• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Rapid City WalMart

Cal

Well-known member
Three days ago there wasn't even a parking place there. Had to park clear to hell and gone down by the Hog Trough Buffet....Golden Corral...whatever. Also noticed Lowe's was doing a good business, alot of cars at the Rushmore Mall, and alot of traffic in general. Also heard that houses in the Heartland are still selling reasonably well. This just doesn't seem to be a Jimmy Carter type slowdown, even though the prices at the pump are terrible.
 

jigs

Well-known member
the wonderful world of plastic money!!

this nation is getting debt ladden. the people are "buy now pay later" minded and it will be a bad deal in the long run....

what the hell are you doing going to Walmart anyway. they are a damned front for a Chinese invasion!
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Nice to see the good folks of Rapid stimulating China's economy.

I've got a college buddy in Florida who is in the car loan business. A year ago, he averaged 8 loans a day. Lately, it's been 1. His office is near a 16 pump gas station. The other day he wandered through there and took a look at all the sales on the pumps. What he saw was mostly $10 and $20 sales, nobody is filling up. That means people are short of cash - not a good sign.

You follow the financial news and every day there is a big company raising prices 10 - 20% across the board on their products. Valley Irrigation just raised the prices on their systems 25% - and that is following a 12% hike the first of the year.

We've got some serious inflation going on that is directly related to oil costs. When I was in school, I rememeber being taught that the cost of energy was probably the single largest input to our economy. Nothing has changed since then. Yet, the treasury dept. just recently reported that inflation was up just a few basis points...... That prompted a call from my buddy to make sure that I saw that - he doesnt' like being lied to, either.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Sandhusker said:
Nice to see the good folks of Rapid stimulating China's economy.

I've got a college buddy in Florida who is in the car loan business. A year ago, he averaged 8 loans a day. Lately, it's been 1. His office is near a 16 pump gas station. The other day he wandered through there and took a look at all the sales on the pumps. What he saw was mostly $10 and $20 sales, nobody is filling up. That means people are short of cash - not a good sign.

You follow the financial news and every day there is a big company raising prices 10 - 20% across the board on their products. Valley Irrigation just raised the prices on their systems 25% - and that is following a 12% hike the first of the year.

We've got some serious inflation going on that is directly related to oil costs. When I was in school, I rememeber being taught that the cost of energy was probably the single largest input to our economy. Nothing has changed since then. Yet, the treasury dept. just recently reported that inflation was up just a few basis points...... That prompted a call from my buddy to make sure that I saw that - he doesnt' like being lied to, either.

Thats how the Guvment has kept inflation around 2% for the last 10 years- they just quit counting some of the things- like gasoline :roll: :( :mad:
Flat out lying to folks... :mad: :mad:

If gasoline and the other items they removed from figuring the inflation rate were put back- and it was measured the same as it was back then- our inflation rate- and COL rises would be at or surpassing the Carter days....
 

Cal

Well-known member
It looked to me like there were alot of businesses doing pretty good business. There weren't any motel vacancies along the Interstate either....we finally found a suite for $140. Also ate at Minerva's, the lounge was completely full, and the restaurant was busy, and the motel was full. I don't think we helped the Chinese out much at WalMart, either. Mostly stocked up on motor oil, saved nearly a buck a quart, and fresh produce and food items that every store carries. And since we're on the subject of credit cards, I would think that the businesses would prefer that to the days before the sophisticated electronics, where more people just wrote bad checks and the stores were stuck....and obligated to pass those losses on to the consumers.

I can see why people aren't buying vehicles either, whether they can afford them or not. Not much out there that trips my trigger, and they've got the diesels powered up to where they got s**t for mileage. We need a new car and a new pickup, but I think something better will be on the market soon.

Almost forgot....a friend that works for the state said that the campgrounds and other facilities at Custer State Park are booked.

CattleArmy, could be, they had zoning problems trying to build one south.
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
I know of several retailers who don't like the credit card deal at all. They're on tight margins the way it is and then they have to pay the credit card company 3% and monthly fees just so people can use them there.

I talked to a Hotel at Keystone about 10 days ago and they told me that they were getting a lot of cancellations.

I've always had suspicions about about the reported inflation rate and thought about creating my own index. Maybe I need to do it instead of just think about it. I think that if a person created a list of what a family of 4 would use in a year and then track those costs, you would have a gauge of real inflation. You would have so many gallons of milk, pounds of hamburger, cartons of eggs, pairs of jeans, toothpaste, so many kilowatts of electricity, car payments, rent payments, insurance etc.... That would be a useful gauge of inflation and I'm sure a dang sight more accurate than what Washington is using.
 

