I posted this on another thread. It is NOT meant to hijack this thread in a disposable vs. cloth debate! It is just anecdotal economic issues!
Here’s a look at the economy from a mom’s perspective: When my son was born in September 2008, a box of generic Walmart dipes was $12.89 while a box of Pampers was $19.99. My daughter was born in August 2011 and a box of generic Walmart dipes was $14.99 while the Pampers were $23.99. Our second daughter will arrive any day now and generic Walmart dipes are $19.99. I don’t know what Pampers are, although looking at the price might send me into labor. We’re in the middle of an addition and remodel and we found some stuff packed away in dipe boxes from 2008. There were more dipes per box than in today’s box. Price up, quantity down in five short years. Wipes are about the same price, but the quantity has been cut in half.
In addition, next potty break check out the width of your toilet paper vs. the width of your toilet paper holder. The tp used to run end to end. How many inches short is it now? Ice cream? That’s not a half-gallon you just bought. Look at the one pound container of coffee and then squint at the weight. It’s actually only 12 ounces. Prices up combined with quantity down. That’s an obama recovery, spit.
If you want a shock, check out how prices have changed over the years by clicking here: Historic prices: Morris County, NJ.
This is a compilation of prices for common (often brand name) goods as quoted in the ads in the Morristown Daily Record during the year stated. It was prepared by the Morris County Library. And it drives home the point about the government's debasement of the currency ... perfectly.
It’s not just anecdotal evidence (excerpted from Wikipedia):
2007–08 world food price crisis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007%E2%80%9308_world_food_price_crisis
Contents
1 Drastic price increases
1.1 World population growth
1.2 Increased demand for more resource intensive food
1.3 Effects of petroleum and fertilizer price increases
1.4 Declining world food stockpiles
1.5 Financial speculation
1.5.1 Commodity index funds
1.6 Effects of trade liberalization
1.7 Effects of food for fuel
1.8 Biofuel subsidies in the US and the EU
1.9 Idled farmland
1.10 Agricultural subsidies
1.11 Distorted global rice market
1.12 Crop shortfalls from natural disasters
1.13 Soil and productivity losses
1.14 Rising levels of ozone
.....
4 Unrest and government actions in individual countries and regions
4.1 Bangladesh
4.2 Brazil
4.3 Burkina Faso
4.4 Cameroon
4.5 Côte d’Ivoire
4.6 Egypt
4.7 Ethiopia
4.8 Haiti
4.9 India
4.10 Indonesia
4.11 Latin America
4.12 Mexico
4.13 Mozambique
4.14 Pakistan
4.15 Myanmar
4.16 Panama
4.17 Philippines
4.18 Russia
4.19 Senegal
4.20 Somalia
4.21 Tajikistan
4.22 Yemen
Food price decreases
In December 2008, the global economic slowdown, decreasing oil prices, and speculation of decreased demand for commodities worldwide brought about sharp decreases in the price of staple crops from their earlier highs. Corn prices on the Chicago Board of Trade dropped from US $7.99 per bushel in June to US $3.74 per bushel in mid-December; wheat and rice prices experienced similar decreases.[157] The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, however, warned against “a false sense of security”, noting that the credit crisis could cause farmers to reduce plantings.[158] FAO convened a World Summit on Food Security at its headquarters in Rome in November 2008, noting that food prices remained high in developing countries and that the global food security situation has worsened.
By early 2011 food prices had risen again to surpass the record highs of 2008. Some commentators saw this as the resumption of the price spike seen in 2007–08. Prices had dropped after good weather helped increase grain yields while demand had dropped due to the recession.