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Is your life better than it was 2 years ago?

Savings are getting exhausted to compensate for lack of wage increases offsetting historical inflation. We have to watch every dollar we spend and in the event something unplanned happens, ie major health event leading to high medical bills, major house improvement item comes up, ie new AC unit, appliance, etc, we are in trouble.

Okay, this is what I was concerned with -- someone in dire shape due to rising costs. Understandable when you don't have the margin or savings to provide a buffer.

I can relate to people living paycheck to paycheck, hoping they didn't stumble and constantly looking over their shoulder. I lived that way too long, until such time as I figured out what was really necessary and what was not. I caught a break with the ACA just in time as well.
 
Okay, this is what I was concerned with -- someone in dire shape due to rising costs. Understandable when you don't have the margin or savings to provide a buffer.

I can relate to people living paycheck to paycheck, hoping they didn't stumble and constantly looking over their shoulder. I lived that way too long, until such time as I figured out what was really necessary and what was not. I caught a break with the ACA just in time as well.
Okay, this is what I was concerned with -- someone in dire shape due to rising costs. Understandable when you don't have the margin or savings to provide a buffer.

I can relate to people living paycheck to paycheck, hoping they didn't stumble and constantly looking over their shoulder. I lived that way too long, until such time as I figured out what was really necessary and what was not. I caught a break with the ACA just in time as well.
You question was is your life better or worse? Not dire. Respectfully, if you believe that historic inflation, emphasis on historic, does not impact families, you are extremely naive. The level to which it impacts the majority of these families is the ONLY question. Anyone who thinks the average American household is not adversely adversely is living in a bubble and/or in complete denial.

As to my family and I, it is not a dire situation. But I am making moves to advance our families situation and future, not to remain status quo or worse, which would be to go backwards.
” American household is not impacted adversely is living in a bubble and/or in complete denial.
 
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As to my family and I, it is not a dire situation. But I am making moves to advance our families situation and future, but to remain status quo or worse, which would be to go backwards.
Edit: I don’t know how my response made it appear like quotes to you. I am on my cell phone and somehow it structured my response into quotes. Apologies for that @UncleMark.
 
well well well my friend. quite a bit of arrogance in this post. i only can hope you never have to endure the MENTAL ANGUISH attendant to knowing that your compensation for your BRUISED elbow and SPRAINED ankle suffered due to the negligence of Ponderosa employees in FAILING to timely clean the leaking soft serve ice cream machine where you slipped and fell in the company of your CHILDREN will be DELAYED INDEFINITELY due to covid staffing issues and lockdowns at your local courthouse!
Oh the humanity!
 
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well well well my friend. quite a bit of arrogance in this post. i only can hope you never have to endure the MENTAL ANGUISH attendant to knowing that your compensation for your BRUISED elbow and SPRAINED ankle suffered due to the negligence of Ponderosa employees in FAILING to timely clean the leaking soft serve ice cream machine where you slipped and fell in the company of your CHILDREN will be DELAYED INDEFINITELY due to covid staffing issues and lockdowns at your local courthouse!
They still have Ponderosas?
 
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well well well my friend. quite a bit of arrogance in this post. i only can hope you never have to endure the MENTAL ANGUISH attendant to knowing that your compensation for your BRUISED elbow and SPRAINED ankle suffered due to the negligence of Ponderosa employees in FAILING to timely clean the leaking soft serve ice cream machine where you slipped and fell in the company of your CHILDREN will be DELAYED INDEFINITELY due to covid staffing issues and lockdowns at your local courthouse!
Look on the bright side. With everything back open the poor guy driven to the edge when he learned Texas Pete is not really made in Texas can get his comeuppance
 
They still have Ponderosas?
LOL good question. I'm not sure. Back in sports days it was a staple. breakfast at shoney's (hated) and dinner at ponderosa, quincys, or olive garden. as an aside i hate buffets. i don't want some truckers arm hair reaching for the syrup bin at shoney's. i also don't really like pot luck. as perfectly stated in the Brooks Brothers How to be a Gentleman: A gentleman never attends pot luck. One of my all time favorite lines
 
LOL good question. I'm not sure. Back in sports days it was a staple. breakfast at shoney's (hated) and dinner at ponderosa, quincys, or olive garden. as an aside i hate buffets. i don't want some truckers arm hair reaching for the syrup bin at shoney's. i also don't really like pot luck. as perfectly stated in the Brooks Brothers How to be a Gentleman: A gentleman never attends pot luck. One of my all time favorite lines
Yep, they’re still around.

 
They have one in the Wisconsin Dells. Ridiculously overpriced, but my kids LOVE buffets.

I'm with mcmurtry, I hate 'em. I don't need one of everything picked over and lukewarm.

Back in the day, though, I loved Shakey's--pizza, mojoes, fried chicken, pitchers of Coke, and Space Invaders?
AND I can watch the pizza being made?? Heaven. The only thing missing was a giant pipe organ.
 
35% are lawyers, 35% are people who think they are lawyers, 35% are people who think they are doctors, and 35% are people who need medication.
You know that Purdue engineering students rioted when they found out they’re not making 12-inch rulers any longer.
 
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They have one in the Wisconsin Dells. Ridiculously overpriced, but my kids LOVE buffets.

I'm with mcmurtry, I hate 'em. I don't need one of everything picked over and lukewarm.

Back in the day, though, I loved Shakey's--pizza, mojoes, fried chicken, pitchers of Coke, and Space Invaders?
AND I can watch the pizza being made?? Heaven. The only thing missing was a giant pipe organ.
Ohhh damn Shakeys mojoes. How in the hell can I make those.
 
