CVS didn't have ANYTHING on sale this week - plus shortages at other stores

a reply to: Daughter2
I am making my weekly visit to Aldi tonight. I live in East Central Pennsylvania. I will try to give a report of any shortages that I might notice.

originally posted by: grandmakdw
But how long can they keep it up?

I think for a while longer since they are notorious currency manipulators and have far more over reach of thier economy than other nations.

The ghost cities which keep construction workers and the construction industry afloat and other prop up measures
are bound to exhaust China's resources eventually.

What type of resources? If financial, those will not begin to deplete until the world at large seriously curbs their trade with China. It has slowed somewhat of late, but instead of double digit grotwh it is still a healthy 5-7%.

The stock market crash in China which many compared to the 1929 US crash is a result of all this government subsidizing.

Actually, it is due to the same reason, excessive margin buying by the investor class. The Chinese citizens, and not the government, have more to lose in a crash.

Eventually this type of economic policy will bankrupt the entire country.
To the point where the government can no longer subsidize all the factories who are losing massive amounts of money due to excessively low prices charged for their goods.

There is only so much the reduced price of labor can impact manufacturing in China, the commodity prices are fixed world wide. There could be a drop but at this point I do not see it being that huge since no one else is equipped to pick up the slack at this point. They may even do it for a loss just to keep production up.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Out of curiosity I looked up debt to GDP ratio in China.

China's debt is 282% of it's GDP.
blogs.wsj.com...

When broken down 38% of that is household debt.

For manufacturing, the debt to GDP is 126%.
55% is government debt
65% is bank debt
Since China owns the banks and much of the manufacturing.
So in actuality China's government debt exceeds 110% of GDP
Well how long can they keep propping up manufacturing before collapse occurs?

For the US, well it isn't in much better shape.
However, the government debt is 89% of GDP
while the rest of the debt 180% (if my quick math is correct) of GDP is privately held

Both countries are in awful shape, but China can not keep it up indefinitely as the recent crash has demonstrated.
The article I quoted thinks China could still step in with a quick fix for the economy, I have my serious doubts.

When it does crash, I think the US and other countries will pick up manufacturing many items but at a higher cost.

I learned something a few years ago that completely surprised me as well as pissed me off. I needed a new laptop, my grandma gave me a best buy flyer. She lives and hour away from my house. My kids need some other things ... go an hour away from my house in a different direction and they have all the stores we needed.

So, I bring my flyer into best buy. I point to what I want get to the register and its more than 2x the price on the flyer my grandmother had just given me. I had to check to male certain the flyer wasn't expired. It wasn't. Due to the management refusing to give me the price on the flyer, I called his DM from my car in the parking lot.

Basically where my Grandparents live there is competition to the best buy so they have to put things on sale. Where I went to do all in one shopping had no competition and therefore there was no sale. I got the sale and a gift card. Because of me the flyers now have addresses on them. The one in my hand that day had no address, no stipulations. Just said best buy. So, I'm told to go back in the store and buy the laptop. Of course I've never been back to that jest buy. The one near my grandma's house has way better prices.

originally posted by: grandmakdw

Both countries are in awful shape, but China can not keep it up indefinitely as the recent crash has demonstrated.
The article I quoted thinks China could still step in with a quick fix for the economy, I have my serious doubts.

That is actually one of the articles I read that lead me to my own conclusions. I think they can do a short term fix but there are systemic issues that will eventually lead to a serious financial correction.

When it does crash, I think the US and other countries will pick up manufacturing many items but at a higher cost.

Perhaps. I think you will see a shift to Africa, India, a few Southeast Asian countries and possibly Central America.

a reply to: infolurker

Was there a disaster someplace? Why on earth would anyone eat canned chicken or worse armour treet, which it ain't? A treat that is.

originally posted by: AutumnWitch657
a reply to: infolurker

Was there a disaster someplace? Why on earth would anyone eat canned chicken or worse armour treet, which it ain't? A treat that is.

I gave you a star for fun.
There are those souls (I am one of them) that will eat and enjoy Armour Treet, SPAM and canned chicken. Heck I enjoy canned octopus, cuttlefish and squid in its ink.... why wouldn't I eat Treet?

But I know it isn't everyone's favorite thing.

a reply to: AutumnWitch657

It's a cinch you've never lived in Hawaii where SPAM is the national food.

a reply to: infolurker

Walmart lowers the prices on their sale items and then raises other items to make up the difference. I shop there regularly enough to notice when the prices change. Yeah, I know what most people think of Walmart, but the hubby works there so I patronize the hand that feeds us. He also told me that they don't receive as much stock as they used to because if it doesn't sell, it's either thrown out or has to be clearanced.

Walmart had all the basics on my last visit, but there times I've either come home empty handed or with another brand because the shelves were bare.

I've noticed a lot of prices going up lately or the product size being reduced but the price stays the same as it was. Remember when Tide laundry detergent was 100 ounces and now a big bottle is only 92 ounces?

Haven't really seen this.

I grocery shop twice a month, to feed 5 people.

First, we review sales, clip/organize coupons, make our list.

Then, we hit Aldi to see what they have. We find good deals here, and get those, but they never have enough stock and variety to be a solo hit store.

Next, we hit either Winn Dixie (one of the converted Sweet Bays, so a real nice one) or Publix (depending on who has better sales). Usually, this is Winn Dixie.

If there is something really cheap at Publix, we'll hit it on the way home.

I did notice there seemed to be a lot less bread available though, so must be something in the industry.

Haven't really seen this.

I grocery shop twice a month, to feed 5 people.

First, we review sales, clip/organize coupons, make our list.

Then, we hit Aldi to see what they have. We find good deals here, and get those, but they never have enough stock and variety to be a solo hit store.

Next, we hit either Winn Dixie (one of the converted Sweet Bays, so a real nice one) or Publix (depending on who has better sales). Usually, this is Winn Dixie.

If there is something really cheap at Publix, we'll hit it on the way home.

I did notice there seemed to be a lot less bread available though, so must be something in the industry.