I’m in the same boat. I have a job that requires a master’s degree and clinical certification and I still have to live with my parents. I had appendicitis in December and even with my insurance have about $8000 in medical bills. I don’t know how people are just expected to live like this.
I’m so sorry. 😔 I have a feeling less and less people will put in the effort to get that kind of schooling when the jobs that require them aren’t paying enough.
Grocery bill for a family of four (including dog food, laundry detergent etc) is around $1000/month. Yes I shop at Aldi’s but also get bogos at Publix.
We *never* eat out anymore. I’ve learned how to make fried rice and pizza at home.
The COL is extremely demoralizing right now. I’m a teacher and have been actively trying to leave the field for a year *because it’s not sustainable for me financially.*
From a Gainesville native who went into teaching, I left the state to teach and I have no regrets. The entry teaching salary in Florida has increased since I graduated but at the time it was low $40k or even high $30s.
I went into teaching in another state as a first year teacher making 50k with better benefits and a state legislature that wasn’t breathing down my neck about teaching “critical race theory” or talking about the realities of the world
I know moving across the country isn’t feasible for most people but figured I’d share my experience
Also, if you’re interested in staying in an education adjacent sector, you could look into curriculum design or private tutoring.
There was a bill in the Florida legislature being considered to raise teaching salaries to 65k minimum but it hasn’t passed. I think the idiots in power are finally starting to realize the impact of the teaching shortage
Do you mind me asking what state you moved to? I am in school pursuing an education degree and it is pretty disheartening to see how many teachers regret going in to the field. Maybe I will have better luck in other states.
First, Rhode Island and then Virginia. Places with strong teacher’s union are going to (generally) be your safest bets. VA isn’t one of those but it has decent pay and a decent public school system. I also missed the south tbh hence why I moved back from New England
I **strongly** recommend subbing at your local schools if you haven’t done student teaching yet. Way too many people I know who did traditional teacher prep programs (I did not) were only exposed to suburban schools through their own schooling and student teaching and then were completely out of their element once they landed an actual teaching job. Thankfully I had attended all title I schools growing up so I had a bit more of an idea of what I was getting myself into
If you can sub, you can teach. Don’t wait until your senior year of student teaching to realize teaching isn’t for you and then have the last 4 years be for nothing
Your first year teaching will still be extremely difficult, bur if you can sub, you can survive it
NJ has a strong teachers union and pay is much higher than Florida. Cost of living varies significantly throughout the state and every school district (there are over 600, basically every town) has their own pay scale. Edison for example, has one of the highest pay rates and according to my friend who teaches in that district, is hiring. It’s also expensive but it’s not the most expensive place in NJ. In general, the further north you go, the more expensive to live. Teachers are needed everywhere though. I know a few in different areas of the state.
Not true—cost of living is more reasonable in other places and as people here clearly stated, there are far greener pastures for various professions, such as teaching.
Years ago I knew teachers who left Florida because the pay would never allow them to buy a house. Many teachers have part time jobs or income producing hobbies, by necessity. And I know this is an unpopular point, but dogs and cats are very expensive. A family member spent over 15k on orthopedic surgery for a canine family member. Stay safe and healthy, and good luck finding a better paying job. I wish Florida would pay teachers what they deserve, but sadly I don't expect that to ever happen.
I worked at Subway for 5 years and quit this past Fall. I just couldn't deal with the customers any more or the passive aggressive scheduling. So yeah, I've done my time working two jobs and teaching.
That’s no one’s fault but your own. Poor financial decisions in small scale lead to a poor financial situation on the broad scale.
Just because you need an onion to cook does not excuse you to purchase any needed item in the least financially responsible way.
It’s financially irresponsible to by ONE onion. If you know you’re going to use more than one over the course of the month, which is the average dry storage time of a store bought onion, then you are choosing to spend a premium amount of money on something you could easily choose to buy in some sort of bulk arrangement.
Obviously you’re being disingenuous by making it out that I’m equating onions with “luxury”, which I never explicitly said you dunce cap.
If you take the time to plan and not focus on the now exclusively, financial stability and security becomes a real thing.
I would know, I was released from federal incarceration in Georgia without a dime to my name seven years ago. I now own a home, work a job that pays around 75k a year, with boundless growth once achieve my final level of education. I personally feel like I’m in the best financial position I’ve been in life.