Cal

Well-known member
Sandhusker said:
I know of several retailers who don't like the credit card deal at all. They're on tight margins the way it is and then they have to pay the credit card company 3% and monthly fees just so people can use them there.

I talked to a Hotel at Keystone about 10 days ago and they told me that they were getting a lot of cancellations.

I've always had suspicions about about the reported inflation rate and thought about creating my own index. Maybe I need to do it instead of just think about it. I think that if a person created a list of what a family of 4 would use in a year and then track those costs, you would have a gauge of real inflation. You would have so many gallons of milk, pounds of hamburger, cartons of eggs, pairs of jeans, toothpaste, so many kilowatts of electricity, car payments, rent payments, insurance etc.... That would be a useful gauge of inflation and I'm sure a dang sight more accurate than what Washington is using.
Well, give it hell Sandy!! It's your chance to leave your mark!

Also, my sister and BIL in Colorado, their businesses have gone from very good to....even better, and a real good friend opened up his own commercial glass business in RC this year and is doing great. Maybe your hangin' with the wrong crowd? :wink: Sheeesh, who the hell makes car payments....
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Cal said:
Sandhusker said:
I know of several retailers who don't like the credit card deal at all. They're on tight margins the way it is and then they have to pay the credit card company 3% and monthly fees just so people can use them there.

I talked to a Hotel at Keystone about 10 days ago and they told me that they were getting a lot of cancellations.

I've always had suspicions about about the reported inflation rate and thought about creating my own index. Maybe I need to do it instead of just think about it. I think that if a person created a list of what a family of 4 would use in a year and then track those costs, you would have a gauge of real inflation. You would have so many gallons of milk, pounds of hamburger, cartons of eggs, pairs of jeans, toothpaste, so many kilowatts of electricity, car payments, rent payments, insurance etc.... That would be a useful gauge of inflation and I'm sure a dang sight more accurate than what Washington is using.
Well, give it hell Sandy!! It's your chance to leave your mark!

Also, my sister and BIL in Colorado, their businesses have gone from very good to....even better, and a real good friend opened up his own commercial glass business in RC this year and is doing great. Maybe your hangin' with the wrong crowd? :wink: Sheeesh, who the hell makes car payments....

Well, good for them. However, I'd be willing to lay a sizable wager that they're in the fortunate minority.
 

Cal

Well-known member
Sandhusker said:
Cal said:
Sandhusker said:
I know of several retailers who don't like the credit card deal at all. They're on tight margins the way it is and then they have to pay the credit card company 3% and monthly fees just so people can use them there.

I talked to a Hotel at Keystone about 10 days ago and they told me that they were getting a lot of cancellations.

I've always had suspicions about about the reported inflation rate and thought about creating my own index. Maybe I need to do it instead of just think about it. I think that if a person created a list of what a family of 4 would use in a year and then track those costs, you would have a gauge of real inflation. You would have so many gallons of milk, pounds of hamburger, cartons of eggs, pairs of jeans, toothpaste, so many kilowatts of electricity, car payments, rent payments, insurance etc.... That would be a useful gauge of inflation and I'm sure a dang sight more accurate than what Washington is using.
Well, give it hell Sandy!! It's your chance to leave your mark!

Also, my sister and BIL in Colorado, their businesses have gone from very good to....even better, and a real good friend opened up his own commercial glass business in RC this year and is doing great. Maybe your hangin' with the wrong crowd? :wink: Sheeesh, who the hell makes car payments....

Well, good for them. However, I'd be willing to lay a sizable wager that they're in the fortunate minority.
Fortunate...my ass. Just damned hard workers.
 

fff

Well-known member
Cal said:
Sheeesh, who the hell makes car payments....

The vast majority of voters in this country, especially the young ones. That total disconnect from reality is what is killing the Republican Party. :D
 

Mrs.Greg

Well-known member
Cal said:
Sandhusker said:
I know of several retailers who don't like the credit card deal at all. They're on tight margins the way it is and then they have to pay the credit card company 3% and monthly fees just so people can use them there.

I talked to a Hotel at Keystone about 10 days ago and they told me that they were getting a lot of cancellations.

