Helium Prices Blowing Up

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Alpha8472
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Helium Prices Blowing Up

Post by Alpha8472 »

Helium prices are going up. You would think it would only be about $5 for an average fill up, now it is $20.

Helium is also used to cool the magnets in MRI machines and in manufacturing semiconductor chips. Aerospace, fiber optics, and welding also use helium. Suppliers are determining who needs the helium the most. This is a type of rationing.

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norcalriteaidclerk
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Re: Helium Prices Blowing Up

Post by norcalriteaidclerk »

Looks like a blessing in disguise when Rite Aid discontinued their helium balloons inflation service.Not that many customers utilized the service regardless of of whichever store I've worked at.

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Alpha8472
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Re: Helium Prices Blowing Up

Post by Alpha8472 »

The Dollar Tree still has helium balloons, but I am not sure if Safeway still does that. I assume Dollar Tree is cheaper.

They said that helium would run out by 2020. They apparently have found other sources since then. However, the price issue is a concern as helium is needed to keep microchip prices down.
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Re: Helium Prices Blowing Up

Post by mbz321 »

Good. Maybe we still stop using it for wasteful frivolous things like blowing up balloons. I'm honestly Surprised Dollar Tree is still able to sell balloons given the helium costs.
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Re: Helium Prices Blowing Up

Post by jamcool »

We could go back to Hydrogen….
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Re: Helium Prices Blowing Up

Post by storewanderer »

I can't believe there is a helium shortage in the US. They are clearly not looking in the right places for hot air.

I hope the hospitals have enough.
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Re: Helium Prices Blowing Up

Post by Brian Lutz »

At the Dollar Tree locations near here they have had "out of helium" signs up for some time now. I wouldn't be surprised if they just discontinue balloons at some point.
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Re: Helium Prices Blowing Up

Post by Alpha8472 »

Helium is so expensive that you cannot sell it for $1.25 at Dollar Tree. They probably will not make a profit on it. The local Safeway stores in the San Francisco Bay Area seem to have no balloons on display. Maybe Party City might still sell helium.
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Re: Helium Prices Blowing Up

Post by BillyGr »

Alpha8472 wrote: August 14th, 2022, 7:13 pm Helium is so expensive that you cannot sell it for $1.25 at Dollar Tree. They probably will not make a profit on it. The local Safeway stores in the San Francisco Bay Area seem to have no balloons on display. Maybe Party City might still sell helium.
They could always sell them separately, $1.25 for the balloon itself and $1.25 for the helium to inflate it. That would make it a more profitable item, without breaking the rules of everything being $1.25.
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