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Default 10 HUGE RIP-OFFS

10 huge retail rip-offs you can no longer afford to ignore, despite
your cravings
Ken and Daria Dolan
Nov 20th 2008 at 8:00AM


With times tight, everyone is looking for ways to save money. One way
to do that is by making sure you get the most bang out of every hard-
earned dollar you spend. So today we're going to reveal some retail
rip-offs that give you less than your money's worth.

These tips aren't about scrimping or cutting out life's little
luxuries -- we just want to show you some places where you are paying
big price mark ups and may not realize it. Once you see just how
little you are getting for your money, you can save a lot with just a
few simple changes. Like...


1. Wine in restaurants
The markup on wine in restaurants is outrageous -- 100 to 200% more
than what you would pay at the store if you buy by the bottle. It's a
whopping 300 to 400% markup if you buy wine by the glass! To make it
even worse, the highest markups are on the lowest priced wines.

Here's one thing you can do to combat wine markups: If your state/
restaurant allows it, bring your own bottle and pay a small fee for
the restaurant to open and cork it for you. You'll normally pay about
$10.

Option two: Find out if the restaurant has an "off premises" license
that allows you to take open wine bottles home with you. If so, you'll
save money when you buy the full bottle even if you don't plan to
drink it all. Simply cork it at the end of your meal and bring it home
to enjoy later.


2. Pre-cut fruits and vegetables
Pre-cut fruits and vegetables didn't even exist 10 years ago, but
Americans spent more than $600 million on prepared salads alone last
year. According to Information Resources, Inc., pre-cut vegetables are
the fastest-growing category of produce.

We understand that grabbing pre-cut fruit and vegetables can help cut
down on your time in the kitchen, but that small convenience carries a
big price. It's safe to say you are paying at least double the cost
for pre-cut produce versus buying their whole counterparts. Another
negative – you aren't getting all the vitamins you think. Tests have
shown that pre-cut vegetables, for example, start losing their vitamin
C once they are cut!

3. Popcorn
You don't need us to tell you that the price of popcorn at the movie
theater amounts to highway robbery, but it might be even worse than
you thought. According to a professor at the University of California-
Irvine, you're paying a 1,300% markup on that tub of buttery popcorn!

When you do the math, $5.50 for that bucket makes an ounce of popcorn
more expensive than fillet mignon!

4. Anything at eye level in the grocery store.
Here's a great inside tip that we got from a store manager: You'll pay
more for items at eye level on the grocery store shelves.

Products with the highest markups get that prime shelf space because
the store gets a share of those fat profits. Less profitable products
get high and low shelf space at the supermarket, so that's where you
are likely to find the best bargains.

5. Brand-name medication
Next time you are shopping for an over-the-counter medication (such as
Tylenol or Nyquil), give a closer look to the generic versions next to
them on the shelf. A general rule of thumb is that you'll pay 30 to
40% more for name brand medication versus generics.

Most of that cost difference is because of the money that brand name
companies spend on marketing and packaging. As long as you are getting
the same medication and the same results, why pay for their ad
budget?

Check the active ingredients and dosages on each box or bottle to be
sure they are the same. If so, save big with the generic. If you have
any questions, ask your pharmacist or doctor.

6. Bottled Water
Did you know that the two biggest brands of bottled water in America --
Dasani and Aquafina -- are nothing more than purified tap water? In
fact, estimates are that 40% of all bottled water is tap water. At
close to $2 a bottle, bought alone, that makes bottled water one of
the biggest retail rip-offs.

For the price of one bottle of Evian, a San Franciscan can receive
1,000 gallons of tap water. According to "Message in a Bottle" by
Charles Fishman, bottled water can cost 10,000 times more than tap
water -- about $10 per gallon for high-end brands. And more than 90%
of that cost is in the bottle, lid and label -- NOT producing the
water.

If you are concerned that your tap water is not as clean as bottled
water, buy a water pitcher with a filter or install a filter on your
faucet. Then buy re-usable bottles to fill and take with you when you
are on the go.

7. Produce at organic groceries
The huge boom in buying organic produce has led to a huge boom in
prices. You'll pay 30 to 50% more for organic produce -- sometimes
more if something is not in season. Now, that may be completely worth
it to you, but if you are looking for ways to save, here are a few
ideas.

First, shop at your local farmers markets and look for farmers growing
organically. They likely won't be charging big markups. Next, consider
not buying organic when you are shopping for types of produce that use
very little pesticide. The top 10 types of produce with the lowest
pesticide levels are (starting with the lowest): onion, avocado, sweet
corn (frozen), pineapples, mango, asparagus, sweet peas (frozen), kiwi
and bananas.

8. Non-organic produce at organic groceries
Just because produce is being offered at an organic store, does not
mean it's organic! Be sure to check the signs and labels before you
buy. Non-organic produce often still carries a hefty mark-up at
specialty stores.

You could end up paying 30 to 50% more for the same non-organic apples
or tomatoes you could get at your regular grocery store. Buyer beware
-- read the labels!

9. Coffee
Coffee mark-up is insane. And we're not just talking about the fancy
"mocha grande latte with soy" kind of coffee. A plain ol' cup of joe
can carry an absurd markup.

