A can of Lysol is 5.99 @ my grocery store now. WTF....

[xultar]

Why do they keep saying that the economy is better?

Shit is WAY more expensive and it is costing me a HELL of a lot more to take care of my pets and home.

What prices are you seeing sky rocket without notice?

[Maddy McCall]

1. I wonder if it has to do with Bird Flu Phobia...

If all of the cleaning products companies or the grocers/department stores are jacking their prices to capitalize on BFP.

[yellowdoginGA]

17. you can't be serious

can you?

[Maru Kitteh]

53. Why not?

Why wouldn't they take advantage of the fear?

[Maddy McCall]

68. I was just throwing it out there.

I believe it has more to do with the rising cost of fuel, which has an impact on all segments of the economy.

But the BFP explanation came to mind, instead. :)

[w8liftinglady]

2. we were talking about this today...

about how we can't even make it two weeks on our paychecks,let alone save anything.This sucks(and we are nurses-supposedly a good job)

[SmokingJacket]

3. Fresh fruit and vegetables. nt

[uppityperson]

4. They lie. If they repeat it often enough, some people believe it.

everything is going up.

[Dogmudgeon]

5. Buy generic

Or get a bottle of 91% Isopropyl (or Ethyl) and pour it into a hand-sprayer bottle.

You're paying for packaging and branding. And your pets aren't being helped by the anti-fungal additives in Lysol (mainly orthophenyl phenol -- but it's the alcohol itself that does the real disinfecting).

But, yes, prices are up, and inflation is running at about 3.5% yearly again. It's from the price of oil, mainly.

--p!

[BrotherBuzz]

10. Buy generic or make you own

http://www.mormonchic.com/dealdiva/homemade_cleaners.asp

Disinfectant

HOW TO
My other favorite cleaner is a disinfectant that uses the antiseptic power of tea tree oil. This can be found at the health food stores with the essential oils.

This wonderful cleaner is great on hands, toys, toilets, and even in the laundry. Great on doorknobs and sink handles when the flu hits your home. I keep some in each of my bathrooms.

To make, fill a 16 oz trigger spray bottle almost to the top with water. Again use purified or distilled water for the best results. Add 3 Tbls of castile soap and 20-30 drops of tea tree oil to the water. Shake to mix.


THE STORE BRAND
Lysol Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner 22 oz = $2.99 $5.99

HOMEMADE VERSION
.95 cents

YOUR SAVINGS
You will save $2.04 $5.04 each time you refill.

[xultar]

16. Thanks for the link to the site. I'm gonna go through there like crazy.

[tridim]

35. Anyone know how to make Febreeze?

I know it's based on corn starch, but that's all I know.

[demgurl]

70. For Febreeze, try this.....

Febreze® NOTICEables™ Starter Kit: Calypso Breeze and Hawaiian Paradise

http://www.softcoin.com/p/handler?ta.631&pageId=233

Promo Code: noticeables1

Over time, you can get used to a single scent. Febreze NOTICEables automatically alternates between two complementary scents for surprisingly noticeable, long lasting freshness.

The starter kit features the complementary scents of Calypso Breeze and Hawaiian Paradise.

It does not tell you how to make the stuff but it is a very nice freebie and we all like freebies, right?

[SW FL Dem]

40. Careful

The smell of the tea tree oil can be overwhelming. A neighbor gave me her home remedy for ear infections using tea tree oil - (it worked but boy did it stink!) A few drops of the oil spilled on my counter and my kitchen reeked for a long time. It was next to impossible to get rid of the smell.

[BrotherBuzz]

47. Ain't that the truth....

My wife used Tea Tree oil to successfully treat toenail fungus. It smells like turpentine, or something else I store in my paint locker. :shrug:

[DemBones DemBones]

44. Thanks for that useful link -- here's another useful link

which I found mentioned at mormon chic:

http://www.beprepared.com

(Hmmm, I seem to remember those words from Girl Scouts -- and I could still make Hobo Stew and S'mores, though I'd be using ground Torfurkey or another soy substitute for meat in the Hobo Stew.)

[Dogmudgeon]

74. Excellent stuff there, BrotherBuzz!

But, Xultar, keep in mind that the solution listed is for the liquid cleanser. The spray version would be alcohol, and maybe a drop or two of tea tree oil.

If your critters lick the castile soap, they may poop like bandits.

Good luck, and thanks again, BB!

--p!

[Lochloosa]

11. When I worked in a hospital during our quarterly meetings

it was always 5% bleach solution. Kills everything. Aids, Hepatitis, Viral etc.

