How are you dealing with inflation?

[konapoppy]

It’s brutal out there. How are you adjusting your spending to deal with inflation?

[strawberry]

Eating less meat. Paying down & off credit cards. Not buying new clothes “just because”. Staying home.

[cjcouple]

I got a PT job on top of my full time one.

I also shop sales, meal plan and only buy what's needed.

One trick is to wait on school/fall shopping until this month. We are actually going shopping today and hoping a lot of the original school/fall line is on sale now.

I also am using Upside App for gas and some grocery items.

Small changes are helping.

ETA: unfortunately this inflation was really bad timing since my 16yo got his license last January and it jacked up my insurance. I also was rear-ended last Christmas and was forced to buy a car at a high price.

[isabel]

I spent $240 on 8 items at Old Navy last night. That’s crazy right?? It appears I could have bought all the same stuff online for $190 and can’t decide if it’s worth going in there and asking them to refund the difference.

Anyway. There are several things at the grocery store that I have simply stopped buying because the price is so ridiculous. Chips are one of those. I get them for the kids every so often, but at full price they’re like $5 a bag now. We’re also eating less meat and I stopped buying higher quality meat and organic milk.

[circa1978]

We pretty much only food shop at Aldi now, or sometimes Sams and Trader Joe's. I was in Target last night and picked up a gallon of milk not realizing it wasn't the house brand, and it was $7. I was shook.

We eat out less (I grabbed an Egg McMuffin and latte at Mcdonald's yesterday and it was almost $10) and are putting off some travel (though we did take several trips this year because we'd been putting them off so long) and buying a new car. It's crazy.

ETA: And I realize that I really know nothing about the economy because I looked up what was up with inflation this week and all I could find is that it is getting so much better? What?

[fryjack2]

Oct 7, 2023 9:45:44 GMT -5 isabel said:

I spent $240 on 8 items at Old Navy last night. That’s crazy right?? It appears I could have bought all the same stuff online for $190 and can’t decide if it’s worth going in there and asking them to refund the difference.

Anyway. There are several things at the grocery store that I have simply stopped buying because the price is so ridiculous. Chips are one of those. I get them for the kids every so often, but at full price they’re like $5 a bag now. We’re also eating less meat and I stopped buying higher quality meat and organic milk.

Call old navy. They should be able to give you a price adjustment over the phone.

[fryjack2]

I don’t buy as much as I used to. It’s like I have a price in my head of what something should cost and refuse to spend more than that.

Like chicken shouldn’t be $15 for two breasts, even if it’s organic. Or a shirt from Old Navy or Target shouldn’t be more than $25.

I’ve been trying to spend less in general, not necessarily because of the rising costs of stuff, but it has helped me not just buy something just because. More conscious buying. Not as much buying of wants.

[dochas]

We have a chest freezer and a large pantry shelf in the basement so we are able to stock up. If it isn't on a good sale we don't buy it. Even at Aldi I stopped buying "extras" like frozen apps and special desserts. We've cut back on eating out and have been going to less expensive places when we do go out. I love eating out and fancy restaurants.

[konapoppy]

Oct 7, 2023 9:46:00 GMT -5 circa1978 said:

We pretty much only food shop at Aldi now, or sometimes Sams and Trader Joe's. I was in Target last night and picked up a gallon of milk not realizing it wasn't the house brand, and it was $7. I was shook.

We eat out less (I grabbed an Egg McMuffin and latte at Mcdonald's yesterday and it was almost $10) and are putting off some travel (though we did take several trips this year because we'd been putting them off so long) and buying a new car. It's crazy.

ETA: And I realize that I really know nothing about the economy because I looked up what was up with inflation this week and all I could find is that it is getting so much better? What?

We all seem to be feeling it more now after a few years. I think part of it is gas price:
www.nytimes.com/2023/10/05/business/energy-environment/diesel-prices-inflation.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
CA is insane - www.vcstar.com/story/money/business/2023/10/06/california-gas-prices-higher-than-national-average/71084586007/

[turkletsmom]

I just started back to work after working very very part time/SAHM at my kids' school, so that's been the biggest thing.

We do 90% of our food shopping at Walmart and Sams Club and only eat at restaurants as a family on special occasions.

My main worry right now is my upcoming increase on our homeowner's insurance. We haven't had a claim or anything, but prices are going up like crazy across the board in Louisiana due to Hurricane Ida from a couple of years ago. I'm scared it's going to increase our monthly escrow by close to $800 a month which is what is happening to friends (we're near NOLA) that already got their bill.

We've also changed how we travel. We've been driving on all of our trips even across the country. The prices of flights for 5 of us is just crazy.

[mambo123]

We used to go out to eat on Friday and Saturday for dinner. And then usually a Sunday Funday mid day too. All of that has stopped. Maybe put on Saturday and a frozen pizza on Friday. Brunch at home on Sunday.

My out of home alcohol consumption has gone way down. I’m in dc where there are now service fees on dining and the waitstaff tells you it’s not a tip. Avg service fee is 18-20%.

We are in a rent controlled apt and I told my husband we won’t be buying a house for years with these interest rates.