A plain 16 oz. cup of coffee at Dunkin Donuts costs $1.75. You'll pay
at least that for a much smaller cup at most restaurants. Consider
that a plain 16 oz. cup at home will cost you about $.55.

We're not telling you not to enjoy that occasional coffee run. But
just one cup of coffee a day at home rather than buying it could save
you $438 a year.

10. French fries at restaurants
French fries are a big profit maker for restaurants. A 10 ounce potato
makes about 90 french fries (that's about the serving size for large
fries at a fast food restaurant). That potato costs about 30 cents,
but brings the restaurant about $1.75. .

Weblogs, Inc
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Default 10 HUGE RIP-OFFS

Sheldon quoted:

> 10 huge retail rip-offs you can no longer afford to ignore, despite
> your cravings


> 1. Wine in restaurants


Or how about: Any wine over $15/bottle, whether in a restaurant or at
the liquor store.

> 3. Popcorn
> You don't need us to tell you that the price of popcorn at the movie
> theater amounts to highway robbery, but it might be even worse than
> you thought. According to a professor at the University of California-
> Irvine, you're paying a 1,300% markup on that tub of buttery popcorn!


This one is a little misguided. How about: Wait until the movie comes
out for rental and save the $13 on the tickets,. too!

The movie will be just as good now as it was then.

> When you do the math, $5.50 for that bucket makes an ounce of popcorn
> more expensive than fillet mignon!


But an ounce of fillet won't last for 20-30 minutes.

> 7. Produce at organic groceries
> The huge boom in buying organic produce has led to a huge boom in
> prices. You'll pay 30 to 50% more for organic produce


It's always 100%+ or more on the things I see.

-sw
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On Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:43:02 -0800 (PST), Sheldon >
wrote:

>-- we just want to show you some places where you are paying
>big price mark ups and may not realize it


Paper towels and paper napkins are the top of my list. NEVER, no
never has a paper plate been in this house.

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"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> Sheldon quoted:
>
>> 10 huge retail rip-offs you can no longer afford to ignore, despite
>> your cravings

>
>> 1. Wine in restaurants

>
> Or how about: Any wine over $15/bottle, whether in a restaurant or at the
> liquor store.
>
>> 3. Popcorn
>> You don't need us to tell you that the price of popcorn at the movie
>> theater amounts to highway robbery, but it might be even worse than
>> you thought. According to a professor at the University of California-
>> Irvine, you're paying a 1,300% markup on that tub of buttery popcorn!

>
> This one is a little misguided. How about: Wait until the movie comes out
> for rental and save the $13 on the tickets,. too!
>
> The movie will be just as good now as it was then.


I agree with this, with a few exceptions: there are some movies that should
be
seen at least once on the big screen. Among these, for me at least, are the
Spiderman
movies, the Batman saga, The Lord of the Rings, and a few others, Once
you've
seen them once, subsequent viewings are good at home.


>
>> When you do the math, $5.50 for that bucket makes an ounce of popcorn
>> more expensive than fillet mignon!

>
> But an ounce of fillet won't last for 20-30 minutes.
>
>> 7. Produce at organic groceries
>> The huge boom in buying organic produce has led to a huge boom in
>> prices. You'll pay 30 to 50% more for organic produce

>
> It's always 100%+ or more on the things I see.
>
> -sw
>



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Default 10 HUGE RIP-OFFS

Sheldon wrote:

>10 huge retail rip-offs you can no longer afford to ignore, despite
>your cravings
>Ken and Daria Dolan


> 3. Popcorn
> You don't need us to tell you that the price of popcorn at the movie
> theater amounts to highway robbery, but it might be even worse than
> you thought. According to a professor at the University of California-
> Irvine, you're paying a 1,300% markup on that tub of buttery popcorn!


What really frosts me is that often the popcorn is stale
and dry. Not that I buy it, but I do eat some when Ron buys
it. How much did this cold old popcorn cost??

Of course, I pay too much for the ginormous soda.

> 5. Brand-name medication
> Next time you are shopping for an over-the-counter medication (such as
> Tylenol or Nyquil), give a closer look to the generic versions next to
> them on the shelf. A general rule of thumb is that you'll pay 30 to
> 40% more for name brand medication versus generics.


Generic doesn't mean it's exactly the same as the brand
name. You can and many do react differently to the fillers
the generics use.

> Coffee mark-up is insane. And we're not just talking about the fancy
> "mocha grande latte with soy" kind of coffee. A plain ol' cup of joe
> can carry an absurd markup.


Still, when you're at work/whatever and you want a cup of coffee,
just the memory of the cup you had two hours ago doesn't really
cut it.

> We're not telling you not to enjoy that occasional coffee run. But
> just one cup of coffee a day at home rather than buying it could save
> you $438 a year.


We all know people spend a lot more than that on coffee.

> 10. French fries at restaurants
> French fries are a big profit maker for restaurants. A 10 ounce potato
> makes about 90 french fries (that's about the serving size for large
> fries at a fast food restaurant). That potato costs about 30 cents,
> but brings the restaurant about $1.75.


Well, what are you going to do, eat your burger and run home to
double fry some potatoes to make up for the fries you wanted at
lunch?

nancy


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"Mr. Bill" wrote:

> Paper towels and paper napkins are the top of my list. NEVER, no
> never has a paper plate been in this house.


