US Inflation / cost of living

Well, I shop two stores often. Safeway and WinCo. Today, got pork for $2.97 a lb. Week ago, chicken at WinCo was $1.48 a lb. (Made me wish for a freezer) mixing soup and rice together. Ribeye steaks bone in $5.97 a lb. Usually $12 a lb.

If I only have soup, mix in instant potatoes to thicken it up. Drink water or flavored water to cut calories. I'm getting a list of pantries, food give aways.

This way I cut costs further. I would be tempted to cut phone, but play on it all my free slot games and movies. I did buy 3 "Hurricanes" (8.1% alcohol beer) but only because they're still $1.99 per ea if you buy three. WinCo is still $3-$4 ea.

Watch for specials chips were $1.99 ea (must buy 4) which I've at times, crushed and added to soup mix. Barbeque flavor is strong enough.

Coffee purchased at $1.52 for 64 oz (24 oz with muffin $2.48) so you see the savings, but it's maybe once a week.

I put off gambling due to repairs, but am planning on buying more clothing, so guess it'll be 2 months no gambling. Need a couple more towels, 4 pair pants and shirts

Walmart still selling pants at $10-$12 used store is $2-$4 cheaper, but worth buying new, shirts button type, maybe, ordering random 10 pack from $6 shirts.

Shop Walmart Sundays, get additional savings buying from clearance rack.
 
kaydee said:
How is inflation affecting you? What do you to combat it?
Click to expand...
I don't buy things I don't need. Sometimes I'd buy an item just because I liked it, but in these days, nope.

I'd rather eat healthy, fresh food made by me, at today's greater supermarket cost than buy another sweater just cuz it's pretty or was on sale. Same goes for heat and A/C.

Since I rarely watch Netflix, I cancelled it.
 

Disgustedman said:
Well, I shop two stores often. Safeway and WinCo. Today, got pork for $2.97 a lb. Week ago, chicken at WinCo was $1.48 a lb. (Made me wish for a freezer) mixing soup and rice together. Ribeye steaks bone in $5.97 a lb. Usually $12 a lb.

If I only have soup, mix in instant potatoes to thicken it up. Drink water or flavored water to cut calories. I'm getting a list of pantries, food give aways.

This way I cut costs further. I would be tempted to cut phone, but play on it all my free slot games and movies. I did buy 3 "Hurricanes" (8.1% alcohol beer) but only because they're still $1.99 per ea if you buy three. WinCo is still $3-$4 ea.

Watch for specials chips were $1.99 ea (must buy 4) which I've at times, crushed and added to soup mix. Barbeque flavor is strong enough.

Coffee purchased at $1.52 for 64 oz (24 oz with muffin $2.48) so you see the savings, but it's maybe once a week.

I put off gambling due to repairs, but am planning on buying more clothing, so guess it'll be 2 months no gambling. Need a couple more towels, 4 pair pants and shirts

Walmart still selling pants at $10-$12 used store is $2-$4 cheaper, but worth buying new, shirts button type, maybe, ordering random 10 pack from $6 shirts.

Shop Walmart Sundays, get additional savings buying from clearance rack.
Click to expand...
What? Did you say bone-in rib-eye steaks are $5.97 a lb.?

Holy Cow! They are $30.00 a lb. here! I can't even LOOK at them!
 
I eat a lot more chicken and tuna, not much beef, and I miss it terribly!
Every once in a while I'll splurge on a small tenderloin though.
I take protein powder and Super Greens every morning instead of
veggies. Notice I'm eating a lot less food than I did before.
Never a dessert.
 
I'm doing without the extra things like odd ingredients and things I'd pick up that look interesting or some YouTuber influenced me to get 🙄
I just get the basics and cook at home.
We found a Mexican restaurant though that has a Friday lunch special of Fajitas or New Mexican Chicken. Eight dollars! and it is a lot of good quality food. Salad and beans included. Drink, chips and salsa included. It is our new date.
 
I pay off my credit cards well before the due date.. always ! I don't spend money on anything unless I can afford it... I would never go into debt for anything,and I'm fortunate that I'm debt free..

