Catholic Info
Traditional Catholic Faith => The Greater Depression - Chapter I => Topic started by: Matthew on December 05, 2023, 06:48:35 PM
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From a local Facebook group --
How is everyone surviving in this economy?? My husband and I gross $70,000 a year, we drive old cars with no car payments, the mortgage on our home, the rent we pay for the lot it sits on, basic bills (3 of which have increased with no changes to policies/amenities/etc - $40+ each nearly $200 increase in bills with NO CHANGES!), insurance, groceries for our family of 6, gas basic amenities like internet, less than $20 a month on streaming services. We do not live extravagantly be any means. I buy in bulk and we eat basic. We have gone bare minimum for Christmas (spending less than $100 per kid and next to nothing for extended family - like $15 per set of parents and that's it) we are coming to the end of each paycheck with change left in the bank account 😭 we shouldn't be drowning. We do not qualify for assistance of any kind because the government still thinks we are swimming in dough. The same groceries I was spending $500 a month on a few years ago. Im spending $100 now. I went to the grocery store the other day and a weeks worth of grocery was nearly $300 😵💫😵💫 and My husband work full time +, i work part time from home and keep our kids home, so we don't have daycare expenses (because that would completely eat any money I would make outside of the home) I'm so over it. 5-10 years ago $70,000 a year was an upper middle class wage. My car is having problems and I'm trying to figure our where the $200 is going to come from to fix it 😵🫨 I'm just ranting. Looking for camaraderie I guess. This is ridiculous.
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This hit close to home because her household income is VERY close to ours, and we have 5 more kids. But we aren't struggling the way she is. Maybe because we have more kids, and it's all from "his" income, the wife doesn't work?
She proudly states she doesn't use daycare because she's not stupid, but there are a lot of other expenses she probably isn't even considering (gas, fast food, clothing, more beauty supplies for going "out" every day, etc.)
Plus if she wasn't working, the family might qualify for food stamps. :trollface:
Imagine being better off with one less job -- but in today's crazy world, that is actually quite possible. You have to look at the big picture.
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Matthew, she says
My husband and I gross $70,000 a year
so I that's their combined income. (she works from home, so she should rarely require daycare.
also
We have gone bare minimum for Christmas (spending less than $100 per kid and next to nothing for extended family - like $15 per set of parents and that's it)
We should revert to "the good old days" when kids were happy to get a stocking filled (by the parents) with special treats. Pricey gifts are such a waste unless it is something that they need, for example clothing, educational games. I never spent the equivalent of $100 dollars on mine. "Xmas" becomes a matter of "what are you getting?"
a weeks worth of grocery was nearly $300 😵💫😵💫
makes me wonder what sort of groceries she buys. There is so much fancy stuff out there on the shelves which are oh-so-tempting and non-essential (esp if she or her kids see them advertised). I am thinking of breakfast "cereals" like coco pops or such like.
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Maybe watch some online videos about the Depression and how people survived. I grew up in the 1950’s and 1960’s, but my parents never spent the equivalent of $100 per child at Christmas! Not even close! Did we get gifts? Yes, but simple, durable toys that could be passed down or used by the whole family, ie. classic board games, outdoor toys like bat and ball, jump ropes, refurbished bikes and sleds. Sometimes gifts were immaterial. Homemade coupons for outings or breakfast in bed for Mom. If it’s cheap plastic or made in China, forget it! One can waste a lot of money in Dollar Tree!
With food and clothing, keep it classic, basic, simple. Nobody needs 12 pairs of shoes or a sweater in every color. Go to thrift stores for clothing, swap with other families, wear hand-me-downs. Nobody should require two closets and two dresser’s full of attire. With food, buy basics in bulk if possible. Stay away from processed and unhealthful foods.
With cars, buy used, never new. Follow a regular maintenance schedule, wash them at home, forgo the car wash. If possible, change the oil at home. If not, see if there is a discount, like a vocational school that’ll do oil changes and simple repairs for less money than on the open market.