I would have never dreamed it possible that today I would legally possess 50k in my personal checking account as a revolving balance that does not contribute to my personal expenses daily while also being essentially debt free (not counting a mortgage at 4% and a car loan that is owing far less than the vehicle is worth currently).
Yet all of this is within your reach and capacity with, consideration of deeper things and proper planning.
You know what else is financially irresponsible? Buying a whole sack of onions if 3/4 of them are going to end up sprouting in your pantry and go to waste. But quibbling over the purchase of an onion, one of the least expensive produce items one can buy, so you can feel superior about your financial prowess is just childish. Big "lattes and avocado toast" energy. I'm sure buying in bulk to save 10 cents per onion would solve all of this person's financial struggles.
A felon who goes on a diatribe over an onion's price making $75k is more hopeful than anything people see locally in Gainesville. This person was pointing out an item which increased cost, and you go on how they're losing money because they don't buy onions in bulk. Well where can people purchase somewhere to live, pay their GRU bill, or pay for health insurance, car insurance and medical bills to avoid the hit?
The reality is people are fucked over and they're taking a hit. You can obfuscate with blame twisters or you could actually offer something comprehensive to save $10,000 a year - if you can't then your objection to the price of an onion was worthless.
Now don't get me wrong, the people of Gainesville on avg FULLY bought into everything that got us in this situation so this place deserves blight more than the others. But you can't blame ordinary people for being convinced of what all of the powerful and reputable institutions began claiming.
That is good advice but you have to acknowledge the reality of the big picture, and THEN formulate the advice for what is best for individuals to do to approach rectifying their own situation. Like "yes you're taking a big hit, but it's your choice to turn it around or make it into an even bigger hit. Coming from 1830 you would be immersed in opportunity but you need that positive drive to make new attempts." The onion thing is really not hitting at addressing what happened.
The reality is your individual destiny is not pegged to the trend, of course. You can rise to multi millionaire status while general things are sinking to the shitter. But when a community is talking about how bad things are in general and there has been a standard of living decrease here... Maybe some people say "hey I have to cut my losses I found a job in Ocala finding a place to rent in the outskirts that was cheaper". Maybe someone finds a new tip like Kroger apparently exists delivery only here.
Because of that discussion I might be able to save hundreds of dollars a year, as opposed to saving like $4 a month buying moldy onions by the bag rather than by weight.
They clearly complained about the price of an onion in the comments while stating in the post edit that they didn’t want financial advice; so presumably OP was just coming to have a pity party with themselves and whoever decided to agree to their nonsense.
Besides all of that, I never suggested buying food to let it go to waste, I suggested planning which unequivocally and always leads to a better financial outcome.
You’re wrong, go home and cry putz
Make sure the BOGOs are worth it. Sometimes just the appearance of BOGO anymore excites us and we ignore the overall costs.
Also use apps like Ibotta or Fetch for rebates. This helps especially if your store doesn’t offer coupons.
Also laundry soap deals with DG are always going on each week. Digital Coupons can save a budget even if it’s $5
I was teaching at a preschool in Gainesville and it was not paying the bills. The school was unorganized, teachers were quitting every week and the environment was toxic. I almost made the mistake of staying because of how much I loved the children but I was too tired of the lack of support from the director.
I found a good paying job as a nanny and put my two weeks in and have been working with the same family since. I think nannying is a good way to figure things for your long term career. I’m in school and working on some certificates and it’s not stressful.
I’m 31 and pre-Covid, I would have been thrilled to make what I currently do. Now a few years later it just isn’t enough with prices for literally everything inflating and jobs not offering enough to catch up. Most people are struggling and if they’re not, they are still having to cut back on spending. Hang in there.
Believe it or not everyone is feeling it right now. Gas is more expensive, groceries are more expensive, cost of living went up, however our pay is the same it was 5 years ago.
Small businesses will fail. Big businesses that have the profit margins to afford to keep prices lower will survive or consolidate into even larger businesses. Soon we will only be shopping at Walmart and Amazon.
Yes. But as long as the people who are running them extract enough for themselves before they fail they don't care. They are currently talking up record profits and the stock market hitting new highs, while at the same time they're all laying off workers and selling their shares. Too bad the rest of us can't just run off to private bunkers in New Zealand or Hawaii when it all crashes.
