TraceyS/FL Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 Not too worried here. Dave Ramsey says that's the beauty of being "debt-free" is that stuff like this doesn't throw you for "too much" of a loop. I might have to disagree with him.... We pretty much ARE debt free. Our house is paid for, we have a VERY small car payment to a family member. But rising Homeowners Insurance and Property Taxes are more than our "fixed income" can handle. And that is our only housing expense! But there is still only the same amount coming IN. So even having no debts, the amount going OUT is increasing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 I've actually NOT seen the skyrocketing grocery prices I hear about here. I have four weeks of grocery lists saved on my local supermarket online shopping page, and I just checked the prices -- they're really not significantly different than they ever were (and I've had the same lists saved there for three years!). I have no idea why... but this messageboard is really the only place I hear about all of this. Gas is bothersome... I spend $50 to fill the tank now, and I do cut back on driving as much as I can... but it's an irritation, not a big problem. DH barely has to drive at all, so our total monthly budget for gas is $200, which is less than it was two years ago (when DH had to drive a lot more). Now I'd love it if gas were cheap and I could get by on $80 a month, but I also know that if I were really desperate to avoid driving I really could. If would be inconvenient, but not impossible in our particular situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumping In Puddles Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 I've actually NOT seen the skyrocketing grocery prices I hear about here. Wow, you're lucky! Last year, flour was $1.29. Last week I spend $4.99 for flour! Milk was about 3.29, now it's at about $4.29 or more depending on the shop. I use to get a bakers dozen (13) bagels at our local bagel shop for 4.99 - I was shocked when I went last week and they were $9.00! The baker said because of the sharp increase in the price of flour, he was forced to raise his prices. Consider yourself lucky! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 Wow, you're lucky! Last year, flour was $1.29. Last week I spend $4.99 for flour! Milk was about 3.29, now it's at about $4.29 or more depending on the shop. I use to get a bakers dozen (13) bagels at our local bagel shop for 4.99 - I was shocked when I went last week and they were $9.00! The baker said because of the sharp increase in the price of flour, he was forced to raise his prices. Consider yourself lucky! :) For five pounds of regular flour??? Weird -- here it's $1.95 at one store and $2.39 at the other, and it frequently goes on sale for something like $1.50. Milk (gallon) is $3.49 at both. I set up our four grocery lists when we moved here three years ago to aim for $100/week, and as of today they're at $90.75, $71.68, $55.83, and $61.39. The first week is higher because some of it covers the rest of the month (like mayonnaise, wine, frozen veg., etc.) but I'm still well within the budget, and not noticeably different from when I set them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof2kids Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 But rising Homeowners Insurance and Property Taxes are more than our "fixed income" can handle. And that is our only housing expense! But there is still only the same amount coming IN. So even having no debts, the amount going OUT is increasing. Yes you are totally right about that. Everything goes up faster than our salaries. And we pretty much all live on a "fixed" income. It bugs me when I hear about seniors living on a "fixed" income. Well families live on fixed incomes too! There's only so much coming in and what's going out keeps rising. And we have budgets that are "fixed"! Also, I have to say "senior" discounts really bug me! Especially when they expect it and are just so blantant about it. "Well I'M a SENIOR. Where's my SENIOR discount." I feel the same about "student" discounts". I want to say "Where's my "just married and just starting out discount"? Where's my "We're raising a family" discount? Where's my "I just got laid off discount?" Where's my "fill in the blank" discount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendra Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 Erica- where are you? Just curious. Our prices have increased like the others, so maybe we all need to move near you :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 I like salads too. I'm experimenting with growing lettuce indoors right now. With mild temps and plenty of light, I think maybe I could grow our lettuce, and maybe spinach all year long indoors. I bought extra seed just in case, so that I would have enough to last all year. We'll see how it does :001_unsure: LOL! I had a lot of success growing lettuce a few years back, but dh refused to eat it again after I served him a beautiful salad with a little extra protein - a bright green inchworm crawling across the lettuce that was to be his second bite! I had washed the leaves, so I'm not sure how he stayed in there. Dh was not a happy camper. The dc, of course, were delighted to have such a beautiful new friend to examine. Homeschooled kids - gotta love 'em! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 I talked to a "retired" person about this recently. He agreed that my "fixed" income is harder than theirs - i'm trying to raise a family, he and his friends biggest worries is where to go OUT to dinner. I live on the edge of a retirement community (60,000+), LOL, everything is senior discounts. Rarely do we get "kids eat free" at places that do it in other areas because well, there just aren't a lot of them! Overall, i don't eat out every night like a lot of them do (evidenced by the long waits when a new restaurant opens).I can't even shoot for once a week, i'm happy with once a month. This year my taxes and insurance were $400 a month. 4 years ago when we moved here they were about $150. I wouldn't do anything different shopping for house - we bought what had the size and land we wanted/needed for our family. But man, i'd like to have some money left over in a month for say, GRASS???? Right now our weekly income is LESS than when we moved here because DH isn't working 12+ hours a day like he was then. Anyway, i'm not worried about living within my means - i do that well, but the stuff that I can't control is pushing me OUT of that means. Mainly, gas, taxes and insurance. I'm guessing those that don't worry aren't the ones making it on a 3 figure weekly, and not on the high end of it. But hey, next time you need your septic system repaired, replaced or pumped - remember that families live on those jobs (and side jobs doing heavy mechanic work). Someone has to do it! :D Yes you are totally right about that. Everything goes up faster than our salaries. And we pretty much all live on a "fixed" income. It bugs me when I hear about seniors living on a "fixed" income. Well families live on fixed incomes too! There's only so much coming in and what's going out keeps rising. And we have budgets that are "fixed"! Also, I have to say "senior" discounts really bug me! Especially when they expect it and are just so blantant about it. "Well I'M a SENIOR. Where's my SENIOR discount." I feel the same about "student" discounts". I want to say "Where's my "just married and just starting out discount"? Where's my "We're raising a family" discount? Where's my "I just got laid off discount?" Where's my "fill in the blank" discount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 Not too far from Raleigh... suburban, normal... LOL I asked a bunch of people this afternoon in case it was just me and no one I asked has noticed any particular change in grocery prices (but now they think I'm nuts... LOL) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 I agree about the restaurants. We eat out a lot and all our regular restaurants are beginning to offer deals and incentives to get folks in. We often eat lunch out during the week and some of our regular places have been uncharacteristically empty at lunch hour lately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 Yes, I think that is what this period is doing for me, too: helping me to identify potential future options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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