Do the same for haircuts. A school of cosmetology charges half the price of a salon. Or learn to diy. Stick to simple, classic styles. Ladies, keep the nails, make-up, Jєωelry down to minimum. Better a few elegant items than money wasted on costume Jєωelry. If you get tattoos and piercings, just stop! They’re expensive, look cheap, and don’t age well. If the females want simple, pierced earlobes, do it at home. Alternate between a few pairs of tasteful, high quality earrings. Tattoos are unladylike, imo, and earrings on guys sets off my gαydar, again, just my opinion. If you’re a lady from India, a small side nose piercing is tasteful, but that’s as far as it should go.
Keep medical bills down by a healthy diet and lifestyle. Learn some home treatments. If legal in your state, join a health cooperative rather than purchase commercial insurance. Become knowledgeable about common medical conditions and their treatments. Eliminate unnecessary drugs. Sure, your child may need a round of antibiotics for bronchitis, but home remedies for nasal congestion work just as well as prescriptions. Try the chiropractor before signing on for physical therapy twice a week, indefinitely. If you’re in your 80’s and lose a tooth, think before they sell you an implant! A false tooth on a bridge is much cheaper and may work just fine. Unless you’re a model, you probably do not need to get a full set of porcelains. Beware of dentists who want to do root canals on children’s teeth that they’re going to lose anyway. If there’s a medical reason, fine, but if not, why put the child through an unnecessary procedure and empty your wallet? Be sure your family practices good oral hygiene.
Learn skills like cooking, sewing, woodworking, auto maintenance and repair. Does everyone actually need a smartphone? They still make basic cellphones to keep in contact and for safety. Cable TV? As Fr. Fox once said, “Set it up in your backyard and get out a 12 gauge….”
Forget keeping up with the Joneses. Can you live with one vehicle? Then sell the other. Keep home furnishing and decor simple, durable. If you can do your own maintenance, then don’t pay someone else to do it. Kids can mow lawns, plant flowers, a garden, weed, hoe, etc. If your kids can’t do these chores yet, then hire a neighborhood teen. Consider the area where you live. If it’s just too high priced, a move may be wise or even necessary. Check out other income sources. Can you purchase a house to renovate and flip or to rent out? What about an Airbnb? If your children are old enough, are they contributing to the family income? If not, why not? In years gone by, children’s income was not for them to spend on junk food, movies, clothing, etc. It was to help maintain the family! No, taking the money from a child’s after school or weekend job is NOT child abuse. It teaches responsibility and the value of money.
Pray the family Rosary every day without fail. Get to Mass every Sunday and Holy Day. Go to Confession and Communion. See to it the children under your roof do the same. Trust in Jesus and Mary, pray to St. Joseph. God will provide for your family.
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So glad you brought this up, Matthew.
We are simply spoiled brats today. The last few generations have spoiled their kids because they don't want them to "suffer" (really means cultivate virtue). It's hard to say we are not (compared to the depression let's say).
That being said, they are purposely making it harder for families to support themselves.
Now, in order for a man to start a family, he will have to be at least 32 years old, and in no debt, making at least 85k a year. This is where we are at. Not even this bad 4 years ago. Not really close.
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https://htrs-special.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Grocery+Shopping+in+Dillingham+Alaska+-+You+gotta+see+these+prices.+Coming+to+the+lower+48+soon.mp4
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https://htrs-special.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Grocery+Shopping+in+Dillingham+Alaska+-+You+gotta+see+these+prices.+Coming+to+the+lower+48+soon.mp4
which state is this, again?
nvm Alaska, wow I need to read..
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My greatest expenses of the past 6 months have been: 1) groceries 2) propane 3) car repairs
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Quote from: josefamenendez (https://www.cathinfo.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=da0tgk5ei1ojv00ctmujal8fu6&?topic=72756.msg933458#msg933458) 4/11/2024, 9:35:06 AM
https://htrs-special.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Grocery+Shopping+in+Dillingham+Alaska+-+You+gotta+see+these+prices.+Coming+to+the+lower+48+soon.mp4
Dillingham is not on the road system and the only way to get there is by air. (http://Dillingham is not on the road system and the only way to get there is by air.)
This isn't a good example. It's missing a lot of context. Alaska was expensive long before inflation because everything has to be flown in. There aren't even roads in most of it.
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It was cheap long before inflation. I think the whole state cost $7mil.
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While elite public servants party on.
