Captante
Lifer
- Oct 20, 2003
- 30,342
- 10,860
- 136
Red Squirrel
No Lifer
Gas bill just came through, $163/mo steady so far for past few months. I was hoping when I first got hit by that it was maybe some kind of adjustment but it really seems to be the going rate.
I have a guy coming over tomorrow to give me an estimate for a wood stove install. There does not seem to be a lot of people doing installs anymore, all the place I called don't do it but this guy runs a firewood operation and he also installs them. I could DIY but prefer to have someone experienced do it.
I figure about 5k, and I'm also looking into a hybrid water heater, those are like 3k.
The next step will be to implement solar better into my house. I don't yet have any easy automated way to actually transfer that power over to loads yet but have some ideas in mind on how I'll go about doing it.
A lot of up front capital expenses to do all this but will save in the long run. All these bills are only going to keep going up.
I have a guy coming over tomorrow to give me an estimate for a wood stove install. There does not seem to be a lot of people doing installs anymore, all the place I called don't do it but this guy runs a firewood operation and he also installs them. I could DIY but prefer to have someone experienced do it.
I figure about 5k, and I'm also looking into a hybrid water heater, those are like 3k.
The next step will be to implement solar better into my house. I don't yet have any easy automated way to actually transfer that power over to loads yet but have some ideas in mind on how I'll go about doing it.
A lot of up front capital expenses to do all this but will save in the long run. All these bills are only going to keep going up.
It is mainly grocery/food prices for me. I own my home and car, so am ok there. My house is older (and retired) and I would like to move to an apartment or condo, but rental prices have pretty much squashed that for now. A basic two bedroom apartment would cost about half of my take home income. I am also prepared for brutal natural gas prices in the winter heating season, but so far nat gas has not skyrocketed. My main income is from social security and a civil service pension, so both of those will at least get the 8+% raise in January.
In general though, the landscape is brutal. Someone just starting out, even with a decent job, (at least here in the Twin Cities) can barely afford a one bedroom apartment in a decent area. Add in astronomical food costs, any kind of car payment and student loan payments, I can understand how someone just starting out would feel hopeless. That is also why people dont seem to care about the historically low unemployment rate. There may be plenty of jobs, but do those jobs provide any kind of decent standard of living? Even an entry level "professional" job is barely enough to make ends meet. My grandson has a degree and got a job processing documents with Henn County, and still makes, I think, low to mic 40s.
Not really enough to live comfortably without a roommate or working spouse/girlfriend. He is currently living with us, hoping to save some money.
In general though, the landscape is brutal. Someone just starting out, even with a decent job, (at least here in the Twin Cities) can barely afford a one bedroom apartment in a decent area. Add in astronomical food costs, any kind of car payment and student loan payments, I can understand how someone just starting out would feel hopeless. That is also why people dont seem to care about the historically low unemployment rate. There may be plenty of jobs, but do those jobs provide any kind of decent standard of living? Even an entry level "professional" job is barely enough to make ends meet. My grandson has a degree and got a job processing documents with Henn County, and still makes, I think, low to mic 40s.
Not really enough to live comfortably without a roommate or working spouse/girlfriend. He is currently living with us, hoping to save some money.
>>That's called Shrinkflation.
I experienced that at Wendy's last week. 3 of their "Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe" used to fill me up completely. Now it doesn't at all. When I opened one up and looked at them more closely, I realized that they are more like sliders now - the amount of meat is less than half of what it used to be, while the price has gone up about 40%. I think their double stack is a better deal now.
I experienced that at Wendy's last week. 3 of their "Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe" used to fill me up completely. Now it doesn't at all. When I opened one up and looked at them more closely, I realized that they are more like sliders now - the amount of meat is less than half of what it used to be, while the price has gone up about 40%. I think their double stack is a better deal now.
Captante
Lifer
- Oct 20, 2003
- 30,342
- 10,860
- 136
I'd ask where this was so I could head right over BUT somehow I have the feeling this is not anywhere near me? (Connecticut)
(obviously this is not your fault.... but I'm still holding you responsible!)
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Yeah, Kroger is having a pretty good deal on 18 eggs through Tuesday or Wednesday, I've heard.I'd ask where this was so I could head right over BUT somehow I have the feeling this is not anywhere near me? (Connecticut)
(obviously this is not your fault.... but I'm still holding you responsible!)