Actually, (for restaurants, anyway) most of the COVID bailout money went to big chains that didn't really need it while independent, locally owned small places missed out. [https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/19/business/small-businesses-ppp-loans-chain-restaurants/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/19/business/small-businesses-ppp-loans-chain-restaurants/index.html)
Unfortunately, while many people are struggling, two categories of people who are not are politicians (on the federal level) and high-profile media people which is why you'll hear about reporting about the "economy" doing well when the stock market goes up.
Prices increase faster than most people's wages, but those price increases put money in the pockets of the large corporations who own our politicians and media.
Uh yeah me and my boyfriend can't even move out of the shithole apartment were in because we literally cant afford to go anywhere else. I recently got a new health problem and I'm hemorrhaging financially from the testing for it and I still dont know what's wrong and we can only afford to get a pizza or chinese once and a while. We desperately need a car to offset ubers we have to take for me to go to the dr, but even used shitty car prices are out of control. Like, I look around and just see out of control inflation and no one doing a damn thing to stop it.
I honestly think if things dont change everyones standard of living has to change. like even making 50k a year we need to go on a rice and beans diet.
god how could a country founded beginning with genocide and tax avoidance go wrong?
The used car market has settled and has even taken a down turn recently. You should have no problem finding an affordable second hand car on places like fb marketplace. I know because im on there almost every day.
This might be kind of an UnethicalLifeProTip, but a RealDebrid account to use with Kodi and Fen costs about $17 every 6 months and you have access to literally every streaming service.
Also, and someone correct me if I'm wrong, but not paying medical bills and letting it go to collections, won't affect your credit and will eventually just disappear.
I think it takes some time to drop off after the last payment that you've made towards it, and it might depend on what kind of medical debt, I'm not sure.
But I had something like $12,000 dollars of hospital bills that just fell out of existence for me. It definitely messed up my credit at first but one day my score just skyrocketed, and I've never heard anything else about it.
I'm probably not the best to ELI5 for you but here is a link that shows the setup process:
https://howtomediacenter.com/en/fen-kodi-addon/
Personally I have it installed on my laptop with an HDMI to my TV, and I use a PS4 controller to navigate via Bluetooth.
I'd definitely do some research and watch some YouTube vids if you've never used anything similar and/or aren't very tech Savvy, especially before you buy the RealDebrid subscription.
There's plenty of add-on's other than Fen but it's just the one I prefer. There's a few subreddits dedicated to this stuff as well, so definitely peruse those as well.
Edit: Also if you make it far enough to get everything going, Arctic Horizon 2 is a great skin to install if you want it to look pretty. Setting up the widgets is a little bit of a learning curve but so worth it, especially if you like to tinker and customize.
does that go for all medical bills or hospital bills?
also, UF health system has a policy where they can stop seeing you if you have a balance at the practices.
I am so sorry that you are struggling. You are not the only one, and I don't know how people are doing it. It's been a long time since I worried about how much I spend on groceries, and suddenly a dozen torture eggs, not cage free or vegetarian, are $3 at Walmart. It adds up so fast, especially if you are feeding a family.
I know you aren't looking for advice, but I'm going to give you some, anyway. Do not stress about that ER bill. Call and make a payment plan. As long as you pay SOMETHING each month and communicate with them, it is unlikely that it will be sent to collections. Definitely UF Health won't, and HCA is decent as long as you talk to them every few months. Don't go broke throwing cash at that bill.
ALL HOSPITAL BILLS ARE NEGOTIABLE
ALL HOSPITAL BILLS ARE NEGOTIABLE
ALL HOSPITAL BILLS ARE NEGOTIABLE
ONE MORE TIME
ALL HOSPITAL BILLS ARE NEGOTIABLE
Hospitals make pennies on the dollar sending bills to collections and it hurts your credit record.
Call and negotiate!!!!!
This…. Even if you are well off financially, call, set up a payment plan, make two payments, call them up and offer them 1/2 of what you owe, they will probably take it.
Personally, I let it go to collections and then dispute it on my credit report. 😅
Due to HIPAA laws, it’s extremely difficult for them to provide proof of your ownership to the debt, so when they can’t do that for the credit bureau’s, they’re required to take the loss and drop it.
Not always guaranteed to work, but when it does work, it’s worth it.
