Diy is getting expensive

[AnalogPackrat]

Yes it is. It's right there in the quote. If you're going to be pedantic then do it better, it doesn't say "wholely responsible"

"at least partially responsible" is not a data-driven statement.

Is the suggestion here that mortgage lenders have any sort of coherent ideology apart from "charge as much as we can when and wherever we can"? Are you saying that people with high credit scores are going to start taking out payday loans for fun or

Your statement is nonsensical. I remember mortgage rates well above 15% after Carternomics. My first mortgage in 1999 was at ~7.25%. Where have they been for the past decade plus and why? Lenders don't charge whatever they can. They compete and are regulated.

Here's what JR is referring to. Go ahead and rationalize this perversion.

https://www.ocregister.com/2023/05/...edit-scores-fall-for-those-with-lower-scores/

 

[AnalogPackrat]

From one year ago:

"In the supermarket sector, for the 5 weeks ending April 2, U.S. grocery sales grew 6.4% in dollars but declined 4.1% in units, as higher prices pushed downstream by retailers started to impact consumer demand. Albertsons, the nation’s fifth largest grocery chain, reported identical sales growth of 7.5% for the three months ending Feb. 26, up nearly 20% from two years ago. Quarterly profits rose to $455.1 million, compared with a $144.2 million loss a year ago. And Kroger, which accounts for over 10% of all grocery sales nationwide, reported identical sales and profits up as well.

Recent research illustrates these inflationary-profit trends, in particular busting the myth of a wage-price spiral driven by increased worker incomes. Over 53% of price increases in the last two years have been driven by profit margin gains, while wage increases were responsible for less than 8%. This is a big turnaround from the trends of the last 40 years, when profits contributed just 11% to price increases while labor contributed over 61%. And a Morgan Stanley analysis concluded likewise, even as news broke of declining worker productivity during the pandemic, that "real wages systematically undershot productivity growth for most of the last two decades, and the labor share of income fell notably as a consequence. Corporate profit margins were the prime beneficiaries of the falling labor share."

According to economist Isabella Weber , “Outsize price hikes are at least partially responsible for inflation. Companies have bragged about how they have managed to be ahead of the inflation curve, how they have managed to jack up prices more than their costs and as a result have delivered these record profits.”

It's easy to generate emotional responses with incomplete analysis.

https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/KR/kroger/profit-margins
https://csimarket.com/stocks/singleProfitabilityRatios.php?code=PUSH&net
There's a lot more to the grocery business than buying and selling. When the squeeze is on, retailers are even more incentivized to improve operational efficiency and cut waste. For example, investment in energy efficiency (insulation, lighting, refrigeration, perhaps rooftop solar) can both lower operating costs and provide tax relief. And we all have seen the expansion of self-checkout which reduces workforce overhead.

 

[JohnRoberts]

Yes it is. It's right there in the quote. If you're going to be pedantic then do it better, it doesn't say "wholely responsible"

and neither did I

Is the suggestion here that mortgage lenders have any sort of coherent ideology apart from "charge as much as we can when and wherever we can"? Are you saying that people with high credit scores are going to start taking out payday loans for fun or

this isn't coming from mortgage lenders but from government, while mortgage origination is still not exactly private sector.
===

An important thing about prices in a free market is that the customers get a vote. In an inflationary environment there is a consumer inclination to buy now because prices are rising. The opposite of that "deflationary expectations" are feared because customers delay purchases expecting future prices to fall.

JR

 

[Dreams]

"at least partially responsible" is not a data-driven statement.

This is not a data-driven statement

Your statement is nonsensical. I remember mortgage rates well above 15% after Carternomics. My first mortgage in 1999 was at ~7.25%. Where have they been for the past decade plus and why? Lenders don't charge whatever they can. They compete and are regulated.

I didn't say they charge whatever they want to charge. I said they charge as much as they can (within whatever broader growth strategy they have, I'll add) and they do

What was your mortgage payment as a percentage of your income at that time?

 

[Dreams]

and neither did I

You took a quote and said the opposite. "Partially responsible" is not "not responsible"

 

[AnalogPackrat]

This is not a data-driven statement

I'm not the one making the claim. "at least partially responsible" could be anything from a tiny fraction of a percent (which is completely irrelevant) to something meaningful. It's so vague as to be useless.