Red Squirrel
No Lifer
Lost_in_the_HTTP
Lifer
- Nov 17, 2019
- 13,233
- 7,853
- 136
Captante
Lifer
- Oct 20, 2003
- 30,342
- 10,860
- 136
Stiff Clamp
Senior member
- Feb 3, 2021
- 911
- 339
- 136
Free Disney+ trials come with everything. So Disney can tout subscriber growth. BUUTT, how many accounts are actually active still?? Hmm.According to our finance minister if I cancel Disney+ it can make inflation go away. Going to sign up for it and cancel it to see if it helps.
Captante
Lifer
- Oct 20, 2003
- 30,342
- 10,860
- 136
Excellent point.... I used a free month of Disney + awhile back and BEFORE the month was up I'd run out of stuff I wanted to watch.
Lost_in_the_HTTP
Lifer
- Nov 17, 2019
- 13,233
- 7,853
- 136
I used to get a kick out of the old Disney stuff like Charlie, The Lonesome Cougar. The new stuff after 1980 or so never did much for me.
Michigan so generally a lower cost of living area than many areasI'd ask where this was so I could head right over BUT somehow I have the feeling this is not anywhere near me? (Connecticut)
(obviously this is not your fault.... but I'm still holding you responsible!)
Torn Mind
Lifer
- Nov 25, 2012
- 12,051
- 2,765
- 136
They passed that material through "Touchstone Pictures"; so many died never knowing the truth and associating the names together, which is exactly what the company wanted.
That includes Enemy of the State(freaky foreshadowing), Armageddon and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
They used to value they creation process.
Now, it's more of a corporate cash grab with a little virtue signaling on the side.
Captante
Lifer
- Oct 20, 2003
- 30,342
- 10,860
- 136
Seems like in the long run this plan will backfire big-time just like pricing normal people with kids completely out of the Disney theme-parks.
Parents turn little kids onto whatever they like/liked when they were little and Disney used to mean "Magic" to me when I was a kid.
Now all "Disney" means is "maximum-value" for shareholders and milking EVERY franchise-series they touch to absolute death... quality and value are way down the list of priorities and it shows.
Connecticut is the exact opposite sadly.
Parents turn little kids onto whatever they like/liked when they were little and Disney used to mean "Magic" to me when I was a kid.
Now all "Disney" means is "maximum-value" for shareholders and milking EVERY franchise-series they touch to absolute death... quality and value are way down the list of priorities and it shows.
Connecticut is the exact opposite sadly.
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Lost_in_the_HTTP
Lifer
- Nov 17, 2019
- 13,233
- 7,853
- 136
lxskllr
No Lifer
- Nov 30, 2004
- 59,453
- 9,968
- 126
^^^ The stock market perverts the best of free trade capitalism. Instead of building a reputation of good ideas that are well made, it becomes a game of hot potato, where nobody thinks beyond the next quarter, and the only value is 'shareholder value'. Know who gives a fuck about 'shareholder value'? Nobody that matters. C level execs and shareholders. The least valuable parts of the chain.
MrSquished
Lifer
- Jan 14, 2013
- 26,040
- 24,351
- 136
Amen brother.
It's always been about too many short-sighted metrics and the wrong metrics overall.
With general economic indicators too. It's all about constant growth and cost benefit analysis and zero having to do with quality of life of the people or the citizens on every level, from healthcare to wages to wealth equality to education and to the environment.
Torn Mind
Lifer
- Nov 25, 2012
- 12,051
- 2,765
- 136
Business always favors the predatory even without a stock market as funding mechanism. And I'm not talking about just the typical evil dudes in suits.
So I found a receipt in a bag of extra parts for a project in 2018
1 1/2 PVC Conduit LB 2018 price $5.64 today price $8.98
1 1/2 PVC Conduit LB 2018 price $5.64 today price $8.98
MrSquished
Lifer
- Jan 14, 2013
- 26,040
- 24,351
- 136
The sub prime mortgage crisis is a great example of how the masters of capitalism work. They created flimsy financial derivatives for tons of short-term gain without taking any long-term effects into consideration. It was always about just banging out bigger numbers quarter after quarter, but never a thought of the long-term consequences.
Theoretically your salaries are higher though? I know that's at least true for my professionConnecticut is the exact opposite sadly.
Captante
Lifer
- Oct 20, 2003
- 30,342
- 10,860
- 136
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