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+--- Thread: The high cost of everything... (/showthread.php?tid=817)
RE: The high cost of everything... - carrie w - 01-05-2007
Wow, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the real culprit of high prices, Hawaii's excise tax.
Consider that New Zealand Kiwi seems to average about $1/each here. However, the exact same New Zealand Kiwi, in NE costs 3 for $1. Now since Hawaii in much closer to New Zealand than any NE port, the shipping should be drastically reduced, right? Not exactly. Once the Kiwi arrives in Hawaii, the costs begin to increase. First the NZ ship arrives in honolulu and pays dock fees + excise tax just to dock. Then unloading fee + excise tax, warehouse fee + excise tax, trucking (oahu) fee + excise tax. For the outer islands add interisland shipping + excise tax, more dock fees + excise tax, more unlaoding fees + excise tax, etc. Then at the very end of the line, you get to go to your local grocery, buy your food, and pay yet another excise tax.
As of 5 days ago the excise tax for Oahu increased by a half a percent. You can bet your last dollar that it will increase costs on the outer islands too, since everything goes through Oahu first.
Well, you think, that's why our prices are so high. Not really, the excise tax adds about 18% to your cost. But, you say, your paying way more than that. Of course you are, thats because you do pay it, so they charge it. Earlier someone called it price gouging, actually it's just a free-market economy, charging what the market will bear.
OK, admit it now, if you were selling a product and needed a 100% markup, but your market area was willing to give you a 300% markup... Honestly, what would you sell it for?
RE: The high cost of everything... - Les C - 01-05-2007
Carrie W,
I'm not sure how this might play in to your reasoning, but kiwi fruits are also grown commercially in CA. Are you comparing NZ kiwis with NZ kiwis, or might there be some US kiwis involved?
RE: The high cost of everything... - macuu222 - 01-10-2007
Well so much for the cheap butter at Walmart. They just raised the butter price from $2.35 lb to $3.99 lb one day after this post. It had been $2.35 for the past year....Not sure if my post had anything to do with the increase..But all the same...I don't think I'll post any great deals on food items in the future.... just in case.
RE: The high cost of everything... - krefty50 - 01-10-2007
I'm with punagirl on the meat at Malama Market. Safeway seems cheap because they have sales with $2 off per pound, but they start twice as high as Malama, so you are still paying more! Also, I have found at Malama that they have a better selection of meat that isn't "grass fed", which leads to better marbeling and flavor for us carnivores!
RE: The high cost of everything... - carrie w - 01-16-2007
Les C,
NZ to NZ. They are my favorite so I always look specifically for them.
RE: The high cost of everything... - toucano - 01-16-2007
I just paid $14+ for 4x8 1/2" sheetrock at HomeDepot. I don't know what it is on the mainland right now. But I'm pretty sure it isn't that much. Anyone know?
RE: The high cost of everything... - Scott_S - 01-16-2007
Sheet rock is $10.00 a sheet here in Al, which is higher than usual.
But shun foolish controversies...and strife and disputes...for they are unprofitable and worthless.
Titus 3:9 NAS
Aloha, Scott
RE: The high cost of everything... - .E. - 01-17-2007
4X8 1/2" sheetrock at Home Depot in Seattle:
$7.97
Erik
RE: The high cost of everything... - macuu222 - 02-01-2007
Well I have to say that after living here for over a year and having visited just about every grocery store on the island.....I have to say that Costco in Kona is the best place to shop on the island for a retired person (like myself) on a fixed income.
Their meat selection is top notch, as well as their bakery. Their seafood....talk about fresh (they had live Lobsters swimming in a tank) as well as fresh "2pound" tails.
I talked earlier in this post about butter going up at Walmart to 3.99 a lb. How about 4 lbs (Kirkland Brand) for $6.99.
Wine and spirits are also a bargain (about 20-30 percent less than anywhere else on the island) but the variety is limited.
Granted not everything there is a bargain, but if your price conscience and a keen shopper, you can save quite a bit.
Also for those computer people out there...Cosco just received a large shipment of new desktop and laptop computers with the new Vista operating system. They went on sale yesterday.
RE: The high cost of everything... - Hotzcatz - 02-01-2007
Costco has live lobsters? I've not ever seen live ones there! Those are hard to find, generally the lobsters are frozen. They generally have the frozen lobster tails, but I haven't seen them live at Costco.
There used to be a store on Oahu 88 Market or some such, it was an asian store and they had live alaskan king crabs. Those were extremely strange looking. Really tasty, but really strange looking.