I opened it to check and everything was still
frozen solid.

Of course that only works if you are home at the time.

James

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Fri, Jun 27 2008 1:20 pm
From: "Rod Speed"

James <jlinn@idirect.com> wrote
> Rod Speed <rod.speed....@gmail.com> wrote
>> Nicodemus <Ancient-of-D...@Heaven.net> wrote
>>> Samantha Hill <samh...@TRASHsonic.net> wrote
>>>> JonL wrote

>>>>> How long can you keep meat frozen b-4 you start looking at
>>>>> it....and wondering.....hmmm....??

>>>> It's all dated, and I don't have the chart handy but
>>>> I know you can keep it for something like six months.

>>> This begs the question..what about them vacuum seal bags..

>> Not necessary, particularly with meat. The meat wets normal bags quite adequately.

>>> they say by removing the air the meat stays longer..the next
>>> question in my my mind is the added cost of vacuum bags..
>>> the whole thing just cascaded into a mathematicians nightmare..

>> Nope, just have two separate column in the chart, stupid.

>>> Oh I forgot the cost of a backup generator in the event of a power outage..

>> Not necessary if the power doesnt go off for more than half a day
>> and the freezer contents are insured or paid for by the power
>> company when it stays off longer than that.

> During the big blackout of 2003, we had no power for just over 2 days.

> I took the foil/bubblewrap insulating jacket off the hot water heater
> and put it over our small chest freezer then added some wool blankets
> and a sleeping bag. And I did not disturb until the power was back.

> When it was restored I opened it to check and everything was still frozen solid.

And would have been if you had just left the freezer alone too.

> Of course that only works if you are home at the time.

Wrong when the freezer will do fine without any added insulation.

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Friday, June 27, 2008

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