Greetings folks...

A quick question. This week I decided to get another smaller generator (2500w) for my bug-out preps. Sears has a nice portable one, with it's own build in carrier-cart with a total of 90lbs. Anyway onto the question...It's backordered. Backordered til mid to late October. Anyone else notice an upswing in the backordering of a lot of the common preparedness equipment? Dried foods, generators, anyone else notice any other outages/shortages? (I'm not counting on the small gen, but I figure if by November 1, I ain't got it, I'll be asking for a refund.)

-- Billy-Boy (Rakkasn@Yahoo.com), September 25, 1999

Answers

Generators are moving rapidly here in the swamps at the big name stores and my electrician is busy getting certified to install them. He's learning on mine. 8^{ However, various types are available. Winter isn't as critical down here. Lehman's LAUGHED when I ordered a wood stove. It took them 3 days to answer my phone call, but were very helpful. They had ONE of the type I was interested in.

-- Wm McBride (mcbri29@ibm.net), September 26, 1999.

Probably the same thing is happening right now that happened last year at this time. Hurricanes caused such damage and power outages that generators were bought up all over the place and shipped to the devastated areas. I was in a local Home Depot just a couple weeks ago and there were plenty of generators of all types available. I see no evidence of hard preparation any more, on the part of the general population. Those who were worried have preparared. The majority are in a wait-and-see mode.

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), September 26, 1999.

We too checked out the generators at HOme Depot and they had a number of them. However.........have you seen the prices on them? They have all but doubled in price down here in central Florida.

Taz

-- Taz (Taz@aol.com), September 26, 1999.

The selection here (central Mi.) is good on generators and there are sales from over-stock. Got our 5000W /6250 surge for $579. I just wish we'd filled our gasoline tanks earlier.

-- Gus (y2kk@usa.net), September 26, 1999.

Taz:

Do you think the prices rised due to price-gouging after the hurricane? I heard that when Oklahoma endured that tragic tornado a while back folks were driving from all over the U.S....not to extend a helping hand, but to sell building supplies at increased prices. In that same thought, did you notice that plywood had increased in price after the hurricane warnings? (I realize that not many folks keep track of plywood costs in non-hurricane season), but I've kept a database that includes the local costs on some items since August of 1998 and some of the "seasonal" price fluctuations really surprised me.

-- Anita (spoonera@msn.com), September 26, 1999.

Anita, I think that supply and demand have more to do with the rise than "gouging", as well as the need to hasten the suply line as it were.

Chuck

-- Chuck a Night Driver (reinzoo@en.com), September 26, 1999.

Chuck:

That's what I would have thought also until I began tracking prices. During the summer of 1998 I was able to purchase charcoal (for the grill) at on-sale prices. Even here in Texas, folks tend to barbeque outdoors more in summer than winter (to keep the heat out of the house.) Once fall hit, I expected prices on charcoal to decrease. They not only did NOT decrease; they rose CONSIDERABLY...to the point where by October or November, I would have to pay TWICE as much for the same bag of charcoal that I'd purchased during the summer.

Another example is soup. I suppose (although don't know) that folks tend to eat more soup in the colder months. My database reflects that I paid $.94 for a can of chunky vegetable soup in fall of 1998. In August, 1999, my "mostly" vegetarian daughter moved back home and ate the soup. Replacement cost is STILL $1.49. Of course it's still hot here in Texas. I'll be curious to see if soups go on sale this fall season.

I don't claim to be an economist, and I'll even confess to having thrown away my book in the second semester of University Economics class. I was 8-months pregnant, had another young child at home, had an A going in the class, was carrying 21 hours and met with my professor asking, "If I do absolutely NOTHING more this semester in this class, will I pass?" He looked at my records, said, "Yes", and I threw that book in a trash-can at the University and never showed up for that class again. [Bet they actually disposed of it by now, dontcha think?]

My interest in price-gouging is actually based on the 20 years for which I worked at oil companies. If there's even a PERCEPTION that oil prices will rise, you can bet the oil companies will rise prices. It oftentimes has NOTHING to do with shortages, OPEC, etc. It's simple profiteering.

-- Anita (spoonera@msn.com), September 26, 1999.

Nope, I don't see any evidence. Gen's are sitting unpurchased at Lowe's and Home Depot. Of course it is hard to buy a Honda.

Anita:

They are gouging us on canned Vegetables. Delmonte is going for 39 cents a can while store brands are 20 cents a can. I put-up my own for quality reasons, but I sure can't beat the prices.

Best wishes,,,,

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), September 26, 1999.

Some of you are lucky to enjoy low prices on canned foods. When I was at a grocery store in Vermont (August 1999), I was shocked to find that I could have had double the canned food (and better variety) compared to what I had bought from Costco, Sams, and Safeway weekly specials. Locally, it seems that canned spinach for 49 cents is a deal. I haven't really been paying much attention to the sales and prices lately, however. I'll probably pay more attention soon enough.

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

-- Stan Faryna (faryna@groupmail.com), September 26, 1999.