Rising food costs

**prairiewife** · 03-24-2008, 10:43 PM

I hope I copied this link correctly. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23781864/ It's an article about rising food costs around the world. It just broke my heart to read some of the stories.

It said while food prices will stabilize and come down eventually it will take up to 10 years. I know we all think this can't happen here, but I am beginning to wonder. We are so lucky even with our money problems to be living here in the US.

**M55FF** · 03-24-2008, 10:49 PM

yes we are... very much so.

I hate whiners, people should learn to suck it up and realize how good we have it being we weren't born in any of the other places we could have been born where we wouldn't even have shoes to wear or regular food to eat.

Many people in the usa are weak and whiney... lots of mental illness too

........
they take everything for granted, weak willed and emotioanlly soft and weak.

**Frugal Cook** · 03-25-2008, 01:17 AM

The United Nations has said that the middle-class will possibly see food rationing within a couple years. I see it sooner. We are in an anticipated and known 7-year worldwide famine/food shortage, but most people have chosen to ignore the warnings and say it could never happen to them. The US is seeing it as price increases for now, especially with flour, eggs and milk, but as demand and hoarding increases .... well, I think you know the direction it will go.

And that is only the very tip of the iceberg. It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better. You can deny it all you want, but if you are wrong and unprepared......

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 03-25-2008, 05:38 AM

Awww...that was so sad...especially the part about the man who didn't have any food for his family's supper.

That has to be a heart-breaking thing for a parent.

**Lambie** · 03-25-2008, 06:49 AM

I feel so grateful for what we have...and with that being said, so worried about what the future holds for us all!!!! What an eye opening article!!! Katy

**COUNTRYBUMPKIN** · 03-25-2008, 08:05 AM

This was heartwrenching to read. It is not only taking place in other countries, but is taking place here as well. DD and I have been volunteering to feed the homeless and those who are financially struggling. Grand Rapids, Mi has a wonderful group of volunteers who help out every Tuesday in a local park. DD and I hear the stories of hardship. Our hearts go out to each and every person we encounter who is experiencing the pain and agony of hardship. Some have lost jobs, some are homeless, some are mentally ill, some need companionship, a smile, a hug, kind words of encouragement. We are there to help out! if anyone lives in the area and is interested in volunteering please PM me and I will share the details with you. HUGS, Lynn

**mombottoo** · 03-25-2008, 12:15 PM

You are sooo right!!! We are very lucky to live in the USA and even with all of the turmoil I feel blessed to live in a country where we have so many options available to us!

**bumplett** · 03-25-2008, 02:06 PM

good read. Thanks for the link.

**shoiji** · 03-25-2008, 02:30 PM

I help out at a food pantry weekly. All I can think is are there going to be more needy people with the way food prices are going up and the economy isn't doing well. And where will the money come from to pay for the food needed. Being truly hungry is a very scarry thing.

**JohnP** · 03-25-2008, 03:17 PM

What I do is build up a food buffer.

I have six months of food, water, and hygene products built up. I do this in order to have a buffer in case I lose my job, there is an availability disruption, or there is some sort of public safety emergency such as an earthquake.

What this allows me is flexibility to meet the needs of whatever happens in the world. It also allows me to level out any outrageous changes in prices over time.

When I was young, it seemed everyone had a pantry full of canned goods. My grandma, who grew up in the depression, said you could never have too much food on hand.

Our society has got out of that habit with the advent of modern transportation technology. If you couldn't get your oranges from the local marketplace, you could have them shipped in from somewhere else in the world. This has been a good assumption for the last 40 years.

However, with the rising price of oil and the doubling of the world's population, it is one that is dangerous. Most non-frugal folks keep very little on hand, maybe a few days of food. One person at work said "Why would I want to do that. If the supermarket is out of food, we'll just go out for dinner".

It's also frugal because you can take advantage of bulk sales. When items go on sale, you buy a six months worth of goods. If you don't have a lot of useless junk in your house, you have plenty of room to store it. Space consuming junk is not frugal anyway. Very expensive when you look at the whole lifecycle cost of storing stuff.

I store 6 months of food/hygene product for myself and my son in a 36 by 54 inch space in my closet. (Cost: 1476 (including tax/shipping) + 291.60 cents per year to store it (based on 15 per year at current rent))

Sounds like a lot, but I eat it every month. You can build up this supply by buying slightly more than you need each month (sales are a good opportunity) and the stocking it into your food supply. I write the UB (Use By) date on it and rotate the stock. If you saw I Am Legend, Will Smith does the same thing in part of the movie.

So, I hope you can take advantage of this idea. It's going to save you a LOT of pain when bumps appear in the food/money supply over the next few years. Your less frugal neighbors are in for a rough ride.

**prairiewife** · 03-25-2008, 03:47 PM

I think there is a lot of denial that things will not get this bad in the US. Other people struggling is what we see in the news not what's happening here. I am amazed at peoples attitudes.

We have a small stockpile and continue to buy a little extra each week. We keep at least a weeks worth of water stored. Partly because we are on a well and no electricy means no water. They had snow storms here last winter that kept electricity from some rural folks for up to 3 weeks until the lines could be repaired.

We have been feeling the pinch, with work hours cut back and rising gas costs. We had to sit down last night and figure out who can get paid first and who will have to wait. I remembering struggling as a single parent, I think the two of us are struggling more today than I did back then.

**prairiewife** · 03-25-2008, 04:57 PM

After rereading my post I think I should clarify that I didn't mean denial from people here. I meant people I know outside the village who think I'm being an alarmist by stockpiling and worrying about our budget all the time.

**JanieD** · 03-25-2008, 05:38 PM

I think its really hard to see others without basic needs (food, shelter & clothing). We can't predict what our own future will be, but I tend to focus on preparing for problems just in case. Many aren't concerned about price increases as they see them as a short term problems or just accept the cost. I'm really not sure if there are other reasons, since many won't discuss these issues. I've found some information on preparing for problems ahead by paying off debt, stockpiling (not hoarding), gardening, cut expenses & saving. Are there other ways to prepare? I see the price increases (food, gas, heating, insurance & taxes) & I'm searching for ways to adjust without giving up too much. There are many things I can give up if needed though & I think this is an important point. I just hope it doesn't come to that.

**carlitasway** · 03-25-2008, 06:31 PM

Very heartbreaking article. I don't think we are far off from this.

**Marie78** · 03-25-2008, 09:19 PM

I feel awful for those people without enough food to eat and no idea what their next meal will be. We are very lucky to be living here in the USA for many reasons. This is just one more thing to be grateful for.

I don't doubt that it's become difficult for many hard working, minimum wage workers in this country too. I have been thankful that I have always made over minimum wage, but after the cost of housing, utilities, car, gasoline, insurances, and countless other expenses, the budget is squeezed and food prices keep going up.

I think a sufficient stockpile is necessary, we really don't know what to expect in the future. I for one want to make sure we have some things in the cupboard on hand, just in case it gets so bad as rationing. I doubt it will be orderly if there's no more food on the shelves at the stores.