quote:

Originally posted by Herkdriver:
Edit. One thing I really don't like about AL is the tax on food. I don't care if you tax frozen pizza or hot pockets but I think taxing staples like bread, eggs, milk is BS.

And not only that but a bunch of the smaller grocers like Piggly Wiggly (here in Enterprise) are cost PLUS 10% stores. SOooo ... you pay regular price for all the groceries (if you shop there), THEN have 10% of the total smacked on at check-out BEFORE taxes (9% here in Enterprise) is added on. Whatever you think you're going to spend at the cost plus stores will run you about 20% more going out the door. Shoot. Regardless, Alabama ranks 94.4 out of 100 on the "cost of living" index for groceries ... Illinois ranks a flat 94 of 100 for groceries ... and Florida a whopping 102.8 of 100 for groceries !!! I think the dollar generally goes further in Alabama than Florida on just about everything, but ya still have to look at the big picture and what priorities are I guess.

quote:

Originally posted by Herkdriver:
Oh, there are certainly disadvantages. If you are a long time resident everybody knows your business. Marriage problems, everyone knows. Lost your job, everyone knows. That can help as well. Break your leg, somebody cuts your grass. Got the flu/covid, meals get delivered to your house.

Edit. One thing I really don't like about AL is the tax on food. I don't care if you tax frozen pizza or hot pockets but I think taxing staples like bread, eggs, milk is BS.

2nd edit. Drop me a line if/when you decide to look at my area. I would be happy to show you around.

Heckdriver, I currently live in a farming community of 2500 people, it's the same way here, I love it. When we make it down there I'll hit you up. Thank you.

South FL resident and LEO for over 30 years. Stay out of Dade and Broward Counties. Democratic, high property taxes, higher car insurance, ridiculous homeowner's insurance and the crime here is crazy. Stay north of Palm Beach but out of Jacksonville or Tallahassee proper. There are some great coastal and inland communities in between on both coasts. Personally I'm out of here in 3 years. Either Tennessee or possibly Carolinas (still need to do more research and exploring).

Thanks everyone for the help, it's given me some information to ponder.

quote:

Originally posted by Hobbs:

10% of the total smacked on at check-out

What is this?

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by Hobbs:

10% of the total smacked on at check-out

What is this?

Grocery stores that have prices on the shelf, but they are "cost plus 10% stores" and add 10% to the total at check-out. So the theory is just as I've stated, you're getting the groceries at the price that the grocer paid for the groceries + 10%. Theoretically, the grocer is making 10% profit. Problem is that "cost plus 10%" stores are smaller grocers and they may not get the best deal possible from the wholesaler since they don't buy the bulk, larger grocers might buy. So the price of groceries at the "cost plus 10% stores" appear to be about the same retail price as larger grocers, but unlike larger grocers, in addition to the retail price, they add 10% onto the total at check-out.

Additional to not buying in as great a bulk as larger grocers, when they say "cost" ... surely that must include overhead and employee compensation. So while "cost plus 10%" may sound like a good deal and you're supporting smaller local or regional grocers, you may not be getting the best deal on groceries in your area.

"Cost plus 10%" is basically a marketing gimmick. If you just paid the price for an item that is marked on the shelf, it might be a good deal, but then at check-out, they add 10% to the total before adding sales taxes, which is 9% taxes here in lower Alabama.

SOooo say, a package of ground beef is labeled $5.00 and a 24pk of Coke is marked on the shelf as $8.00, you might think okay, I'm going to pay around $13 for this purchase. But do the math ... $13 (cost) + 10% = $14.30 ... $14.30 + 9% (sales tax) = $15.59. <<< That's $2.59 more "smacked" on just two (2) items for a purchase well under $20. Think how that might affect the price of a weeks worth of groceries. BOHICA ... cost + BOHICA

Thanks for the explanation.

I do understand what "cost plus" is; I just never heard of it in the context of a retail grocery store.

9% sales tax on groceries is not good. Sales tax here in Florida ranges from 6% to 7.5% or so, depending on how much (if any) the county tacks on to the 6% state rate. However, this would not apply to most grocery items. In your example above, the ground beef would be tax free, but sales tax would apply to the Coke.

