When I woke up on July 4th, 2021 I knew I was waking up in a new America. Unfortunately, not for the better. Many of the firework displays were canceled due to the inability of the counties to prepare for the sacred event in sufficient time. Really? Or perhaps no one truly wanted to celebrate what America has become?
Over the holiday weekend there were 540 shootings, of which 189 people were killed and 516 were injured in just 72 hours. Instead of shooting off fireworks, we’re shooting each other? If this is the new America, one filled with hatred, anger and mistrust, you can keep it. I want no part of it. This is not the America I had envisioned in my mind from past experiences. This is a whole new, divisive America that more and more people want to forget.
I stopped watching the news months and months ago. Why watch or listen to it? It’s all lies anyway. They’re not telling any of us the truth. Look around you. What do your own eyes and ears tell you? People are getting poorer and poorer with each passing minute. That’s the reality. I don’t engage in social media anymore. Tik Tok to me is what a clock does. I think people have become boorish and rude. If I see one more “fake happy” party event on Facebook I think I will scream.
Life in America is hard right now. And getting harder by the hour. Each and every single one of us have been through a horrific pandemic experience. It may take years before we realize what has happened to all of us. Many of us have lost loved one (me included) and we’re not going to get over our loss. Many of us have lost jobs that are never coming back (my husband included). Many of us are discovering the perils of inflation and how we are being deceived by both the government and product and service suppliers. Just this past week, it was uncovered how General Mills shelved all their previous products and repacked them in more concise, larger containment and yet will be charging the same price (for less) if not more in the very near future.
What kind of fools do they take us for?
I am finding it more and more difficult each day to come on my blog and post something positive. I just can’t do it anymore because it isn’t the truth of how I feel. Realistically, I’m depressed. I know what’s coming up ahead and I just don’t want to do it anymore. I was stockpiling food because I thought I would need it to get through this pandemic. Turns out my stockpile is going to become a much-needed resource to get us through this inflationary period. Which BTW, will never see prices come down any time soon, if at all.
Over the holiday, my family ( a party of 4 and 1 grandchild) stopped in a quaint restaurant for lunch. We ordered two pizzas (13″) and two salads for all of us to split. Two beers for the guys. Two coffees for the ladies. The bill came to $104. Before the tip. We stopped afterwards at a newly opened brewery and had one beer sampler and one glass of beer. That bill came to $64. Sorry guys, but these prices are outrageous. The food looked and tasted great but the costs made this outing the last of its kind for a while.
Say goodbye to our old lifestyle. Welcome to the new America. A land quickly becoming the land of the haves and the have-nots.
Cindy, I read this the other day and I think you will agree Quoting George Bernard Shaw -“The longer I live, the more convinced I am that this planet is used by other planets as a lunatic asylum.” LOL – But that certainly would explain a lot. Mary Ellen
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There’s a reason why they’re starting to admit to seeing flying saucers!! I agree. Thanks for the laugh. I needed it!!
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Hi Cindi, I so understand your feeling depressed with having a budget deficit trying to cut your food bill and then spending so much on one lunch! Especially since you make pizza so cheaply at home! And even considering stop using King Arthur bread flour because of its price! Did your daughter split the bill? Do you let your daughters know how inflation is so very hard on your fixed income retirement? I aggressively have cut cost for the last five months of my groceries, utilities , teen help, and went back to doing DIY improvements using various techniques. I sat down and wrote out my strategic plan and why I am ANGRY over this monetary volatility and societal changes. It seemed to calm my emotional upheaval and depression.
We had all of the towns in our area host their fireworks this year. I watched them out of my bedroom. My daughter went to the top of her mountain and watched four at once. Sincerely Lara
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Lara, thankfully my SIL picked up the lunch tab. Unfortunately, my husband wanted to reciprocate and unknowingly picked up the beer tab, only to be shocked. Oh well. At least we all had a fabulous time, right? It seems every.single.thing we are doing now has seen a price increase. I had my dog’s nails cut. last month it was $11. This month it was $25. I was forced to buy a pair of clippers and will have to learn to do this myself. Hubby had to add a quart of oil in his car. last time the oil cost $7.99. Today the same oil cost $10.99. This is insane!
My kids, right now, are awash in cash so they aren’t feeling anything. But a quick talk with my SIL and he reveled business is slow and lay offs may be coming. UGH!
I already outlined my own strategic plan BUT what I didn’t plan for was the cost of EVERYTHING rising. How do you budget for that?
I decided to turn everything back over to the Lord. I need supernatural help. LOL! Once I did that, I no longer feel depressed. It’s in God’s hands now. We’re doing the best that we can.
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So are you going back to church services too?