[woodsprite]

22. Yeah, Our daycare goes over EVERYTHING with that each night. n/t

[roseBudd]

41. When I had a particulary filthy tenant move out w/o cleaning I was so

disgusted by the condition of the toilet I poured some bleach in it and closed the lid. The next day when I thought I could stomach tackling the toilet I opened the lid to find a spotless toilet from the waterline down.

For mildew on tile spray paper towels with bleach and "wallpaper" your tile with it respraying to keep it wet.

Oh and newspaper for cleaning glass, lint free and free if you subscribe anyways.

[xultar]

14. I'm going to go with this trick!

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. What do they know about the average working stiff? Or care?

Nothing. That's what.

[xchrom]

7. i'm not buying anything but food and gas.

i have closed my wallet.

it's my personal boycott -- i don't want jobs shipped overseas -- i want corporations out of gov -- i want gov to stop lying about the economy -- etc

it's what i can do.

[lindisfarne]

8. vinegar, baking soda, hot water, and a sponge work for virtually all home

cleaning tasks.

[HereSince1628]

13. vinegar and water are both polar solvents...don't work well on oils

grease etc. Hot water can "melt" oils, but really the ability of soaps and detergents to have oily fatty materials disolve into the soap/detergents non-polar ends results in vastly superior in cleaning ability to hot water. The greasy stuff is removed and the dispersed into the water in which the soap/detergent is dissolved.

[Sal Minella]

25. I use a little ammonia in water in a squirt bottle for greasy clean-ups.

[montana500]

34. rant on cleaning products

all of them are a waste of time, and some people are incredubly sensitive (have problems) to nasty stuff like carpet cleaner (any kind).


Stuff that works fairly well that gets rid of odors and cleans:

windex
409
toilet bowl cleaner
baking soda
vinegar (for floors)
matches (for smells)
sink and tub gravelly cleaner
mildew cleaner


everything else is pretty much toxic and even in many cases hurtful to those more sensitive. If you have to clean carpets, use water and soap.

Carept cleaner is nasty, nasty shit.

[NuttyFluffers]

73. fyi, table salt makes a great soft scrub.

it's pretty good against built up grime and grease, too. just a little water and a good deal of salt, make it into a bit of a paste, and you're ready to go. dirt cheap, too.

[Mutley]

9. Gas.

I just bought it for 2.45/gal today. A month or so ago it was 2.19. They're being really sneaky about it this time.

[LoKnLoD]

12. I bought some Chips Ahoys cookies the other day

first time in years and I was shocked how much the cookies have shrunk in size, the price has gone up a buck and the cookies have shrunk in size by almost a half. :grr:

[xultar]

19. That is the sneaky shit that isn't being discussed. Smaller sizes

less in the bags for the same or more price.

That is inflation yet. They say everything is o.k.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

31. That's the one that ticks me off the most

I just noticed the other day that a can of coffee is now 10oz. I swear they were 12 last year and they used to be 16 ounces. So many other products have be reduced in size and the average consumer has no clue they are paying the same (or in some cases more) for less. :(

[u4ic]

72. Toilet paper, too

It's not as wide, smaller/less sheets and I've even seen one brand switch to 1 ply quietly.

Of course, you don't know till you open it up, seeing that the only way you can read the writing on the package is with an electron microscope.

:grr:

[NMDemDist2]

15. i buy what cleaning stuff I can't live without at a Dollar Store

they may not have the name brands, but I save a bunch

I use a bleach solution for disinfecting, just make sure the surface is color fast

[Selatius]

18. Bread and Gas

A good loaf of bread used to cost me roughly $1.25 five years ago. I now pay roughly twice as much today. The situation is the same with gas. It's hard when your diet is built largely around breads, vegetables, nuts, etc. with some dairy and meat thrown in occasionally.

[PassingFair]

49. We shop for milk and bread and other staples at

Aldi.

Between Aldi and Big Lots, I figure I'm saving about $100.00 a week.

I make a trip about once a month to Costco for coffee, lettuce, and name brand drinks that the kids want.

[Progressive4Life]

59. Bread is cheaper in London

Last time I was there, you could buy a loaf of the store brand for about $0.75--and that was for the bread in the wrappers that would keep it fresh for two weeks. In Indiana, you pay $1.50 for the store brand, and it's moldy in less than a week. Needless to say, I haven't been eating much toast lately.

Fresh fruits and veggies are also a luxury. Same thing with cereal (the generic stuff). If things keep going the way they're going, I'll be living on a steady diet of macaroni and cheese.

