Posted on 03/12/2015 6:47:53 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
Sales at U.S. retailers fell in February for the third month in a row, as most stores fared poorly with the notable exception of gasoline stations.
Retail sales, which account for about one-third of consumer spending, fell 0.6% last month, following even larger declines in January and December, the government reported Thursday. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected a 0.3% gain.
Poor weather was almost certainly a factor. A series of snow storms wracked the eastern half of the country in February, making it harder for Americans to move around. Sales even sank 0.6% at restaurants and bars, marking the biggest decline in more than a year.
But bad weather alone can’t explain why Americans aren’t spending more.
(Excerpt) Read more at marketwatch.com ...
I am buying only necessities. Everyone I encounter is mad. Things in general are awful.
The oil and gas industry kept this pitiful Obama economy going the last six years. They are laying off workers now. Which segment of the economy is going to take their place to keep even this weak 2% GDP going?
With employment insecurity and earnings stagnant and headwinds of ocare/healthcare and outsourcing, it is amazing the economy isn’t much worse.
Thank you for the Affordable Care Act. Oh where would we be with out this wonderful health care that I can’t afford to use.
It sure is pretty though isn’t it?
Same here...the consumin’ has stopped...
But unemployment is at 5.5 %, donchaknow.....
The ACA has been renamed to Disposable Income Reduction Elimination (DIRE) act.
Oh I like that.
It’s almost yard sale season. That’s when I do my retail shopping.
The hell with the retail sales report.
It can’t be trusted.
Everything is fine.
Don’t worry about it.
Good time to buy a new car.
Great foreign exchange rate, go to Eurp.
Now go out and spend, spend, spend.
Oh, buy some stocks too, good profits there!!
Buy, buy, BUY, BUY I tell ya!!!!!
Do I need the “S”?
While yard sales are not my thing, my motto is “Never Pay Retail”. Classified ads. Ebay, Craigslist, public auctions, etc. are my shopping venues.
The stock market, gold, and silver are up. Does this mean that bad news is good news for the investor class?
I’m with you, I buy what is necessary, if it’s clothes there is the Salvation Army. Or rummage sales.
Food I coupon for. You should see the looks on people’s faces who are couponing for the first time in their lives, usually seniors. I see it every time I go to the Commissary or Kroger’s the look of bewilderment on how to meet the requirements of said coupon. Many have not figured out if you have to buy 5 items to satisfy a 25 cent off coupon it is NOT worth using it.
Went back to old fashion cleaning solutions. Bleach and Baking Soda or Comet on the item it fits into. Fells Naphtha for stain treatment. Works on bug bites itching if you catch it fast enough. Stock pile shampoo when you have a coupon and they have a sale, ditto on other hygiene products. Use bar soaps, they last longer and cost less than those over perfumed body washes.
No no...everything is wunnerful!
Unemployment is 5.5%! The stock market is soaring!
Pay no attention to those pesky prices that rise each week!
Who are you gonna believe? Our leader and his glorious flunkies or your own experience?
/s
I read today in a financial newsletter:
- Billboard advertisers are having to discount 40% in order to sell space. A sign of a weak economy.
- Over 46 million Americans are on food stamps. Food stamp recipients have exceeded 46 million since September 2011. This equates to 14.6% of the population.
- The Bank of Mexico has announced it will sell dollars and buy pesos at the rate of $52 million per day through June
- The Shanghai Gold Exchange will begin giving a fix for the spot price of gold each day. Unlike the US COMEX exchange, the Shanghai exchange transacts actual bullion, not paper which may or may not be backed by real gold. In addition, by the end of the year the Shanghai exchange will provide the fix in Chinese currency.
- The IMF approved a $17.5 billion emergency loan to Ukraine. How can Ukraine ever hope to pay it back? Who is giving the IMF the money?
- Electric power demand peaked in the US in 2008.
Just a few random observations regarding the economy today.
I just go to the dollar store to buy soaps and shampoo. Very cheap. As for coupons, of course, common sense applies.
Those items I have to be careful of, they break me out and make me itch. I have certain brands I use. If the $$ has them I’ll get them there. I use it for dishwasher soap and bleach. Ink pens or pencils paper plates etc.
Kids when they were growing up demanded Heinz ketchup, I bought 1 bottle, and kept refilling it from the local bulk store brand, they never knew the difference.
Left over veggies made good baby food after you rinsed the salt off.
These kids are spoiled with those disposable diapers that take like 500 yrs to decompose vs cloth diapers that 2 dozen could be used for several kids. Then turned into cleaning rags. Or passed on given their condition.
Reuse and Re-Purpose. Grow it yourself when ever possible.
My new blackberry plants are just coming in from Gurney’s. And we have more Yucky rain for the next 3 days forecast. Am adding a new variety of strawberries to the bed already in. Adding a few more blueberries different variety too.
Supposed to be getting a off the ground green bean planter area. We will see if it gets done. That can be double cropped.
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