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/politics/g60466805/japan-state-dinner-white-house-2024-fashion-photos/
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Maybe watch some online videos about the Depression and how people survived. I grew up in the 1950’s and 1960’s, but my parents never spent the equivalent of $100 per child at Christmas! Not even close! Did we get gifts? Yes, but simple, durable toys that could be passed down or used by the whole family, ie. classic board games, outdoor toys like bat and ball, jump ropes, refurbished bikes and sleds. Sometimes gifts were immaterial. Homemade coupons for outings or breakfast in bed for Mom. If it’s cheap plastic or made in China, forget it! One can waste a lot of money in Dollar Tree!
With food and clothing, keep it classic, basic, simple. Nobody needs 12 pairs of shoes or a sweater in every color. Go to thrift stores for clothing, swap with other families, wear hand-me-downs. Nobody should require two closets and two dresser’s full of attire. With food, buy basics in bulk if possible. Stay away from processed and unhealthful foods.
With cars, buy used, never new. Follow a regular maintenance schedule, wash them at home, forgo the car wash. If possible, change the oil at home. If not, see if there is a discount, like a vocational school that’ll do oil changes and simple repairs for less money than on the open market.
Do the same for haircuts. A school of cosmetology charges half the price of a salon. Or learn to diy. Stick to simple, classic styles. Ladies, keep the nails, make-up, Jєωelry down to minimum. Better a few elegant items than money wasted on costume Jєωelry. If you get tattoos and piercings, just stop! They’re expensive, look cheap, and don’t age well. If the females want simple, pierced earlobes, do it at home. Alternate between a few pairs of tasteful, high quality earrings. Tattoos are unladylike, imo, and earrings on guys sets off my gαydar, again, just my opinion. If you’re a lady from India, a small side nose piercing is tasteful, but that’s as far as it should go.
Keep medical bills down by a healthy diet and lifestyle. Learn some home treatments. If legal in your state, join a health cooperative rather than purchase commercial insurance. Become knowledgeable about common medical conditions and their treatments. Eliminate unnecessary drugs. Sure, your child may need a round of antibiotics for bronchitis, but home remedies for nasal congestion work just as well as prescriptions. Try the chiropractor before signing on for physical therapy twice a week, indefinitely. If you’re in your 80’s and lose a tooth, think before they sell you an implant! A false tooth on a bridge is much cheaper and may work just fine. Unless you’re a model, you probably do not need to get a full set of porcelains. Beware of dentists who want to do root canals on children’s teeth that they’re going to lose anyway. If there’s a medical reason, fine, but if not, why put the child through an unnecessary procedure and empty your wallet? Be sure your family practices good oral hygiene.
Learn skills like cooking, sewing, woodworking, auto maintenance and repair. Does everyone actually need a smartphone? They still make basic cellphones to keep in contact and for safety. Cable TV? As Fr. Fox once said, “Set it up in your backyard and get out a 12 gauge….”
Forget keeping up with the Joneses. Can you live with one vehicle? Then sell the other. Keep home furnishing and decor simple, durable. If you can do your own maintenance, then don’t pay someone else to do it. Kids can mow lawns, plant flowers, a garden, weed, hoe, etc. If your kids can’t do these chores yet, then hire a neighborhood teen. Consider the area where you live. If it’s just too high priced, a move may be wise or even necessary. Check out other income sources. Can you purchase a house to renovate and flip or to rent out? What about an Airbnb? If your children are old enough, are they contributing to the family income? If not, why not? In years gone by, children’s income was not for them to spend on junk food, movies, clothing, etc. It was to help maintain the family! No, taking the money from a child’s after school or weekend job is NOT child abuse. It teaches responsibility and the value of money.
Pray the family Rosary every day without fail. Get to Mass every Sunday and Holy Day. Go to Confession and Communion. See to it the children under your roof do the same. Trust in Jesus and Mary, pray to St. Joseph. God will provide for your family.
This is great post.
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Dillingham is not on the road system and the only way to get there is by air. (http://Dillingham is not on the road system and the only way to get there is by air.)
This isn't a good example. It's missing a lot of context. Alaska was expensive long before inflation because everything has to be flown in. There aren't even roads in most of it.
I know Alaska is very expensive, but I didn't know that, thank you. I suspect even Dillingham's prices are climbing higher for this video to even be made.
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https://twitter.com/i/status/1778928081589149983
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https://twitter.com/i/status/1778928081589149983
That is premium beef, probably USDA prime or better. Still, that is very very high.
