It’s a great job market right now and the best way to get a substantial raise is to switch jobs.

Less people are living paycheck ti paycheck now than before the pandemic too, although you have to look that up for yourself as the media only writes negative stories.

Unless we are supposed to go back to the trenches and never lift a head up!

Investment income is doing well too. Where I think retired folks are hurting is health care costs and pension income not being adjustable.

Bernie and Biden both share a desire to stop taxing social security and provide substantial increases. We can do better for our seniors.

Quit acting like every single person has all this extra money sitting around and is doing way better. Not everyone got a 70% raise

More people are doing better. Doesn’t mean everyone is. But real income being higher is an average that means people can afford more than in 2019.

Biden’s economy is better than Trump’s for the majority of people. Simple as that.

just for starters.

And utilities went down this Winter and rents were down last year.

per month, makes a world of difference. Wow. $4/month extra. Such largesse!

I don't know where you live, but here, utilities have gone up some 10%, and rents are skyrocketing, sometimes as much as 40%. So, please, do NOT correct me about what is going on in the city where I live, and you do not.

But we’re talking about the country try as a whole and rent and utilities were down.

https://www.redfin.com/news/redfin-rental-report-november-2023/

https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/energy-inflation#:~:text=Energy%20Inflation%20in%20the%20United,Percent%20in%20July%20of%202009.

our own lived experiences., which you do not appear to think are of any importance, since you keep contradicting us. But do keep on. It has become fascinating.

My own experiences aren’t relevant to the facts either. I could come post how my income is way up and my bills seem to be down, but that’s just situation and doesn’t reflect how the whole country is doing. That’s why I posted the stats about rents and energy prices, it’s more relevant than my own circumstances.

are not, when they contradict our own eyes, ears, and wallets. But do keep on with the stats, because they, of course, are more important than we are.

The fact the country is doing better as a whole is in fact important is important too. And all we ever hear from is the people saying how horrible things are when the data shows in almost every way the economy is better today than before Covid. And Biden and his policies absolutely are the reason more people are doing well than not.

Hope your situation improves.

Have you ever stopped to consider that very possibly the statistics have been goal seeked and milked to make a point?

Home prices are up…interest rates doubled. How does rent go down? It’s up 40% in the last 3 years here.

You can’t be serious. It’s up 40% here…so only up 39.25% now? Avg rent is over $1900. My entire friends group is going broke just trying to live now. Income increases have not come close to covering increased cost. And that also doesn’t mention my 30% insurance jump this year. Let’s not pretend to all don’t live in this country and see what inflation has done.

grrrrr.......

two at at around 16 pounds and one who weighs in at 23 pounds. It got to the point that the food they were eating was $71 per large bag! I threw up my hands and now they get Purina cat chow at $24 for the same size bag.

No more "snobby" pet food for this family.

gone up about 15 %, and his kibble almost doubled (and we are not talking the fancy stuff, either!). His litter has gone up about 30%, and that isn't the extreme stuff either.

off by the hundreds and thousands.

These glib statistics capture those working, maybe only those working full time. America has a growing underclass. I pray our party cuts through this and get back to bread and butter issues and focus on policies that help 70, 80, 85 %. And only the top 15% get left out. It doesn't have to be for justice, the lower quintiles spend their earnings faster and more efficiently than the wealthy do. We need to shatter generation skipping tax scam "dynasty trusts", eliminate and tax "carry forward" private equity balances. And we need to go after non profits competing in the private market w unfair advantages. The largest landlords in Manhattan are two Universities, the Catholic Church and the Episcopal Diocese of NYC.

Auto insurance has doubled and homeowners is up a lot. That’s real money that isn’t discussed much.

And some who are privileged got a pay raise. But not more then increased bills.

And in debt from the last 2 years I don’t think it matters.

Enough of it and it will bring on a recession. Then prices will correct across the board.

I refuse to contribute. I'll do without.

Because people will just make sure to buy what they were going to earlier or wait until after .

But something sustained over time unless changes are made is what needs to happen.

The suggestion was meant well. I was just explaining why it should be longer based on previous boycotts.

I recently went to. These were just fast casual type places where I got take out . It still seemed more expensive than maybe a few years back but I was fine with that .

The low end restaurants around me all still up and running. The high end all seem to be doing okay. The mid end are all going out of business as the middle class is staying away in droves or going to low end to save.

I pay attention to what is being sold and where. There are items I will get at Kroger or at Meijer. I check prices online.

I get a can of Kong Liver Treat at Meijer for $6.99 which costs $12.99 at PetSmart, Walmart, and other places.

I will not buy something that has increased in price by 40 or 50% unless I really need it. I refused to hoard tp during COVID, I now refuse to buy orange juice until the price comes down. $7.50 a gallon for Kroger brand is ridiculous.

Now it doesn’t matter the price. I won’t have to buy for the rest of my life. If my family wants it, they can have it after death.

Is the toilet paper in your will?

I have, since the Pandemic, been inclined to stock up on certain things, so I get it. Again

Special this week at one of my favorite super markets:
Pork loin $2.99 a lb. Last week at nearby super market $19.99 per lb.!!!
Guess what I am buying? Several pounds, to freeze after treatment in my FoodSaver. Best tool for saving money on groceries, EVER!

And let's boycott processed and convenience packaged foods and snacks!

This is a fact: The rancher is going broke!!!

Here in Florida, Publix is trying to sell Select grade beef (not Prime or Choice) at previously the price of Kobe and Wagyu beef!!!! I quit eating beef. I'm not paying those prices. They put out very little in the way of steaks or roasts in the cases now. Just ground beef.

Friends of mine who previously swore they would not shop at Wal-Mart are now happily doing so.

Publix's owner is a ridiculous piece of work and always has been. A real Florida woman.

