[Laker14]

Imagine trying to deal with this inflation on a job paying the Federal Minimum Wage? Or even on a job paying the highest state minimum wage? Or a young married couple working two jobs at the highest state minimum wage?
When I heard someone bragging about the US having "The Greatest Economy in the History of the World" in one breath, but telling us we can't afford a $15/hour minimum wage in the next breath, it seems to me the message is "We have the Greatest Economy in the History of the World, and it's being carried on the backs of people making less than a living wage".

That doesn't seem like chest thumping material to me.

[thevillages2013]

Originally Posted by Boston1945

Keep in mind one thing here. The Villages will not allow you to have a cow in your backyard. I may be wrong. (lol)

They don’t like zoysia anyway

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Laker14

Imagine trying to deal with this inflation on a job paying the Federal Minimum Wage? Or even on a job paying the highest state minimum wage? Or a young married couple working two jobs at the highest state minimum wage?
When I heard someone bragging about the US having "The Greatest Economy in the History of the World" in one breath, but telling us we can't afford a $15/hour minimum wage in the next breath, it seems to me the message is "We have the Greatest Economy in the History of the World, and it's being carried on the backs of people making less than a living wage".

That doesn't seem like chest thumping material to me.

It should. Minimum wage/entry level jobs are not intended to "earn a living wage" or to be the sole support of a family. Traditionally they were jobs teenagers could pick up for some spending cash and to gain job experience. Then there were those that earned minimum wage by doing jobs no one else wanted, or because they lacked any skills or education that a "better" job required. Then there are those that are unemployable at any job----we support them as well.

Every society in history has had socioeconomic stratification. The fallacy of progressive thinking is that somehow everyone should earn equally, which is a joke. Salaries are generally determined by the level of responsibility a job requires, not just because you breathe the same air. And of course the corollary fallacy that a government can tax that concept into reality. Margaret Thatcher put it best---"you can't make the poor richer by making the the rich poorer". Or if you prefer, Jesus Christ-----"the poor, they shall always be amongst us"

Oh, and BTW----the economy is built on the backs of venture capitalists, mega-corporations and billionaires, not those "making less than a living wage". How many people do they employ? How many factories do they build? As usual, the progressive mentality has everything upside down and backwards.

[Luggage]

And if you went to aldi's the cost be 10 to $20 less! I find it incredible that some people still shop at Publix all the time or some of the other stores around here. I'm not saying everything is cheaper or better but for a lot of goods, Save-A-Lot and aldis, are much cheaper. Until covid 18 months ago, aldies was selling a dozen eggs for 58 cents! And their liquid egg whites was always a dollar a carton less than Publix. Fresh salmon at $7.79 compared to Publix sometimes 11.99.
The main problem with Aldi is that they have a very small selection of fresh fish, and few national brands as well as I have found almost no Chinese or some other ethnic products except for Spanish. They do have a great wine selection and a chocolate selection as well as an aisle of nuts . You do have to put a quarter in for a cart which you get back afterwards and you have to bring your own bags. Most vegetables and fruits are very good and very cheap as well, so if you really want to save money change your grocery store

[Luggage]

The funny thing is I have a rich brother and he has a living maid and house man, the gardeners come four times a week but I don't see why he needs them that often and yes he does not live in The villages but lives in Bel Air at the top of the mountain.

[Luggage]

That is not entirely true about printing money and inflation but it is a major cause. If you would actually track inflation you would see that it's sometimes is low even with large deficit spending. Just look at the last 20 years. I don't know how you would be able to explain the Carter years of presidency with 15% interest rates and high inflation compared to some of the Bush or Clinton years with low inflation but still high spending

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by Michael G.

Have you notice how prices have sky rocketed lately?

Businesses looking for help.
Raising cost of Transportation.
Grocery's are going through the roof.

Headlines say inflation will get worse as supply's are harder to get.

How are you holding up in your retirement years if on fix income?

I don’t ever shop at dollar stores, but I read an interesting article yesterday about how these chains are in trouble because they pay their employees so little that people don’t want to work there. Also, the Covid epidemic combined with tariffs against China has made transportation much slower from overseas and much more expensive. “Dollar Tree said it expected as much as $200 million in additional freight costs this year.” That either eats into profits, or they have to raise prices. Once the disease is under control, transportation costs will drop, but wages have been too low for a long time. Remember, if we pay workers enough so that they are no longer below the poverty line, we pay them less through government benefits. They may even pay some income tax instead of getting back more than they pay.

(‘Everything Going the Wrong Way’: Dollar Stores Hit a Pandemic Downturn
Their business model is being tested by worker burnout, pressure to raise wages, supply chain problems and growing local opposition.“ NYTimes, 1 Oct 2021)

[PJackpot]

Originally Posted by jdulej

I don't really see it. There are supply chain issues with major ports backed up that will cause temporary price jumps. Like lumber earlier in the year - now ancient history.
2-4 % inflation is normal, we just have not seen it for a while because of the very accommodating fed.
Look for a nice hefty jump in your Social Security check starting in Jan as well.

