Do americans live excessively beyond their means ?
Jul 6th 2014, 10:52 pm
#106
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Do americans live excessively beyond their means ?
Eating healthy costs a lot more money then eating processed junk, and I can't really blame low income people for buying processed stuff to fill their bellies to stretch their money out to cover an entire month.
I've been trying to eat healthy non-processed foods, so been buying mostly fruits, vegetables and lean meats, but 50 dollars only buys about 2 days of this stuff, and it really is a a financial hardship to eat this way, our total monthly food budget is only 200.
Its just sad that natural and healthy foods cost so much, and poor people just can't usually afford them.
I've been trying to eat healthy non-processed foods, so been buying mostly fruits, vegetables and lean meats, but 50 dollars only buys about 2 days of this stuff, and it really is a a financial hardship to eat this way, our total monthly food budget is only 200.
Its just sad that natural and healthy foods cost so much, and poor people just can't usually afford them.
Jul 7th 2014, 12:50 am
#107
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: Do americans live excessively beyond their means ?
Eating healthy costs a lot more money then eating processed junk, and I can't really blame low income people for buying processed stuff to fill their bellies to stretch their money out to cover an entire month.
I've been trying to eat healthy non-processed foods, so been buying mostly fruits, vegetables and lean meats, but 50 dollars only buys about 2 days of this stuff, and it really is a a financial hardship to eat this way, our total monthly food budget is only 200.
Its just sad that natural and healthy foods cost so much, and poor people just can't usually afford them.
I've been trying to eat healthy non-processed foods, so been buying mostly fruits, vegetables and lean meats, but 50 dollars only buys about 2 days of this stuff, and it really is a a financial hardship to eat this way, our total monthly food budget is only 200.
Its just sad that natural and healthy foods cost so much, and poor people just can't usually afford them.
Jul 7th 2014, 1:22 am
#108
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Do americans live excessively beyond their means ?
True true. My sister lives in a low income area in California and the closest grocery store is 12 miles away, only thing within a short distance are small stores of which none sell produce, everything is from a box, can.
My sister has a car so the drive isn't an issue, but without a car many can't access the grocery store. They used to have a grocery store, but it was closed some years back.
It is if you don't have a highish budget for food. Almost all produce Sept to June is imported from the US or Mexico, and in summer while we do have local stuff, its premium priced since they have a short season, so have to maximize prices.
If you live in a metropolitan area like Vancouver, you can get lower prices at the independent markets in the Asian communities, but in other places prices tend to be high due to lack of competition.
We have 3 stores in my town, 2 of the 3 are owned by the same company and their prices are nearly the same on every item, the 3rd store is independently owned, but poor selection, and overall not any cheaper.
This is what 30 dollars got me today, it will last 2 people 2 days roughly.
Boneless pork 3.70 (3 chops)
Chicken breast cuts 3.58 (made 4 tacos for dinner)
4 bananas 1kg @ 1.74 per kg
1kg California grown nectarines 5.93 (4 pieces of fruit)
Black plums California grown 1kg @ 5.49 per kg (5 small plums)
Red plums California grown 1kg @ 5.49kg
2 ears of corn, corn is always reasonably priced 1.78 for 2
500g of cheese 6.99
1 tomato 0.48
It may not seem like a lot, but for us its pretty significant, realistically we can only spend 60 per week for food, and right now we are spending about 30 every 2 days.
My sister has a car so the drive isn't an issue, but without a car many can't access the grocery store. They used to have a grocery store, but it was closed some years back.
It is if you don't have a highish budget for food. Almost all produce Sept to June is imported from the US or Mexico, and in summer while we do have local stuff, its premium priced since they have a short season, so have to maximize prices.
If you live in a metropolitan area like Vancouver, you can get lower prices at the independent markets in the Asian communities, but in other places prices tend to be high due to lack of competition.
