Any idiot knows that you can only reach into a jar of cookies for only so long before the jar becomes empty. For so many, the jar has been empty for quite a while. The number of people with empty jars gets bigger and bigger with each passing day and yet.....STILL.....they continue to raise prices. No breaks here Folks! And yet the demand has exceeded the supply for quite some time now. For most of us anyway.
A grocery shopping trip is enough to cause vapor lock in most of us. A lot of thought and planning goes into a simple trip to the grocery store now. You find yourself eliminating things that aren't extremely important. Most of the time you find yourself going without things that are important in order to buy another item that surpasses that item on the list of priorities. We have been paying more and getting less for quite some time now.
On last night's news they stated that we have been paying higher electric bills in order to pay for the installation of the so-called "smart meters" that are to go on every house. Lots of controversy has developed over these meters, which some have proclaimed to be nothing more than spy meters, logging your every move inside what used to be your sanctuary......your home.
When asked by the news media if our bill would go back down after a bit.....after the meters were installed.....supposedly the utility company advised that they doubted it. My electric bill has gone up about $45 a month. Just how much do these meters cost anyway. After I have 'reimbursed' them for a meter that I was (a) not even asked if I wanted; (b) not advised it would increase my electric bill and finally (c) not even advised I could opt out.......why do I have to continue to pay inflated prices when they claim the meters save them money. They can take wireless readings, eliminating yet another job. After several months of inflated bills, shouldn't MY meter be paid for......shouldn't YOURS?
I am a senior citizen....retired and on social security and pension. My income, although basically guaranteed, is fixed. While everything else goes up, my income does not. Matter of fact, at the beginning of this year, my state started taxing pensions (which have already been taxed once) and so income went down for many. I just missed having mine taxed, but my age bracket saved me.....at least for now. I have a small part-time job to make ends meet. That income is small and also does not go up (no raises) and it's not guaranteed. I could be told next week I'm no longer needed. There are so many in my category. The sub-category divides us even further......I feel fortunate that I at least have a pension....so many do not.
When is it going to end? The bottom of the cookie jar has been reached. When there aren't anymore cookies, they can't materialize out of nothing. I have already cut so many things out; I'm to the point where I can't trim it much more without seriously affecting my quality of life. If you have to choose between food to keep you alive and your medications.....so many are choosing the food. And don't even get me started on our pets. We all know they are like children to us.
I have been reading as many articles as I can find with ideas of how to cut corners. I recently came across a website that the Duggars have (parents of 19....or is it 20, I've kinda lost track). She makes her own soap and the recipe looks doable. Based on the comments of others who have tried it, it seems like it may work well and a wash load only costs pennies a load instead of dollars. Go here to check to out. The liquid form looks like it may be a mess to store as well as make.....we are going to make the powdered version, which the aforementioned link will take you to. It costs approximately $2 to $3 to make the recipe, but it will do 40 loads of laundry. And one thing you have to say......the Duggars always look neat and clean. Frankly, I think a lot of people are now going back to basics......as much as they can anyway...... because of the high cost of things.
Are you doing some cost-cutting measures. If so, what are they. Please share.
Like I said.......eventually it HAS to end. An empty cookie jar is an empty cookie jar.
7 comments:
I so agree Val, the cost to fuel our vehicles has increased hugely, and we have no option but to commute over 100 miles a day round trip between the two of them, and as you note a trip to the grocery store is so depressing I can hardly make myself do it. What used to feed a family for a week now doesn't even buy a few good meals for two, let alone household supplies and yes, pet food. John and I own our home, if we didn't we couldn't afford to make payments or pay high dollar rent for a dumpy place. I agree, when and where is it going to end. As we near retirement age we realize we will be lucky if we could make ends meet on social security even if working part time. Sad, not much to look forward to. I am tired of often having to forego items too, to pay for other more important things. It does affect quality of life and we actually live quite simply. Sure takes the fun out of things, doesn't it?
There is an answer, but I have bee chastised(not by you,,lol)for writing about and I just quit posting. I may write a "blog" on this.. How have you been? I havnt been doing much posting lately..but been keeping up.. glenn
It's amazing that Mrs Dugger has the time and energy to make her own soap. She looks so darn perky!
Poor demented woman. When does anything get "better"?
Once prices go up, they have never, ever-ever, gone down.
When the prez (small p) visited Tampa today, the news broadcasted all the chants: "FOUR MORE YEARS!" Have they been under a rock????
It is not going to end, Val...it is going to get worse....especially after elections..no matter who wins. If it is not on sale I don't buy it. I have cut back so much...but then again maybe I was too spoiled to begin with. Like my hubby says...they have closed the candy store and thrown away the key. The one thing that worries me is utilities and property taxes..ok..that's two things. Our appraised value keeps going down and our property tax rate keep going up. Soon we are not going to be able to afford to own anything...which is exactly what "they" want. I believe people will start to live together...that is the only way we are going to make it. Hard to choose between medicine, food or gas...I do feel for the people on social security or pensions. However, we are self employed...and believe me..it is tough.
That detergent price - $2-$3/40 loads - doesn't seem that great. We wait for a sale and buy several jugs (usually Purex)at $1.99 each. Most of them do 40 loads, although a few have 32 loads written on them.
Great analogy. Over the past three years I have not raised my prices to customers because I know what I would do; start looking for a cheaper resource and yet we get hit with price increases nearly every month. It makes it very difficult to operate a small business. I'm reviewing every single exspense we have and making sure it's something we can do for less. And, it's not a bad thing.
I'm buying less fresh groceries because I was losing a ton of vegetables/etc to waste. Now I buy what I can eat in a day or so. I still buy bulk when I can, but not for everything.
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