A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun • Hacker News Board

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#141

Post by iguy » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 11:33 AM UTC

DanBC wrote: post #138

iguy wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like the boot story as much as the next guy, but is this actually true in the real world? By which I mean something like this: In what categories of products do rich people actually spend less than poor people? Are there any? It's certainly true that top-end clothing lasts longer than cheap stuff. But the people who buy it like nice things, and variety. Maybe car repairs? But probably a trick of counting the new-ca…

Rich people can afford to buy white goods. They can buy online using a credit card (and pay off the balance before they're charged interest). Poor people have to buy on hire purchase or using payday loans, which end up being significantly more expensive. Wealthy people in the UK can buy their utilities using direct debit, which is normally cheaper than paying the bill as it comes in. Poor people may be on a pre-payme…

These are all true, but they are weaker examples than the boots, where the rich guy bought a higher quality version of something which both needed, and still saved money.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#142

Post by lotsofpulp » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 11:42 AM UTC

fencepost wrote: post #98

war1025 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here in rural Iowa, Dollar General also has claimed the niche of "less stuff, but also nearby". You can either drive 5 minutes into town and go to the Dollar General for most of your basic needs, or you can drive a half hour to the nearest city with a Walmart / Target / etc. I really quite like stopping by to grab a quick thing or two. Around here, there tends to be a local grocery chain in the same vicinity, so gene…

This also covers a case that I don't see discussed much, the cost of going shopping. Even ignoring wear and tear, if you have a truck or an older car that gets maybe 20 mpg, a 10 mile 20 mile round trip costs you a gallon of gas or $2-4 right now and sometimes more. That's not much as part of a weekly shopping trip, but if you just need a gallon of milk it's a low-visibility jacking up of the price.

It’s safe to assume any travel by personal vehicle costs $0.50 cents per mile (or minute in urban areas since stop and go causes more wear and tear), including fuel and maintenance/saving for new vehicle. Driving 5 miles or minutes to get one item from the grocery list can cost an additional $5.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#143

Post by Touche » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 11:45 AM UTC

rspeer wrote: post #43

pascalxus wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

that's a good point. I didn't realize people thought of oatmeal like that. I really enjoy oatmeal. I put some bananas on it or some pumpkin seeds, or strawberries or a little bit of honey and the whole thing tastes absolutely delicious.

This cheap food tastes really great when you put expensive food on top of it!

How are bananas expensive?

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#144

Post by ettercap18 » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 11:48 AM UTC

Any article using the term “white flight” is to be regarded as ideological propaganda.

When you are performing analysis at the level of blaming white People for moving, you are not looking at serious material.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#145

Post by ettercap18 » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 11:52 AM UTC

jstewartmobile wrote: post #34

This is a sloppy hitpiece by someone who probably doesn't cook, is too uppity to be seen in a DG, or both. DG has saved my bacon on numerous occasions--when I've found myself an ingredient or two short mid-recipe. They have plenty of dairy, eggs, canned vegetables, dry goods, spices, etc--more than adequate for a nutritious and affordable meal.

I couldn’t agree more.

This person has unilaterally made a judgement from afar about what people “should be eating” and wants to ban them from getting what is affordable and attainable.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#146

Post by ettercap18 » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 11:56 AM UTC

peteretep wrote: post #121

icelancer wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean these articles in general. They aren't written by Republicans; they're written by leftists who feel they should do better and this and that. Most of the time they've never experienced poverty and why poor people make the decisions that they do, like shop at Dollar General, for example.

I think you’ve taken the right-wing bait a little too to heart here. In the US, most young people, most women, and most ethnic minorities are Democratic-Learning, and I’m speculating those are also the groups most affected by poverty.

Articles like this (and this approach is extremely common) push ideological propaganda instead of actual understanding about what is dessicating the middle and lower classes.

The term “white flight” is a nonsense, ideological term only used by a very fringe group.

Real economists and analysts talk about globalization, inflation, trade, shift from manufacturing to service economy etc. the things that are most harming African Americans and Hispanics are not Dollar General stores.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#147

Post by orf » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 11:56 AM UTC

dev_dull wrote: post #70

> “It advertises hard-to-beat low prices but it offers little in terms of fresh produce and nutritious items—further trapping residents in a cycle of poverty and ill-health.” The elitism here is sickening. Why shouldn’t the author just come out and say “We know what’s best and have to control the stores around poor people or they might buy junk food.” I hope people who think this way never end up in a position to inf…

It's not elitism to talk about the very real link between an abundance of unhealthy foods and an unhealthy lifestyle, and the secondary link between areas of increased poverty and a lack of access to healthy foods.

America is freaking fat, man. Like really, really fat. Over 35% of people are obese! I'd say the proof of people knowing best what to eat is in the pudding, so let's stop crying about illuminati control of our lunch options and start looking at how we can encourage healthier eating.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#148

Post by nasredin » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 12:00 PM UTC

ams6110 wrote: post #20

pascalxus wrote: post #3

You really have to differentiate between the food that's offered at a dollar store and everything else. I shop at the dollar store for things like shampoo, deodrant, toothpaste and it's superb deal, not in any way making me poorer. on the contrary it saves me money. for groceries, you should shop somewhere else, unless your looking for dog food. the reason there aren't more grocery stores selling good food is because…

You need to watch out for counterfeit products in those dollar stores. I found one selling "Colgate" toothpaste that was not the real thing.

At the local dollar store, a lot of packaged goods are from China and or are full of crap (even garlic is from China)

So one has to read the labels dillegently.

Examples:

"Othet origin tea, packed in Sri Lanka".

Chocolate hazelnut spread from Turkey that's mostly oil.

Etc.

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#149

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 12:05 PM UTC

peteretep wrote: post #121

icelancer wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean these articles in general. They aren't written by Republicans; they're written by leftists who feel they should do better and this and that. Most of the time they've never experienced poverty and why poor people make the decisions that they do, like shop at Dollar General, for example.

I think you’ve taken the right-wing bait a little too to heart here. In the US, most young people, most women, and most ethnic minorities are Democratic-Learning, and I’m speculating those are also the groups most affected by poverty.

[deleted]

Re: A Dollar Store Backlash Has Begun

#150

Post by sureaboutthis » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 12:15 PM UTC

mholt wrote: post #63

thaumasiotes wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You can either drive 5 minutes into town and go to the Dollar General for most of your basic needs, or you can drive a half hour to the nearest city with a Walmart / Target / etc. I'm intrigued by these time estimates. Living in a suburb of Santa Cruz (just south of the Bay Area), the choices are similar. Completely inadequate corner store (much worse than DG) locally, or drive to a location with real stores. That…

We Iowans usually drive on country roads pretty fast -- also, we're used to 15-30 minute commutes for basic things.

Yep. Visited a girlfriend's rural relatives in Missouri. One of them asked if we wanted to swimming. As I got in the car, I asked how far it was. "Oh, about 40 miles", he said. (Or what is more than that?!) We drove 85MPH or more on not-so-paved roads the whole way.