Where are you cutting back?

[ce36ei]

I know a lot here are quite well off and not bothered with inflation but just wondered what regular people are cutting out.

We’ve finally gotten to the point of being squeezed. We have cut eating out drastically. Once a week max. Usually Friday night Mexican takeout. Also didn’t renew my Colts tickets. Really a good excuse as I really didn’t like going anymore. Our annual Fall Break is looking iffy as well. Would rather save the money for a rainy day.

I don’t really know how the middle class is handling this. Credit card debt I assume.

 

[kraft cheese+macaroni]

I know a lot here are quite well off and not bothered with inflation but just wondered what regular people are cutting out.

We’ve finally gotten to the point of being squeezed. We have cut eating out drastically. Once a week max. Usually Friday night Mexican takeout. Also didn’t renew my Colts tickets. Really a good excuse as I really didn’t like going anymore. Our annual Fall Break is looking iffy as well. Would rather save the money for a rainy day.

I don’t really know how the middle class is handling this. Credit card debt I assume.

Life is short. Go on your fall break.

 

[IU_Hickory]

I mention cutting back and wife gives me the side eye....so no cutting back here

 

[Hank Reardon]

Not really cutting back at all. I'm wondering about retirement though. The initial plan was for me to walk away next April. The market downturns have me rethinking that. We'll see.

 

[ce36ei]

Life is short. Go on your fall break.

4 kids aren’t cheap to feed! We’re heading to Disney in a couple weeks. They’ll be alright.

 

[ce36ei]

Not really cutting back at all. I'm wondering about retirement though. The initial plan was for me to walk away next April. The market downturns have me rethinking that. We'll see.

My mother was planning on April ‘23. I imagine she’s in the same boat. Feel bad for her. She’s worked a long time for not a lot of money.

 

[larsIU]

No real cutting back yet. I only have 1 kid (that I know of....zing) and, try as she might, she has not yet bankrupted us.

I have noticed some prices are obscene (bacon anyone?).

I know gas prices are increased but I don't drive enough for it to matter.

My wife complains a lot but after the first 30 secs I don't hear anything. Odd.

 

[outside shooter]

I have lived well below my means for a long, long time. When realtors asked my salary and then said how much house I can buy, I told them they were crazy. When car dealers asked my salary and then said how fancy a car I can buy, I told them they were crazy. Kids graduated college and a 15-year mortgage was paid off in time.

We drive beaters, cook our own meals 95% of the time, are not rich, but are not poor either. My commute is under 6 miles each way, so gas prices have not affected me much. I do try to reduce trips. For example combining grocery / home depot / FedEx stops into one trip rather than three. And groceries are higher, so we look for buy one/get one sales more consistently. The cost of my wife having to fly every other month to take care of her mother has gone up dramatically. But that's about it.

 

[anon_mlxxvlbug9dpa]

I know a lot here are quite well off and not bothered with inflation but just wondered what regular people are cutting out.

We’ve finally gotten to the point of being squeezed. We have cut eating out drastically. Once a week max. Usually Friday night Mexican takeout. Also didn’t renew my Colts tickets. Really a good excuse as I really didn’t like going anymore. Our annual Fall Break is looking iffy as well. Would rather save the money for a rainy day.

I don’t really know how the middle class is handling this. Credit card debt I assume.

Cutting down on restaurants due to pricing. I feel bad about it because we can afford it and I know the restaurants need the money. But the prices have gotten way too high. Our family of four can’t eat out for less than $100 with tip in last five months.

 

[Joe_Hoopsier]

We are really cutting back, we live a pretty simple life style anyway. The current conditions aren't effecting us much, the down turn for me was Covid. My sector of Medical devices shut down 2 yrs ago. My sales have went down ~50% and are just now starting to return. Since I followed through, with Dave Ramsey's program, It'll take some serious global issues to effect me much, and that isn't because I am a 1%'er income. It's because I am a ?%'er that is debit free.
Considering I spent the majority of my life as a spender, living from Paycheck to two days before the next paycheck (and then freaking out), I feel for the middle who this is killing.

 

[Cortez88]

If you are someone who has to start cutting back, I’d urge you to start shopping at ALDI if you do not do so already.