I buy all my food in Bulk.. it's astonishing how much is saved in grocery bills by buying in Bulk.. I have 2 and a half freezers, and I buy not only food for meals, but bread, cheese, and butter to freeze, and get them often when they're on sale.

I bulk buy meat , and freeze them in individual portions.. and or I make meals like Shepherds pie, and curries, from one portion of chicken or minced beef.. enough for a weeks' meals...
 
Food and fuel prices are the biggest differences we've noticed. As a result, we shop more carefully, and buy multiple items when they are on sale. With regard to gas prices, we've limited our driving, and probably put half the miles on the vehicles, compared to a couple of years ago. Personally, I'm almost looking forward to the "recession" that many of the "experts" are predicting....we've saved enough since Covid hit to almost have enough to take a nice vacation, if the economy tanks.
 
Only 2 in this household (the dog and I.) Since COVID, lunches/coffee with friends have ended (saving of $50 a month)

Non perishables (TP, detergent, paper towels) are from Costco. The weekly shopping list is based on the sales. Never "prepared meals" (ie "take out", frozen pizza) I freeze all bones (cooked or raw) for broth.
 
Since we haven’t been anywhere except for a few staycations, I looked into a night away. $600, before taxes. All the places were the same and availability was limited. I thought people were struggling. We’re staying home.

I shop the grocery loss leaders. Anything that interests me goes into my shopping list. If I’m in the vicinity, I pick those items up, otherwise I get by quite fine without them.
 
Inflation isn’t just a US thing. It’s happening throughout the entire world.
We purchase most items when they go on sale. We use our credit card so get a good percentage back for everything we buy. Things that need fixing or upgrading, we do ourselves. We grow our own vegetables and can a lot of foods. We save poultry and meat bones to make our own stocks and broths. Many things we purchase in bulk from Costco. We make most of the food we eat from scratch which isn’t always necessarily cheaper , but is always healthier. We have extra freezers and refrigerators for storage as well as a cold room. We have Amazon prime so get free shipping. We groom our own dogs and make most of their coats. Everything we own is paid for. We have no debt. We have a small business to make extra income. We use an accountant to get the best tax refund. We cut and dry all our own firewood for heat and make our own mulch. We do our own yard work and landscaping including making paths on our property.
 
Last edited:
I seldom eat out at fast foods even with coupons, shop sales from grocers, buy bulk and freeze, prepare meals that are for more than one meal and refrigerate for the week. no car, shop online for clothes of all types. biggest expense is rent, then utilities, then housekeeper. medical is taken care of by VA. (glad I did my time).
 
We eat out much less. I sell online which helps combat the gas costs of the long commutes to and from work. We skip meals now which has us weighing less, that's a perk. Intermittent fasting sure makes you feel good! We shop at 3 different stores which are all walking distance from each other (though we drive) that's helped a ton
 
Where I live we got folks working for the government with good wages and benefits. Now they are threatening to go on strike for higher wages. (This will just increase the inflation). The trouble is many of them have fancy, big and expensive cottages that they want to keep maintaining. Now, doesn't that make you choke? It sure makes me choke. When these cottage owners buy booze, they buy by the case. Never a single bottle! Ha! The rich stay rich and the poor will always stay poor!
 

Attachments

  • Cottage in Canada.jpg
    Cottage in Canada.jpg
    108.2 KB · Views: 2
Jules said:
Since we haven’t been anywhere except for a few staycations, I looked into a night away. $600, before taxes. All the places were the same and availability was limited. I thought people were struggling. We’re staying home.

I shop the grocery loss leaders. Anything that interests me goes into my shopping list. If I’m in the vicinity, I pick those items up, otherwise I get by quite fine without them.
Click to expand...
yep same here.. we're pretty much in a recession, prices are sky high for everything , some people are having to choose between heat or eat..many can't afford to go abroad for holidas... and B&B'ers are charging eye watering prices . £150-£200 a night.. sometimes based on a 3 night stay, just beyond ridiculous
 


Back
Top