Today's Costs

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imp

Senior Member
Do you find the cost of today's major items, i.e., car, appliances, etc., to have gotten out of step with what your retirement income can budget for? imp
 

imp said:
Do you find the cost of today's major items, i.e., car, appliances, etc., to have gotten out of step with what your retirement income can budget for? imp
Click to expand...

Most definitely. A while back, I was in a funk and started thinking about how it does not seem to pay to play by the rules. Example...

Just play by the rules and see what happens.


1- conserve electricity:
Use new efficient light bulbs.
Turn off lights and other electrical items when not in use.
Use ceiling fans in all rooms.
Turn a/c up to a higher temp. (81-82 degree's)
Dry clothes outside, not in dryer.(outside clothesline)
Buy new energy efficient appliances


Outcome... Electric company complains of lost revenue.
Result... raise electric rates.


2- conserve gas:
Carpool whenever possible.
Inflate tires for better mpg.
Plan trips for multi use.
Buy newer efficient auto.


Outcome... Gas company complains of lost revenue.
Result... higher gas prices


my favorite...Buy a hybrid vehicle and try to drive less
now, states are losing revenue due to less gas sold and
therefore, less road use taxes collected.
The answer... tax hybrid's for not using enough gas.


3- Recycle:
Seperate plastic, cardboard, glass, etc from trash.


Outcome... Landfill won't take most "hazard waste"
such as... batteries, tires, mattresses, any Freon loaded
appliance's, old gas tanks, etc.
Result... Trash strewn all over the back roads and
plugging up drain ditches.


4- Work hard and get ahead:
Pay into medicare fund for future health issues.
Make a steady wage and pay into a pension plan.
Pay a fair share of taxes.
Put pride in your workmanship and care about your job.
Work hard to put children through college.
Save money for retirement.


Outcome... Government raids social security account.
Result...Government increases retirement age.
Medicare covers less and less and your up front fee's
continue to increase.
Cooked books allow Government to maintain small or no
cost of living allowance.
Totally worn out body unable to enjoy those "Golden Years".
Pension planners make bad investments in market.
Your hard earned dollars disappear into thin air.
Watch your tax dollars go to support every
deadbeat, non-working person in the country.
Watch your company outsource your job.
Children come back home to live because there
are no real jobs to be had.


5- Be a smart shopper:
Coupon shop whenever possible.
By no name or store brands.
Compare prices at all times.
Watch for sales and stock up on non-perishable goods.


Outcome... Store's complain of lost revenue.
Result...Higher food prices and product package gets smaller.

Now, I guess it's time to update to include the robber barons ideas for Insurance. :mad::mad:
 
A sensitive nerve was struck? Every word of it true, though. I jokingly told a clerk somewhere that my S/S check won't "bounce" even though it's made of rubber, and that won't allow it to stretch, either. Guy just looked at me like I was nuts. Hope the fund still exists when HE needs it! imp
 
Since I have not and probably will not be buying major items since retiring, I haven't paid attention to those prices. If I do need a major item it would be paid for from investments and not retirement income, like my new HP Laptop. I have noticed however, the rather steady increase in food prices. I live in a big fruit producing state and ALL FRUIT seems to sell for $1.99 per pound. The price of eggs, bread, milk is ridiculous.
 
I was amazed when I realized the sales tax on my latest car was more than the total cost of my 1956 Oldsmobile. Also, it cost more than three times the cost of my very first house.
 
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Yes! Day to day expenses are WAY up. I cannot BELIEVE what meat costs today, and most other foods as well. I don't know how in the world working families afford to feed a family at today's prices.

I'll probably never be able to afford a new car, but my old Saturn still gets me where I'm going and that's all that really matters.
 
According to the governments BLS, Inflation is NOT a problem. In fact, according to their charts, Deflation may be a bigger concern. This past Winter, Costs actually came down, and so far this year, the rises in prices is almost nil.

http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CUSR0000SA0?output_view=pct_1mth

Obviously, the people who create these charts have not been doing much shopping in the past couple of years....BUT, this data gives Washington all the excuse it needs to forgo things like a Social Security COLA increase.
 
