I'm definitely feeling the pressure. Food costs have doubled since last year, bills and other costs have gone up 15% to 50%, and my income hasn't kept pace.

Lousy.

Surving ,could be worse ,I'm not eating at the soup kitchen,I'm paying rent

My utilities have gone up like $500 a month which is insane. My food costs have prob risen similarly for 5 of us. I’ve been in the same house since 2011, so at least I have that going for me. This house is too small for us, but we are in no place to be able to move.

I’m doing alright. A little burned out by my job but it pays the bills. If it were just me and I didn’t have other obligations I’d probably move to southeastern OH where my sister moved a few years ago - they rent a 3 bedroom house for about what I pay for my 1 bedroom apartment in Worcester.

Opinion:

I am neither doing good nor bad.

Not so long ago, accepted a promotion with a pay raise, but they cut my hours, so ultimately I am bringing home the same. In that regard, I am frustrated. I am a minimalist (I always have been), so my needs have generally not been extensive. But it still feels like a "gut punch" to be working harder, being "technically" paid more, but bringing home less or the same.

I am arguably being considered for another promotion, but I am unsure if I will want it. They've been talking about a salary position, but the number of hours and workload, in many ways it will seem like I am making less, even though technically, I'll be paid more. I've done the math on the hours vs pay ratio, and I don't think I'd be happy with the newly founded "status quo" I could be facing.

That said, because I am a minimalist and because I was not born with a silver spoon, a dollar goes a lot longer for me than it does for some people. In that sense, I am financially "smarter" (for a lack of a better word).

But I digress. I am neither doing good nor bad. Bills are paid, the house has food, and nothing at the moment of concern, but I don't feel spectacular either.

I'm doing okay financially, but housing costs have made it feel like I'm failing. I've been looking for a better rental or to take the next step and buy for some time. With the cost of rent now, though, there's no way I'm going to sink that much money into something I don't own. Despite the prices, I was fairly close to being able to buy a condo or a small house, but the interest rate hikes shot that right back out of reach. And options are extremely limited, so anything within my price range gets snapped up too fast for me to feel like I can properly research the property. It's a mess. My only real option if I lose my current place would be to move back in with my mom.

Barely surviving. Latest issue is unexpected car issues that will cost $5K to fix for a 2010 Ford Escape with 90K+ miles on it and three more car payments. This is just the tip of the iceburg.

Surviving? Got a promotion, but feels like a pay cut with the rising expenses. My pay band is where I said I'd be able to afford a house ~3 years ago. Now? Can't even save enough for a down payment - at least in the time frame I would be able to before. Forever renting from a landlord who wants their house back eventually.

Fucking bad lmao what did you expect

We bought our place in 1988 and paid off the mortgage in 2000 and socked the mortgage payments away to pay for kid's college and retirement. Yes, prices are way up an I am concerned and we've made adjustments to spending but there's not much that the average person can do.

I recently had to think about if I could afford a large expense. I’ve never in my adult life felt like anything I wanted or needed was out of reach.

I’ve typically been able to figure out any purchase. I am stumped on this one. Fortunately it’s not a need, but it would be nice.

Meh 🤪 definitely feeling a pinch with the bills, but I did get a decent raise last year. We have always been terrible with money which doesn’t help. One thing we lucked out on was getting on the town’s municipal electricity plan (11 cents/kWh for generation) so #winning there.

Retired and can’t make it. Took in a roommate and a, working part time. Needed to retire due to health but Medicare can just fuck off. It should be called Medicant, as I we can’t cover any of your meds or doctors visits even though you worked your whole life as a teacher and couldn’t save shit even though you worked two jobs.

I had a colonoscopy four days after I was laid off. Luckily nothing serious was found.

I got a decent severance and my employer is covering health insurance for six months, plus I got two interviews next week. Also a Florida vacation is coming up. I got that going for me, which is nice.

Making more money than ever and yet more in debt than ever

pressure seems jacked up on everything - work, life. even if you’re doing well, i feel like you know things are not good in general

It’s been a long tiring week.

