Went to run some errands today, it seems every single store chose to increase their prices all in the same day! The minibuses and electricity company etc chose 1st Jan which is usually understood, but the small shops, oh they are bad!
The story went something like this: there's a noodle stall near where I live, and around 10 years ago it was $17 / bowl. Last week (damn sure about this as I walked past it deliberately), it was at $30. TODAY: $35!!! Yikes!!! I discovered the price hike after I was seated. To be honest I nearly stood up and leave the stall, thinking I could use the dollar menu from McDonald's (fillet o' fish bun!) at less than $10, but I didn't leave. The place was crowded and getting ever more popular than before (thanks to media exposure and the general hype around this stall), uncomfortable seats, boisterous, etc. I don't eat there often, maybe 2-3 times a year so it was somewhat a 'treat'. Thinking about it, my experience there seems to dwindle every time I visited it, so I swore to myself I'd NEVER step in that place again.
Fast forward, there's an artisan bakery selling pastries of all sorts, it's very traditional and also getting more popular like the above store. A catty of the fried pastries would cost about $3x in prior years and today I saw $56. I'd not be getting their stuff to consume myself ever again, it's (still) delicious but the price is getting ridiculous...However I need to buy a catty of those to some friend I'll have lunch with next week. This will be it.
Another store where I got the ingredients for the soup noodles also had increased their price by $1, it was acceptable but it's just the moment you are caught off-guard until at the cashier till (or cue the above scenarios) just sickened me, you know? [rant over]
If nothing more, all these just highlighted the 2015 goals I have to cook my own meals, eat at home, and eat whole foods!
Totally get this! It sucks! Same thing is happening here. But it is so important that you are noticing and make decisions based on this. Too many people wouldn't notice a $1 increase. Or if they did, they'd say "oh well.." I understand that people have to raise prices to offset higher taxes, rent, supply costs etc. But if I can adjust my behavior (and shopping) to avoid as many price increases as possible, I will where I can. ~ Pru
ReplyDeleteHi Pru!
DeleteThanks for your comment - yes too many seem to "accept" the price increase without much to say. And even more people will catch the 'hype" and think the food from those places are "worth it" (that is, they didn't know how much cheaper they cost in prior years...). To each their own, I say. We just carry on with what we principally agree/accept and whatever makes us happy (hmmm those delicacies are really delicious tbh) :-) For me, I refuse to "play on" with the shops and confirm their feelings of "look, we raise our prices and people are still coming to visit us, if not more!". Because afterall, it's just food.
I should probably clarify in the post that the increase in a dollar or so, could be absorbed by the modest salary I earn. Although I am able to do so, it's not a willing choice I want to make. But imagine a person earning the minimum level, even eating a bowl of noodles out is not a "treat" anymore but a "luxury"...
Ditto with you on adjusting behavior!
Oh dear! It sounds bad! I haven't been out shopping apart from the supermarket so I have no idea what prices are like here. As Pru said, it's good you are noticing these prices because it allows you to make informed decisions!
ReplyDeleteYes i found being more aware of money nowadays helps to make "conscious" spending decisions :-) this can't be bad right?
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