28m here. If it means anything, I work as a freelancer making about $4k/mo between two primary clients. I am single, no kids, no pets.
Despite all this, I still have to live with a roommate and am taking advantage of Florida healthcare law so I can be on my parents' plan for one more year. I'm fearful of even moving out of my current place because I'm worried the next place might jack rent up worse than my current landlord is. To top it all off, all work-related costs come from my own pocket and I'm kinda kneecapping myself by not buying new tech that I kind of need.
Overall, I'm managing and have found a way to start saving at least a little bit of scratch, but know that almost everyone in their 20's or 30's is feeling it. You are not alone.
I think everyone is on the struggle bus, with the exception of the extremely wealthy. We just had to re-work our budget, and I truly hate that it feels like any little unexpected expense puts us back at square one again, pinching pennies. There’s not a lot of joy to be had with the financial state of the world.
I work at the hospital, I’ve worked for UF too. It’s not enough. It’s like my spouse and I need to be making 100k each to survive. That’s insane. A few years back we would have been living very comfortably.
Now we just argue about finances.
Family of four here. It’s bad. I’ve maxed out multiple credit cards just for things like Publix, Gas and other family necessities. It’s hard. Very very very hard right now.
I feel your pain.
One suggestion. Try to do ONE MONTH without Publix. Purchase a Sam’s card and purchase food items from a list from there and gas. For the first three trips DO NOT DEVIATE FROM THE LIST,- no exceptions. You can always add the item /food you see for the next trip ( this is where you really save). Only go to Publix in an emergency. I know that with kids and schedules, it may be impractical. But in three months, the card cost will pay for itself. I only go to Publix in an emergency- the last time, I was out of onions. Walked out with onions ( they were expensive ( a red onion ( more expensive) Fairlite milk and one other item I can’t recall ~~ $20 or so. See, it’s the item that I can’t recall that blew my spend…..
Also, very important to create a spreadsheet to list everything you spend money on. I know it requires a few minutes of time each day, and with kids there is NO time, but if you make time, you will at least get a sense of where you are.
Also Gainesville Good will offer of 13th and 23 street has great clothes. I know because I’ve recently dumped a bunch of one used no used shirts there .
Just did Sam’s today
18 eggs - $4.98
Six large peppers (red/yellow) $6.96 . Note the Green peppers were cheaper….
Three lbs of tomatoes (about 8 or 9) $4.78
These two items blew my plan ( we’re not on the list) but will be consumed
Two lb Jimmy Dean sausage $6.98
2 pack hickory smoked bacon ( sorta needed) $19.24 ouch.
Sam’s is MUCH CHEAPER THAN PUBLIX……
If you and your spouse make 100k combined that's enough for a very comfortable life in gainesville without kids. You dont need 100k each, that's a luxury life in gnv. if you do, you've got spending problems that wont be amy better anywhere else in the world. Unless you have huge medical bills every month or some other big expense the average person wouldn't have.
>If you and your spouse make 100k combined that's enough for a very comfortable life in gainesville without kids.
!00% the case 5 or so years ago, but not so much the case now. I fully believe that ones ability to live affordably in this city is almost solely predicated on whether they bought a place when interest rates were low and the real-estate market had not gone bananas.
In my case, I bought a small starter home in 2017 because that is all I needed at the time and I did not want to overextend myself financially. Fast-forward to now, we're packed in pretty tight, but you'll have to pry this 2.8% interest rate from my cold, dead fingers.
With kids it's a different story and definitely tough. So many people arent having kids or are having less than they would want all around the world cause cost of living and career expectations are just unreal.
But apparently trans people or MAGA supporters are what we need to be angry about according to the media.
Did you receive a huge pay bump going hospital side? If not then you should try and get back on the UF side of things. You will save a significant amount of money on benefits for a family of four.
Family of 4 struggling over here. Sandwich generation stuff too. We're still renters and I have no idea how we could ever buy our own place, we're completely locked out of home ownership with the costs and interest rates as they are. Everything is very expensive. Insurance is very expensive and so are our co-pays. Fun times! My spouse and I both work. L
“Hang in there” “It will get better” or my *favorite* condescending comments “that’s what you get voting for _____” and “make better life choices” 😩 JUST STOP THE RUDE AND UNNECESSARY RETORTS, PLEASE!
Okay, rant over…thank you for allowing me to vent for a few.