If you're close to the state line, it might be worth your while to make the drive to a Florida store when you need to stock up on a quantity of groceries. Way back, many years ago, when I lived in the NYC metro area, families did something similar when, for example, taking the kids shopping to set them up for clothing for the school year. New York charged sales tax on clothing, New Jersey did not, so when planning to drop a significant sum on clothing, New York residents would go to New Jersey to do their shopping.

I do something sort of similar, I live within walking distance of the county line, so I try to buy as many taxable items as practical in Orange County (where I work) instead of Seminole County (where I live).

While I live only 25mi from the Florida line, there is no sizeable town in this area of the Florida panhandle that would be worth the drive for most shopping.

Besides being just far enough back, not to be greatly affected by hurricanes but close enough to make a day trip to the beach ... and since Alabama does not do lottery, it's just a short drive down to the Florida line to pick up a lotto ticket now and then when feeling sporty LOL.

OH ... and Herkdriver, also here in lower Alabama, wouldn't be buying ground beef anyway HA !!! ... I think he raises his own beef.

Two words and one quip; "hurricanes" and "humidity" along with, "bugs big enough to carry a small child away."

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by Hobbs:

Been retired here in Enterprise, AL (pop +/- 25K) for going on 15yrs.

I believe that Enterprise's major claim to fame is the statue of the Boll Weevil.

Most people do not know that there were actually two types of Boll Weevil, a large one and a small one.

The large one is rare, and not much is known about it, but almost everybody has heard about the lesser of the two Weevils.

Hmmm, Boll Weevil - an OUTSTANDING burger joint when I was growing up in San Diego.

quote:

Originally posted by Hobbs:
OH ... and Herkdriver, also here in lower Alabama, wouldn't be buying ground beef anyway HA !!! ... I think he raises his own beef.

Yep! Got a freezer full right now.

If you are a veteran, FL has a property tax exemption program.

https://floridavets.org/benefits-services/housing/

... and if you do move to Florida and get to the DMV to exchange your Illinois driver's license for a Florida driver's license and they tell you they need a birth certificate ... one from the hospital you were born in and used all your life when a birth certificate was required ... won't work. What the Florida DMV wants is a Registration of Birth.

Been there done that. Moved from Virginia to Florida (military) and went to Florida DMV with a valid Virginia license. Didn't matter I already had a valid license, Florida wanted a birth certificate. Drove all the way back to the apartment and picked up my Oak Knoll Naval Hospital (Oakland, CA) and returned to the DMV ... DMV said that wasn't a birth certificate although it said right on the Hospital thing, "Birth Certificate" and even has my little footprint and my mother's fingerprint on the back. And signed by the doctor and nurse that delivered me.

What I had to do was contact Alameda county in California and request a Registration of Birth. Cost a processing fee and took a couple of weeks to arrive. Looked like a vehicle title or something LOL ... back to the DMV I went for the third time ... got a Florida license. Proceeded down to the Sheriff's office in Jacksonville to apply for a CCW ... no problem. Good for 5yrs and cost $10-$11 (back then) to painlessly renew.

Alabama is a shall-issue state. Up to each county (67 counties in AL) sheriff to decide if they will issue a CCW on request or not. Been here 15yrs and haven't gotten around to applying for a CCW but should. CCW fee varies by county in Alabama, but I think it costs $20 a year for the privilege here. If walking on foot, open carry is legal but I don't think I've ever seen someone doing it.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:

If you are a veteran, FL has a property tax exemption program.

Isn't that only for veterans who have a service-connected disability?

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:
Two words and one quip; "hurricanes" and "humidity" along with, "bugs big enough to carry a small child away."

You forgot monsoons, thunder and lightning every afternoon regular as clockwork.

... and rattlesnakes, water moccasins (cottonmouth) and copperheads. With an occasional coral snake tossed in.

Don't forget the pythons and the occasional anacondas- Oh and the gators!

quote:

Originally posted by Gene Hillman:
Don't forget the pythons and the occasional anacondas- Oh and the gators!

Chomp! Chomp! Gooooooo GATORS!

Live in VA and traveled to FL many times, both coasts and central. We're staying put but if we were to live in FL, we would definitely want to explore in and around McIntosh. Old Florida.

https://townofmcintosh.org/