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Having worked in agriculture my entire life, and especially the livestock sector, and being a bachelor doing my own grocery shopping, these threads catch my attention.
The USDA quality grades for beef are Prime (the highest, there is no grade that is better than Prime), Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner.
Prime is typically bought by the restaurant trade or specialty high end meat shops, particularly ones that prepare their own cuts. It is unusual, rare even, to fine USDA Prime in a supermarket. If someone invites you to a home dinner and says they are serving “prime rib”, it probable Choice Rib, and still very tasty at that. The typical consumer likely couldn’t tell the difference by either appearance or taste.
Choice and Select are the grades sold through the retail trade as packaged beef cuts (steaks and roasts). Standard / Commercial / Utility / Cutter / Canner (think old dairy and beef cows) are used for ground beef and processed meat products (think of something like Dinty More Beef Stew or canned Chile Con Carne).
Whoever filmed that focused on the price and panned the camera so quickly it was difficult to read the labels or really look at the cuts … one wonders if they were being intentionally deceptive. I could not see a USDA Quality Grade sticker (stores don’t have to include that information, every shop I’m familiar does, they would want consumers to know they are purchasing a quality product). The only sticker I could see was “Premium Beef”, whatever that means, it’s just something the store stuck on. “Grass Fed” and “Organic” will be more expensive but I don’t see that information on the label. Dairy and meat products are more expensive in the south. Cows don’t like the hot, humid temperature, it’s difficult to grow quality forages in that environment, and these products are often imported from the north and west, adding to their cost. As an example, in 1999 I interviewed for the dairy manager position at Clemson University (I opted not to leave Washington State). They were having to send their raw milk to Virginia for processing.
Still, the video prices seem off the hook. Last week at Fred Meyer (Kroger) I purchased a 3 lb. chub of 93% lean hamburger for $3.49 / lb. on sale (normally $5.99; the standard 80% lean is regularly priced between $3.99 and $4.99 per pound). Looking at this weeks Safeway (Albertson’s) newspaper ad (their beef and pork are hand cut in each store): USDA Choice boneless Chuck Cross Rib and Sirloin Tip Roasts $5.99 / lb; Open Nature brand Grass Fed Angus Top Sirloin Steak $10.99 per lb. As a side note, grass fed is typically more expensive to produce than feedlot grain fed because of the slower growth rate. Yesterday I was at my local Winco (an employee owned supermarket headquartered in Boise, ID) and got a ½ bone in spiral ham with natural juices but no added water: $0.98 per pound. Whole milk was $3.06 per gallon regular price. The Safeway ad I mentioned has a coupon for regular or chocolate milk at $1.77 per gallon.
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Having worked in agriculture my entire life, and especially the livestock sector, and being a bachelor doing my own grocery shopping, these threads catch my attention.
Please clarify, what's with the standard logic behind "sell by" dates?
Most of the meat I buy comes from the clearance section of one or two supermarkets in town that regularly and drastically mark down large quantities of their inventory. The labeled expiration isn't more than a day or two away, yet these do fine in my fridge for up to a week (that's the longest I'd chance it) and only pan-seared to a barely rare center. This is how I can afford good-quality beef and lamb. (Too-cheap poultry, pork, and fish: maybe not.)
I also buy almost all produce from the discount bins too, especially off season when my garden and neighboring farmstands aren't ready yet, and I'll freeze or can large batches year-round. (I grew up being dragged to greenmarkets seeking out the toss-offs by my dad, who knew what it had been like to scavenge during wartime/widespread downturns. That's a whole other topic of how to appreciate the temporal difference between feast and fast.)
It could be an approach to consider whether feeding a large family or only yourself. Never mind the disdain of any who'd turn up their noses.
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We were gifted with deer meat. The package came with ground meat, minute steaks, cutlets. It tastes great. I’m making chili tonight or tomorrow morning.
The meat in the supermarkets are nasty.
I have made hamburgers and meatballs and it was nasty Acme meats (Albertsons). I realize the quality of meat was yuk after I had an awesome burger in Lancaster, PA.
I learned now they are using the clot shot in meats in Missouri. They claim they found bird flu in Pa. in chicken and cows. Those 4h animals are over vaxxed. They are putting labcreated stringy meat at local stores. Yuk.