As to my family and I, it is not a dire situation. But I am making moves to advance our families situation and future, not to remain status quo or worse, which would be to go backwards.

Gotchya. So if I understand correctly, you've not had to make any substantial sacrifices or adjustments to your day to day living?

Edit: I don’t know how my response made it appear like quotes to you. I am on my cell phone and somehow it structured my response into quotes. Apologies for that @UncleMark.

No need. I don't even try to do any formatting or fancy quoting from my phone. I'm lucky to get the post composed and sent. Many times I'll have to come back with my computer and fix the botched posts I've made while away from my desktop and hope no one has seen them.
 
Me personally, life is good.

I've got a job I enjoy that more then pays the bills and most important to me is stress free, but I also get to spend all the time I want with my wife and kids. We don't go crazy with money, but we spend on what we enjoy in life (trips, concerts, ect). Sure, my 401K has taken a hit, but I just turned 40, so I don't need it anytime soon.

The only downfall right now is my dog isn't doing well. Fairly certain the little guy has a tumor on his back and it's going to be a matter of time. He's outlived his life expectancy, being close to 16 (he's a frenchie), is deaf and blind in one eye, so we aren't going to put any more money into the little guy. Once he shows signs of going downhill, we'll make that hard decision, but for now, he's eating well and getting around okay so it's not time yet.
 
Gotchya. So if I understand correctly, you've not had to make any substantial sacrifices or adjustments to your day to day living?



No need. I don't even try to do any formatting or fancy quoting from my phone. I'm lucky to get the post composed and sent. Many times I'll have to come back with my computer and fix the botched posts I've made while away from my desktop and hope no one has seen them.
I would consider it substantial getting a new job after being gainfully employed and highly valued by my former employer of 23 years. So yes.
 
I would consider it substantial getting a new job after being gainfully employed and highly valued by my former employer of 23 years. So yes.

Fair enough. But getting a better paying job doesn't sound like much of a sacrifice. Adjustment, for sure, but I'm not sure how it would be considered a downward adjustment (like a belt tightening), which I think most people understood that's what I was getting at.
 
This question was raised in another thread yesterday. It gave me pause, since with inflation and gasoline and the stock market and on and on the most common answer would presumably be an emphatic No! -- but that's not the case with me. Sure, groceries are up, but we still eat good. Gas is up, but I'm not driving any less. My meager portfolio is down 22%, but I won't need any of that money for a long while (hopefully) so there's plenty of time for it to come back.

And that's just the financial stuff. My work situation -- such as it is -- is actually rather enjoyable rather than stressful and frustrating and full of dread. Me and the wife still get along fine, each doing our things while each of us take care of what needs to be done to make things work. I'm still doing a bit of volunteer work that occasionally gives me the impression I might be doing a little good (although that could be a figment of my imagination). And on the politics side, while I'm not happy with a lot of what's going on, I'm no longer ashamed and aghast over the occupant of the Oval Office.

So how about it, people? As much as we like to bitch and moan, I don't think many of us have had to deal with much adversity or make a lot of sacrifices in the last two years. Have any of you had to significantly change the way you live? Are you better off or worse off in your day to day living than you were two years ago? And no matter how you answer, to what/whom do you attribute that change?
Better. Lockdowns are over and even the Republicans realize Trump is where he belongs -- ranting and drooling on the sidelines.
 
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No shit story. I asked one of the admin assistants at work how long a yardstick is and she said, “I don’t know, 38 or 39 inches.”

My dad always had one question he would ask a prospective employee early in an interview: "What is four times a dollar and a quarter." If you needed the pad and pencil he had placed before them earlier, the interview was close to over.
 
Okay, this is what I was concerned with -- someone in dire shape due to rising costs. Understandable when you don't have the margin or savings to provide a buffer.

I can relate to people living paycheck to paycheck, hoping they didn't stumble and constantly looking over their shoulder. I lived that way too long, until such time as I figured out what was really necessary and what was not. I caught a break with the ACA just in time as well.
These are valid comments, but how do you balance these concerns against the apparent phenomenon of many workers just up and quitting with no interest in hunting for a replacement job? Apparently, if true, these people have a new, different definition of "dire shape."
 
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Fair enough. But getting a better paying job doesn't sound like much of a sacrifice. Adjustment, for sure, but I'm not sure how it would be considered a downward adjustment (like a belt tightening), which I think most people understood that's what I was getting at.
You inferred adjustment. If I misunderstood that, my apologies. But I do believe I understand what you are getting at. I am not going to provide you with the deep dive into the ins and outs of what I was paid before and my job requirements along with what the new one entails and how it's impacting my family and I's lives. I made a significant life adjustment because it provided an opportunity to get ahead where previously I was going behind and fast. Had I stayed in my old job, I would have had to have pulled back in all of my retirement benefits 401k and stock purchases for at least the next 12-24 months so we could meet the demands of cost of living. To me, this is / would have been a huge sacrifice. I really don't know what exactly you are trying to infer or get at, but just take what I am saying at face value and put me into the bucket of my daily life being negatively impacted post pandemic / this administration.
 
My dad always had one question he would ask a prospective employee early in an interview: "What is four times a dollar and a quarter." If you needed the pad and pencil he had placed before them earlier, the interview was close to over.
Great question. If he’s still living he would be dismayed watching young cashiers. The bill is $9.25 and you hand them $10.25 and watch them struggle with making change.
 
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