Just to put in my two cents worth :)and give you Aussie prices on items you have mentioned .
you can, but I don't buy Milk $2 for 2 litres ... I don't like the taste so choose to pay $4 for 2 litres
Bread prices vary as much as the weather, you can but bread in the major supermarkets for $1 a loaf however I'm fussy what I put into my mouth, so by choice I buy bread from a bakery chain called bakers delight .. I like a loaf called cape seed hubby has plain white ..no we are not rich, but I budget, rarely eat out and choose to eat good food ..
 
Don M. said:
According to the governments BLS, Inflation is NOT a problem. In fact, according to their charts, Deflation may be a bigger concern. This past Winter, Costs actually came down, and so far this year, the rises in prices is almost nil.

http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CUSR0000SA0?output_view=pct_1mth

Obviously, the people who create these charts have not been doing much shopping in the past couple of years....BUT, this data gives Washington all the excuse it needs to forgo things like a Social Security COLA increase.
Click to expand...

Clearly, whoever thinks this does not live HERE. Prices have gone up like mad. I didn't see any costs coming down last winter, either. Every time I go to the grocery store, prices have crept up just a little. And beef prices are outa sight -- I haven't bought beef in long time. I'm semi-vegatarian anyway, and when I vary from that, it's mostly fish and chicken, thank goodness.
 
Kadee46 said:
Just to put in my two cents worth :)and give you Aussie prices on items you have mentioned .
you can, but I don't buy Milk $2 for 2 litres ... I don't like the taste so choose to pay $4 for 2 litres
Bread prices vary as much as the weather, you can but bread in the major supermarkets for $1 a loaf however I'm fussy what I put into my mouth, so by choice I buy bread from a bakery chain called bakers delight .. I like a loaf called cape seed hubby has plain white ..no we are not rich, but I budget, rarely eat out and choose to eat good food ..
Click to expand...

What about using a bread machine? You know what's in it and it will taste better. I used lots of seeds in mine.
 
Prices must really be going up. My wife has never complained about store prices until last Friday when she came home and was telling me about the cost of bread and eggs. I don't eat bread and we throw more away than we eat, so we are going to stop buying bread.

Didn't they used to sell half loaves of bread, or was I dreaming that? I told her to buy a half loaf and she laughed. I thought for sure that I remember them selling half loaf.
 
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911 said:
Prices must really be going up. My wife has never complained about store prices until last Friday when she came home and was telling me about the cost if bread and eggs. I don't eat bread and we throw more away than we eat, so we are going to stop buying bread.

Didn't they used to sell half loaves of bread, or was I dreaming that? I told her to buy a half loaf and she laughed. I thought for sure that I remember them selling half loaf.
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We freeze bread, takes minutes to defrost or 20 seconds in microwave. Never heard of half loaves.
 
911 said:
Prices must really be going up. My wife has never complained about store prices until last Friday when she came home and was telling me about the cost if bread and eggs. I don't eat bread and we throw more away than we eat, so we are going to stop buying bread.

Didn't they used to sell half loaves of bread, or was I dreaming that? I told her to buy a half loaf and she laughed. I thought for sure that I remember them selling half loaf.
Click to expand...

You could always freeze a loaf and take out what you need a slice at a time.
 
I'm not aware of bread being sold in half loaves. But I do know that half dozen eggs can be ourchased. I don't use a lot of eggs and sometimes I buy those.

Eggs have been $1.99 a dozen here for quite awhile. The one thing I noticed going way up last year is bacon, but now it seems to have stabilized. I often get it free with a coupon from Kroger. Also get free Haagen Daas ice cream. I watch for sales on coffee then I buy it and also use a $1.00 off coupon, same with cat food. I buy store brand for most things.
 
I think bread went up a lot last winter; because of a bad wheat harvest world-wide.
personally, I have found that prices of white goods are lower than a few years ago...the problem is that I don't know how long I have to make my money last for...
 

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