 

[Indyhorn]

I’m not cutting back- I will work until age 63 and I’ll spend money whenever

 

[dbmhoosier]

If you are someone who has to start cutting back, I’d urge you to start shopping at ALDI if you do not do so already.

Good place for milk and eggs.

 

[anon_mlxxvlbug9dpa]

If you are someone who has to start cutting back, I’d urge you to start shopping at ALDI if you do not do so already.

Shhhh. Don’t screw it up for us OGs.

 

[mcmurtry66]

Cutting down on restaurants due to pricing. I feel bad about it because we can afford it and I know the restaurants need the money. But the prices have gotten way too high. Our family of four can’t eat out for less than $100 with tip in last five months.

Yep. This is exactly where it's just not worth it. And I too feel badly. $100 for bar food isn't worth it tho

 

[ce36ei]

Ha. I do like Aldi’s. I’ve understood the draw of a place like Publix. It’s insanely expensive and not that much better.

I refuse to cut back on 401k contributions, so I’m cutting other places. We don’t live beyond our means at all. But man, kids are expensive. Food, braces, sports are a massive chunk of mine right there. That’s probably close to $2,000 a month before even getting into houses, cars, utilities. Like I said, I don’t know how people are doing it!

 

[El Drado]

My damage has been done this year....paid taxes, paid for 2 vacations, re-carpeted the house, paid for kids $4k summer camp. We are doing more of the maintenance on our pool ourselves now (openening, closing, sand/filter change.

 

[ce36ei]

Cutting down on restaurants due to pricing. I feel bad about it because we can afford it and I know the restaurants need the money. But the prices have gotten way too high. Our family of four can’t eat out for less than $100 with tip in last five months.

It’ll cost you dang near $45 for a trip to Arby’s for 4 people!

 

[El Drado]

Ha. I do like Aldi’s. I’ve understood the draw of a place like Publix. It’s insanely expensive and not that much better.

I refuse to cut back on 401k contributions, so I’m cutting other places. We don’t live beyond our means at all. But man, kids are expensive. Food, braces, sports are a massive chunk of mine right there. That’s probably close to $2,000 a month before even getting into houses, cars, utilities. Like I said, I don’t know how people are doing it!

We have littler ones, so child care expense is real issue, and my biggest expense......cars/house are paid for.

 

[ce36ei]

We have littler ones, so child care expense is real issue, and my biggest expense......cars/house are paid for.

Heck, I forgot that one! Our youngest has 1 year of pre school before regular school. $4500 a year.

 

[Joe_Hoopsier]

It’ll cost you dang near $45 for a trip to Arby’s for 4 people!

ANd the sad thing, those people working at Arby's don't get that 20% tip, and they could use it just as much as anyone else, maybe more.
We all should tip fast food people.

 

[IUclover]

Nothing. The cost of some home upgrades were more than usual but that’s it. Holding off on some other purchases until our kid is is daycare. Currently paying over $2k/ month for a nanny, including taxes.

 

[outside shooter]

Ha. I do like Aldi’s.

One of my wife's pet peeves, when we lived in Indiana, was Hoosiers putting 's on the end of everything.

for example,

J. C. Penney became J. C. Penney's
Aldi became Aldi's.
White Castle became White Castle's.

I told her that Long John Silver's was Long John Silver's's (pronounced Long John silvers-ez)

I hadn't really noticed it until she mentioned it. I think I've cut it out.

 

[mrhighlife]

Cutting down on restaurants due to pricing. I feel bad about it because we can afford it and I know the restaurants need the money. But the prices have gotten way too high. Our family of four can’t eat out for less than $100 with tip in last five months.

I work closely with the restaurant industry. They are doing Ok monetarily, for the most part. Buy most accounts if they didn't close during Covid they are well on there way to rebounding to 2019 numbers. The number of new restaurants opening is also reaching pre-covid levels.

The issues for restaurants are staffing and supply shortages.

 

[ce36ei]

One of my wife's pet peeves, when we lived in Indiana, was Hoosiers putting 's on the end of everything.

for example,

J. C. Penney became J. C. Penney's
Aldi became Aldi's.
White Castle becamce White Castle's.

I told her that Long John Silver's was Long John Silver's's (pronounced Long John silvers-ez)

Funny. Rax’s was another one we threw a S on. Heck, it took until adulthood to learn how to pronounce Reese’s. Us south of Bloomington have that weird southern but not quite there accent.

