When I came home today I had six political fliers in the mail from folks running for office. This is in addition to the five I received yesterday and seven the day before. More than half came from people I have never even heard of. But I do know this...an incredible amount of money was expended on something I didn't even glance at. And that made me annoyed.
The amount of money invested in the design, printing, and mailing of said propaganda could have made a sizable donation to the local food bank. Or paid off my car. I have half-heartedly listened to all the nonsense spewed the past year/months/weeks/days in preparation for the upcoming elections. The long and the short of it is this ~ I'm still living paycheck to paycheck and nothing I'm hearing seems to offer solutions to this reality.
Please tell me I'm not the only one. Please tell me others are just a mite bit miffed having to mortgage the house to pay ridiculous sums for Halloween candy to distribute tomorrow evening. Please tell me I'm not the only one in a complete state of dumbfoundedness as to why a box of cereal needs to cost upwards of $5 or why the gas I bought 24 hours ago costs eight cents per gallon more today.
Yes, I know15 years ago we lived just fine without cell phones and internet. But now these items have become necessities considering work, school, and home. Society expects we all have these items and looks at us as freaks if we don't. And yet with all of our technology, I can't get a plan for either less than $125 per month? Don't even get me started on the taxes and surcharges.
Attempts to budget are futile because they keep changing the rules mid-stream. Prices are increased on a daily basis but our incomes are not. Groceries that cost $100 last week will cost at least $125 this week. How is everyone doing it?
Please tell me I'm not the only one. Or at least lie to me a little bit and tell me you like my new outfit. Oak is all the rage this season.
Beth,
ReplyDeleteNope. You are not alone. I, too, am a hater of junk mail - especially political, negative junk mail.
As far as budgeting goes, I agree that the laundry list of expenditures is lengthy. And it can be daunting to make ends meet when prices continue to climb. My husband always says. "it's the little grains of sand that make the beach" - the small financial changes and small amount of money saved that ultimately make the biggest impact down the road.
Adrienne
P.S. I love your list of women with the fantastic quotes....Jeanne Moreau is one of my favorite actresses.