[SwimDeep]

I've been trying to pay down debt for years, so I haven't changed my habits too much. I WFH so I haven't had to buy nice clothes in years (though I want to... I'm grateful that most of the stuff out there right now doesn't appeal to me lol).

We successfully added tofu to our diet a few months ago (turns out I just needed to find the right technique for cooking it), which helps some with the cost of meat. But I still spend more than $200 a week on groceries 🙃 so I've actually been okay with cutting back on takeout. We used to get it three times a week. We've cut that back to once a week (average). Sometimes we'll get a small amount of takeout and I make sides/apps to make it a meal. Meal planning helps a bit. I try to plan around cheaper protein and in season veggies (and sales). I do stock up on bulk stuff at Sam's, but I hate those weeks because I end up spending twice what I would on normal grocery runs.

I'm more aware of the power we use, and I can't believe it's taken me so many years to notice how many lights H leaves on 😕

I think the biggest thing, though, is that I have stopped spending $$$ looking for the miracle product for my face 😅

[VillainV]

Eating out less. Buying generic/store brand as much as possible. Less meat, buy what’s on sale and freeze. We cut way back on entertainment (going to see movies, minor-league sports, local festivals, pumpkin patch, etc). Fewer donations to school/PTA stuff.

[macmars45]

Oct 7, 2023 10:38:06 GMT -5 SwimDeep said:

I'm more aware of the power we use, and I can't believe it's taken me so many years to notice how many lights H leaves on 😕

Yes! My H WFH. We live in a pretty sunny area (central WA state) and have big windows to let in natural light. I come home from work at 4pm and the kitchen light is on. Every.single.day. What the heck dude?

I grew up with my dad's mantra of "turn the lights off when you leave the room!". Apparently he did not.

[laurack]

We dont go out to eat much now. When we do it costs double what it used to. I’m willing to pay a premium for the experience of eating out and not cooking or doing dishes but that premium is inching up to a number I’m no longer feeling is worth it. We don’t go to fancy places either! It’s just really expensive to eat out now.

[gretchenindisguise]

Poorly. We are dealing with it poorly and it's been biting us in the ase every month. 🤦‍♀️

[sunnysally]

I feel like growing up poor puts me at a big advantage. We have always been frugal and try to live below our means so we haven't been as hard hit.

We do the majority of our grocery shopping at Aldi and have cut down on the number of snacks and splurge items (like fancy cheese) we buy. Meal planning, shopping sales, eating most meals at home, and buying in bulk is our normal. I have cut back on lunches out to once every two weeks but that is mostly due to trying to eat healthier. I am always looking for coupons, loyalty programs, and apps like Upside to save money. I just saved 50 dollars on cat sitting and cat food using offers available on my credit cards. We use credit cards for everything to get the points/cash back and designate which card to use for which purpose to maximize benefits. We have a card that gives 6x points on groceries and that adds up. Of course, that only works if you are able to pay off cards in full each month.

We have not been impacted by layoffs, have two decent incomes, and don't have debt other than a mortgage. Some of that is due to planning but some is based on luck.

[Leeham Rimes]

I have 3 jobs. I. Am. Tired. Lol. We’ve cut out most of our dining out except for pizza on Friday bc, I NEED pizza. It still isn’t enough. I went to the pet store yesterday and the dogs food was $5 per small bag than last month. Sigh.

[Leeham Rimes]

Oct 7, 2023 10:12:54 GMT -5 turkletsmom said:

I just started back to work after working very very part time/SAHM at my kids' school, so that's been the biggest thing.

We do 90% of our food shopping at Walmart and Sams Club and only eat at restaurants as a family on special occasions.

My main worry right now is my upcoming increase on our homeowner's insurance. We haven't had a claim or anything, but prices are going up like crazy across the board in Louisiana due to Hurricane Ida from a couple of years ago. I'm scared it's going to increase our monthly escrow by close to $800 a month which is what is happening to friends (we're near NOLA) that already got their bill.

We've also changed how we travel. We've been driving on all of our trips even across the country. The prices of flights for 5 of us is just crazy.

Florida is just as insane. We are still renting at this point bc due to the bloated prices and impossibility of HO insurance (some can’t even get any without major house work done), I just can’t take the stress. The next townhouse over just got a 500 a month increase on their association fees. My god.

[ohgillian]

- Checking the grocery store app for coupons.
- Selling some unwanted stuff on ebay.
- Dropping NYT cooking b/c we weren't using it much.
- Being more deliberate about making sure I'm getting the best returns on savings (recently got my first HYSA)

[Velar Fricative]

I’m basically eating 90% vegetarian/vegan now. I’ve quickly realized how many complete meals from batch cooking I can make from non-meat ingredients. Bonus - I feel great.

[isabel]

Oct 7, 2023 9:57:51 GMT -5 fryjack2 said:

Oct 7, 2023 9:45:44 GMT -5 isabel said:

I spent $240 on 8 items at Old Navy last night. That’s crazy right?? It appears I could have bought all the same stuff online for $190 and can’t decide if it’s worth going in there and asking them to refund the difference.