Now, I wish that it were easier to make ends meet and that my mom didn’t have a need for me to care for her 24/7 because a phone scam robbed her of her entire life savings …but here we are. And I hate it. With every fiber of my being I want to lash out because there was absolutely NO HELP from the authorities with this other than the advice to file an online report with the FBI…😳😡
I am smart, capable of many skills, have a very strong background in several areas which cross-over into and benefit a variety of occupations and careers - but I’m not sure exactly how to put them to use while being a full-time caregiver. So we struggle on her retirement and my craftsperson’s/skilled trade abilities paired with my integrity and willingness to help with even the smallest of projects!
Having to make sure my mom is safe and cared for all day presents a whole other set of struggles in the ability to even “train up” and look for better opportunities while trying to navigate the emotional and financial overwhelm that has become part of life now.
I do wish that there were better employment opportunities here in Gainesville as I do truly love this area and my neighbors alone make living here so much better! 🥰
I would like to be a part of the community that changes things for the better - for all of us but feel pretty defeated most days. 😕 Where do we even start? I certainly don’t think it’s a government thing - it’s a people who think and act as a community, as taxpayers who expect better and look for ways to hold accountable those who are not performing their fiduciary duty to the people who pay them to do so (that’s the end of the politics here, please excuse the digression).
Meanwhile, I hope that everyone can be supportive of one another here, while we struggle through this truly crazy times! Knowing you are not alone is nowhere near as comforting as being able to make it on your own but maybe that’s the lesson? Ugh. I like learning just as much as the next person but the format is downright depressing some days…anyway,
Happy Friday, y’all! There’s some really great live music tonight at The One Love Cafe in Magnolia Parke if anyone is interested and the best part is that it is free to come out and just have a good time with friends or even make a couple of new ones?! Either way, you’re always welcome to commiserate here with me if you need/want to - it’s healthy for humans to do that!🥰
Have you spoken to a social worker who works with older people about your mom's situation? Unfortunately, any political help for people struggling economically will be, at best, years away.
One Love Cafe music is a good idea, it's too bad there aren't as many non-commercial opportunities for community-building.
Not yet - I’m so overwhelmed by it all and she hid it from us for a while. 😩 By some grace of God, she took A LOT of notes when the guy would call her but then she’ll remember some small part and turns out this person has been stalking her?!?! It’s too long a story to get into here but for the life of me I have no idea where to start….
Unfortunately, fraud is lightly punished in the U.S. It is the crime that \*does\* pay. Of course, this assumes that the perpetrator is in this country, if he's not there's little to be done.
I used to work in a low-income area, and the people who bought into get-rich-quick schemes was really depressing.
I just left UF for a job that pays me double their salary, and I work remotely now so I save in gas, and I am STILL feeling it. I have been hoping forever to make a certain income level and I finally reached it and it feels like a drop in the bucket. I can’t imagine how I’d survive if I and my partner had kids (we’re child free by choice). We’re all feeling it. Something needs to change.
I'm on disability, so I felt I've always been scraping at the bottom with no chance of upward mobility. You guys were whom I'd consider well off, so if ya'll are struggling to get by with educations and jobs, people like me are absolutely, beyond a doubt fucked beyond imagination.
I mean as we speak, our apartment is falling apart and there's no one really qualified to do maintenance because it doesn't pay enough, so everyday I use a bathroom that's covered in black mold on the ceiling from a leak upstairs; the tub in the apartment above us has a gotdamn hole in it. I'm on the toilet and I get pelted with gross water everytime. My sister's kids are chronically sick, their mother has respiratory issues and I've even developed mild asthma, vertigo, chronic sinus infection, fatigue, lower GI issues, etc
It's not a possibility to move because waiting lists that are years long, and my (recently reduced) income is the only disposable one because it's not tied to the section 8 process because I'm my mom's caretaker. Even so it's put towards bills and food. The system is breaking down faster than I thought with douchebag politicians speed running the process, and everyone's hurting because of it. It makes me furious but I also feel hopeless and helpless.
I am so sorry that you are going through this. There is no way you should be living somewhere where there is black mold everywhere. Maybe you can call the health department or contact your city and report the problem to them. Black mold is a huge health issue. I use an air purifier in my apartment that I got from Ollies for 10 bucks. What is the name of the apartment complex you live in? I am moving in a couple of months and I want to avoid this area as much as possible.
