Has any noticed how expensive everything is getting?

[spring]

Is it me or has everything been getting more expensive? We are planning on adding on to our home, but my goodness the materials are sooo expensive. It seems every phase of our lives have gotten more and more expensive. I don't know about anyone else, but my wages haven't gone up in 5 yrs and I see gas and groc.. have always gone up; but when we want to replace something/ housewares, sheetes & towels, furniture, appliance large or small..I'm shocked at the prices. I am forced to shop second hand...but somethings can't be purchased second hand. This world has gone crazy...this globalization crap has gone too far. We use to have more selections, now Lowe's or Walmart offer 1 or maybe 3 choices of an item if your lucky...A the choices are not always..good, better or best. It's hard to get your money's worth. It's getting harder to stretch your dollar these days.

[boffler]

Spring I totally agree, just buying sheets for a bed needs a loan. I don't know how families with children can afford to eat the prices on food is ridiculous, and it is cheaper to eat the stuff that is more filing than healthy.

[determined]

If I can I always buy second hand, love yard sales that are actually yard sale prices. Can remember just kind of laughing under my breath at Mom, she loved tomato juice and they rarely served it there at the home, told her that when I went to the store I would pick her up some small single serving cans, she was always worried about me spending our money on her and so at first said not to bother, told her that if she wanted it she was getting it, she said well only get me 6 they should only be 5 or 10 cents a can. Used to be no big deal to give a room a fresh coat of paint every couple of years, now the paint is so expensive you had best like the color you pick because you're stuck with it for a long time.

[JoS]

Amen all over the place! With 3 men eating here and myself, groceries are out of this world!

[Mayebarnes]

amen to all of the above...

and then when I see a young couple with 2-3 kids eating at McD ..laying out enough money that would buy a decent amount of "real" food. it makes me cringe.

I imagine a lot of the cost of our food is in the transportation charges... price of gasoline,, and the huge trucks (and their repair work).. also importing from so far away.. however nothing ever seems to go back down except on very seasonal products... when something like strawberries have an abundant crop.

yep we too shop second hand ,and yard sales.. All my pillowcases are mismatches from yard sales.

[Nalani]

I don't buy much nowdays but have noticed that food especially has gotten more expensive now days.

Sometimes when I'm in line at a checkout I look at what the young people ahead of me are getting. So many buy junk sort of foods instead of wholesome ones. Carts full of cookies, chips and soft drinks.

[Connie]

Yes, I agree with you all. I'm shopping more at the 99 cent store and another one called "Just 99 Deals".
I'm trying to lose some weight and want to eat the right kind of diet for a diabetic. Good thing I planted some tomatoes, squash and swiss chard -- except the water bill will be sky-high. Can't win.

I've noticed too, that Walgreen's used to have their vitamins on sale -- buy one bottle - get one free -- now it's buy one - get one-half off the second bottle.

[spring]

Connie you may spend a little more on your water bill, but you will have healthy good veggies...at least you know where they came from and what you put on them..(i.e. pesticides or not).

[JoGee]

I agree with everyone here. Plus, utility prices, phone prices, all of that has gone up, too. But I still remember first shopping for my mom, a big loaf of bread was 10 cents, the fresh-baked bakery bread was 25 cents. When I was 21 with 2 kid's, milk was 25 cents a quart. So shopping still gives me "sticker price shock". I try to buy everything on sale, with coupons. I went to Kohl's for needed clothing items... "original price" is ridiculous! So when they get to 40-50% off, plus their sale coupons for an additional percentage off, plus the dollars-off sticker coupon, then I shop there. The other day I "saved $84" with all the money's off, and paid $26 for 3 pair od shorts. Much closer to a reasonable price.
I often find groceries with the store brands than name brands, when I have no coupon for it.
When E is driving, I usually point out a route that is more economical, gas-wise.