During our weekend in Palm Springs, I was shocked several times at prices. I know California is an expensive place to live and that is one of the reasons why we moved. For example, gas is at least a dollar more than in Arizona.
Take the beautiful photo above. Our friends have a sailboat in the marina and when they bought their boat, they had to pay for the slip, too. Then there was city tax to pay and a monthly slip fee. They don’t actually own the slip. They own the right to rent the slip. Often, that right costs more than the boat itself.
So back to our weekend. My husband was hungry on the drive and there aren’t many places to stop once you leave Phoenix. There are a couple little towns like Tonopah (population 23) and Quartzite (population 2,143). We stopped at a Jack in the Box, ordered two breakfast sandwiches and hash browns. The price was more than $20! This was still in Arizona, so it’s not California’s fault. But shocking all the same.
While we were in Palm Springs, we stopped at our favorite pizza place, Bill’s pizza. We ordered a large pizza and one small salad to share. We ordered the large, so we could take home pizza we love and can’t get in our new city. The tab came to almost $70 with tax and tip.
I was at a neighborhood coffee yesterday morning and a woman complained that she went to the dentist. She had her teeth cleaned, x-rays and one small filling. Total? More than $900.
Our biggest shocker was the gas bill. Yes, we’ve used the heat because we had some cold weather for Scottsdale. It was triple any bill we’ve had before. We turned off the heat and are wearing extra layers on cold days. Fortunately, the weather has gotten warmer.
This reminded me of a politician who used to be in the news:
Jimmy McMillan
New York City political activist
James McMillan III is an American political activist and Vietnam War veteran. He was a perennial candidate in New York City. McMillan is best known as the founder of the Rent Is Too Damn High Party, a New York-based political party. McMillan ran for office at least six times since 1993, most notably in the 2010 New York gubernatorial election. Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Do you remember him? I wonder if he’s still around and what he’d say about current prices?
What prices or costs have shocked you lately?
I had afull plate last Saturday so my husband ran two errands for me. He couldn’t believe the price of apples at the farmers market and dry cleaning. I did switch to cheaper paper towels and hand soap, but I admit the lower price is not worth the lousy quality
We go to Costco to stock up on those products. The $900 gift card I found in my desk went to good use for products we use everyday.
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The price of everything is “too damn high”. I think I’m most shocked by potato chips. We buy them very rarely, but we recently looked and the once $1 on sale bags are now $6 on sale for fewer ounces. We’ve just been cutting back expenses wherever we can.
While I’m not familiar with Jimmy McMillan, but I like the premise. You’ve reminded me of Vermin Supreme who has also been a perennial candidate, though his campaigns have been mostly satirical and he wears a boot on his head.
$6 for chips? I’m glad I went on my low sodium diet a few months ago and let chips and cheetos go. I haven’t heard of Vermin Supreme with a boot on his head. I’ll have to look him up.
In 1950, a First Class U.S. postage stamp was 3¢ per oz. Effective January 21, 2024, the price for a First-Class Forever U.S. Postage Stamp will increase from 66 cents to 68 cents. It’s an ongoing battle to stay aware of prices and trim back the excess.
I had no idea stamps were that high! It seems like we buy less and less, but our expenses go up.
All the prices are shocking these days. Every month there is an increase in the price of most groceries and vegetables/ fruits.
Yes, I don’t see prices going down. We keep hearing inflation is going down, which is true, but prices keep increasing.
Yes that’s exactly what’s happening here as well.
It’s nice to know we’re not alone!
Nopes, we all are suffering
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Everything is priced too damn high in my opinion! As someone who lives on a fixed income right now and who is determined to continue to grow my retirement accounts for my later years I feel like I get slapped in the face any time I consider buying something- and that means things I really need, not just frivolous stuff. There is no frivolous stuff happening. I have to think about everything with the bottom line being do I have enough for rent and bills and basic food before anything else.
My simple answer EA is that nothing shocks me anymore. I just don’t expect anything to be affordable and plan everyday for living only with necessities. I have learned a lot, mostly that there isn’t much I can’t do without 🙂
It’s crazy. We’ve cut back on lots of things. We used to eat out, but that’s rare. I’m glad we bought a chest freezer at Costco and stocked it up with food. Moving out of California helped us, but things are going up here in Arizona, too.
It’s an interesting thing- to live now because on one side we are quick to blame anything but ourselves- literally anything or anyone but ourselves. However, as consumers when we continue to be willing to purchase $10 cups of bad coffee, or as in Erin’s example $6 bags of potato chips, or always have to have the newest car or iphone or massive amounts of clothing (like LA’s post yesterday) we are literally feeding the flames of the rise in prices. If people will spend the money then prices will rise until people say no and stop. Clearly that example means nothing when it is a small minority who refuse to spend and we know that the majority are going to keep buying no matter the cost and no matter how much debt they incur. Our economy is based on the majority of people continuing to buy no matter the cost.
You are so correct. Yesterday I went to our neighborhood coffee at a local coffee shop and was the only one who didn’t order a fancy coffee drink. I already had my coffee at home and ordered water and a bagel. I can’t remember the last time I ordered coffee out. My kids used to get coffee everyday in Berkeley. Because of higher prices on everything, they no longer do. You’re right, we are a consumer based economy.
