Living Paycheck To Paycheck Article

**bagpipes00** · 10-19-2007, 05:56 PM

Here's a story from Yahoo on living paycheck to paycheck, and the rising costs of...well, everything! I myself feel the pinch at the end of the pay period, and am considered to get paid pretty well (not for California however). What are your thoughts on the article and the rising prices of groceries and other items?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071019/...hing_paychecks

**Marie78** · 10-19-2007, 07:48 PM

What a great article. I notice that I am fairly conservative with my spending all month. I have a good mix of bills that keep me paying throughout the month. That leaves me trying to pace my spending (on food and other essentials).

I have noticed that the rising cost of groceries/other market items have resulted in my buying more ground beef each month and coming up with creative ways to stretch it into a few different meals each week. I also find myself bringing leftovers from home for lunch the next day, some days my lunches seem kind of paltry (whatever is leftover, and some nights I will eat less at dinner to have enough for my lunch the next day). I also don't buy enough veggies or fruits. Pasta is a staple each week.

I do frequent the discount stores though, especially the $1 store. It just helps me to stretch the dollars I do have.

I can't complain too much, I make a decent amount of money each pay check. I just see that each year what I am bringing home for $ pays for less and less.

**peanut** · 10-19-2007, 08:34 PM

Wow! I guess things are really getting bad in the US. I'm noticing things are more expensive here, but I chalked the increase in grocery budget to changes we made in our diet.

I rarely buy other things, but the things we've noticed have really jumped in price are furniture and any kind of contract work!

Jean

**jlaporte** · 10-19-2007, 08:42 PM

i agree. we are a family of 5 living on 1 pay check. i agree we spend less than when we had 2 paychecks but we still need the same things. what is hard is when you know by the guidlines you qualify but still get turned down and the people down the street who make more but lie get it all given to them.
I find i try to do all the cooking from scratch.coupon.reduce reuse and make it stretch. but honestly everything is going up and we as a people just cant keep up.i do feel we us frugal people are a step ahead because we have been adjusting.tweking our budgets to be able to buy our kids fruits and veggies and milk.yeah junk is cheeper but where will be on junk?in dept with hospital bills.no matter what happens we need to prpare and save every pennie. we are going into holiday stress time real soon.things will get harder before better.thats why i stockpile every chance i can because we wont be able to make ends meet if the economy keeps failing.But honestly what bothers me is the people that cry poverty in the expensive clothes?i have seen people parents buy themselves the most expensive brand name i dont even know of before buying food for there kids? or paying the light bill.these people are the first ones to go get welfaire.whats up with this. i know i am rambeling i just have so many thoughts om this. IT IS SCAREY TO THINK HOW HARD IT MAY GET.

**Momof4cats** · 10-19-2007, 09:18 PM

I've always felt that things would get worse in several ways....financially, spiritually/morally, etc. I'm going to be looking for my own house in about 6 months (ok, I'm already looking but I won't be ready to buy until then

) and I'm torn between wanting something in town, because of commuting time/gas prices, and getting something with enough land to have a good sized garden/orchard. I already work 2 jobs, so it'll be a struggle. But I think it's time to hunker low and prepare for a stormy time.

**Lambie** · 10-20-2007, 06:48 AM

Wow, thanks for a super post and read!!! This sure puts into perspcective what we have all been seeing this past year!!! I agree, you can't stockpile on good sales enough or budget your money enough...I do think it will only get more expensive as time goes on....I thank goodness I'm happy being frugal and have the knowledge to get us through hard times!!!!!!!!!! Take care, Katy

**Dancing Lotus** · 10-20-2007, 10:03 AM

That was agood article. I think Im going to play ostridge and put my head in the sand for a while. I dont want to think about it getting worse. I cant make any more cut backs other then shutting off the electritity.

**rachelMcK** · 10-20-2007, 10:55 AM

Things should be getting a little better in Canada. I was watching the news last night and saw a feature on how walmart is lowering prices because our dollar is high now. Hopefully this will help some people!

**auntie2many** · 10-20-2007, 01:48 PM

I read that article this morning. Yes, things are getting so expensive. Good thing we have each other here to share frugal ideas with. I don't post a whole lot, but I glean so much from all of you. Thank you!

**redhead68** · 10-20-2007, 09:50 PM

I never used to clip coupons, but I've found myself doing it more frequently over the past few months. The interesting thing is that despite using those coupons and handing over my personal information for a King Soopers (Kroger) discount card, I'm still spending just as much as I did last year for the same groceries. My price book history shows a 25% increase since this time last year. Ouch!

To compensate, we're buying fewer convenience foods and stocked up on staples. We've simplified our diets and now spend each weekend preparing meals for the week. It's a lot of time spent, but on the plus side, we're eating a much healthier diet now.

**YankeeMom** · 10-20-2007, 10:41 PM

It is interesting that with all the increased prices/interest rates...yet this coming year's (2008) cost-of-living "raise" in military/goverment pensions is the lowest in nearly 10 years. Only 2.3%

**TheRootedNomad** · 10-22-2007, 07:08 AM

I found the article just more validation for some of the threads we've had here discussing rising prices, and for the conversations I've had with DH about the way it's the gas prices rising that's causing the prices of everything else to go up. The increase is passed down with prices going up. The consumer pays the increase but the wage paid to that consumer (especially the service profession) isn't increasing at nearly the same rate.