I won't say 'never' but it's real rare to any of those here. Of them, cheap
paper towels get used now and again for draining fried things. I stopped
buying them for a year when the hubby and kid were using them to dry hands
or wipe counters (excuse me dear ones, but we have washable towels for
that!).

Another one is marketing hype on a lot of products. Tide is a huge one.
Sorry, but not being pig farmers or any sort of greasemonkey workers,
regular stuff like cheer, All, etc work fine for us at often 1/3 the price.

Sometimes I do get the more expensive product because we actually like it
better or it lasts longer. Scott 1000 sheet toilet tissue is a common one
for lasting so much longer, it's markup is worth it but some stores have a
store brand just as good (Krogers does, recent find).


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Mr. Bill wrote:
>
> Paper towels and paper napkins are the top of my list. � NEVER, no
> never has a paper plate been in this house. �


Why stop there, I bet you don't bathe.

Cheap paper plates work fine for many foods and cost less than washing
dishes. Paper towels used judiciously cost much less than laundering
towels. And paper products are green... detergents pollute, and I
ain't gonna explain about hot water and electric to run dishwashers
and clothes washers, and dryers because you obviously wouldn't get
it... and you're probably one of those disgusting retards who blows
their nose in hankies or dago style on your sleeve, and hacks up
lungers into the kitchen sink and worse... one can only wonder what
you use to clean your butt... probably your toothbrush.

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On Nov 20, 7:04�pm, "Nancy Young" > wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
> >10 huge retail rip-offs you can no longer afford to ignore, despite
> >your cravings
> >Ken and Daria Dolan
> > 3. Popcorn
> > You don't need us to tell you that the price of popcorn at the movie
> > theater amounts to highway robbery, but it might be even worse than
> > you thought. According to a professor at the University of California-
> > Irvine, you're paying a 1,300% markup on that tub of buttery popcorn!

>
> What really frosts me is that often the popcorn is stale
> and dry. �Not that I buy it, but I do eat some when Ron buys
> it. �How much did this cold old popcorn cost??
>
> Of course, I pay too much for the ginormous soda. �
>
> > 5. Brand-name medication
> > Next time you are shopping for an over-the-counter medication (such as
> > Tylenol or Nyquil), give a closer look to the generic versions next to
> > them on the shelf. A general rule of thumb is that you'll pay 30 to
> > 40% more for name brand medication versus generics.

>
> Generic doesn't mean it's exactly the same as the brand
> name. �You can and many do react differently to the fillers
> the generics use. �
>
> > Coffee mark-up is insane. And we're not just talking about the fancy
> > "mocha grande latte with soy" kind of coffee. A plain ol' cup of joe
> > can carry an absurd markup.

>
> Still, when you're at work/whatever and you want a cup of coffee,
> just the memory of the cup you had two hours ago doesn't really
> cut it. �
>
> > We're not telling you not to enjoy that occasional coffee run. But
> > just one cup of coffee a day at home rather than buying it could save
> > you $438 a year.

>
> We all know people spend a lot more than that on coffee.
>
> > 10. French fries at restaurants
> > French fries are a big profit maker for restaurants. A 10 ounce potato
> > makes about 90 french fries (that's about the serving size for large
> > fries at a fast food restaurant). That potato costs about 30 cents,
> > but brings the restaurant about $1.75.

>
> Well, what are you going to do, eat your burger and run home to
> double fry some potatoes to make up for the fries you wanted at
> lunch? � �
>
> nancy


For me it's the stupid bottled water and the partially composted mulch
they call salad that irks. I mean like paying big bucks for water
from someone elses tap just to have a plastic bottle with a glitzy
label is deranged. And what is so difficult about ripping up a head
of lettuce, that you need someone to do a chore any brain damaged 10
year old can do... I mean just slam a head of iceberg up against your
bathroom tile.
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On Nov 20, 12:43 pm, Sheldon >


..
> 1. Wine in restaurants


Almost not guilty - I rarely imbibe.

> 2. Pre-cut fruits and vegetables


Nevuh. I don't trust those prepped salads.

3. Popcorn

never go to movies.

> 4. Anything at eye level in the grocery store.


Unless it's a BOGO.
Housebrands are always kneebenders, I've noticed.

> 5. Brand-name medication


Somewhat guilty.


> 6. Bottled Water


Never buy it. Keep two Britas going.

> 7. Produce at organic groceries


The top 10 types of produce with the lowest
> pesticide levels are (starting with the lowest): onion, avocado, sweet
> corn (frozen), pineapples, mango, asparagus, sweet peas (frozen), kiwi
> and bananas.


Good to know. Thanks.


> 9. Coffee



Bring my own travel mug - they only charge for a refill.

> 10. French fries at restaurants

Never eat em out - too greasy.

I'd like to add number 11. Make your own bread. I saw 6 Kaisers
today for 4.59, rye for 4.29. Since I stopped buying any store bread,
I've kept my food expenses level with last year's.
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"Nancy Young" wrote:
>
> Well, what are you going to do, eat your burger and run home to
> double fry some potatoes to make up for the fries you wanted at
> lunch? � �


I don't eat fries often, mainly because like 90 pct of eateries use
the same frozen fries you can buy in the frozen foods section of your
stupidmarket. The 2-3 times a year I want good fries I'll deep fry
them myself. I'm happier with a bag of chitato pips than those limp
frozen thingies.


