How is Your (not everyone else's) Life Today?

Are you better off today than you were four years ago? Here's your chance to describe your own life situation.

Over the past few months, I read how everyone is suffering because of inflation. I decided to take a look at my own situation.

I'm almost 83 years old and my wife is almost 82. We live off two retirement checks and social security. We have good healthcare (medicare and a supplement). We own our home. We own one automobile (three years old). We don't have any credit card debt. We are both disabled (doesn't affect our income, but limits our ability to get out and about). Other than age, this hasn't changed in the last four years.

God has blessed us with enough resources to help our children and grandchildren, along with others, meet their family needs. Four years ago that was a big chunk of our budget. That has changed. Since the first of the year, although our personal requirements have gone up, our savings accounts are larger, and our children and grandchildren are doing so well that we've spent very little on them. We've also been able to send our 52 year old son back to college, and keep him from having to borrow the money to go. In short, we are doing much better than we were four years ago. Yes, prices are higher, but our income has grown more than our expenses. The fact that our grandchildren and children now have good paying jobs and are paying their own way, has been a blessing. When we look at how their lives have improved, we're amazed.

We believe that, regardless of the political situation in the world, God will always meet our needs. He hasn't failed us yet.

I have kept my job and am able to take care of my expenses. Nothing much has changed for me though I have noticed prices have increased, thus I have changed my purchases here and there. I am not looking to buy a home or make an expensive purchase at the moment. My friends who are job hunting to change jobs are having some trouble. I think if anyone was living paycheck to paycheck or close to it 4 years ago, then they will have some trouble now as prices have increased.

Thank you. What is your outlook for the future?

I believe that things are cooling down a bit, but housing and automobiles seem to be a problem here. My grandson sold his first house last month for more than twice what he paid for it just four years ago. It was on the market less than a week. He closed on a place about 10 miles from town the same day he sold his house.

Rent is out of site here. Prices start at $1200. That makes it difficult for single provider households.

Anyone who wants to work, can find work. Income wise the minimum wage that people are getting is $15/hr, and there is no shortage of those jobs. People who are willing to go to trade school, are earning $40K up, but they have to commute 30+ miles. People who are willing to work out of town for a week or more at a time are earning six figures.

A lot has changed for me because we relocated about a year and a half ago. I still live below our means which means we don't really want for anything, but my nest egg is worth considerably less than it was 4 years ago.

I’m better off now than four years ago. Then again, four years ago I was better off, than four years earlier and so it goes.

Things have been improving regardless of who’s in office over the years.

The politicians can only do so much. It’s up to ourselves to make improvements.

My grandfather always said, "If you are looking at the past, you've already lost. If you are trying to live in the future, you've already lost. Do the best that you can today, and trust God to provide for you're future. Heaven is just a prayer away."

good stuff!!