The high cost of everything...

[Beachboy]

...in Hawaii is taking it's toll. We already know that Hawaii ranks at the top of the nation when it comes to gasoline, rent, Real Estate, But here is just one more to that list of useful nothings. Check out the link below and you'll see that we are getting hosed in the energy sector, but then again. Did anybody think it would be any different?

http://www.eia.doe.gov/neic/rankings/sta...yprice.htm

[HiloHaole]

Many shrug off the high prices of everything by saying, "It's got to be shipped in." That excuse is still effective, although not as apropos as 30 yrs. ago. Almost everything on the Mainland is shipped in -- now that so much comes from Red China. A can of Progresso steak and russet potato soup last year was $3.47 at Safeway and other stores and it was $1.67 on the Mainland. It surely doesn't cost almost 3 times as much to bring a can of soup to Hawaii when the bigger companies pay by the container, not weight. Some of the larger companies pay about $4300/container, regardless of the weight, etc.

[Kahunascott]

Your kiding, right? I will grant you the electric is high. But you have no idea what high rent, taxes or real estate is. I’ve lived in metro NY and NJ, DC and Miami. Try to rent an apartment or house there. Our old house in the suburbs of NYC about 30 miles out was 2000 SF on a 75’x125’ lot the taxes (Including school) were over $9K. Car insurance and commuting were triple of here. You don’t know how good we have it with reasonable real estate and extremely low taxes.
Since the hurricane blew through south Florida 2 years ago home owners insurance has quadrupled.

[JerryCarr]

It all depends on what you are used to. Compared to anywhere in Europe, Hawaii gasoline prices are low. Compared to most of Texas, the Great Plains, or the Southeast outside of Florida, our real estate prices are astronomical. Overall, Hawaii does have one of the highest costs of living among the 50 states. It is worth it to me, and there are ways around some of the costs. By buying in bulk when things are on sale and by visiting as many as four grocery stores per week to take advantage of coupons and sales, our grocery bill is only marginally higher than it was in Atlanta. Thank goodness all four stores are within a three mile radius.

Having said all that, I do think that there is gouging going on in some sectors of the economy, particularly petroleum.

Cheers,
Jerry

[Rob Tucker]

I find the statistics about Hawaii kind of skewed. When one talks numbers on Hawaii they need to remember that Honolulu is 80% of Hawaii's stats. The neighbor islands are very, very different from Honolulu and each other.

[Nate SC]

Repeal the "Jones Act" that would allow shipping into the State from multiple companies, not just a handful of major players. Imagine all the thousands of ships that go to the Mainland from Asia. Ports from Portland to Ensenada-Mexico are sending back empty ships(trade deficit). Why not make a pit stop on the way back home and drop off goods and supplies in Hawaii ?? It would bring the cost of things to within pennies of "Mainland' prices. Think of that....
Why would such a restrictive law be on the books when the long standing argument for the "law" was "national security"? The United States Navy controls the Pacific Ocean, every civilized Human on this planet knows this fact. We need to get the "cartel shipping companies" out of the drivers seat and then prices will become more reasonable. Stop letting them use excuses from the World war One era to strangle each and every one of us slowly. Open up the ports...simple as that.

[Beachboy]

quote:

---

Your kiding, right? I will grant you the electric is high. But you have no idea what high rent, taxes or real estate is. I’ve lived in metro NY and NJ, DC and Miami. Try to rent an apartment or house there. Our old house in the suburbs of NYC about 30 miles out was 2000 SF on a 75’x125’ lot the taxes (Including school) were over $9K. Car insurance and commuting were triple of here. You don’t know how good we have it with reasonable real estate and extremely low taxes.
Since the hurricane blew through south Florida 2 years ago home owners insurance has quadrupled.

---

you're probably only taken Puna into account. When was the last time you lived in Honolulu? I never mentioned taxes kuhunascott, I know taxes are reasonable here.
If i'm not mistaken HECO has put in for another rate increase too effective sometime after first of the year.

[Kahunascott]

Hey Beachboy,
If power is your big problem, live off the grid like many do. I have no intentions of even visting Honolulu never mind live there.
Puna is our home and that's all I'm concerned with, the cost of living here.

[Lokahi]

Jerry
Curious what 4 stores you visit for your groceries in Puna district? Mahalo.

[JerryCarr]

Aloha, Lokahi:
The four stores are KTA, Safeway, SacNSave, and Cost U Less, and they are all in Hilo, not Puna. The first three publish specials and/or coupons in the Hilo newspaper every Tuesday for weekly sales promotions beginning on Wednesday. KTA also issues a monthly coupon book that has a lot of good deals that often don't appear in the newspaper ads. The coupon book is mailed out, and you can get on the list by visiting the customer service desk. Cost U Less is like a scaled down CostCo, and, like CostCo, not everything is a bargain, so check prices closely. (Also, Long's drug store should not be overlooked, as they sometimes have cheap food items. Long's publishes specials in the Sunday paper.)

Generally speaking, we find that almost nothing is a good deal at Safeway unless it is on sale, but many people do all their shopping there because it most resembles a mainland grocery. (Actually, it IS a mainland operation, so no surprise there.) If you eat meat, Safeway almost always has some at attractive prices. I find KTA cheaper overall, but a lot of people say it smells too much like fish in there. (It often does, but I have learned to deal with it.)

I hope this helps.

Cheers,
Jerry



Edited by - JerryCarr on 12/29/2006 10:49:05