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On Nov 20, 7:37 pm, "cshenk" > wrote:
> "Mr. Bill" wrote:

, cheap
> paper towels get used now and again for draining fried things.


tear open a brown paper bag.





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val189 wrote:
>
> I'd like to add number 11. �Make your own bread. �I saw 6 Kaisers
> today for 4.59, rye for 4.29. �Since I stopped buying any store bread,
> I've kept my food expenses level with last year's.


Yup, mediocre baked goods cost more than meat.

Most baked goods are ridiculously expensive and they're lousy.... I
see four small miserable corn muffins in a plastic clamshell for
$4.29... and they're baked in a cupcake paper, TIAD city.

Homemade bread is like home ground meat, costs half the price and you
know what/who's in it.

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On Nov 20, 6:37*pm, "cshenk" > wrote:
>
>
> Sometimes I do get the more expensive product because we actually like it
> better or it lasts longer. Scott 1000 sheet toilet tissue is a common one
> for lasting so much longer, it's markup is worth it but some stores have a
> store brand just as good (Krogers does, recent find).
>
>

I started buying those 'double' roll packages of toilet paper about 2
years ago. They really do last longer than a regular roll of t.p. and
I can usually buy it when it's on sale and I have a coupon, too. Of
course that makes it an even better bargain, but I balk when it comes
to Scott 1000 sheet, single ply, toilet paper. That stuff is about
the cheapest of the cheap.



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On Nov 20, 7:56*pm, val189 > wrote:
>
>
> > "Mr. Bill" wrote:

> , cheap
> > paper towels get used now and again for draining fried things.

>
> tear open a brown paper bag.


>
>

I don't have any brown paper bags to tear open. I take my own
CartHelper bags to the grocery store and that also stops groceries
from being packed in those most annoying plastic bags, too. It's not
much, but I do get a 4 cent credit for each of my own bags that I
use. But I do use newspaper sections with two paper towels on top
drain the few fried foods I prepare.
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>
>3. Popcorn
>You don't need us to tell you that the price of popcorn at the movie
>theater amounts to highway robbery, but it might be even worse than
>you thought. According to a professor at the University of California-
>Irvine, you're paying a 1,300% markup on that tub of buttery popcorn!


Yes, all of the things you stated are very true. I seldom go to the
movies anymore as even a matinee costs about $8 just to get in. I know
popcorn and pop are outrageous, but I do enjoy both while watching the
movie. It would not be the same without it and THEY know it. Forget
even getting candy, which is even more outrageous!

I look at the outing as more of a treat to myself. I go about 1-2
times per year, if that. I would rather wait until I can get it on DVD
at the library, rent it, or buy off PPV cable, which at about $4.00 is
not too bad I guess.

One word about bottled water. I sometimes buy the Absopure Distilled
Drinking Water which runs about .99 cents per gallon. It is delicious
cold or at room temp. Even at room temp, there is so after-taste at
all. Now, I pretty much just drink diet pop and give the cans to a
buddy who recycles them.

With that, I must say you posted some very interesting stats.

Mark
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On Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:33:07 -0800 (PST), Sheldon >
wrote:

>Why stop there, I bet you don't bathe.


I use a better Egyptian cotton towel than you have ever seen.

You remain a buffoon.


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On Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:00:10 -0600, Sqwertz wrote in post :
> :

>> When you do the math, $5.50 for that bucket makes an ounce of popcorn
>> more expensive than fillet mignon!

>
> But an ounce of fillet won't last for 20-30 minutes.


And you don't get a bucket to wear on your head afterwards.
--
Tim C.
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On Nov 20, 9:32 pm, itsjoannotjoann > wrote:
> On Nov 20, 7:56 pm, val189 > wrote:
>
>
>
> > > "Mr. Bill" wrote:

> > , cheap
> > > paper towels get used now and again for draining fried things.

>
> > tear open a brown paper bag.

>
> I don't have any brown paper bags to tear open. I take my own
> CartHelper bags to the grocery store and that also stops groceries
> from being packed in those most annoying plastic bags, too. It's not
> much, but I do get a 4 cent credit for each of my own bags that I
> use.

You don't shop at my local packy, I guess. If you buy even two
bottles of booze, they slip a small, clean, unopened brown paper bag
tween the bottles. I have a constant supply which I use to
a. store fresh mushrooms
b. drain bacon
c. pass onto my local health food store to reuse.

ps. it's dh who's the imbiber, not me. : ))

Wish I got a 4 cent credit - I'm using a lot of those freebie canvas
totes for luggin food home. Easier on the hands than those plastic
sacks.
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Sheldon wrote:
[snip]
> 7. Produce at organic groceries
> The huge boom in buying organic produce has led to a huge boom in
> prices. You'll pay 30 to 50% more for organic produce -- sometimes
> more if something is not in season. Now, that may be completely worth
> it to you, but if you are looking for ways to save, here are a few
> ideas.
>
> First, shop at your local farmers markets and look for farmers growing
> organically. They likely won't be charging big markups. Next, consider
> not buying organic when you are shopping for types of produce that use
> very little pesticide. The top 10 types of produce with the lowest
> pesticide levels are (starting with the lowest): onion, avocado, sweet
> corn (frozen), pineapples, mango, asparagus, sweet peas (frozen), kiwi
> and bananas.