I didn't say they charge whatever they want to charge. I said they charge as much as they can (within whatever broader growth strategy they have, I'll add) and they do

The implication being that somehow mortgage lenders are evil. You can avoid dealing with them by not borrowing. Rent or save and buy outright.

What was your mortgage payment as a percentage of your income at that time?

The way I figure it that would be none of your business. My ex and I saved for years to make a 20% down payment. The monthly mortgage payment was almost double my previous rent for a 2BR/2Ba apartment in the heart of silicon valley. Buying allowed me, over 22 years, to build equity and sell for enough that I currently have no mortgage (in a state other than California) for a larger house on a smaller parcel (19 acres vs 37).

 

[jasonallenh]

An important thing about prices in a free market is that the customers get a vote. In an inflationary environment there is a consumer inclination to buy now because prices are rising.

JR

I will 'vote' for lower housing prices by becoming homeless

 

[JohnRoberts]

I will 'vote' for lower housing prices by becoming homeless

?

The housing market is getting tangled up in an odd way from the rising interest rates. Some homeowners who want to sell and move to a larger house, can't afford to give up their old mortgage locked into low single digit fixed rates... If they can't afford to sell, so they can't buy the next house with higher rate mortgage.

As the tide goes out from rising interest rates we will see more unintended consequences from too low interest rates for too long (i.e swimmers without trunks).

JR

 

[jasonallenh]

?

The housing market is getting tangled up in an odd way from the rising interest rates. Some homeowners who want to sell and move to a larger house, can't afford to give up their old mortgage locked into low single digit fixed rates... If they can't afford to sell, so they can't buy the next house with higher rate mortgage.

As the tide goes out from rising interest rates we will see more unintended consequences from too low interest rates for too long (i.e swimmers without trunks).

JR

I'm trying to sell now and actually downsize and can't bring myself to do it because the smaller homes are all listed for nearly double what's left on my current mortgage. 300k+ for a 900 sqft condo across the street from a concrete depot... location, location, location!

 

[JohnRoberts]

Speaking of inflation I just got hit with a cost increase for one of the sundry medicines I take (getting old isn't for wimps). My last refill 3 months ago was something like $35 for 90 doses, this week it cost me $152 for the same script. I questioned the price but the druggist said it was correct. Note: this is already a generic medicine, the brand name pills are several times more expensive. The generic thyroid medicine is a more reasonable $10 for 90 doses.

JR

 

[pucho812]

Speaking of expensive,

Does anyone know of a cheap way to ship to Europe?
I was going to pay it forward and give away some b-gauge patchbays, for free just cover shipping. Sadly shipping was a whopping 700 dollars for 5 x bays and that was without any wiring.

 

[crazydoc]

Speaking of inflation I just got hit with a cost increase for one of the sundry medicines I take (getting old isn't for wimps). My last refill 3 months ago was something like $35 for 90 doses, this week it cost me $152 for the same script. I questioned the price but the druggist said it was correct. Note: this is already a generic medicine, the brand name pills are several times more expensive. The generic thyroid medicine is a more reasonable $10 for 90 doses.

JR

I've used this site (there are other similar) for several years now for considerable savings on generic meds - brand names don't get much if any discount. Put in your location, your med and it will give you a coupon price list for your nearby pharmacies.

https://www.goodrx.com/
Also, Walmart has had a generic list of meds for years now, most being $4 for 30 day and $10 90 day supply.

https://i5.walmartimages.com/dfw/4ff9c6c9-e3f8/k2-_14c0785f-b2e4-4b2e-b1d6-97d32ca45d34.v1.pdf

 

[JohnRoberts]

I've used this site (there are other similar) for several years now for considerable savings on generic meds - brand names don't get much if any discount. Put in your location, your med and it will give you a coupon price list for your nearby pharmacies.

https://www.goodrx.com/
Also, Walmart has had a generic list of meds for years now, most being $4 for 30 day and $10 90 day supply.

https://i5.walmartimages.com/dfw/4ff9c6c9-e3f8/k2-_14c0785f-b2e4-4b2e-b1d6-97d32ca45d34.v1.pdf

thanks ... Finasteride is generic, but not on Wally world's list of cheap generics... I already get my generic synthroid for $10/90 days.

I may consider switching to cheaper alpha blockers at my next annual physical.

Now this is interesting... your good RX link says I can buy 90 doses finasteride from my local walmart for only $12.92.... THIS does not f'n compute since I just paid walmart more than 10x that.