[yellowdoginGA]

20. go to wal-mart (just kidding)

if we want to support union labor stores we must be prepared to make some sacrifices when it comes to price.

[montana500]

21. Why do you need lysol anyway?

It's a pointless waste of money and time.

[xultar]

65. Even to spray it in my cat room and chihuahua play pen?

[ewagner]

23. Supply and Demand

It totally explainable :sarcasm:

Since Bush* took office people have had to buy more and more Lysol to disinfect their TV screens from all the bullsh*t being spread on it.


This greatly outstripped the available supply of Lysol and forced the prices up.

It is assumed that prices will remain stable, although high, for the product unless the Bush* administration starts pushing a war with Iran. In that case the bullsh*t ration will increase exponentially and the demand will increase dramatically. Expect a huge increase in the price of Lysol if that happens.


:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[leeroysphitz]

24. What about STEALTH price increases...

Those are the ones that get me. If you look closely at the weight of the items you buy you can find multiple examples of this in every aisle of the Market. Companies reducing the AMOUNT of product you get without any mention anywhere.

The price stays the same but you get less food so in effect it's a hidden (because most folks don't check the ounces of the Orida, Hershey, Sunkist etc... products they buy every time they buy.) price increase.

My wife and I have been paying attention to this since we first noticed it last year.

[anitar1]

26. One has to has to learn to shop around and know prices

to find decent prices. Costco, Trader Joe's, and local places , if possible. I also check out Winco in some areas. I rarely go to the big chains. And Albertsons is one of the highest priced, also Raley's. Costco has excellent meats for less.I have had to rearrange the way I shop, but it is worth it. There are some items that I do not purchase anymore, because they are not worth the price.Never buy non food items at a grocery store either.

[leftchick]

27. You should never use Lysol anyway

very bad shit in that can.

[Lorien]

28. 3 lbs. Almonds at Costco: $8.29 before Christmas, $15.99 today

Still better than $5.99 for a small tin at the grocery.

[tridim]

36. I only wish they didn't discontinue their sliced almonds

I refuse to buy nuts at the regular grocery store.

[xultar]

63. DAYUM! That is a huge jump!

[Lorien]

71. I thought so too; I wonder if climate change has effected this year's

almond crop, or if something else is going on?

[bluerum]

29. I saw bare shelves and an empty poultry section in a local

supermarket a couple weekends ago. It reminded me of the pictures you used to see of the USSR. The bare shelves and hundreds of people in line waiting for their loaf of bread or a pair of shoes that don't fit.

It sent a chill up my spine and I realized that our country is in economic decline in some clearly visible ways.

But I think that we are all engaged in a kind of collective denial. We are all too eager to half believe the administrations pronouncements that the economy is fine - even though in some ill defined way we know that it's not. Its just too hard to face the truth. But when you see empty store shelves you have no choice.

This is frightening to imagine and visualize but I am afraid that our country is in a state of economic decline.

[Deja Q]

30. Shh. Don't bring up anything remotely connected to reality.

You'll be branted as unmutual, a freeper, neocon, or what might be worse.

[bluerum]

32. Well I was just responding to the original post.

"Shit is WAY more expensive and it is costing me a HELL of a lot more to take care of my pets and home."

There is plenty of evidence to support that, and precious little to support the administrations "thriving economy" view.

[DemBones DemBones]

46. Maybe the store is going to close. Our local big-chain grocery

was having shortages for a long time, now they're having going-out-of-business sales (not that the sale prices are that great.) A friend who's worked there for years says the store's been losing $200,000 a month since Wal-Mart opened down the road.

[justgamma]

33. Hamburger.

I used to buy a big pack, enough for 2 meals, for around $4.50. This year the same pack is $7.50.

[tridim]

39. I haven't bought steak for years

Can't afford it.

[RebelOne]

50. I haven't bought meat in years because I don't eat it.

So I'm saving a bunch of money.

[B Calm]

37. Inflation has skyrocketed, and the corporate owned media

says hardly a peep!

[lonestarnot]

38. SHIT! Go to Costco!

[xultar]

62. I was @ Costco a couple of weeks ago and they didn't have a lot of

stuff that I use. It is strange.

I'm going to Costco though next weekend. Maybe it will be there along with other stuff I need.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

42. Everything has gone up at my local store

I shop at Stater Brothers in California. A gallon of drinking water cost 79 cents just a couple of months ago (the generic "Stater Brothers" brand). Now it's 99 cents. Everything seems to have gone up about the same percentage amount (about 20-25 percent higher).