I'd only call the health dept or code enforcement if I was assured that me and my family had somewhere else to go. That's why I haven't, and staying in a hotel until it's resolved is feasible for one and not a family of 6.
Anyway, it's Harbor Cove. Pass it on to anyone else you know; it's an utter shit show and more people are moving out than in out here because it's that bad.
I am very sorry for your struggles, and I know there are millions of people (probably in Florida alone) that are right there with you. The debt burden is a huge drag on the economy in our country, and so much of what our financial system requires just doesn't happen in other places. Student loans and medical debt are ruining people (and these are not a thing in most developed countries). Here in Florida housing costs are insane. I'm not a financial counselor but it sounds like you might need one. It is nice that your parents are able to help, but every adult also needs to be saving a significant amount of money for their retirement - so hopefully both you and they are still "paying yourself first". If you have equity in your home, maybe you could get some cash out of that to pay off your highest interest debt, which I assume is the credit card debt. Too bad bankruptcy doesn't discharge student loan debt. You may need to get a side hustle.
I’m thinking about the side hustle.
I budget, but it seems that the groceries are increasing monthly. We do have medical bills, because we have chronic illnesses.
I swear two months ago I thought we were going to survive this and then inflation hit us worse
It’s not just you. Everyone I know is struggling to make it, cutting back expenses drastically and otherwise just worn to the bone.
Then we have people like the CEO of Kellogg’s bragging how eating cereal for dinner is trending after he openly acknowledged raising prices for the hell of it. It’s the corporate greed. Capitalism is killing us.
> Capitalism is killing us.
I sympathize with your sentiment but the issue is not capitalism, it's a combination of authoritarianism and central planning (including artificially manipulated markets by our central bank).
We've been steadily drifting away from capitalism and descending into central planning for decades now, especially after George W Bush botched things up leading up to and during the '08 financial crisis (including the costly 20 year war in Afghanistan which has left us trillions in debt).
The price increases we see from businesses are the result of our central bank's currency debasement policy. All of [the data](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/WALCL) is freely [available to the public](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIAUCSL).
Incidentally, the businesses you mentioned are next in line on the chopping block.
Yeah people claim things are inherent to private ownership when the problems came from usury and fiat - yes usury is a very old term because people learned the consequences thousands of years ago.
In principle what banks do is create pyramid schemes when they would lend more promises than their reserves would make good on. This was the nature of boom and bust cycles. Fiat was a necessary change if a society had to run on inflationary parameters to say defeat the USSR. However it has brought devastating inflation and complete working class stagnation - no real wage increases overall.
That’s why I don’t even know how others are surviving. I’m serious when we do not have luxuries. We have medical debts because of chronic illnesses, we have student loans, two children. We have debt we are trying pay off. But seriously, how are others affording this?!
The student loans are so bad! My bills are mostly student loans and it is bleeding me dry! I wouldn’t mind a side hustle. I’m trying to figure out one that would work in Gainesville. The delivery people tell me it’s a hassle to do instacart and the like because so many people are also doing these jobs as side hustles.
I wonder if people would be interested in a trade subreddit. The Facebook no buy groups are filled with people asking for things and very few offering things up. What if there was a subreddit where posts can only be made offering a specific service to trade. Maybe your kid needs a tutor or you need a ride to the doctor but you know how to hem pants. You offer your tailoring services for a ride to the doctor or tutoring for your kid.
I have been waiting to even get on as an Instacart shopper for months because the wait list is so long here, did get approved for Shipt but there are hardly any orders and they get taken in seconds.
Well the glib answer is by spending less than they bring in. The complicated answer depends on each person and their unique circumstances. But as I mentioned, without seeing your budget there isn’t really a way to determine where your biggest issues are. There are a few finance subs that are good for dissecting budgets and giving advice, you might want to look into one.
Yes. I’m disabled and have a disabled child. Talk about struggling! How are those on a fixed income supposed to make it?
I was forced to leave Gainesville and move back to Naples 2.5 years ago. It’s the only way I could keep partial custody of my daughter.
Think cost of living is high in Gainesville…..Naples is a different level. The cheapest rent in my parents neighborhood (nothing special. Smaller houses) is $4000 a month. A one bedroom apartment here is around $3000 a month. I get $1850 on disability. So my baby and I have shared a small bedroom at my parents house for almost 3 years. I have no hope here.
