What changes have you made due to inflation?

[QuarterMillionMan]

[disneysteve]

I don’t follow any of the talking heads but isn’t he one of those guys who is always predicting doom?

[james.hendrickson]

I'm already mostly buying generic.

[myrdale]

California uses a "special petrol blend" to reduce exhaust emissions, and the oil companies use it as an excuse to price gouge. I paid $4.50/gal this week. As far as groceries go, I rarely do the shopping, but I did notice that the price of some cookies I occasionally buy has exactly doubled since 2021. I refuse to pay that for them, so maybe I'll eat healthier. We eat out less and buy more chicken ($) and less beef ($$$).

Welcome to the forum Subdude!

I've cut back on the junk food as well. $1 for a pepsi and $0.75 for a snickers bar is now closer to $2.75 & $1.50.

Where eatting out was previously $10 for me, now it's +$18 almost anywhere I go.

[QuarterMillionMan]

I don’t follow any of the talking heads but isn’t he one of those guys who is always predicting doom?

Pictured is CNBC news person Andrew Ross Sorkin who had interviewed Jamie Dimon CEO of Chase bank who said the economy is on a sugar high from all the government bailouts and stimulus money.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Well try looking at your $7 starbucks drink and thinking I can totally make a meal for that price.

[bjl584]

Well try looking at your $7 starbucks drink and thinking I can totally make a meal for that price.

Is that how much a cup is there now?
I haven't been there in years.
Their coffee tastes burnt to me. I'm not a fan.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Is that how much a cup is there now?
I haven't been there in years.
Their coffee tastes burnt to me. I'm not a fan.

I go when people invite me to coffee so then i buy some. we used to do it during the pandemic when we didn't go out in the beginning, but it's really expensive now

[QuarterMillionMan]

The average U.S. household needs an additional $11,434 per year to maintain the same standard of living due to record-high inflation. While hourly pay has increased, inflation has outpaced it. Spending on basic survival needs like food, transportation, housing, and energy has increased, with households in the Mountain West facing the highest rates of inflation.

I copied & pasted this from an online article today. They mentioned #%$enomics but I deleted it to avoid political comments.

[disneysteve]

The average U.S. household needs an additional $11,434 per year to maintain the same standard of living due to record-high inflation. While hourly pay has increased, inflation has outpaced it. Spending on basic survival needs like food, transportation, housing, and energy has increased, with households in the Mountain West facing the highest rates of inflation.

I copied & pasted this from an online article today. They mentioned #%$enomics but I deleted it to avoid political comments.

The fact that it included political commentary tells me the article isn’t to be trusted so I’d ignore it for that reason alone.

[VanessaKruze]

Rising prices have hit my wallet too. I've started cooking at home more often to save on eating out costs. Also, I've been carpooling with a friend for work to cut down on gas expenses.

[QuarterMillionMan]

The things I do to save money especially in this high inflation economy. American Tires Depot is $482 installed for all 4 tires. Walmart free ship to home is $300 for 4 tires. Then I'd have to take it to a tire service shop to mount & balance $20 each tire for about $400 total beginning w/Walmart. Pepboys is even more at $600 total installed. The easiest way is to just go with American Tire for $482 for convenience but I'm leaning towards Walmart & a tire service shop to save $80. Decisions, decisions, lol.

[Vincent Smith]

Thanks for bringing up this topic—it's definitely something on everyone's mind these days. Your approach to grocery shopping at Walmart makes a lot of sense, especially when every dollar counts. It's impressive that you're being mindful of your spending habits and finding ways to save without sacrificing too much.

Cutting back on unnecessary expenses, like opting for water instead of drinks when eating out, and making the most of leftovers are smart adjustments. It's great that you're adapting to the changes in your income during semi-retirement.

For me, I've started meal prepping more to avoid impulsive takeout and trying out generic brands to see if they're as good as the pricier ones. It's a bit of a learning curve, but finding those small savings can add up over time.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Beginning April 1 fast food workers to make $20 an hour in California. Talk about inflation here we go again. Big government needs to stay in their lane and let the free markets dictate wages.

Fast-food chains brace for California's big minimum wage jump - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)

[ua_guy]

Beginning April 1 fast food workers to make $20 an hour in California. Talk about inflation here we go again. Big government needs to stay in their lane and let the free markets dictate wages.

Fast-food chains brace for California's big minimum wage jump - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)

Yeah. Something like 1% of all workers in the US actually make as low as minimum wage. I remember when raising it above $8.00 here in WA State was going to lead to runaway inflation, crashing markets, mass destruction of small business, and mass exodus of industry.

We're almost at $20. Still hasn't happened. Yaaaaaaaawn.