Otis

I'm noticing my grocery bill creeping up each trip I make. Obviously Gas is through the roof.

I see a fuckton of houses for sale in my neighborhood (and by fuckton, I mean a pantload).

Don't really know anyone who's been laid off, but I hear stories, you know.

Just wondering if anyone's starting to feel the pinch.

__________________

Pinski

It's because people are overspending and putting themselves into gigantic debt when they shouldn't be. People need to learn how to spend WITHIN their limit, rather than over their limit.

__________________
How many times do you hear it? It goes on all day long
Everyone knows everything And no one's ever wrong
Until later...
Who can you believe? It's hard to play it safe
But apart from a few good friends We don't take anything on faith
Until later..

Otis

The real estate disaster? Yeah.

But I'd hardly blame high gas prices and subsequently high grocery (et al) prices on irresponsible spending. But that's for another thread.

I'm just wondering what everyone's personal observations are.

__________________

Ily

__________________
Roll the dice, see if I'm getting drunk!

Amataelia

Gas rising of course.

Food bills increased a bit.

I haven't seen lots of houses up for sale, nothing out of the norm but I'm in a rural area.

As for layoffs, the closest major city to me is manufacturing based, so for the last 10 years people have been laid off or forced into early retirement due to downsizing. Nothing new here in that aspect.

Otis

Fixed

__________________

Phrozen

You should come to England before you start complaining about fuel prices!

Amataelia

LOL thanks, that's what I get for trying to make dinner and post at the same time.......not a lot of NAFTA fans around here.

Otis

Been there, thanks.

And I wasn't complaining, last I checked.

Thanks for playing though.

How is the economy on that side of the pond, anyway?

__________________

Osime

Funny thing is that I see Gas go up about once per week on Thursday Nights by 8-10 cents, but when it goes down, it only goes down by 3-5 cents... yet the price of oil (futures) that they seem to use as an excuse for rising prices has been relatively stable the last week or two. Another interesting point is that now that it pieced the magical 100 buck a barrel price point it's amazing how it's no longer even on the topic of discussion in news circles.

As for me... Housing issues abound but only because people tried to use them as an investment and are now getting caught with their pants around their ankles. (When my parents bought the house I grew up in there was never any of this talk of moving two years down the road bullshit)

People with Mortgage and housing issues are there for one of two reasons, predatory lending over the past 8 years (or so, some say 15) and people wanting to turn a quick buck. Those two category of buyer fucked the system for everyone. They ones hit by predatory lenders should never have been allowed to buy with "No Money down" and exceeding in most cases the Max 30% of your income to Housing costs rules. But since the turned off all the oversight rules in the banking industry a few years ago again... (S&L bailout anyone?)

The Buck Turning crowd is worse as they are the ones who pushed the prices of homes to such unreal heights, that they now have only one place to go... and thats down. Some analysts are saying don't even think about buying for 2-3 years even if interest rates start to go up again, the pricing will drop at a higher rate and make for a better deal.

Either way I still rent for 1/2 what I could buy for and am not tied to anything long term, the extra money.. yeah the savings account is piling up, not really most of that is covering all of my other rising costs.

Groceries only seem to be rising in certain sectors of the store, meats and Dairy are the ones I'm noticing the most... However I started using the butcher shop and their prices are half what the chains charge typically. So look into supply source to lower costs too.

Anyway rambling is costing me money too...