Thank you, let me see what they think about this...

JR

ps; [edit- good RX is $10/month but it looks like it would pay for itself for the Finasteride script. /edit]

 

[crazydoc]

ps; [edit- good RX is $10/month but it looks like it would pay for itself for the Finasteride script. /edit]

You don't have to pay anything for the regular GoodRx coupons, but it looks like they have a plan called GoodRx Gold that costs the $10/mo for a further discount, but I doubt it would be cost effective for a single med.

https://www.goodrx.com/corporate/business/save-on-medications-goodrx-gold-drug-savings-program

 

[crazydoc]

Also, Mark Cuban has set up a company to fill Rx's at minimal cost and shipping, which may be worth a look. I haven't used it since I can get mine and wife's meds locally at reasonable cost thru Goodrx and Walmart, but it looks like a good deal depending on the meds.

https://costplusdrugs.com/

 

[JohnRoberts]

You don't have to pay anything for the regular GoodRx coupons, but it looks like they have a plan called GoodRx Gold that costs the $10/mo for a further discount, but I doubt it would be cost effective for a single med.

https://www.goodrx.com/corporate/business/save-on-medications-goodrx-gold-drug-savings-program

This is crazy, now goodrx is offering 30 days for $1.77 . Since I am considering changing to a different med, and I just purchased 90 days worth. Right now I need to wrestle with Walmart about the apparent over charge ($152/90 days).

Thanks again.

JR

 

[okgb]

The ultimate d.i.y. taking care of yourself!

 

[JohnRoberts]

OK, I ran out of patience trying to deal with walmart website chat and customer service.

I wrote a snail mail letter addressed to the "pharmacy manager" for that walmart store. I documented the prices I paid 3 months ago and the price I paid last week.

I just got off the phone with that pharmacy manager who called me and she offered to apply a good RX coupon and reduce my charge to only $13. This is a lot better than the $152+ I paid just last week.

She had no lucent explanation for what actually happened and tried to give me some BS about drug price volatility. This was clearly not that. I confirmed that the street price for finasteride was stable and low.

Sorted for this time around.

[edit- maybe I need to buy a lottery ticket... 1) getting a medicine bill reduced 90%, 2) last weekend while cutting my grass, I found a crisp $20 bill sitting folded up in my driveway, 3) ? who knows but good luck could come in threes. /edit]

JR

 

[JohnRoberts]

OK, I ran out of patience trying to deal with walmart website chat and customer service.

I wrote a snail mail letter addressed to the "pharmacy manager" for that walmart store. I documented the prices I paid 3 months ago and the price I paid last week.

I just got off the phone with that pharmacy manager who called me and she offered to apply a good RX coupon and reduce my charge to only $13. This is a lot better than the $152+ I paid just last week.

She had no lucent explanation for what actually happened and tried to give me some BS about drug price volatility. This was clearly not that. I confirmed that the street price for finasteride was stable and low.

Sorted for this time around.

[edit- maybe I need to buy a lottery ticket... 1) getting a medicine bill reduced 90%, 2) last weekend while cutting my grass, I found a crisp $20 bill sitting folded up in my driveway, 3) ? who knows but good luck could come in threes. /edit]

JR

Well not completely sorted... I got a phone call informing me that I had to go to the pharmacy in person to pick up my refund? WTF I paid with a credit card so it should be simple to just credit that card....

I am not going to make a special trip for this, so next week while there grocery shopping I'll find out what extra hoop they want me to jump through..

JR

 

[JohnRoberts]

Today is my normal shopping day, so I reported to the Walmart Pharmacy to secure my refund. First they ran out of cash to pay me ($130+), so I asked why not just credit the same CC ticket it was paid with? They said they didn't have that capability, but could credit my CC now if I provided it to them. I handed my card to the counter clerk, as she had a group meeting with the entire pharmacy staff. She had to have her supervisor come over to approve the CC transaction. She asked me to insert my card into the terminal and I pointed out that my card was still in her hand.

Finally sorted but more drama than it should have needed. The supervisor said I should have said something at the time I made the purchase. I replied of course I did, and one of the pharmacy workers lurking around remembered me asking about the high price. A normal business could just reverse the CC charge without me having to show up in person, but I don't mind that Walmart counter workers don't have access to those screens.

JR