Canned Green Beans...just what I needed!

It's taken over 3 years to find a can but we did it! Here in Jamaica the price goes down if you buy 3 of one thing so I didn't just get one can, I got 3!

I have a theory, way off, but a theory nonetheless. Shopping in Jamaica has been a real experience and that is where my theory comes from. I think that the storekeeper in any town gets a catalog from Customs. He pages through to the item he is looking for and sees one hundred of that item for a price. Finding the lowest price for those 100 items he checks it and goes to the next item on his list. When those items come in, he only has one hundred of them. If they are great, so be it. If they are bad, so be it. The item goes on the shelf 3X the price he paid, with the custom price added to it and the transportation price to get it from the dock to his store, adds the GCT (government tax) to it, which is 17.5 on most everything, all other costs like paying employees to shelve it, cash it, carry it to your car and wha-la, the customer pays the piper.

Do you know someone always takes your groceries to the car for you? It is not just for a job and a tip, but rather to protect the buggies. You never see a buggy outside the store walls. They would be stolen. An employee brings the buggy to your car and he is the one to return the buggy to the store. Interesting isn't it?

One week we may find sour cream, and then not find it for a month. Moral of the story...buy it when you see it! And when you do find something you really need all of the stores will have it. You can always tell when the new shipment came in or at least when it cleared customs!

This is not little America. My friend called me and said, "Now Debby you need to go to the Dollar Store and pick up some of these. You will love them!" ummm I don't have a Dollar Store. "Well then get to your Michael's and you will find the same thing, you will just have to pay more." ummmmm, I don't have a Michael's.

Now to my green beans! There are lots of things I miss, canned green beans is one of them. We were in Kingston doing our grocery shopping and for the first time I found canned green beans, not a cheapo no name brand, but Libby's, french cut!! Oh I was so happy. We have eaten 2 cans, I think I will save the third can for my birthday!
I am so happy to that store keeper for going down the Customs catalog and finding Libby's. He made my day, my week, my month!!





Man I would love to go down to Customs and check out that catalog for myself and see what order I could place or maybe see what China is selling today!