Relax

Better look again, friend. The current inflation rate is over 5%. When Trump left office it was 1.5%. You must also not have a need for gasoline if you haven’t noticed a substantial rise there.

[Cranford61]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I'm not noticing that much of a difference. I use coupons when I remember to bring them with me, and I have a few "shopping reward apps" that give me points that I can trade in for store credits. But I've always done that. I also finally learned how to make my sister-in-law's sauce and lasagna. Sounds unrelated right? Well...
$50 in ingredients nets me:

Enough lasagna for two people for 3 nights of lasagna dinner, plus an extra lunch-sized serving or two.

AND

Enough sauce for 4 chicken parmesan dinners

AND

enough leftover meatballs, sausage, and sauce for 2 macaroni and meatball dinners PLUS 3 more sauces for two weeks worth of macaroni and meatball dinners/lunches or meatball subs.

The only thing extra I have to buy, is chicken cutlets, ground beef (on sale on Tuesdays at Fresh Market for $2.99/pound), a loaf of bread for the garlic bread, and a package of salad to last a few days' worth of meals.

Total additional cost might be $25. So $75 for almost two months' worth of lunches and dinners at least twice a week, for two people.

Sounds monotonous…no mention if fresh vegetables

[deanjohnson]

Dollar store is going toDollar Tree+. So!

[tvbound]

Interesting. A thread purporting to be about inflation, but the obvious intention is to throw political stones. Not exactly original. LOL

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Michael G.

Have you notice how prices have sky rocketed lately?

Businesses looking for help.
Raising cost of Transportation.
Grocery's are going through the roof.

Headlines say inflation will get worse as supply's are harder to get.

How are you holding up in your retirement years if on fix income?

If one has a fixed income in this inflation, I hope it is a HIGH fixed income, because if it is not, soon with prices soaring, some will NOT be able to afford to live here and will have to sell and move to a less expensive place to live; cheaper home and one without amenity fee.

THAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE.

If things get too expensive to pay the bills then the bills have to be reduced. We cannot live borrowing money forever like the Government does.

Or we will need to search for an illegal job like drug dealing or bank robbery. I read about that in the paper.

[jimbomaybe]

Originally Posted by Laker14

Imagine trying to deal with this inflation on a job paying the Federal Minimum Wage? Or even on a job paying the highest state minimum wage? Or a young married couple working two jobs at the highest state minimum wage?
When I heard someone bragging about the US having "The Greatest Economy in the History of the World" in one breath, but telling us we can't afford a $15/hour minimum wage in the next breath, it seems to me the message is "We have the Greatest Economy in the History of the World, and it's being carried on the backs of people making less than a living wage".

That doesn't seem like chest thumping material to me.

The term "living wage" is just what, a single individual, a couple ,both working, a family of how many, at what level of life style ? working at a job that requires very little or no training or special education. People living in the national forest demonstrate just how low some people will sink to have the leisure of doing nothing. Hard work, common sense, personnel responsibility make you upwardly mobile. If someone or a COUPLE think they can live and raise a family and not have more to offer as an employee and not just scraping by at best, they are delusional.

[rmd2]

Originally Posted by maistocars

Until the Fed and government stop masquerading inflation as "temporary," things will only get worse. You can't pump trillions of $ into the money supply and not get inflation. Best to stock up on non-perishables at today's prices as it will only get worse.

Yes I think they stopped counting food, gas and housing (the big 3). They put in electronics and other non-essentials.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Originally Posted by JMintzer

What cheapness? Someone was simply pointing out that tipped employees make less because the government considers tips as part of their wages.

At the restaurant you mentioned, one poster's granddaughter makes $200/night in tips.

That's an additional $25/hour, based on an 8 hour shift... More, if they work less...

And I agree that tipping should be abolished. They should be paid more and not have to worry about tips. But guess what? Most servers don't want that to happen...

what about the slow nights when that same server makes half that or the manager cuts there shifts or just gets rid of them for people he knows , did they get any shifts during Covid or how about when there child gets sick and they have to stay home and not get paid.and how many older servers do you see around in there late 40’s or 50’s and the bartenders male or female who don’t have a certain look anymore (like being old or not attractive)and out they go, this happens everywhere .I eat out mosts night wherever I am and I’m friends with many service people from what I have observed and the stories I’ve been told of all the places I’ve lived there more people here that undertip not a lot but more then I would have thought, I’m saying this from my own observations and from servers and bartenders that are just casual friends but also from some woman I have dated here.So I’ll go on being a sucker and over tip these people that are getting rich while I struggle along on my fixed income ,? Oh poor me I live in the villages , I don’t have to work , gas went up, milk is almost $10 a quart , I can’t go to Publix , hmmm I know where I can cutback I’ll go to a nice restaurant and when the bill comes do I’ll leave 10% because in the old day I worked for a dollar an hour