DannyBoyinExile

A few weeks ago, I went to commissary and bought my usual pint of Blue Bell ice cream. They didn’t have any new flavors to try, and I was tired of the same kinds I always buy, so I opted for a plain old vanilla pint. I hadn’t had one in AGES, since my usual go-to flavors are cherry vanilla, mint chocolate chip, or even strawberry. In fact, the last time I bought a pint of vanilla, I think it was like $1.95. (I told you it’s been awhile!) So I was shocked (and appalled!) to note that Blue Bell pints cost $3.80 now!
Clearly I’m getting old, but I DO remember that the last time I bought a pint (which was only a few weeks ago), they were only $3.40! I don’t understand how the price went up so much, so fast (again), considering that TDCJ buys them from Blue Bell by the MILLIONS! If we can’t get a better deal than that – maybe we should start buying Borden’s or even Kroger brand ice cream! Our budget, as inmates, is far more Walmart than the Galleria!
There ARE some excellent deals on commissary. (Blue Bell just isn’t one of them!) For example, we can buy a pair of nail clippers, which will last for several months (even YEARS, if used carefully) for a whopping 25¢! THAT is a good deal.
Reading glasses, as well, are a real bargain. For the low price of $3.25, you can read your proverbial heart out – and they can also last for years, if you take care of them. I, on the other hand, am accident-prone, and go through a pair every two or three months. Not because they wear out, of course, but because I am on the top bunk, and have a tendency of dropping them to the concrete floor below, which is death to their plastic frames. They are easily repairable, with a piece of scavenged tape, though you’ll never be accused of being fashionable while wearing them. Some guys proudly wear them, with two or three separate breaks and repairs – but I’ll just buy a new pair after breaking them, and give the old pair to someone who really needs them.
Wrist watches are more of a luxury item than a necessity, to be sure, but they are also a bargain, at $19.50. They even look pretty nice, with digital numbers so large that I don’t even need my reading glasses to see them! They contain a stopwatch, alarm, and light – all of which are just about guaranteed to run your battery down, if you play with them too much. They are under warranty for a full year, though, so by then you should be able to save up another $19.50 to buy a new one.
The prices of many commissary items tend to go up on a regular basis, and we’re often shocked to see the new prices. In fact, the newest price for Blue Bell shocked the craving for ice cream out of my system entirely! But there are still good deals to be found, and prices even go down on occasion, as TDCJ makes new contracts with new suppliers.
We’ll never be entirely “free” in prison. But it’s good practice for me to do my own shopping. I’m free to either agree with a price, or decide that it’s too expensive. Then it’s entirely up to me whether I’ll pay it or not. I do have the freedom to decide, and that’s a start. So says DannyBoy.