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Lara, I never belonged to any church. I’m a Born Again Christian. Sometimes I listen to Joel Osteen. he is very uplifting. The main person I tune in to however is Joyce Myers. She is very good and at least has some common sense. I watch them both mainly on YouTube, preferably before I go to bed. I used to watch the 700 Club but without Pat Robertson there, it’s not very interesting.
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“I already outlined my own strategic plan BUT what I didn’t plan for was the cost of EVERYTHING rising. How do you budget for that?” This is what I did personally. I Threw out my original 2021 budget figures realizing they were not what was accurate for what was happening. Budgets are only a guideline or in this environment wishful thinking. There are three ways to balance income to outgo. 1. Cut expenditures, 2. Increase income. 3 Tap savings or other assets. So- For five months I reign in grocery spending cut by 66%), and utility cost down 33% and paid 40% heating with rewards, cut teen help by 95%,, and between rewards, sales, and DIY I saved 95% of the estimated kitchen improvements quotes and replacing the wood and screening on my back porch. Love You Tube for instructional videos. I lucked out getting the wood last year and the paint. I paid one third what it would have cost currently and got it delivered for free as opposed to $79 being charged now. So I didn’t have to tap savings or assets, and I bought 500 shares of a preferred stock paying 9.85 % with this money saved and I didn’t spend. This pays $110 monthly Increasing my income for the rising cost of everything. I will continue to aggressively cut cost and invest to grow the income with the savings throughout this year. I don’t need any clothes for the foreseeable future having replaced my wardrobe with 75% off sales at Macy’s with my weight loss. So I eliminated this budget line and I have gifts cards from my kids for movies, crafts, and Hime Depot they gave me during Covid19 for my Birthday. I cut my gift giving budget by 25%,, restaurants by 59%. My freezer is stocked piled for those nights I don’t want to cook or to busy to cook. This works for two people beautifully you can have different meals you prefer. Sincerely Lara
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Lara, I’m trying out a new system. The two main things I am concerned about is our trip to Florida this winter and our property taxes. The Frugal Queen Of France (who I consider to be the most well respected frugalista on the planet) recommends setting up a goal and then saving for it. So that is what I am doing. Based on the new rental agreements and an estimation of where gas prices may go, I need $3875 for round trip (2600 miles), 8 nights in KOAs as we travel back & forth (4 days each way) and 3 months rental in Florida. The second part is I need $3800 for my property taxes bringing the total needed to $7675. So far, I have saved $1800, and I will have accumulated an additional $3856 by the end of September, guaranteed. I am short $2,000….which means I need to save at least an additional $340 a month till December. This I am going to accomplish by making cuts to our budget, especially our food budget. There is no way we can increase income nor do we want to tap in to any of our assets. Cutting expenses is the best solution for us at this time. My biggest problem is that I order from Amazon a bit too freely. I cured that by writing down everything I want to purchase from Amazon and then asking myself if it’s really necessary. If not, I don’t order it! Plain and simple.
This is how we plan on getting through this year.
next year, if inflation is still rampant, then I have a whole new bag of tricks. We don’t need to vacation in the summer. Winter is non-negotiable BUT I may be amenable to reducing our time there. February in the northeast is THEE worst freezing month. Maybe include a week or two before and after February to help bring down the costs.
I think I have everything else under control. The sticker shock is like so over.
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Good luck on obtaining your goal. Are you still doing this summer rental in the Newport area? I save for goals too. My kitchen renewal was actually supposed to be done in spring 2020 and my porch last August. I had all the cost saved. Losing the weight I did I have the energy to accomplish so much more and freed up these targeted savings for income production. As you said before there’s a time when you will have to pay the higher prices and I am preparing for that day. Sincerely Lara
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Lara, yes. That’s already paid for. I had a long time to pay it off, thankfully. I thunk this new concept, for me, at least, saving for goals is going to work out much better. I like it! I just canceled my WW renewal. I’m paid up till the end of August. I should achieve that goal also (lost weight). Kudos to your kitchen renewal!! It’s all good.
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IMHO you have accomplish some major goals -purchased a replacement truck big enough to get to the Grand Canyon and the right sized RV and aren’t you close to having that paid for? Give yourself a Pat on the back. You have designed a fantastic retirement. Winters in Florida and The rest of the year in the Hudson Valley beauty. Sincerely, Lara
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Thanks Lara. It’s going to be a challenge to keep up our retirement, but a challenge nonetheless that we can master. Traveling out west right now is a bit unpredictable. So, in the interim, we were thinking of heading up north to Alaska next summer? Once Canada opens up again, I think we are going to do that while we wait for the wild, wild west to simmer down!
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