[snip]

Most of these seem somewhat obvious to me--but thanks for the
reminder. The one re organic produce was useful. I need to
better absorb this information.

--
Jean B.


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On Nov 20, 9:14 pm, Sheldon > wrote:
> val189 wrote:


> Most baked goods are ridiculously expensive and they're lousy.... I
> see four small miserable corn muffins in a plastic clamshell for
> $4.29... and they're baked in a cupcake paper, TIAD city.


And don't forget, they must put em in that clamshell while still warm
- they always seem wet n sticky. I pop my muffins back into the warm
oven on the cooking rack to get a little more 'crust' on em. The
store muffins are actually like cupcakes too - can't they get a real
muffin recipe?

At least now the clamshells are recycks.


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On Nov 21, 8:42�am, val189 > wrote:
> On Nov 20, 9:32 pm, itsjoannotjoann > wrote:> On Nov 20, 7:56 pm, val189 > wrote:
>
> > > > "Mr. Bill" wrote:
> > > , cheap
> > > > paper towels get used now and again for draining fried things.

>
> > > tear open a brown paper bag.

>
> > I don't have any brown paper bags to tear open. �I take my own
> > CartHelper bags to the grocery store and that also stops groceries
> > from being packed in those most annoying plastic bags, too. �It's not
> > much, but I do get a 4 cent credit for each of my own bags that I
> > use.

>
> You don't shop at my local packy, I guess. �If you buy even two
> bottles of booze, they slip a small, clean, unopened brown paper bag
> tween the bottles. �I have a constant supply which I use to
> a. store fresh mushrooms
> b. drain bacon
> c. pass onto my local health food store to reuse.
>
> ps. it's dh who's the imbiber, not me. �: ))


Yeah, right! hehe
>
> Wish I got a 4 cent credit - I'm using a lot of those freebie canvas
> totes for luggin food home. �Easier on the hands than those plastic
> sacks.


If you purchased booze by the case most liquor stors give a 10 pct
discount, and 15 pct on wine.... just don't get any paper bags. LOL
But you get the cardboard boxes, I use those for garden mulch.

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elaich wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
>
> > Coffee mark-up is insane. And we're not just talking about the fancy
> > "mocha grande latte with soy" kind of coffee. A plain ol' cup of joe
> > can carry an absurd markup.

>
> I figured that, at common restaurant prices for a cup, they are getting
> about $25 a gallon for coffee.


And they use cheap coffee and brew weak/diluted, but more importantly
they use lousy water. The water is the most important part of coffee
brewing (tea too)... there is absolutely no point in buying gourmet
beans, home roasting and grinding, and brewing in a mega bucks
machine, as many claim, if they use tap/bottled water. All bottled
water is ordinary tap water, some is filtered of sediment but most is
straight from the tap. Bottled water is ridiculously expensive and
all you get is a plastic jug and a glitzy label, and for that you get
to pay the exhorbitant cost of transporting water great distances and
huge, HUGE profits to the marketers. Even home faucet filters and
Brita thingies are a big rip off, they really just remove some odors
and some sediment, they remove no dissolved impurities, and for that
you get to constantly purchase costly replacement filters, that if not
changed often breed bacteria,,, those britta things are one of the
best ways for everyone in your household to be constantly sick with
one malady after another. The best bang for your water buck is a
reverse osmossis filter and a UV lamp, you get *clean* water for about
a nickle a gallon, and no lugging bottles. Reusable sports water
bottles cost very little, are practically indescructable, and go in
the dishwasher.

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On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:45:19 -0500, "Jean B." > wrote:

>Sheldon wrote:
>[snip]
>> 7. Produce at organic groceries
>> The huge boom in buying organic produce has led to a huge boom in
>> prices. You'll pay 30 to 50% more for organic produce -- sometimes
>> more if something is not in season. Now, that may be completely worth
>> it to you, but if you are looking for ways to save, here are a few
>> ideas.
>>
>> First, shop at your local farmers markets and look for farmers growing
>> organically. They likely won't be charging big markups. Next, consider
>> not buying organic when you are shopping for types of produce that use
>> very little pesticide. The top 10 types of produce with the lowest
>> pesticide levels are (starting with the lowest): onion, avocado, sweet
>> corn (frozen), pineapples, mango, asparagus, sweet peas (frozen), kiwi
>> and bananas.

>[snip]
>
>Most of these seem somewhat obvious to me--but thanks for the
>reminder. The one re organic produce was useful. I need to
>better absorb this information.



Buy seasonal and local. If none of the vendors at the farmers market
are touting organic, ask about sustainable agriculture.
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Nancy Young wrote:

>> 3. Popcorn
>> You don't need us to tell you that the price of popcorn at the movie
>> theater amounts to highway robbery, but it might be even worse than
>> you thought. According to a professor at the University of California-
>> Irvine, you're paying a 1,300% markup on that tub of buttery popcorn!