We have 3 stores in my town, 2 of the 3 are owned by the same company and their prices are nearly the same on every item, the 3rd store is independently owned, but poor selection, and overall not any cheaper.
This is what 30 dollars got me today, it will last 2 people 2 days roughly.
Boneless pork 3.70 (3 chops)
Chicken breast cuts 3.58 (made 4 tacos for dinner)
4 bananas 1kg @ 1.74 per kg
1kg California grown nectarines 5.93 (4 pieces of fruit)
Black plums California grown 1kg @ 5.49 per kg (5 small plums)
Red plums California grown 1kg @ 5.49kg
2 ears of corn, corn is always reasonably priced 1.78 for 2
500g of cheese 6.99
1 tomato 0.48
It may not seem like a lot, but for us its pretty significant, realistically we can only spend 60 per week for food, and right now we are spending about 30 every 2 days.
Jul 7th 2014, 12:36 pm
#109
Under blue skies
Joined: Mar 2011
Location: East Anglia->New England
Posts: 3,624
Re: Do americans live excessively beyond their means ?
I'm always grateful for the low(ish) price of bananas. I strongly suspect there's a downside to it--such as exploited workers in third-world nations
But even in the winter when I have trouble justifying buying other fruit at fairly high tariffs, bananas are always affordable. The husband & I each have one every day. I brought up my kids on bananas!
But even in the winter when I have trouble justifying buying other fruit at fairly high tariffs, bananas are always affordable. The husband & I each have one every day. I brought up my kids on bananas!
Jul 7th 2014, 4:09 pm
#110
Account Closed
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 0
Re: Do americans live excessively beyond their means ?
I'm always grateful for the low(ish) price of bananas. I strongly suspect there's a downside to it--such as exploited workers in third-world nations
But even in the winter when I have trouble justifying buying other fruit at fairly high tariffs, bananas are always affordable. The husband & I each have one every day. I brought up my kids on bananas!
But even in the winter when I have trouble justifying buying other fruit at fairly high tariffs, bananas are always affordable. The husband & I each have one every day. I brought up my kids on bananas!
Jul 7th 2014, 4:36 pm
#111
Account Closed
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 1,570
Re: Do americans live excessively beyond their means ?
Didnt i hear that people on a very tight budget find the dollar stores to be the best stretch?
I have one within walking distance that has a limited range of fruit and veg. Some of it not so fresh looking.
I have one within walking distance that has a limited range of fruit and veg. Some of it not so fresh looking.
Jul 8th 2014, 1:35 am
#112
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Do americans live excessively beyond their means ?
Unfortunately the dollar stores here are not a good deal, just junk food, no real food sold at them.
Jul 8th 2014, 1:37 am
#113
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Do americans live excessively beyond their means ?
I'm always grateful for the low(ish) price of bananas. I strongly suspect there's a downside to it--such as exploited workers in third-world nations
But even in the winter when I have trouble justifying buying other fruit at fairly high tariffs, bananas are always affordable. The husband & I each have one every day. I brought up my kids on bananas!
But even in the winter when I have trouble justifying buying other fruit at fairly high tariffs, bananas are always affordable. The husband & I each have one every day. I brought up my kids on bananas!
Apples in winter are the other affordable fruit, and strawberries from California.
Anything else is either not available in winter, or very expensive.
Jul 8th 2014, 3:31 am
#114
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,172
Re: Do americans live excessively beyond their means ?
Banana's are 39c a pound at Wegmans....not a bad deal, except only one kid will eat them and I'm allergic to the things.
Jul 8th 2014, 3:48 am
#115
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Do americans live excessively beyond their means ?
Jul 8th 2014, 3:29 pm
#116
Under blue skies
Joined: Mar 2011
Location: East Anglia->New England
Posts: 3,624
Re: Do americans live excessively beyond their means ?
Sometimes one of our dollar stores has half-price sale on various tinned veg--that's the only real food I'll ever buy there.