I've always had suspicions about about the reported inflation rate and thought about creating my own index. Maybe I need to do it instead of just think about it. I think that if a person created a list of what a family of 4 would use in a year and then track those costs, you would have a gauge of real inflation. You would have so many gallons of milk, pounds of hamburger, cartons of eggs, pairs of jeans, toothpaste, so many kilowatts of electricity, car payments, rent payments, insurance etc.... That would be a useful gauge of inflation and I'm sure a dang sight more accurate than what Washington is using.
Well, give it hell Sandy!! It's your chance to leave your mark!

Also, my sister and BIL in Colorado, their businesses have gone from very good to....even better, and a real good friend opened up his own commercial glass business in RC this year and is doing great. Maybe your hangin' with the wrong crowd? :wink: Sheeesh, who the hell makes car payments....
I'm going to assume you were joking with your final statement,because my 26yr old son and 24 yr old daughter make car payments...mommy and daddy are letting them make thier own way in the world :roll:
 

Yanuck

Well-known member
Mrs.Greg said:
Cal said:
Sandhusker said:
I know of several retailers who don't like the credit card deal at all. They're on tight margins the way it is and then they have to pay the credit card company 3% and monthly fees just so people can use them there.

I talked to a Hotel at Keystone about 10 days ago and they told me that they were getting a lot of cancellations.

I've always had suspicions about about the reported inflation rate and thought about creating my own index. Maybe I need to do it instead of just think about it. I think that if a person created a list of what a family of 4 would use in a year and then track those costs, you would have a gauge of real inflation. You would have so many gallons of milk, pounds of hamburger, cartons of eggs, pairs of jeans, toothpaste, so many kilowatts of electricity, car payments, rent payments, insurance etc.... That would be a useful gauge of inflation and I'm sure a dang sight more accurate than what Washington is using.
Well, give it hell Sandy!! It's your chance to leave your mark!

Also, my sister and BIL in Colorado, their businesses have gone from very good to....even better, and a real good friend opened up his own commercial glass business in RC this year and is doing great. Maybe your hangin' with the wrong crowd? :wink: Sheeesh, who the hell makes car payments....
I'm going to assume you were joking with your final statement,because my 26yr old son and 24 yr old daughter make car payments...mommy and daddy are letting them make thier own way in the world :roll:
People a lot older than your kids still make car payments.... well okay, maybe not that much older:oops: :oops: :wink: :wink:
 

kolanuraven

Well-known member
Some of the young married kids in this valley have car payments higher than their house payments.

I can't imagine that!!

I've been lucky not to EVER have made a car payment. <<<Now watch it all fall into a heap next time I get out on the road :roll: :roll: >>


My father is a " Ford Exec." and he says @ one of the dealerships nearby....they went from selling 400-500 , just trucks mind ya, a month.....to 20 total vehicles, trucks and cars!!!

People are NOT buying.....and he said you can't hardly give away a big new diesel truck and can't buy a smaller used truck as they have been snatched up already.
 

aplusmnt

Well-known member
kolanuraven said:
Some of the young married kids in this valley have car payments higher than their house payments.

I can't imagine that!!

I've been lucky not to EVER have made a car payment. <<<Now watch it all fall into a heap next time I get out on the road :roll: :roll: >>


My father is a " Ford Exec." and he says @ one of the dealerships nearby....they went from selling 400-500 , just trucks mind ya, a month.....to 20 total vehicles, trucks and cars!!!

People are NOT buying.....and he said you can't hardly give away a big new diesel truck and can't buy a smaller used truck as they have been snatched up already.

Ford should have seen it coming and had more of those small trucks and cars around or had better gas mileage vehicles like Toyota and they would be selling 500 rangers instead of 20.

Plus I would verify with your father for accuracy, because something does not smell right if a dealer use to sell 500 trucks a month and now does not sell but 20 total vehicles. NOWAY that is accurate! That would put a dealer dropping from say 700 to 1,000 vehicles to only 20???? NOWAY! There is some crediability issues here even in the worse of times, no car lot sees that kind of drop!
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Our area is starting to really feel the gas cost influence on the economy--with cattle, wheat, and tourism (lake/fishing) being our main moneymakers...

Right now the cattle and wheat is all extremely high output-with mixed potential for return-- with wheat looking good right now with recent rain and $8.50+ wheat prices :) -- but still a lot of time and a lot more things can happen before there is a crop- with a lot higher cost output (risk) being on the line... :?

