Originally Posted by Normal (Post 2339176)

I carried our groceries the other day from Public’s in one hand in one plastic bag. The bill was 97 dollars. I jokingly told my wife I never thought I could single handedly carry a hundred bucks worth of groceries like that. Kind of scary when you think about it.

Originally Posted by Rich42 (Post 2339097)

Inflation has been raging beyond the typical norms for the last three years. It is significantly affecting virtually all Americans. While businesses need to increase prices to cover legitimate rising costs, too many are just taking advantage of the upward spiral in prices to gouge the consumer. I encountered the epitome of this trend in The Villages yesterday. I have patronized the “Village Car Wash” in the La Plaza Grande shopping center in Spanish Springs for over 10 years. Admittedly I had not been there in quite some time with covid and all, and the last time I was there was a couple of years ago. At that time the price of the cheapest basic car wash (they call it Bronze) was $14.95. Of interest, also note the prices of the various levels of service were prominently posted when you entered their property. To just digress for a moment, I pass their location several times a week and had been noticing the normal long waiting line of cars—regardless of time of year or time of day—has been absent. The place has always appeared to be a gold mine! Well, not so for the last few months. I don’t know exactly when they raised their prices, but the basic Bronze wash (again the cheapest option) was $34! I only found this out when I went inside to pay because their prices were no longer publicly posted. That is an increase from the relatively recent price of 127%!!! No way have their costs gone up anywhere near that. I now understand why there are no longer any lines of people waiting to get their cars washed, and I will certainly no longer be a customer. That is pure greed that should not be supported by the community.

Originally Posted by Rich42 (Post 2339097)

Inflation has been raging beyond the typical norms for the last three years. It is significantly affecting virtually all Americans. While businesses need to increase prices to cover legitimate rising costs, too many are just taking advantage of the upward spiral in prices to gouge the consumer. I encountered the epitome of this trend in The Villages yesterday. I have patronized the “Village Car Wash” in the La Plaza Grande shopping center in Spanish Springs for over 10 years. Admittedly I had not been there in quite some time with covid and all, and the last time I was there was a couple of years ago. At that time the price of the cheapest basic car wash (they call it Bronze) was $14.95. Of interest, also note the prices of the various levels of service were prominently posted when you entered their property. To just digress for a moment, I pass their location several times a week and had been noticing the normal long waiting line of cars—regardless of time of year or time of day—has been absent. The place has always appeared to be a gold mine! Well, not so for the last few months. I don’t know exactly when they raised their prices, but the basic Bronze wash (again the cheapest option) was $34! I only found this out when I went inside to pay because their prices were no longer publicly posted. That is an increase from the relatively recent price of 127%!!! No way have their costs gone up anywhere near that. I now understand why there are no longer any lines of people waiting to get their cars washed, and I will certainly no longer be a customer. That is pure greed that should not be supported by the community.

Originally Posted by Rich42 (Post 2339097)

Inflation has been raging beyond the typical norms for the last three years. It is significantly affecting virtually all Americans. While businesses need to increase prices to cover legitimate rising costs, too many are just taking advantage of the upward spiral in prices to gouge the consumer. I encountered the epitome of this trend in The Villages yesterday. I have patronized the “Village Car Wash” in the La Plaza Grande shopping center in Spanish Springs for over 10 years. Admittedly I had not been there in quite some time with covid and all, and the last time I was there was a couple of years ago. At that time the price of the cheapest basic car wash (they call it Bronze) was $14.95. Of interest, also note the prices of the various levels of service were prominently posted when you entered their property. To just digress for a moment, I pass their location several times a week and had been noticing the normal long waiting line of cars—regardless of time of year or time of day—has been absent. The place has always appeared to be a gold mine! Well, not so for the last few months. I don’t know exactly when they raised their prices, but the basic Bronze wash (again the cheapest option) was $34! I only found this out when I went inside to pay because their prices were no longer publicly posted. That is an increase from the relatively recent price of 127%!!! No way have their costs gone up anywhere near that. I now understand why there are no longer any lines of people waiting to get their cars washed, and I will certainly no longer be a customer. That is pure greed that should not be supported by the community.

Originally Posted by LuvtheVillages (Post 2339242)

In 2009, the minimum wage was $7.25. Effective Sept 2022 it was $11.00, on the way to $15.00 in a few years. That's a 110% increase.

When payroll increases, payroll taxes (FICA) also increase, workers comp insurance increases. I expect health insurance costs have increased.

Property taxes have increased. I believe the cost of water and supplies has also gone up.

A lot has happened in the four or more years since you have been there. I do not attribute the price increase to greed. I attribute it to a poorly managed economy.

This is the same reason why there are fewer ambassadors on the golf courses and fewer workers at the fast food places.

No, I do not think it is greed.