Income hasn’t kept pace for multiple decades by now, and especially as of late like you said

90% out there in the world seem pretty unhappy

Not a coincidence that the other 10% hoards wealth

I'm honestly wondering how much longer things can go on this way. I'm better off than most of my friends, and things are terribly tight for me. I have a feeling that There are a hell of a lot of quietly desperate people out there, and they are going to start falling off the edge of the cliff one by one.

We're really overdue for riots in the streets!

I’m grateful for the frugality practices I learned in the 1970’s from my parents who grew up in the Great Depression.

I’m grateful that the days are lengthening.

I worry like heck for everyone who lives as they did before: their costs will be terrifying.

Whole day I’m fucking busy only get few money

That’s the sad part, people talk about houses and children but for many it’s rent and food 👎

I'm on the old side - the last of the boomers, by some accounts - and things have never been as bad in my lifetime as they are now.

Been laid off for almost a year here, dying to go back to work. I'm in the trades which are extremely busy but currently in our local union there are a few members laid off right now. Hoping it picks back up in the spring for us. Luckily our health insurance is still active during layoffs.

Feels bad man. Can't afford to do anything fun at all because I really need to save every dollar towards some kind of emergency fund. Going to a restaurant this weekend for the first time in 4 months... Have had to cancel events with friends because we couldn't afford it... Have spent more time outside walking/exploring (because it's free) but that's kind of a positive.

We've started getting most of our produce and pantry items from a local quasi-food pantry because our grocery bills were getting overwhelming. But I also know having any money saved up is a blessing.

Can you also get mass health on top of Medicare? I don’t know how it works.

I’m sorry you are having this stress after a life time of teaching.

Yeah, those parents who lived through the depression learned a lot!

I’m ok right now, but I feel like it’s all going to fall apart any moment. My house needs some big repairs, and I’m putting them off as long as possible. I’m hoping my car doesn’t need anything. I went without snow tires this year, and luckily we didn’t get much snow. I’ve changed my food buying choices quite a bit. The idea of going out to eat seems scandalous.

This shit sucks ass. The country is increasing unaffordable to the the vast majority of the population. And it’s not going to change because the two political parties have their heads in each other’s asses.

Meanwhile, the world and the country is literally on fire.

You have money left over?

it's hard to describe...

I have a high salary, and work in a field that will reliably keep my salary high for the foreseeable future. but I also am still feeling stretched in ways that I wasn't as recently as 2-3 years ago, and have basically abandoned the idea of ever owning a home. I absolutely adore Boston and will never leave, but there's no question the expense of life is getting out of control.

and, thinking on this always make me realize, if people like me are feeling a pinch, then many people around me are likely on the brink. and I worry about how bad things will get...

You can, but you need to be financially eligible. And it’s not hard to make too much to qualify.

Oh, of course. That sucks

Utilities and groceries cost itself confines us at home most of the time now. I want to bring the kids out but everything is just so expensive. Hell even stopping by McDonalds is like $20 for the family.

Really broke but still have many blessings to focus on. Hang in there everyone.

glad I live in Massachusetts, because it sucks just that much less here

No you cannot get both.

Yes. You can. My mother has both. I also worked as a case manager for a few hundred clients who had both a few years back. You just have to be eligible for both. There’s even an entire system here in MA built for folks with both masshealth and Medicare. There’s onecare for those who are disabled under 65, then there’s things like senior whole health for those 65 or older which is a Medicare advantage plan and both combines your Medicare and masshealth benefits under one plan. Or, like many, you can use them separately with Medicare being the primary and masshealth being a secondary insurer.

They keep raising my mortgage and I’m gonna have to raise rent tomorrow on my guy after 7 years. Gonna be a fart in a funeral moment for sure. Living alone is hard. I see why guys die early. 50 hr weeks to be at 0. I’m so tired. Prob be in tax debt for workin so much. Even better than zero. having negative fake money.

Then it’s called a “supplement” and isn’t true regular insurance and it really doesn’t do much.

