Inflation is Down, so Why is Everything so Expensive?

According to various sources, inflation has come down, but you couldn't tell it from seeing grocery store prices.

It makes me angry and disgusted that prices have remained as high as they were during the height of inflation (which was 9.1% in June 2022).

I didn't expect prices to return to pre covid numbers, but I had hoped food would return to more moderate prices. 

According to various sources, the two catalysts they can all agree to are labor costs and higher food production costs.

Equally bad are restaurant prices. We hardly ever eat out anymore. I know restaurants are hungry for business because they keep sending me all these ads with their "specials". The people I feel sorriest for are the wait staff. Less patrons mean less tips.

We always tip well, but combined with the higher cost of dining out, we're forced to stay home. To be honest, the quality of the food at restaurants lately has been subpar. There's no point in spending money on mediocre quality. I can count on one hand how many restaurants I could recommend to visitors.

So what's a body to do?

You can do what I do. Cook more and grow as much as you can to subsidize, or you can readjust your priorities.

For example:

• Buy generic

• Learn to prepare cheaper cuts of meat. One of Greg's favorites is chicken fried steak which generally uses round steak, but I've been known to use whatever beef I have available, and simply pound it into tenderness.

• Buy what's on clearance

• Find ingredient substitutions  Here's a website with common substitutions.

• Go without (I have not bought whole chicken in months! But we do buy ready made rotisserie chickens at Costco.) It's actually cheaper than buying raw chickens.

• Join food coops if they're available in your area. Here's a coop finder. Strangely enough, there's only one in the entire state of Texas. But my sister in Arizona has several near her. Go figure.

• Brown bag your lunch

• On days you really want to go out, splurge on that one craving that you can enjoy at home. No matter what it is, it'll be cheaper than having it at a restaurant.

And for you young, socializing types:

• Drink at home. You can buy entire bottles of liquor for what you'll spend at a restaurant. Believe it or not, there was a time when having a fully stocked bar and drinking at home was the height of social manners. We don't drink, but we still keep bottles of liquor for when guests come over.

• Throw a potluck party with guests bringing one food item.

• Have movie night, complete with popcorn, and earn the bonus of being able to pause the movie and go to the bathroom any time you feel like it. I know some people still go to the movies, but since getting a 4K, big screen tv, it's wonderful to watch at home without having to put up with babies crying and people walking in front of you.

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We're doing a No-Spend Month in February, but it's not going well. My computer has been giving me more and more trouble. I think it's on its last legs. I don't want to wait until it dies completely and be unable to transfer my files, so I may be forced to spend $$ during a no spend month.

Should you not see a post next week, this will be why.

My computer is exactly 9 years old. I was hoping to at least make it to 10. 

How old is your computer?

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