They are notorious for squeezing every last cent from suppliers.

Not to mention their own history of gouging customers.

Link to tweet

The reality is that any time anyone actually checks prices, Walmart is NEVER the cheapest.

She fell for the ad blitz that they were doing about $4.00 prescriptions. So I called them (and Walgreens and CVS and a few other places) to see what my drugs would cost. They were the second highest of the lot.

Car is 18 months old, no tickets or accidents…….insurance agent says increase is due to Covid! This in 1/24! Looking around for another company but of course the house and other things are bundled so each policy would have to be replaced. Really tiresome! Food prices are kept in check be shopping sale items, coupons and 5% senior discount on Tuesdays. 🤣😂 We try smaller portions, stopped using paper towels altogether and freeze all leftovers so they don’t get pushed to the back of the fridge and wasted. Ahhh…the life post Covid.

We have very few tools to fight back, and it's worse in Pennsylvania. There's scant possibility of shopping around.

We failed to realize in the daze of my husband's and other family members' serious illness that we should have canceled the insurance on his business van since he's not been able to work for a few years. COVID shutdown & loss of customers due to their financial setbacks, etc. He hasn't worked since his cancer dx, but we just didn't know what to do about the insurance on the van he was barely using. If only he could suspend it and reinstate at will if and when he can work again.

Anyway, we need to shop around before March 1st, but aren't sure we can find a better deal. There was an accident when my husband was preparing to take me home after my back surgery, he was flustered (in addition to the worries about me, my mom was there. Not a bad mother-in-law in general, but her presence was more of a burden than a help.) He ran over some low structure in the parking garage. Ripped up some stuff underneath and damaged the front quarter panel.

Anyway, back to my original question, if you would be so kind as to tell me: how is PA unique in ways that make it hard to get a fair price on Auto insurance?

I broke out my mother's casserole cookbooks. Its a good and tasty way to make meals stretch.

My husband never really had eaten casseroles and raved😁

Not sure they figure in the energy needed to wash & dry the cloth diapers (unless they're line dried)

Folding sunshine scented diapers is very Zen.

I used disposables only for trips.

The people I stayed with were quite startled, but I thought it was better than disposables.

In daycare centers!

butter, a particular favourite treat of mine. Until a couple of months ago, a 32 oz. jar of the kroger brand was 4.29 (having risen steadily last year from 3.39). Then suddenly, for several weeks, there was no apple butter, not even a space on the shelf. Then about three weeks ago. . .apple butter. . . only. . .it was now in an 18 oz jar, for 3.99. Almost a 70% per oz. increase. 32 oz bottles of shampoo now 28 oz, $3 more. Half and half rose from 2.49/qt last summer to 3.29 just two weeks ago. And on. .and on. . .

understand the eggs. There was, after all, the avian flu. Just like I can sort of understand the tomato prices. But a great deal of it is greed and gouging.

From $7.99 a dozen all the way down to $2.99 a dozen.

which is usually 5.99, was marked down to 2.50. I always check when I am in there. My King Soopers sometimes has very good digital account deals. Again, I always check.

of us are not exactly quiet when we talk to their home offices.

This new subscription craze is one example. You buy a product but need to pay monthly to get all of the functionality. Also the ridiculously high cost of printer ink or other similarly necessary consumable products.

Apparently there's no quality control on products anymore, unless you count the customer demanding replacement of a faulty product. The evergreen concept of planned obsolescence is out of control. Many people finding expensive appliances breaking down and un-repairable (or repaired at great inconvenience and cost) just after the warranty runs out.

Oh, I could go on, but we all know. We just don't know what to do about it.

By the way, a childhood friend recently got in touch. We connected for the first time in over 30 years. Turns out she now lives 25 minutes from me, nowhere near where we grew up. On of my memories of her is that her mom made apple butter. It was a mystery substance to me. Very dark brown especially against the blindingly white Wonder Bread!

Last edited Mon Feb 26, 2024, 08:38 PM - Edit history (1)

interesting about the apple butter. My folks made it, as well. But it is not quite as startling on rye or pumpernickel bread as on the white stuff (was the bread at least toasted???).

but I was a very picky eater of a child, strongly disliking potato chips, hamburgers, French fries, peaches, chocolate, carbonated drinks, and loads of other foods most kids loved. Unfortunately, I had no aversion to sugar, which would have at least made my pickiness beneficial health-wise. Even with sugar, though, I'd only eat certain specific sweets!

As for reconnecting with my old friend, it's mixed blessing. Nice to reminisce, but not nice to hear that she's a super religious Trump supporter. So, even with her living so close to me, I don't envision a rekindling of our once close bond!

supporter. I can definitely see there will likely be no bond rekindling.

Supermarket prices are horrible.
I suspect they are playing the 'maximise profits' game, ie crank up prices until sales go down, back off a bit, and then hover them up there.

We cut down on our regular shopping costs as much as possible, but the bills . . .

March bills: House insurance, electricity, water.
Will be eating up my retirement income for all of March, just those three.

So Jan and Feb become months to be stingy because March bills are coming.

Then April and May, save for the next flood of bills in June.

Repeat his cycle for the rest of the year.

ON TOPIC:

It is OK to say the economy is healthy and people are doing well, overall.

It is also OK to say your own circumstances don't reflect that.

It hasn't gone up. And I'm still able to buy the groceries I need. Am I doing something wrong?

I don't buy Doritos anyway, but this caught my eye walking down the aisle.
Really? Six bucks for five cents' worth of corn meal and a ten-cent bag??

Luckily, there's an Aldi just down the road.

Cars that are overpriced are staying on the lots too. There's an app called CoPilot that monitors used car prices, price reductions, grades the dealer, etc.