 

[Lucy01]

I have cut back on donations to my local charities.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

Funny. Rax’s was another one we threw a S on. Heck, it took until adulthood to learn how to pronounce Reese’s. Us south of Bloomington have that weird southern but not quite there accent.

One year in college I had a friend from New Jersey. I laughed at his accent, he laughed at mine (Warshington as one). I worked hard to get to the midwest accent.

 

[Cortez88]

Shhhh. Don’t screw it up for us OGs.

Ha. I like it because it’s small and quick to get around. Plus they have really good coffee.

 

[Cavanagh]

Energy industry wages have went up dramatically in the last few years. I didn't have hardly any work in 2015-2017, and really took a dip in trajectory fo my career. So this is a needed catch up period for me.

 

[JamieDimonsBalls]

4 kids aren’t cheap to feed! We’re heading to Disney in a couple weeks. They’ll be alright.

disney costs the same as multiple trips these days. The gouging is ridiculous and you have to pay for the FastPass rides or you’ll spend the entire day waiting

 

[BCCHoosier]

Cutting down on restaurants due to pricing. I feel bad about it because we can afford it and I know the restaurants need the money. But the prices have gotten way too high. Our family of four can’t eat out for less than $100 with tip in last five months.

Was helping my boys move into their apartments for next school year. I needed a break from all the stairs so suggested a quick stop for a mid-afternoon smoothie.

Four of us with 20 percent tip was $34. Joke was in me. I should not have been such a wussy and pushed on.

 

[ce36ei]

disney costs the same as multiple trips these days. The gouging is ridiculous and you have to pay for the FastPass rides or you’ll spend the entire day waiting

Yep. It sucks. We had a covid credit and then had to pay much more on top of it. Bob Chapek can rot.

 

[larsIU]

disney costs the same as multiple trips these days. The gouging is ridiculous and you have to pay for the FastPass rides or you’ll spend the entire day waiting

Never Again.

Say it with me.....NEVER AGAIN.

I've been 4 times in ten years.

 

[mrhighlife]

Its all a double whammy for us Joe Shmoes. Inflation is real. Obama then Trump and Now Biden didn't or haven't done shit to thwart it. On top of that, Companies(larger ones), are taking advantage of the situation. They are raising pricing well above the inflation rate and not increasing average wages.

The average Joe is getting ass blasted big time.

 

[dbmhoosier]

Yep. It sucks. We had a covid credit and then had to pay much more on top of it. Bob Chapek can rot.

Good news is their stock is down around 1/3 since the beginning of the year.

 

[vesuvius13]

We have paid off our house and got rid of any debt preparing for my wife retiring in seven years, I am already retired [disabled]. We have reduced the type of meats we buy, get cheapest brands at Walmart, I buy meats and produce at local market, we have reduced going out to eat. Thankfully my wife walks to work, I don't drive much as gas is outrageous. I worry about the availability of food coming up as food shortages are predicted.

I worry more about my kids as they are getting hammered with gas cost and grocery cost.

 

[outside shooter]

One of our AC units died this morning. Could replace the motor, but it's 14 years old, ancient by Florida standards.

 

[JamieDimonsBalls]

Never Again.

Say it with me.....NEVER AGAIN.

I've been 4 times in ten years.

ive been 5 in 7. I can’t say never, but I’m definitely taking a break

 

[anon_mlxxvlbug9dpa]

Never Again.

Say it with me.....NEVER AGAIN.

I've been 4 times in ten years.

Yes I’m done with Disney. Fully done.

 

[vesuvius13]

Its all a double whammy for us Joe Shmoes. Inflation is real. Obama then Trump and Now Biden didn't or haven't done shit to thwart it. On top of that, Companies(larger ones), are taking advantage of the situation. They are raising pricing well above the inflation rate and not increasing average wages.

The average Joe is getting ass blasted big time.

Are you willing to see gov't spending cuts and the FED increase % rates [I am] as that is what it would take to reduce inflation. Reducing regulation so businesses can produce for less money would help. Name the industries that are raising prices faster than inflation rates, there are some but not like you state.