>
> What really frosts me is that often the popcorn is stale
> and dry. Not that I buy it, but I do eat some when Ron buys
> it. How much did this cold old popcorn cost??
>

My niece worked at one of the megaplex places. They opened giant bags of
prepopped corn and dumped them into the popcorn machine. The heat lamp
slightly warms it. I don't understand the logic since popcorn is bulky
and it isn't rocket science to fill the cup in the machine and push the
button and make fresh popped.


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"Jean B." wrote:
>
> The one re organic produce was useful. �I need to
> better absorb this information.


"Organic food" is a meaningless term... all food is organic. And
there is absolutely no way for the consumer to determine if the food
labeled organic that they pay double and triple was grown any
differently... there really is no such thing as chemical free farm
land, the entire planet is polluted... everytime it rains water runs
accross many, many miles and all the best farm land is bottom land,
where do you think gravity dictates the most pollution accumulates/
concentrates, including bacteria from livestock and run off from
septic systems. And an amazing amount of chemical/bacterial
contamination travels great distances in animal droppings... doesn't
matter that bears shit in the woods, birds shit in the fields... from
one side of the planet to the other, literally. I live in farm
country, when I go outside I can't walk two steps without having to
avoid some kind of animal droppings, fortunately the vast majority
are from vegetarians... I don't ever need to buy fertilizer... I can
actually see my lawn growing hour by hour, I often wish for no rain.

The produce in the organic section is the very same as that in the
regular section, only difference is the sign and the price... all
comes out of the same crates in the back storage area... the give away
is that if you'll notice the organic produce is always more perfect
looking (they hand pick the best looking from the crates), were it
truly organic it would be the more imperfect looking. I don't use
insectides in my garden, but if I did there's be no worm holes. It's
not possible to grow worm hole free produce without insecticides...
and huge perfect peppers without chemical fertilizer... think about
it.

Agri chemicals have a very short half life, especially systemics...
they're long gone well before harvest, it's the surface chemicals that
are more persistant. And chemicals are costly, farmers use not a
drop more than necessary. The best thing you can do to ensure
chemical free is to carefully wash all produce as soon as it arrives
home, *before* placing in the fridge. Yoose fools willing to pay 2-3
times the price for bell peppers go right ahead.

And the problem with those bagged salad mixes is that they are not
washed in running water, they are soaked in large vats of stagnant
bacteria laden water, the same water over and over, the pollutants
become concentrated so they actually end up more contaminated were
they never washed at all. When you bring veggies home wash them with
running water first, then soak, then wash in running water again. I
wash my veggies outdoors, in a large bucket with a running hose, then
I wash them again in my kitchen. Even though I use no chemicals in my
garden runoff is always polluted.


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George wrote:
> Nancy Young wrote:
>
>>> 3. Popcorn
>>> You don't need us to tell you that the price of popcorn at the movie
>>> theater amounts to highway robbery, but it might be even worse than
>>> you thought. According to a professor at the University of California-
>>> Irvine, you're paying a 1,300% markup on that tub of buttery popcorn!

>>
>> What really frosts me is that often the popcorn is stale
>> and dry. Not that I buy it, but I do eat some when Ron buys
>> it. How much did this cold old popcorn cost??
>>

> My niece worked at one of the megaplex places. They opened giant bags of
> prepopped corn and dumped them into the popcorn machine. The heat lamp
> slightly warms it. I don't understand the logic since popcorn is bulky
> and it isn't rocket science to fill the cup in the machine and push the
> button and make fresh popped.


Years and years ago I worked at a Woolworth's. The popcorn came
prepopped in bags. The movie theater I go to has fresh popped popcorn.
Most places pre bag it now. But I ask for a fresh bag from the popper.

Tracy
(who has been known to bring her own to the theater in the past, but I
do shell out for a blue Icee)
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George wrote:
> Nancy Young wrote:
>
>>> 3. Popcorn
>>> You don't need us to tell you that the price of popcorn at the movie
>>> theater amounts to highway robbery, but it might be even worse than
>>> you thought. According to a professor at the University of
>>> California- Irvine, you're paying a 1,300% markup on that tub of
>>> buttery popcorn!

>>
>> What really frosts me is that often the popcorn is stale
>> and dry. Not that I buy it, but I do eat some when Ron buys
>> it. How much did this cold old popcorn cost??
>>

> My niece worked at one of the megaplex places. They opened giant bags
> of prepopped corn and dumped them into the popcorn machine.


Now that you mention it, I think that's exactly the problem.

> The heat
> lamp slightly warms it. I don't understand the logic since popcorn is
> bulky and it isn't rocket science to fill the cup in the machine and
> push the button and make fresh popped.


Makes no sense at all. They make a mint on the stuff, why
wouldn't you want to draw people over with the freshly
popped corn going on? I'm not much for popcorn, but if it's
nice and fresh and there's a movie going on, I'll buy it.
They could make mountains of the stuff for a few bucks.

These corporations are just clueless.

nancy


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> The best bang for your water buck is a
> reverse osmossis filter and a UV lamp, you get *clean* water for about
> a nickle a gallon, and no lugging bottles.


Doesn't reverse osmosis filter all the good nutrients in water?


