Friday, October 7, 2011

Costco Run

Here's just a sampling of the day's shopping.

Costco raised the price of the Marathon brand toilet paper from 21.89 to 22.99. That's a 5.0% increase. Toilet paper hoarding for the win (compared to three month treasury bills anyway).


There was a $4.60 manufacturer rebate so I added 3 more packs to my hoard. This is not the first time that they've combined a rebate with a price hike. I'll be buying even more if I find myself near the Costco before the sale ends.

At the other end of the spectrum was Progresso soup. I bought 32 cans of clam chowder for 90.375 cents per can ($9.98 per 8-pack minus $2.75 coupon). That's about the best deal I've ever seen.

My tennis shoe hoard continues to go nowhere fast. I bought another pair for $14.99 (the same price it was quite a few years ago). They are made in China. I should probably send Chinese factory workers a condolence card.

Overall, I would say the inflation I'm seeing at Costco continues to be rather subdued.

5 comments:

Mr Slippery said...

TP inflation index spike!

On a shopping related note, I took an expedition to the 98 cent store. Clearly superior to the dollar store or 99 cent store, but vulnerable to the 97 cent store if someone ever opens one. Bought a Chinese toy army men for my son. Partly because they are fun and partly so he knows how to identify Chinese soldiers when they show up on our street. ;)

Stagflationary Mark said...

96 Cent Super Discount Store

Smaller version of the 99 cents store yet the quality of goods is lacking. Most of the items are mainly junk. The store is small and cluttered. Goodwill has a better selection. However, the store does have an average selection of pinatas. - Elsa M

LOL! ;)

Mr Slippery said...

OMG! A 96 cent store. It is not too far off my commute. I have a new mission: shop at the 96 cent store. How can their Chinese junk be any worse than the Chinese junk in the 98 cent store? Hehe.

dearieme said...

Tennis shoes: be careful - as you age your feet will start to get wider.

Stagflationary Mark said...

dearieme,

Thanks for pointing that out.

I wonder how much the widening of feet is directly related to widening of people?

I know time can cause some widening, but I have personally seen a strong correlation between my weight and my foot size. My socks fit looser since I started losing weight back in June. In fact, one of the reasons I decided to lose weight was because my socks were getting tight (as were my shirts).

Mar. 31, 1986
Essay: The Shoes of Imelda Marcos

Why accumulate so much--2,700 pairs of shoes, 3,000 women--if there is no use for all of them? How much gold is enough? Only a sane person would think to ask.

For what it is worth, I have 8 pairs of tennis shoes in reserve. I have one girlfriend. I no longer own gold (other than a few crowns).