[Raine]

43. Go to the 99 Cent store

Dollar Tree and Big Lots you'll find if not the same items their equivalent, you'll be amazed at what you'll save.

[Horse with no Name]

45. I saw that today

I was at the Dollar General store--it was almost $4.00.
My guess is that they are just gouging us like every other fucking corporation in this country. Cold and flu season is on us--they are gonna make a fortune off of it.

[Loge23]

48. Sneakflation

What prices?
Just about anything in the grocery store with the meat section particularly koo-kkoo lately (mad cow indeed).
Basically, everything needs gas for transportation if not manufacturing so that has taking a toll.
Wages are starting to move upwards also as workers just can't keep up with rising prices.
It sure feels like the floor is about collapse.

[WePurrsevere]

51. Just about everything... healthy food like fish, veggies, fruit is higher.

Electric just went up something like 16 cents on the dollar up here and heating oil is running about $2.50 a gal. Thank goodness we use almost all compact florescent bulbs, use the dryer only a 2 or 3 times a week and have a new energy saving hot water heater (set low). It's also thankfully been a bit "warmer" then "normal" up here (very Northern NY) but when you're on a fixed low income as we are it's still pretty bad and a struggle to just keep us and our furkids semi warm not to mention fed. I can't help but feel deep concern for those who have even less and/or small children. I just read an article that said that heating assist (HEAP) in NY may run out by the end of this month (it normally lasts until sometime in March). There's a higher demand and they're already forced to pay out less because of cut backs.

[dsc]

52. milk

I nearly fell out when I saw that a half gallon was over $3.

[Straight Shooter]

54. I almost keeled over at the checkout stand with my 4/bag $132 total.

I had barely gotten used to the fact that each bag would average $20. Honestly, as I looked at my cart and entered the checkout lane, I was figuring on about $80, maybe $90 because I bought some glucosamine/chondroitin on sale.

Checker hands me my receipt and says, "You saved $18.81 on your groceries today," and it was all I could do to keep from saying, "I didn't save sh*t, if you don't mind, I just spent $132." In all my years of buying groceries, even hitting $100 was an extremely rare event. The fact that I live in a remote area only adds to the shipping cost.

If you want to know which items went up the most, I would say it's the apples, the cheese, and the carrots and potatoes. By the way, I only bought a couple potatoes because they were terribly subquality. Like the poster above, I had a strange sensation of being a Russian and picking over meager offerings. It was disconcerting.

[seabeyond]

55. i noticed a huge ass jump about 2 months ago and grocery store

first time in years, i am not buying things and watching the cost..... to make up for the difference. like nov doing my thnaksgiving shopping. andi shop at least weekly with a family

[leftofthedial]

56. it is just supply and demand. the economy is great!

get another job to pay for your lysol if you can't afford it.

:sarcasm:

EVERYTHING people actually need to buy has gone up.

except houses, as the bubble begins to burst

[cantstandbush]

57. Buy Clorax...cheaper and much more effective. n/t

[Gregorian]

58. Foam prices were affected by the NOLA hurricanes.

4 inch 18 by 18 inch piece of foam is nearly $50.

The foam factories were destroyed by the hurricanes. That, and oil prices affect EVERYTHING. Everything is related to oil.

But maybe Lysol can be traced to something like the hurricanes.

[Ksec]

60. all prices are skyrocketing while wages fall flat

Gas has tripled, food has risen across the board, utilities are skyrocketing..my water bill is ridiculous, like 100 bucks a month.. but the wages and bennies for normal folks are on a par with the seventies/

[leesa]

61. Why do you need Lysol?

[xultar]

64. I like to spray it in my cat's room and in my chihuahua playpen area.

[PWRinNY]

66. Try Natures Miracle instead

safer for the animals. Enzyme cleaner - takes care of organic odors and stains. My 2 kitties and I swear by this stuff.

[xultar]

67. What about germs? I have a poop eater in the Chihuahua herd. He puts the

poop nuggets in his bed and hides them for snacks while I'm @ work. :puke: He doesn't get any kisses. But I like to spray his bed and I wash it once to twice a week. We think his poop eating came from abuse and need to hide his mistakes.

[PWRinNY]

69. Ewww lol

Don't know what to tell you for that - I don't have a dog. But I've heard of people who have that problem - only their dogs are bigger - so they can change the kind of litter box so that the cats can get in and out, but the dogs can't. In the case of a chihuahua, I don't know what to tell you.

I like this site a lot though - maybe you can find something here to help:
http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/

Good luck! :)