If by not doing much you mean: pays the monthly Medicare fee (what’s that, $165/month now?), covers medications, and picks up your share of the costs from appointments after medicares paid their portion, as well as providing vision/dental care and rides to medical appointments. Then sure. It does nothing.

Those onecare and senior plans also provide additional benefits, including a whole team of case managers, home care services, and non medical rides.

I’m not really sure what you mean by “isnt true insurance”. Masshealth picks up where Medicare stops. I’m not sure what your idea of having both would mean besides…one picking up where the other leaves off. Of course it’s supplemental, you can’t have two insurers paying the exact same portion of the same bill. That doesn’t mean you don’t have both insurances.

Yep. I am feeling this. It’s everywhere… utility bills are outrageous even in this relatively mild winter… food is basically 2x what it used to be. Have I cut back on stuff? The answer is yes.

Pretty shit.

Will be leaving once my partner's gig is up. Too many transplants, too many chains -- the city I love is dying and fast.

Waiting for SMOC to pay my fuel assistance. 4mos past due. They claim they’ll pay once the shut-off moratorium (March 15th) happens. Hopefully National Grid won’t turn off my power before they pay.

Was working for a company getting paid well, insurance paid too for family, then they decided to sell said company got a pay cut on top of having to pay for insurance again so really just a fat pay cut, rents going up 200$ march i have a 3 month old daughter, things I didn’t think I would experience as a CDL driver, I have my A but alot of companies at the moment that I see don’t pay much or require you to run cross country which is the only thing I won’t do, going to try and get my hoisting license maybe operate cranes or something but mean time I have no choice but to start doing some kind of side hustle soon…

Oh, just wait, you’ll see, you’ll see. Not gonna argue my reality.

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Nothing has changed for me.

More stressed and depressed than I've ever been...when will it end....?

I’d say I’m waiting for the day that my kids are outta daycare because its basically just paying my mortgage again, but it’s just gonna be putting that same almost away for their college education. The continued rise of that cost is utterly terrifying.

I'm doing fantastic. Vocational School FTW!

I'm doing slightly okay again because I got injured and have to give up on my hobby for a couple of months. But it's gonna go back to complicated when I get back to it. Me and partner have low to low-ish income, low rent and no utilities. Otherwise I don't know how we'd fare.

I’m blessed to be surviving just fine. Have a massive tax bill which is stressing me out but besides that glad to be doing okay

We are doing fine here. We were fortunate to purchase our house here well within our budget about a decade ago, and although costs have gone up, we have not had to necessarily change anything because of that. I do know that some of the dry good type of things we would purchase at the grocery store have doubled in price, as have eggs and a number of other things. This can definitely be a problem if you have a larger family or are on a tight budget.

I am fully aware commodity costs have gone up quite a bit, but it's not something that has impacted our day-to-day decision making.

We are fortunate, and we know that, not everybody was in a position to buy a house when prices were decent and interest rates were low.

I truly don't envy a couple of friends of ours who are middle age and are looking to buy a house after going through a divorce or some other financial difficulty, it's nearly impossible for them, whereas it shouldn't be that difficult ( Not that it ever was easy) in normal times.

I feel you man daycare is really expensive. We are paying 1.6k a month. It's crazy. That's for 4 days a week.

I’m good

Moved in with my parents after college to focus on finding a job and housing. Job search has been super competitive for wages that wouldn’t allow me to rent within the state. Doing all that I can to save up rn and bust my ass at my current job while trying to manage my job search in my free time. Even with all that I’m saving I’d be able to afford rent for a year but I’m afraid I’ll be outpaced and have to move back home again. Super grateful that I have my parents and managed my college debt so well when I was 18, but I can see how bleak things look for those around me and it’s very upsetting.

Oh I believe that. I have two little guys; one who just moved up to first steps (4 days/week) and another who is almost done with daycare (5 days/week). It’s approximately $3.4k/month.

My wife and I make good money, but it’s over $7k a month for just the mortgage and childcare. Doesn’t even touch groceries or utilities or a car payment or anything else.

