How about going to the gas station and being asked if $100.00 is going to be enough to fill your tank because that is the new limit they have had to set. I drive a diesel pickup and let me tell you, It would be a great day to not have a tank at the limit! Diesel being 30cents a gallon more than gasoline is a crock as well. It is a by-product of making gasoline. Just another way to gouge our pocket book.

Karl

Recession for a poor widow.
There is a widow who is in quite a predicament..don't know how to help her. Recently her son kicked her out..she had moved in with her son & girlfriend after her house was sold & was trying to save a little bit of money to get something smaller. Turns out her son's girlfriend wanted her out..so he kicked out his own mother telling her that he is a grown man & shouldn't be living with his mother. Never mind..that this was his own father who passed away. This is so heartbreaking & cruel..does anyone have any suggestions to help? I suggested a shelter but there are none near her & she has no other family.
Cynthia

Cynthia,
What city is she in? What is her age, health, and does she have any skills?

Thanks for your reply..she is about 60, in good health & has worked in a hospital setting..she currently does not have a job but is looking. She is in Belvidere, IL

I feel like I'm treading the financial water barely keeping my head above the splashing level taking my breaths as I can. Picking up a few things from the grocery store is costing twice as much. Now in some areas of California we are being charged for the bags they place our groceries in. The price of gas keeps my traveling to a minimum. There are days I just don't go anywhere because once you step foot outside it costs you money. I am looking for a part time job to subsidize my income..mostly to pay for taxes...but there aren't any. Looking to the future in the financial aspect is scary.

I too have had to pay for shopping bags at the grocery store! it's to the point that both my 13 year old son and I are saving everything! We never throw away shopping bags, reuse them when we go to the store, and use them in the house when we run out of garbage bags....Pathetic right? (yes it gets this bad at times) We wear our clothes more than once if they are clean enough and we roll our change and save pennies. since Ed is gone, we have no choice but to pinch everything, be humble, (some don't even have what we do have) and appreciate it all! My love to you all.........Lisa

I wish someone would "out" McDonalds for their unfair practices. I have always ordered lettuce and tomato on my burger. But now, McD charges about 50 cents extra for it. I DON'T eat cheese, so I tell them to leave OFF the cheese. Do they give me a credit for NOT having cheese.......NO!!! If this is not ruthless, I don't know.

Down the street, though, Burger King still lives by its motto, "Have it your way". I get 2 beautiful red slices of tomato and one nice curly piece of dark green lettuce, all included in the price of the sandwich.

Which burger place will I patronize??? You got it. Screw you, McDonald's. And I'm not a cussing person 99.9% of the time. I hate McDonald's.

I am in the midwest (part of the year) and while things have gone up in price, for the most part, this section of the country is in better shape than, for expample, Florida.....where I live the balance of the year.

I always keep reusable cloth bags in the car and sometimes use them for groceries but, to date, there is no charge here for plastic or paper bags. Gasoline is high but I think most people are just driving less to offset the increase in costs. I have never been a "coupon" person but my daughter faithfully "clips" and she says it makes a huge difference in her grocery bills. I have friends that own an upscale resale shop and ran into one of them the other day. She said their business is doing very well as a result of the ecomomy.

I would like to think that things are going to improve but I am afraid that we are in the third year of what may be a ten year downturn cycle. There are many issues that will have to be addressed before our economy will turn around and things will get better and, right now, everyone (in positions of power) seems to be very busy but not actually doing anything to correct it.

I have always been a bit thrifgty!

I carry reusable cloth bags in the car to use for my groceries..and I usually shop Aldi's for most items and then Kroger for the rest. I always have a very gas efficent car and that saves on gas....still hate paying for it however! I make soups and stuff and freeze and reuse later.

I also shop thrift and consignment stores ofr clothes and even house decor! You can get really nice items at a much cheaper price.

Frank was German..so being thrifty was a way of life! We did spend money on travel.

You couldn't tell there was a recession from the small city I live in. New stores galore and the empty storefronts are now becoming new businesses. One quirk though banks, banks and banks and they keep building them. I think we are havig a boom in the middle of a recession. Strange isn't it?

I have become a coupon queen. Use the store reward card and take advantage of anything you can get for free with coupons. I get coupons for free diapers just by asking the company to send me some because I like their product. Cheap is good but free is better.

Maggie

how about an ice tea at Starbucks..... they dilute it with water ....
ask for no water ...60 cents extra on an already over priced drink....

I'm fed up with the schools - $500 to register my daughter for HS - public. If you want to take part in a sport or activity it'll cost you $1,000 and she was telling me today the lunches that were $2.25 last year are now $3.50. A drink was 50 cents last year and a dollar this year.

Belvidere?? - where is she living now? I once got a speeding ticket in Belvidere. Have her call a hospital social work dept or social services for help finding a place to go. Terrible story tho - let us know how she makes out.

Where are you that charges to register for a public school? I teach high school and we have never had a registration fee!

It does cost for sports, clubs, etc...and the cost depends on the activity. Most hold lots of fundraisers to herlp with the costs. I don't know of a single one at our school that cost $1000! I think Band is our most expensive activity and it is about $500. But, that is ONLY if you are in Marching band...you can be in Concert Band for free. Goodness...where is this school?

As for the cost of lunch...that went up in our district also. Everyone is feeling the rising cost of food. Schools do get some commodities from the gov't but it's not all the food that is served..it's things like cheese, fruit, etc. You can sign up for Free and Reduced lunches at any time during the year....and we have many families on it. You might check to see if you qualify. The students here all use a code for their lunch nd have food accounts parents can deposit money it.....so no one knows if your code is deducting a percentage from the cost or you are getting it free. Also, milk is included with all meals. We do sell water and juices in large bottles..they have always been a $1 here...which is actually cheaper than they sell for in the stores in that size.

I can tell you that as a teacher I spend my own money each year for supplies that parents will not supply....pencils, pens, paper, etc,.....and the one that gripes me the most for some reason...Tissues! I have high school students who will sit and snort and carry on because they do NOT carry tissue on them when ill. You can get it in little apcks that are easy to carry! INstead, I average going through 2 boxes of tissue a week...120 students a day....all on my cost. Some teachers will not supply it but I do as the option is to listen to the snorting and seeing them wipe it on themselves and the desks...or send them out of class constantly to blow their noses. For some reason, the elementary teachers can ask for every supply imaginable..but high school teachers have to foot the bill. (I do get $60 a year from the school to spend on academic needs...workbooks, a video, a learning activity, etc for the room.)

I am shocked at Kroger Co. They totally demolished a nice big store in a suburb of Jackson, MS and have built a gigantic one in the same spot, plus a gas station. This bigger & newer supercenter is going to be the finest and largest in the state - they say. And.... it is opening ahead of schedule - next week I think. I'll bet the prices will be something to behold. I thought I would never buy groceries at WalMart - but the difference in their prices & Kroger is usually substantial.