Anyway. There are several things at the grocery store that I have simply stopped buying because the price is so ridiculous. Chips are one of those. I get them for the kids every so often, but at full price they’re like $5 a bag now. We’re also eating less meat and I stopped buying higher quality meat and organic milk.

Call old navy. They should be able to give you a price adjustment over the phone.

So I called and chatted and went back to the store and they won’t do anything about it. So I just bought everything online and will return that order using my in store receipt. So ridiculous.

[blondemoment123]

Definitely taking notes on ideas from this thread!

[loira]

Fewer treats out (Starbucks etc).

The price of groceries and gas in Canada is just horrible. Gas on the island is over $2/L (I don't know what that works out to in gallons). I walk to work for in-office days. We don't eat a lot of meat. We stopped getting routine takeout - now when I don't feel like cooking we'll do canned soup or similar. We don't have any credit card debt but I do carry a small balance on my line of credit, and I don't see being able to pay it off anytime soon. We have no emergency savings.

ETA: I looked it up and the conversion on gas is about $6.15 per gallon.

[Velar Fricative]

Some others because I had to post and run earlier:

1) Eliminating as many subscription services as possible (and only keeping the ones that actually get used and give us value).

2) Re-check work benefits to make sure to see what we can get through work for discounted rates.

3) We recently saved a ton switching home and auto insurance companies. I’m realizing no one company is ever the cheapest, what’s cheapest is switching because new customers seem to get the best rates.

4) Looking for skincare and makeup dupes. I was so reluctant to do this but I realized so much goes into costs that have nothing to do with the product itself. I don’t mind one or two $$$ items if they are truly great for me as long as I’ve found reasonable stuff to complement them.

5) Finally convinced DH to we don’t need to live like polar bears in our house during the summer. One look at the a/c bills did the trick.

6) I drive so much less now. Easy to do in a walkable neighborhood with mass transit, but I still drove more than I needed to before.

Basically we are doing stuff we should have always been doing, frankly. I’m annoyed we waited until we accrued cc debt.

Also, our Disney vacation in August didn’t help. We booked 14 months before so we did a payment plan and we stuck to our budget, but that doesn’t mean it was cheap. We just buried our hands in the sand because it was my kids’ first time plus my first time too, so no regrets but I need to do better getting to a place where I can tell myself it’s okay to not do the things everyone else does “just because.” It’s hard to do that when you grew up with no family vacations or activities.

[JayhawkGirl]

Eating out way less. Scaled our pto donations back substantially. Went back to treat size Halloween (we did full size in ‘21 & ‘22 after Covid Halloween 2020 in our basement made me so damn excited for alllll the kids. Harping on lights out. Upped the temp on the ac beyond what the Nest was already doing.

[Velar Fricative]

SwimDeep, I rediscovered tofu a few months ago after I thought I hated it for years. I just wanted to reduce my meat consumption but turns out it’s delicious when cooked in great recipes and so much cheaper than meat.

[turkletsmom]

Oct 7, 2023 12:04:29 GMT -5 Leeham Rimes said:

Oct 7, 2023 10:12:54 GMT -5 turkletsmom said:

I just started back to work after working very very part time/SAHM at my kids' school, so that's been the biggest thing.

We do 90% of our food shopping at Walmart and Sams Club and only eat at restaurants as a family on special occasions.

My main worry right now is my upcoming increase on our homeowner's insurance. We haven't had a claim or anything, but prices are going up like crazy across the board in Louisiana due to Hurricane Ida from a couple of years ago. I'm scared it's going to increase our monthly escrow by close to $800 a month which is what is happening to friends (we're near NOLA) that already got their bill.

We've also changed how we travel. We've been driving on all of our trips even across the country. The prices of flights for 5 of us is just crazy.

Florida is just as insane. We are still renting at this point bc due to the bloated prices and impossibility of HO insurance (some can’t even get any without major house work done), I just can’t take the stress. The next townhouse over just got a 500 a month increase on their association fees. My god.

Yes, it's crazy. My BFF had to take out a loan to replace her roof (so $30K) in order to not be dropped by insurance. They renewed her but her premium still went up thousands. I don't know how most people are affording it right now.

[skidunks]

I buy the majority of our meat in bulk or marked down. We also don’t eat a lot of expensive meat, mainly ground turkey or chicken breasts/thighs. I make sure to shop on days when my fuel points are doubled or more. I shop at Costco for snacks. I go to the markdown section of the store and buy anything that looks like something my boys would eat. We don’t go out to eat very often. I cut way back on drinking and really only drink on special occasions.

[wildrice]

We are lucky because my H got a big raise at the beginning of the year, so we haven't felt it much in terms of being unable to do things. However, we are saving far less than I thought we would be when the raise was announced. But we mostly just complain a lot because it is shocking how much certain things cost, and I have a lot of concern about how people in our communities are going to be able to absorb this.

My H has been talking to a company about switching jobs, and it would likely come with a significant pay cut and potentially the need to buy a 2nd car. I feel like an asshole but I don't feel very supportive of this. I am sure we could make it work somehow and I agree getting a different job might reduce his stress, but I don't think this particular job is a good choice in this economy. So I guess that's another way.