05-24-2016, 05:22 AM
After us dealing with the general public for 30 years, we have seen a drastic change in the family dynamics
Partly due to the economy, now taking BOTH parents to make ends meet.
With the age of technology, where phone bills use to be $35 plus any long distance charge, are now well up to $200-$400, depending on how many family members and what plan/carrier
Plus internet/cable/satellite and no telling what else..... where as before, it was just lights, water, and basic phone bill
So that plus the cost of living in general going up, they are literally living paycheck to paycheck each month.
No, we do not own a 'home' being as we live on the road 9 months out of the year.
But I cannot imagine the up keep on what it takes to maintain a home, not to mention the property taxes/insurance
Then having to deal with any city ordinances that may pop up
(our friends have been having issues over the past year, even tho they have lived there for 35 yrs...new city planners=new ordinances-->>new fines)
Even our little bit of savings we acquired over time have dwindled down to nothing, thanks to poor economy, people not able to spend as much, which hurts vendors like us.
Slowly but surely, we had to dip into our savings, a little here, a little there... until there was nothing left.
So we are now like so many millions of other Americans
Existing from day to day, cutting out doing things we once used to enjoy.
And stopped buying stuff that is not needed.
Watching every penny coming in and going out.
Gone are the profitable days for some of us small business owners.
Luckily it is just the 2 of us
Cannot image a family of 4 and their basic living expenses, household upkeep cost
The thing is...
I do not think it is going to change and get any better
Not for the hard working class anyway
We don't eat there much anymore, but they have a McDouble for like $1.69 (price varies for each store)
They did have a special a couple of weeks ago buy 2 sammiches that were listed for $5
(big mac, quarter pounder and fish sammich)
That was the first time in a long time we had a Big Mac.
But we got that, a small fry and split large drink all for under $10.....LOL
Yeah, lunch time we have learned what we can eat and keep it around $10 for the both of us
And no, it is not healthy food but hey, when in a hurry & on the run and you only got $10 to spend, you do what you got to do!! (winks)
Love those days tho when we are nearby a BBQ place, we'll splurge $20 and get us a brisket sammich plate with the sides .....yum-yum
Li
Partly due to the economy, now taking BOTH parents to make ends meet.
With the age of technology, where phone bills use to be $35 plus any long distance charge, are now well up to $200-$400, depending on how many family members and what plan/carrier
Plus internet/cable/satellite and no telling what else..... where as before, it was just lights, water, and basic phone bill
So that plus the cost of living in general going up, they are literally living paycheck to paycheck each month.
No, we do not own a 'home' being as we live on the road 9 months out of the year.
But I cannot imagine the up keep on what it takes to maintain a home, not to mention the property taxes/insurance
Then having to deal with any city ordinances that may pop up
(our friends have been having issues over the past year, even tho they have lived there for 35 yrs...new city planners=new ordinances-->>new fines)
Even our little bit of savings we acquired over time have dwindled down to nothing, thanks to poor economy, people not able to spend as much, which hurts vendors like us.
Slowly but surely, we had to dip into our savings, a little here, a little there... until there was nothing left.
So we are now like so many millions of other Americans
Existing from day to day, cutting out doing things we once used to enjoy.
And stopped buying stuff that is not needed.
Watching every penny coming in and going out.
Gone are the profitable days for some of us small business owners.
Luckily it is just the 2 of us
Cannot image a family of 4 and their basic living expenses, household upkeep cost
The thing is...
I do not think it is going to change and get any better
Not for the hard working class anyway
Quote:#4 McDonald’s “Dollar Menu & More” now includes items that cost as much as 5 dollars.
We don't eat there much anymore, but they have a McDouble for like $1.69 (price varies for each store)
They did have a special a couple of weeks ago buy 2 sammiches that were listed for $5
(big mac, quarter pounder and fish sammich)
That was the first time in a long time we had a Big Mac.
But we got that, a small fry and split large drink all for under $10.....LOL
Yeah, lunch time we have learned what we can eat and keep it around $10 for the both of us
And no, it is not healthy food but hey, when in a hurry & on the run and you only got $10 to spend, you do what you got to do!! (winks)
Love those days tho when we are nearby a BBQ place, we'll splurge $20 and get us a brisket sammich plate with the sides .....yum-yum
Li