Cattle are not looking as good- altho the grass is there, and there should be plenty of hay- the cattle market has not came close to keeping up with the spiraling falsely inflated oil market....
Around here by now probably 1/3 the calves in the area are already contracted for fall delivery...I've heard of no one that has contracted- and few of the buyers are making offers- waiting on not only feed prices, but to see what transportation costs are in the fall....And those that have got offers said whats been offered so far won't cover the cost of production with all their increased costs.... :(

Tourism is starting to suffer- with none of the motels being booked up- and one of the lake quickstops never opened and looks like it is going bankrupt...The big Governors Walleye tournament is crying for entrants- even lowering their entry fees by $100- but as one of the organizers told me- many of the out of state folks that usually come here for 2-3 weeks fishing and then fish the tournament are saying that beside the price of gas pulling a boat to the area- they can't afford $300- $400 fill up cost of their boats..... That is even enough to deter some locals... :(

Motels had been all booked for the 4th of July week- and anyone that had an extra room or camper could rent it out, because the town was holding an all class reunion-- but now they are beginning to get cancellations and folks calling saying they aren't coming because of high gas prices...Even my little sister in Texas decided they'd just vacation at home- and cancelled out of the reunion.... :(

And if someone in D.C. doesn't take some action to stop the runaway oil speculation and the connected falling dollar- its going to keep a domino effect going that just gets worse.....

But what can we expect- 2 months ago GW didn't even know what gas prices were- or predicted to be :???:
 

kolanuraven

Well-known member
aplusmnt said:
kolanuraven said:
Some of the young married kids in this valley have car payments higher than their house payments.

I can't imagine that!!

I've been lucky not to EVER have made a car payment. <<<Now watch it all fall into a heap next time I get out on the road :roll: :roll: >>


My father is a " Ford Exec." and he says @ one of the dealerships nearby....they went from selling 400-500 , just trucks mind ya, a month.....to 20 total vehicles, trucks and cars!!!

People are NOT buying.....and he said you can't hardly give away a big new diesel truck and can't buy a smaller used truck as they have been snatched up already.

Ford should have seen it coming and had more of those small trucks and cars around or had better gas mileage vehicles like Toyota and they would be selling 500 rangers instead of 20.

Plus I would verify with your father for accuracy, because something does not smell right if a dealer use to sell 500 trucks a month and now does not sell but 20 total vehicles. NOWAY that is accurate! That would put a dealer dropping from say 700 to 1,000 vehicles to only 20???? NOWAY! There is some crediability issues here even in the worse of times, no car lot sees that kind of drop!



Well....why don't you PM your phone number smart azz and I'll let him call you collect and tell you himself!!!


400-500 trucks per month.....to 20 per month. People in the REAL WORLD are broke!!
 

Larrry

Well-known member
400-500 trucks per month.....to 20 per month. People in the REAL WORLD are broke!!

If this is true, there ought to be some Ford Execs heads roll. If they didn't see that comin they were drawin pay for absolutely nuttin.
 

Cal

Well-known member
Mrs. Greg Wrote: I'm going to assume you were joking with your final statement,because my 26yr old son and 24 yr old daughter make car payments...mommy and daddy are letting them make thier own way in the world

Seriously, I hate seeing young people....older people should know better.... get hooked on to big or long term auto loans, and seeing too many of them upside down on a vehicle that they can't reasonably get rid of or doesn't meet their needs any longer. Not being able to save up and have at least most of your money together before you buy a vehicle should be an indicator that it might be difficult to make those payments once your committed, and that you really should wait. I have alot more respect for someone driving a paid for junker than an expensive rig that keeps 'em hard up.
 

hopalong

Well-known member
kolanuraven said:
Some of the young married kids in this valley have car payments higher than their house payments.

I can't imagine that!!

I've been lucky not to EVER have made a car payment. <<<Now watch it all fall into a heap next time I get out on the road :roll: :roll: >>


My father is a " Ford Exec." and he says @ one of the dealerships nearby....they went from selling 400-500 , just trucks mind ya, a month.....to 20 total vehicles, trucks and cars!!!

People are NOT buying.....and he said you can't hardly give away a big new diesel truck and can't buy a smaller used truck as they have been snatched up already.

A few motnths ago your fater was a gun dealer, change of professions, or only when it serves your purpose!

That dealership will be close, for non performance, if it has not been already! Any salesman that works for me that cannot average 20 cars a month will soon be gone down the road.
If DADDY is a Ford EXEC, why are you driving a Chrysler 300, did he take it in on a trade. :D :D
 
Top