Originally Posted by Pennyt (Post 2339464)

It's not minimum wage and taxes. Have you seen the difference in what CEOs are paid vs the workers in a company? "The median CEO in the S&P 500 was paid 196 times as much as the median employee in 2023, according to an analysis by Equilar and The Associated Press. That’s up from a ratio of 185 in 2022. The widening divide is driven by the fact that CEO pay — which is closely tied to share prices — is rising notably faster than that of employees." (compensationresources.com)

Originally Posted by Pennyt (Post 2339464)

It's not minimum wage and taxes. Have you seen the difference in what CEOs are paid vs the workers in a company? "The median CEO in the S&P 500 was paid 196 times as much as the median employee in 2023, according to an analysis by Equilar and The Associated Press. That’s up from a ratio of 185 in 2022. The widening divide is driven by the fact that CEO pay — which is closely tied to share prices — is rising notably faster than that of employees." (compensationresources.com)

Originally Posted by Normal (Post 2339176)

I carried our groceries the other day from Public’s in one hand in one plastic bag. The bill was 97 dollars. I jokingly told my wife I never thought I could single handedly carry a hundred bucks worth of groceries like that. Kind of scary when you think about it.

Originally Posted by Normal (Post 2339474)

Groceries are going through the roof. Items that every American citizen needs to have to survive.

Listen, the farming tractors and semi deliveries don’t run on chicken poo.

Originally Posted by Pennyt (Post 2339464)

It's not minimum wage and taxes. Have you seen the difference in what CEOs are paid vs the workers in a company? "The median CEO in the S&P 500 was paid 196 times as much as the median employee in 2023, according to an analysis by Equilar and The Associated Press. That’s up from a ratio of 185 in 2022. The widening divide is driven by the fact that CEO pay — which is closely tied to share prices — is rising notably faster than that of employees." (compensationresources.com)

Originally Posted by Shish (Post 2339370)

It's leveled off at an unsustainable high rate. It needs to be under 2%/year, like it had been previously before all the government spending kicked in. The dollar is now worth only 80 cents over the last 3 years. Those on fixed income (pensions) really have got hurt.
Look at this chart.
Historical Inflation Rates: 1914-2024

Originally Posted by Philipd411 (Post 2339172)

So why did they just become greedy? According to your train of thought, they could have raised their prices years ago to $34 and been greedy back then. Their cost has gone up, less people are shopping there. It not greed but business.

Originally Posted by Topspinmo (Post 2339483)

I question the dollar worth only 80 cents. IMO that seems way to high? More like 60 cent?

Originally Posted by huge-pigeons (Post 2339369)

The OP doesn’t understand inflation nor the true cost of running a business. In 3 years, everything is way up in cost. The cost to hire people with no experience or the cost to hire people for a menial job, is way up, the cost of water, electricity, insurance, and rent, have gone up. It’s not greed, it’s the current situation.
The people that really feel it are people on a fixed income.

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 2339468)

And that worker is responsible for doing his one little job, while the CEO is responsible for tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars. Yeah, sure, there shouldn't be a disparity in pay :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Originally Posted by dougjb (Post 2339380)

All too often now, a business, when questioned about why their prices have gone up, will claim it is because help is getting more expensive. That is a convenient rubrick that just does not hold water.

In the past, businesses would claim they increased prices or decided not to provide a particular service because of the lawyers, or because of insurance. Again, that was and is nonsense.

We live in a free enterprise society. Businesses must adjust their prices and services accordingly. No excuse is necessary for me!

Simply put, since we live in a free enterprise society, I am also free just to walk away from doing business with a business whose services or prices no longer align with my interests. If others follow me and the business fails, I really do not feel anything. To my mind, it is simply that the affected business was unable to manage their business plan appropriately.

There is always another car wash. There is always another business that meets my needs.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2339500)

I've introduced the hose to a bucket, and it turns out they got along great. So now I have a happy family of hose, bucket, soap, sponge, and several rags and dry towels. The black sheep of the family is a spray bottle with mostly water, a half cup of vinegar, and a few drops of dawn dish detergent. That's for the acrylic windows on the golf cart.

Originally Posted by bowlingal (Post 2339373)

businesses are taking advantage.....ALL businesses. covid, supply chain issues, ( all now 4 years old), minimum wage increases, all contribute to the inflation, high prices we are now in. Everyone is still using these excuses....4 YEARS LATER!

Originally Posted by Ptmcbriz (Post 2339418)

They became greedy when everyone else was being greedy. People will pay for it. Unemployment at record lows. Inflation has come way down since 4-5 years ago when Covid hit. Then it was supply chain problems. Now it’s greed because people have been paying the prices so why lower their prices? Only competition will lower prices on any given thing.

Originally Posted by Keefelane66 (Post 2339287)

If you watch or listen to before The bell or Bloomberg Business its been reported on earning calls its blatant overcharging especially super markets nation wide.

