Lessons from the Butcher

Working my way through the isles at the local Stop & Shop today turned out to be both relaxing and instructive. I love looking for mark-downs and using coupons for the essentials. For me, it’s like finding buried treasure or a couple of dollars in the pocket of just-washed jeans – an unexpected surprise.

Most times I shuffle through the store concentrating on what I need to pick up and little else. At the big stores, much of the time, the employees seem as anonymous as we are – both of us just doing our jobs. That’s the trouble with the big guys. The store promotes their branding so much that we forget who actually runs the place. Lately, I’ve tried to get to know the folks at the supermarket a bit more, even if just to say hello or thanks. Sure, I know Ellen; and Donna is a familiar face. But the others…?

Today was different. I found a few bargains, but came away with much more.

The meat department had lots of good sales going on today. Maybe Wednesdays are The Day. Tired of chicken, I decided to look for something else. A sign advertised boneless pork chops at only $1.99 lb., but the bin was empty. The butcher was busy in the back (at this market lots of what goes on is very open to the public’s scrutiny – a good thing) so I got his attention and asked about the special on the pork. No problem, just give him a few minutes and he’d have some more packages made up for me to select from.

So, it turns out there was no shortage as I had feared – just an unexpected demand. As a matter of fact, said Oscar, the butcher, because there was so much pork available right now they could sell it for less than chicken. Same thing with some cuts of beef, he said. No, prime rib wasn’t on sale for $1.99 lb. but, then, again, the demand for prime rib had slowed recently. Only a few of his customers asked for it. Oscar figured it had something to do with the economy. But, was the bargain stuff any good, I asked. Sure, said Oscar, and, because it’s not so expensive the whole family can enjoy it or you can have a few friends over for dinner. So, I can do more for less? Yep, and you can add some seasonings and make your own “specials”. So, by not buying the fancy stuff I can still eat well and not go broke? Yeah, haven’t you heard of supply and demand, man? I have, Oscar. Thanks for the tips.

Now, could this apply to buying a house: avoid the high-end fancy stuff, get down-to-earth prices on solid, decent homes and add the right touches to make it your own? In the words of Oscar, Yeah, haven’t you heard of supply and demand?