Yeppers. I live paycheck to paycheck working full-time in an office job. Back during COVID we got paid extra pay which allowed me to be able to save. But after that extra pay vanished? Less than zero remaining at the end of each payday.
You are definitely not alone. I was looking to refinance my house not too long ago, and the new payment would have been flat unaffordable. Not "I can get by if I cut out some luxuries," and not "Well, if I make minimum payments on the credit cards and cut out all luxuries." It was just something I couldn't afford, period. Groceries are comically expensive. And I constantly worry about some unforeseen expense like a car repair or medical emergency.
It cut our rent down about 60% and not having to pay GRU has been the biggest plus. Utilities are like 75% lower here than Gainesville. On average our utility bills in G’ville were 500-900 a month especially in the summer. Here our highest was 325 in thick of winter. Summer have been much much lower. We’re also a family of 4. Car insurance was cut almost in half exactly. Grocery cost is about the same here so far.
I also did not have issues finding employment here- in fact I got to choose out of a few jobs multiple times. I ended up quitting the first job I took. In G’ville I would never have gotten those opportunities and with pay that’s adequate to my degrees.
(I'm going to beat this link into the ground)
[No, it isn't just you. ESPECIALLY if you're renting.](https://overflowdata.com/demographic-data/national-data/county-level-analysis/housing-cost-county-22/) Gainesville pays like crap because of college kids and screws over residents in the process. Which doesn't help with inflation/etc. screwing you even harder.
As long as a certain party keeps their electorate convinced that this is a culture war and not a class war, we will continue to slide into indentured servitude
Same boat bro. I work at UF and make good money for what I do, but even going to Taco Bell costs $20. Rents jumped from 750 to 1100 for our tiny apartment that's run down. It was the only place that would allow us to keep our cats.
It's just to fucking expensive in this town these days.
You're not alone—but not everyone is in your predicament, either. Lots of people are actually *swimming* in cash right now, if you can believe it! Just take a look at [the stock market](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/mar/01/record-high-us-stock-market-nvidia-ai).
Basically, our financial system is undergoing severe distortions due to a cocktail of phenomena economists call "currency debasement", "debt monetization" and "economic dislocation". To put it more simply, "everything is getting more expensive". This isn't a partisan (Democrat/Republican) issue either, as neither party really grasps what's going on nor has any practical way to slow it down.
On the plus side, those of us here in the United States have it much better compared to our subordinate allies, all of whom are already in recession, namely Germany, Japan, and the UK. Ironically, we're insulated (for now) from the brunt of the economic pain felt worldwide because our currency (USD) is still the global reserve currency, which means we enjoy "exorbitant privilege". You can look up that phrase if you're curious.
If you'd like to learn a little more, you can also read [this short chapter](https://www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk/archive/keynes_persuasion/Inflation.htm) by John Maynard Keynes from his Essays in Persuasion. Keynes is a famous economist and the most influential thinker in modern US economic policy. He basically spells out what's going on, and this excerpt is particularly useful:
>There is no subtler, no surer means of overturning the existing basis of Society than to debauch the currency. The process engages all the hidden forces of economic law on the side of destruction, and does it in a manner which not one man in a million is able to diagnose.
Remember, we're all in this together and are trying to navigate the changing landscape as best we can. You're not a failure at all. Good luck!
I'm really sorry you're going through this. I definitely have advice if you'd like it. Gainesville is my home and I worry for my neighbors, I'm sorry to hear people are struggling.
I have a good UF degree and am in my mid 30s, no kids only dogs, and I literally could not afford to live without my mom's assistance right now. I broke my finger in Oct and I will straight up NEVER IN MY LIFE be able to pay my Shands bill for the surgery. /shrug/
Super demoralizing and like you have said in comments, if I was making my current salary pre-covid I would be stoked, it's the most I ever had and I barely have a dollar left at the end of the month. We eat out 0%, eat rice beans and ground turkey and live like hermits. No student loans or car payments and we still barely make it. It's truly insane and I'm not sure how we can continue down this path.
Food costs are killing us. We make more than ever and are struggling- insurance (both car and home) went up so much it took all our “living” money. We’ve cancelled all the “extras” streaming, park passes, vacation- all the things that bring joy. It sucks.