I don’t remember Jimmy McMillan…but dang if I don’t like the name of his party! I’d vote for almost anyone on that ticket…you’re absolutely right on, Elizabeth about your observations on skyrocketing prices…for everything. Oy. 😲
I used to laugh at McMillan and the funny name of his party. Now I’m ready to support it, if it still exists!
Me, too! 🥰😜🥰
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I mostly blame pure greed. I could understand why a lot of prices went up during the pandemic but they sure aren’t coming down now that things like the supply chains have normalized again.
I am so grateful that we purchased our house a long time ago. Rents have gone through the roof here, but the laws still allow a lot of the inventory to be snapped up as Airbnbs. On the other hand, I see young people happily using overpriced “services” like DoorDash to pick up food for them.
I agree. I’m not sure if it’s the companies or the people who agree to use services like door dash. We have a generation of people who pay for take out food, coffee and someone to bring it to their door! All unheard of when I grew up!
The thing that sucks about food delivery is that used to becan actual job at restaurants, now it is all OVERPRICED EXHORBITANT FEES TACKED ON by 3rd party delivery vendors like door dash/grub hub/uber eats. Restaurants over charge for delivery then on top of that so do the delivery companies. An example being a burger for $12 in a restaurant is now $18 and with delivery fees is now $30
Wow! My daughter said she went for Dominos pizza in the Bay Area and it was $40! I was complaining about our privately-owned pizza place in Palm Springs at the same price. Also, I forgot to mention in my post that I was making oxtail soup and wanted low sodium beef broth. The store was out and the beef broth section had only one box for $14!!!! That was two weeks ago. Today it’s stocked and the broth is $3.99.
We could use Jimmy’s campaign these days! Food prices got so jacked up and they should be coming down a bit, but they’re not. And gas prices have come down, so transportation costs have gone down. Those who pointed out greed are probably right. But this is what we get in a day and age where we rely on others to grow our food and fiber.
I agree with you. I wonder how much is wages? If fast food workers are making $15 an hour what are they making at grocery stores and fine dining? And it still isn’t enough to make ends meet.
I think its really sad when a fast food worker like my nephew makes $19/hr but my job which is archival preservation for older materials starts at about $5 less these days and they expect college grads to stick with the job. I make a tiny bit more (been doing this 25 years) than my nephew but this world is so upside down right now.
I agree with you 100%. My chosen field was journalism and my first job was $800 a month for a respected PR firm, but that was 30 years ago. I never made more than $35 an hour with decades of experience and that was part time work as an independent contractor.
I don’t remember the Rent Is Too Damn High Party and am sorry I missed that.
What prices or costs have shocked you lately? The cost of a bottle of wine has gone up to a point where we’re not drinking much of the stuff anymore. I stopped ordering a glass of it in restaurants last summer, but now won’t [rarely] buy a bottle for us to enjoy at home. It’s a small thing to give up, but an indulgence I enjoyed.
I’m with you on the cost of wine, especially a glass at a restaurant. I wonder what happened to the Rent is too Damn High Party? He was before his time with that one!
The Jack in the Box breakfast price surprised me but it matches what I’ve observed too. We went to a local Mexican place (nothing fancy) and the price for a dinner for four (including tip) was $110. It shocked me!
Wow! The Mexican food dinner seems way too high. We used to go out for Mexican food every week in Palm Springs and it was a yummy, inexpensive meal. We haven’t found one here we like. Maybe that is a good thing!
Maybe that is a good thing. Because it’s still pretty inexpensive to cook Mexican, right? We’re in Leavenworth this weekend – such beautiful country. Made me think of your land on the river. Hope you have a lovely weekend, Elizabeth!
Leavenworth is beautiful. Have a wonderful weekend. I look forward to seeing your photos. Our property is up by Granite Falls and Monte Cristo, but it does have the same look as Leavenworth with the forests and river.
Ah yes – off Highway 20 instead of Highway 2. Right! But the same look for sure!
I don’t know the name of the highways anymore but I’ve been to both and they have the same PNW look so different than my post UW homes.
Wow, sometimes it is cheaper to eat in. I go to the dermatologist 2 mornings a week for treatment and then I treat myself to a small breakfast afterwards. I avoid Starbucks and go with Race Tack or some place in and out like Dunkin Doughnuts. It is a treat but eating out every morning would get pricey.
We rarely eat out and I normally pack sandwiches for road trips, so we don’t have to stop. One thing I loved about traveling to Mexico was the food was so cheap and delicious.
I went to the 99 Cents Store or Dollar Tree. $3.99 for a bag of Corn Chips. It’s ridiculous. They need to change their name.
Definitely!
Not only are food prices continually going up but sizes of things keep decreasing as well. I had recently bought $80 in canned goods. And it wasn’t a lot. Geez i remember when canned goods were less than $1. That is insane that you spent $70 on pizza and salad. 😳
It was! Of course, it’s our favorite pizza. But shocking all the same when we lived there three years ago and it was more than double the price.