> Reusable sports water
> bottles cost very little, are practically indescructable, and go in
> the dishwasher.


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On Nov 21, 7:58 am, Sheldon > wrote:
> "Jean B." wrote:
>
> > The one re organic produce was useful. I need to
> > better absorb this information.

>
> "Organic food" is a meaningless term... all food is organic. And
> there is absolutely no way for the consumer to determine if the food
> labeled organic that they pay double and triple was grown any
> differently... there really is no such thing as chemical free farm
> land, the entire planet is polluted... everytime it rains water runs
> accross many, many miles and all the best farm land is bottom land,
> where do you think gravity dictates the most pollution accumulates/
> concentrates, including bacteria from livestock and run off from
> septic systems. And an amazing amount of chemical/bacterial
> contamination travels great distances in animal droppings... doesn't
> matter that bears shit in the woods, birds shit in the fields... from
> one side of the planet to the other, literally. I live in farm
> country, when I go outside I can't walk two steps without having to
> avoid some kind of animal droppings, fortunately the vast majority
> are from vegetarians... I don't ever need to buy fertilizer... I can
> actually see my lawn growing hour by hour, I often wish for no rain.
>
> The produce in the organic section is the very same as that in the
> regular section, only difference is the sign and the price... all
> comes out of the same crates in the back storage area... the give away
> is that if you'll notice the organic produce is always more perfect
> looking (they hand pick the best looking from the crates), were it
> truly organic it would be the more imperfect looking. I don't use
> insectides in my garden, but if I did there's be no worm holes.


> It's
> not possible to grow worm hole free produce without insecticides...
> and huge perfect peppers without chemical fertilizer... think about
> it.


I couldn't agree with you more.
>
> Agri chemicals have a very short half life, especially systemics...
> they're long gone well before harvest, it's the surface chemicals that
> are more persistant. And chemicals are costly, farmers use not a
> drop more than necessary. The best thing you can do to ensure
> chemical free is to carefully wash all produce as soon as it arrives
> home, *before* placing in the fridge. Yoose fools willing to pay 2-3
> times the price for bell peppers go right ahead.
>
> And the problem with those bagged salad mixes is that they are not
> washed in running water, they are soaked in large vats of stagnant
> bacteria laden water, the same water over and over, the pollutants
> become concentrated so they actually end up more contaminated were
> they never washed at all. When you bring veggies home wash them with
> running water first, then soak, then wash in running water again. I
> wash my veggies outdoors, in a large bucket with a running hose, then
> I wash them again in my kitchen. Even though I use no chemicals in my
> garden runoff is always polluted.




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"Nancy Young" > wrote in news:3ZBVk.1046$Yt5.518
@newsfe21.ams2:

> George wrote:
>> Nancy Young wrote:
>>
>>>> 3. Popcorn
>>>> You don't need us to tell you that the price of popcorn at the movie
>>>> theater amounts to highway robbery, but it might be even worse than
>>>> you thought. According to a professor at the University of
>>>> California- Irvine, you're paying a 1,300% markup on that tub of
>>>> buttery popcorn!
>>>
>>> What really frosts me is that often the popcorn is stale
>>> and dry. Not that I buy it, but I do eat some when Ron buys
>>> it. How much did this cold old popcorn cost??
>>>

>> My niece worked at one of the megaplex places. They opened giant bags
>> of prepopped corn and dumped them into the popcorn machine.

>
> Now that you mention it, I think that's exactly the problem.
>
>> The heat
>> lamp slightly warms it. I don't understand the logic since popcorn is
>> bulky and it isn't rocket science to fill the cup in the machine and
>> push the button and make fresh popped.

>
> Makes no sense at all. They make a mint on the stuff, why
> wouldn't you want to draw people over with the freshly
> popped corn going on? I'm not much for popcorn, but if it's
> nice and fresh and there's a movie going on, I'll buy it.
> They could make mountains of the stuff for a few bucks.
>
> These corporations are just clueless.
>
> nancy
>
>
>


When My daugther worked at a ciniplex. They would pop corn only if the
stuff they saved from yesterday was used up and at the end of the week all
the old popped corn was either chucked or taken home by the employees.

--

The beet goes on -Alan



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Sheldon wrote:
> "Jean B." wrote:
>> The one re organic produce was useful. �I need to
>> better absorb this information.

