Yahoo Autos Women Are Sharing The Ways Inflation Has "Ruined" Their Lives, And It's Heartbreaking
In the r/AskWomen subreddit, user u/PixelatedNPC recently posed the question, "What has inflation ruined for you?"
Here are some of the sobering and thought-provoking responses:
1."My chances of ever being a homeowner."
"With you there, unfortunately. It's either renting or moving because it would be next to impossible to buy a place where I am currently. Everything has gone up but the wages."
2."I cook food I enjoy much less often now with food prices rising."
"I feel this so much. I used to meal plan every week. And making a grocery list was almost therapeutic! I had grocery prices pretty much memorized, so I'd easily stay within budget. I'd be able to try a new recipe out every week. I did this for like a decade!
But now, the cost of food has gone up so much, I don't know how much things are off the top of my head. I have to count as I shop. I'm constantly putting things back. Sometimes, I cross a whole meal off my list as the cost of things in my cart start to add up. It's so stressful. We're eating a lot of ramen and boxed mac 'n' cheese. I've always been so big on fresh foods, non-processed, all that. But it's too expensive to eat healthy. I feel the difference this diet is taking on me, especially mental health-wise. But I'm having to eat like crap because it's all I can afford."
3."Having a baby. Before all the prices started to rise dramatically last year, my husband and I worked out that we could comfortably afford to start a family. I'm now five months pregnant. With the ridiculous energy prices, food going up, and our mortgage that needs renewing in April, I am terrified we might not really be able to afford this new lifestyle. It makes me feel irresponsible and like a failure."
4."Travel."
"I used to rent a private rustic cabin for a week in Maine on a small lake for $700/week. With absolutely zero improvements to it, the same place goes for $1600/week now. Everywhere else has similarly skyrocketed, everywhere in the country. I used to live for that week, when we could enjoy isolation in the peace and quiet of nature. Now, we can no longer afford it."
5."I live in a foodie paradise but haven’t been to a restaurant in about two years. Just wild prices. Even at the local tavern, a grilled cheese sandwich costs $14.50. That’s not right."
"I used to love eating out, back when my husband and I could have a meal we liked at one of our regular places for like $40. Now, just getting Chipotle for the two of us is $30. Anywhere sit-down with one alcoholic drink each is easily $80. I haven't found any restaurants I enjoy enough to justify that price. I know I will probably find a place I enjoy if I keep trying new places, but the high price makes experimentation feel too risky."
6."Dating. It’s a hard reality I’m faced with, but as I get older, I’m starting to accept that a lack of financial responsibility should be a deal breaker for me for long-term relationships."
7."Concerts."
"Yep! Coupled with the Ticketmaster monopoly, now it’s just ridiculous. I used to buy tickets to any show I could. Now, I usually check the Gametime app a few hours before the show, and if prices aren’t reasonable, I don’t go."
"I feel like I'll never be able to responsibly budget live music into my life again. This one burns."