Trying to hang in there. Food keeps going up, not just at the store but take out is like a mine field trying to find something affordable to eat.

Yeah, definitely feeling a bit of a pinch. Food is ridiculous, told my husband we need to stop eating. We are both retired, I’m thinking about picking up a part time job to help close the gap. I thought we would be all set for retirement but I’m seriously doubting that now.

I'm fine. We bought a house right before the pandemic, so we were lucky because we would not be able to buy a house right now. At least not without being house poor. We've got no kids and decent salaries, so the cost increases haven't bothered us, although our electric bill doubling was concerning.

I'm extremely worried about the future though, climate change societal collapse... hell if the Yellow Stone super volcano blows we're all toast (literally). I started getting into survivalism as a hobby, but that community is full of Trump lunatics.

Luckily fine. We bought a house before the pandemic, then refinanced twice into the low 2’s. Our housing costs are relatively stable for that reason, so other increased costs are not as noticeable. I feel bad for the friends that keep having insane rent increases or are getting into mortgages much higher than mine for half the house. I look at the value of my current home coupled with current interest rates and realize I couldn’t afford to live here if I was buying it today.

A needle in the haystack

If we had a CEO tax penny for every other boomer yelling about bootstraps our entire lives

The comedy of these people telling everyone they’ll magically become bloodsucking and greedy just because they grow older

Thanks for not being an asshole

Just keep bootstrapping and telling everyone they’ll become greedy bloodsucking conservatives just from their age increasing

I think that’s what uncle regan told us at least. So if we just keep hoping, maybe we will all be trickled upon! Any day now. Annnny day.

Just wait I’ll see? As I said, my mother has both. I manage all of that. If you don’t have both then what you’re doing is arguing our reality, not your own.

If you do have both, you should really join a managed plan and get yourself one of those case managers since you clearly don’t understand the benefits.

It's funny, because the way a lot of people talk about boomers now is exactly the same way we talked about older generations ourselves! Selfish, close-minded, evil old bastards. I guess it's a reminder that stereotypes are never wholly true.

Personally I grew up with the 0.01%, in the third richest town in America. We weren't rich, and I was bullied constantly. That gave me an enormous hatred of bullies and the rich that has lasted all my life. It also gave me a great understanding of the psychology of the elite. They really don't see us as human beings; we're cattle to them, profitable but potentially dangerous cattle who must be exploited and controlled.

People laughed at me for saying so, but as the decades passed my predictions came true again and again - not that it helped me at all. The role of Cassandra is pretty damned frustrating, and saying "I told you so" doesn't make it any better.

Despite the cliches, the older I got the more politically radical I've become. At this point I see the system as terminal, corrupt beyond repair. Reform isn't possible. Our only hope for survival as a species (if it's not too late) is taking to the streets, shutting the worldwide economy down, and overthrowing the power elites - including the oligarchs, the media, the corporations, and ALL the politicians.

If that's possible.

Blah blah blah blah

Lol, so sad.

Sitting in my car on my break after an insane lunch rush. Thinking about the homework I need to get done tonight. Honestly just trying to survive working full time and being a college student.

Not well. Unemployed and truly losing hope for my desires and goals within this society

Thankful to be living in a muni. Utility costs rising is the last thing I need.

prepping where is your home? I’d like to raid it once the collapse happens.

Sure. I live in Worcester, come at me bro

(X) Doubt…. But thanks for doing that hard work for me.

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Relax.

Sorry, I get silly sometimes

Cmon what are you two? Someone gave you a valid suggestion to try to legitimately help you get a better hand in life and you’re being rude. Why?

Barely surviving. Fuel cost, food cost, energy cost, medical cost for diabetes, housing cost! I make good money and I am just getting by. I feel for people who work just as hard but earn less

I've 90% internalized that I need to have different expectations of lifestyle than how I grew up. And, that it's not a personal failing to live a simpler life than my parents were able to have. So that makes it a little easier.