>
> "Organic food" is a meaningless term... all food is organic. And
> there is absolutely no way for the consumer to determine if the food
> labeled organic that they pay double and triple was grown any
> differently... there really is no such thing as chemical free farm
> land, the entire planet is polluted... everytime it rains water runs
> accross many, many miles and all the best farm land is bottom land,
> where do you think gravity dictates the most pollution accumulates/
> concentrates, including bacteria from livestock and run off from
> septic systems. And an amazing amount of chemical/bacterial
> contamination travels great distances in animal droppings... doesn't
> matter that bears shit in the woods, birds shit in the fields... from
> one side of the planet to the other, literally. I live in farm
> country, when I go outside I can't walk two steps without having to
> avoid some kind of animal droppings, fortunately the vast majority
> are from vegetarians... I don't ever need to buy fertilizer... I can
> actually see my lawn growing hour by hour, I often wish for no rain.
>
> The produce in the organic section is the very same as that in the
> regular section, only difference is the sign and the price... all
> comes out of the same crates in the back storage area... the give away
> is that if you'll notice the organic produce is always more perfect
> looking (they hand pick the best looking from the crates), were it
> truly organic it would be the more imperfect looking. I don't use
> insectides in my garden, but if I did there's be no worm holes. It's
> not possible to grow worm hole free produce without insecticides...
> and huge perfect peppers without chemical fertilizer... think about
> it.
>
> Agri chemicals have a very short half life, especially systemics...
> they're long gone well before harvest, it's the surface chemicals that
> are more persistant. And chemicals are costly, farmers use not a
> drop more than necessary. The best thing you can do to ensure
> chemical free is to carefully wash all produce as soon as it arrives
> home, *before* placing in the fridge. Yoose fools willing to pay 2-3
> times the price for bell peppers go right ahead.
>
> And the problem with those bagged salad mixes is that they are not
> washed in running water, they are soaked in large vats of stagnant
> bacteria laden water, the same water over and over, the pollutants
> become concentrated so they actually end up more contaminated were
> they never washed at all. When you bring veggies home wash them with
> running water first, then soak, then wash in running water again. I
> wash my veggies outdoors, in a large bucket with a running hose, then
> I wash them again in my kitchen. Even though I use no chemicals in my
> garden runoff is always polluted.
>
>

Those are certainly some good points. I especially wonder about
organic produce from areas of the world that have even worse
polluted water--which could be seen as perfectly normal and not in
conflict with the organic concept.


--
Jean B.
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On Nov 21, 5:46�pm, "Jean B." > wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
> > "Jean B." wrote:
> >> The one re organic produce was useful. I need to
> >> better absorb this information.

>
> > "Organic food" �is a meaningless term... all food is organic. �And
> > there is absolutely no way for the consumer to determine if the food
> > labeled organic that they pay double and triple was grown any
> > differently... there really is no such thing as chemical free farm
> > land, the entire planet is polluted... everytime it rains water runs
> > accross many, many miles and all the best farm land is bottom land,
> > where do you think gravity dictates the most pollution accumulates/
> > concentrates, including bacteria from livestock and run off from
> > septic systems. �And an amazing amount of chemical/bacterial
> > contamination travels great distances in animal droppings... doesn't
> > matter that bears shit in the woods, birds shit in the fields... from
> > one side of the planet to the other, literally. �I live in farm
> > country, when I go outside I can't walk two steps without having to
> > avoid some kind of animal droppings, �fortunately the vast majority
> > are from vegetarians... I don't ever need to buy fertilizer... I can
> > actually see my lawn growing hour by hour, I often wish for no rain.

>
> > The produce in the organic section is the very same as that in the
> > regular section, only difference is the sign and the price... all
> > comes out of the same crates in the back storage area... the give away
> > is that if you'll notice the organic produce is always more perfect
> > looking (they hand pick the best looking from the crates), were it
> > truly organic it would be the more imperfect looking. �I don't use
> > insectides in my garden, but if I did there's be no worm holes. �It's
> > not possible to grow worm hole free produce without insecticides...
> > and huge perfect peppers without chemical fertilizer... think about
> > it.

>
> > Agri chemicals have a very short half life, especially systemics...
> > they're long gone well before harvest, it's the surface chemicals that
> > are more persistant. � And chemicals are costly, farmers use not a
> > drop more than necessary. �The best thing you can do to ensure
> > chemical free is to carefully wash all produce as soon as it arrives
> > home, *before* placing in the fridge. �Yoose fools willing to pay 2-3
> > times the price for bell peppers go right ahead.

>
> > And the problem with those bagged salad mixes is that they are not
> > washed in running water, they are soaked in large vats of stagnant
> > bacteria laden water, the same water over and over, the pollutants
> > become concentrated so they actually end up more contaminated were
> > they never washed at all. �When you bring veggies home wash them with
> > running water first, then soak, then wash in running water again. �I
> > wash my veggies outdoors, in a large bucket with a running hose, then
> > I wash them again in my kitchen. �Even though I use no chemicals in my
> > garden runoff is always polluted.

>
> Those are certainly some good points. �I especially wonder about
> organic produce from areas of the world that have even worse
> polluted water--which could be seen as perfectly normal and not in
> conflict with the organic concept.


Most of the planet, and the US, irrigates crops with ground water
pumped from shallow wells and/or rivers/streams and sometimes stagnant
lakes/ponds. Fortunately plants are extremely selective about what
they take in. The chemical and bacterial schmutz is on the exterior
so it's very important to wash vegetables very throughly, even those
with thick rinds that are not eaten. Pare away damaged portions and
do not consume badly bruised produce.
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Sheldon wrote:
> Most of the planet, and the US, irrigates crops with ground water
> pumped from shallow wells and/or rivers/streams and sometimes stagnant
> lakes/ponds. Fortunately plants are extremely selective about what
> they take in. The chemical and bacterial schmutz is on the exterior
> so it's very important to wash vegetables very throughly, even those
> with thick rinds that are not eaten. Pare away damaged portions and
> do not consume badly bruised produce.


Right. Those cantaloupes come to mind. Remember them?

--
Jean B.
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