Originally Posted by Rich42 (Post 2339097)

Inflation has been raging beyond the typical norms for the last three years. It is significantly affecting virtually all Americans. While businesses need to increase prices to cover legitimate rising costs, too many are just taking advantage of the upward spiral in prices to gouge the consumer. I encountered the epitome of this trend in The Villages yesterday. I have patronized the “Village Car Wash” in the La Plaza Grande shopping center in Spanish Springs for over 10 years. Admittedly I had not been there in quite some time with covid and all, and the last time I was there was a couple of years ago. At that time the price of the cheapest basic car wash (they call it Bronze) was $14.95. Of interest, also note the prices of the various levels of service were prominently posted when you entered their property. To just digress for a moment, I pass their location several times a week and had been noticing the normal long waiting line of cars—regardless of time of year or time of day—has been absent. The place has always appeared to be a gold mine! Well, not so for the last few months. I don’t know exactly when they raised their prices, but the basic Bronze wash (again the cheapest option) was $34! I only found this out when I went inside to pay because their prices were no longer publicly posted. That is an increase from the relatively recent price of 127%!!! No way have their costs gone up anywhere near that. I now understand why there are no longer any lines of people waiting to get their cars washed, and I will certainly no longer be a customer. That is pure greed that should not be supported by the community.

Originally Posted by retiredguy123 (Post 2339249)

I have a different take on this topic. A business has the right to charge whatever they want for their product or service. That is capitalism. Price gouging only occurs when a business is taking advantage of people as a result of a special situation where the customer has no other choice but to pay an excessively high price for an essential product. Washing a car is not a special situation where price gouging applies. If you don't want to pay $34 for a car wash, then go somewhere else. But, it is not price gouging. The business has no obligation to charge based on their costs.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2339334)

Your mistake was getting all your groceries from Publix.

Most of what you got, you -probably- could've gotten at Walmart for much less. You can even get ground chuck cheaper by a couple dollars per pound at Fresh Market, if you go on Tuesdays.

You probably love their customer service, you enjoy knowing that an employee will walk your shopping cart to your car and load up the trunk for you. You probably like the layout, the lighting, their color scheme, and all the other psychological boosts you get from shopping there. They also have fresh-ish fish (it's not THAT fresh, it's just "not frozen") and they grind and cut their own beef on site. They also have excellent ice cream.

But you're paying a premium for all of that. I price it out regularly, because I'm on a budget. Other than things that I /can't/ get at Walmart, such as freshly ground beef or non-frozen fish, or really excellent subs - Walmart saves me anywhere between 20-60% of my grocery costs.

I shop at Publix when I need specialty stuff, like the Schweid's prime burgers or a sub, or bourbon salmon.

Originally Posted by Topspinmo (Post 2339477)

You pay for convenience at Publix. Some times not worth trouble to drive to Walmart. Then there ones that refuse to shop at Walmart. Good less people in my road…:shocked:

Originally Posted by Velvet (Post 2339596)

My Walmart is pretty well next door to my Publix. And now we are getting a Costco :). I like Publix, I just mostly stopped shopping there.

Originally Posted by Rainger99 (Post 2339617)

I was in a bakery two years and took this photograph. It explains why prices have gone up. And for those who claim that inflation is down since then, that is wrong. Inflation has not gone down. Prices just aren't going up as fast as they were back then.

Originally Posted by retiredguy123 (Post 2339600)

I tried to use Walmart to save $4 on roasted chickens. Then, I found out that at least half of the time I went to Walmart, they didn't have any chickens. Product availability was seriously lacking at Walmart, and the checkout line was ridiculous. Now, I do most of my grocery shopping at Publix, but I can afford it. I do take advantage of the Publix BOGOs that come out on Saturday. You can almost always get half price on ice cream, coffee, cheese, and other products. I buy a lot of non-perishable products from Amazon. Paper towels, toilet paper, shampoo, soap, batteries, beverages, cleaning products, napkins, vitamins, medicine, etc. Cheaper and more convenient.

By the way, I just received 14 bars of Dove bar soap from Amazon that I ordered yesterday. $1.15 per bar. The Walmart price was $1.50 per bar.

Originally Posted by Keefelane66 (Post 2339114)

I wash my own cars about 20 minutes total haven’t been to a car wash in years.

Originally Posted by Velvet (Post 2339623)

Well, I select the time when I go shopping at Walmart. The first time I went, I couldn’t believe the lines. I talked to the checkout people about off peak times. Sometimes it has to do with the parking lot because other business use the same lot. Now days I’m in and out in a jiffy. And if they don’t have the rotisserie chicken, I stop on my way home at Publix. My grocery bill is literally almost half now that I actually look at prices. Before my husband passed away recently, he did all the shopping and I had no idea at all about prices. I can afford Publix and Fresh Market and etc… but I also like to get value for money.

Originally Posted by Bill14564 (Post 2339622)

Isn’t that the definition of inflation having gone down? If inflation had remained the same then prices would have continued to go up as fast as they were back then.