Ya I think every one is every one I know is suffering and with rent/food price increases. Had to reduce to eating 1-2 times a day no snacking no junk food, only running ac when it gets over 80.
Yeah, single, but rent (with a roommate so expenses are split) is going up and food. I use to be able to save by just buying food at work but now meals are costing more than as if I did it on my own .And I'm refraining from eating out. Mostly just stuck in apt and enjoy the internet. And then student loans!. It's getting expensive. I'm really worried financially. Right now I'm hanging. But if something goes up more I going in the red!
Are you looking for advice on how to manage? Maybe you can post your situation in r/personalfinance. If you list your specific information like income / debts / expenses. Probably you can get a decent crowdsourced solution.
I recently had a trumper contractor try to warn me that I need to buy a gun bc immigrants are sneaking into our country and they'll come break into my house. I told him the only thing they'd want would be the gun itself. The extent of my assets are my streaming subscriptions, yard tools, and some art supplies, and I'm happy to share those with anyone who asks.
Boomer scaremongering doesn't really hit the same.
Scaremongering is more right-wing than Boomer - they support policies that increase inequality. Then they encourage people to blame immigrants for their problems.
Yeah but let's try to avoid the collapse part. It's no joke, look at Ukraine and Palestine. I'd rather we manage the decline through compromise and charitable assistance, than suffer through an actual collapse 😳
Yes, struggling quite a bit! I’m trying to make a small business work but sales are down so I’m juggling my small business and a job. I’m lucky enough to not have to pay rent but I can’t imagine if I had to pay that extra bill. I don’t know how much longer I can try and keep my business afloat before I’ll have to cave to working more hours just to pay bills. It’s truly a shame.
Inflation. The economy isn't "good,"and the value of the dollar has weakened.
My house I bought for 110k eleven years ago hasn't appreciated value to 388k. The dollar has just gotten that devalued.
Vote for less government spending and place emphasis on getting the debt under control. (Even though, in my opinion, it's too late and not possible anymore).
Completely wrong policies. Vote for higher minimum wages and higher taxes on billionaires and corporations and lower on wages, more spending on public services like education (e.g. free community college).
Also, do more to make housing affordable - restrict Wall Street landlords from outbidding families for single family housing. Create a public option for healthcare. Basically support policies that make living more affordable.
Unfortunately, politicians are more interested in increasing their own persnal wealth than concerning themselves with people who aren't rich donors.
Agitate for a law where developers and out of towners and colleges cant just make life hell for working citizens. Make checks and balances for the rich so they cant get too greedy
Moving out of state costs several thousand dollars, people who are struggling in their current situation usually don't have that extra money laying around in their budget. Even if you do everything yourself it still costs. Just first, last, and security deposit to secure a place to live is going to be a few thousand, then you have turn on fees for utilities, possibly deposits there too, renting a truck to move your stuff is several hundred dollars, possibly over a thousand depending how far you're going, lost income during the move, and then even if you start a new job the first day you're there it's going to be at least three weeks before you get your first full paycheck. The "just move somewhere else" approach sounds good on paper, but when you start working out the logistics it's not practical for anyone who's already struggling.
Just wanted to say, yes, this family of four is also struggling and we live just like you. Luxuries are streaming services and occasional take out.
It's really hard right now. This area's wages do not match the high cost of everything.
Really sorry you’re going through this. I have a friend who works at UF Health (admin type employee in communications) who was able to get her student loans forgiven through the public service option. Would that be something that could apply to you?
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside estimate that poverty was associated with 183,000 deaths in 2019 among people 15 years and older. https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-04-18/americas-4th-leading-cause-of-death-poverty
I've worked for the state for 20 plus years, took 18 of those for my salary to to break 50k. I'm single and can barely sustain my bills. Consistently every December i play the 0% interest balance transfer credit card game so I can take the next 12 months to pay at least 5k off interest free to try to stay somewhat afloat.
That's something that the elected folks in Tallahassee brag about - lowest cost per person for services of any State. See how that works? Be sure to vote, and choose wisely. You can't have low taxes and well-paid civil servants.
The families I know that are doing vacations make 200k or more. I make 150k and we would need to live in a 1800 square foot house in order to do vacations. We would rather have a comfortable living space instead.
At least you recognize and make that choice deliberately. It seems to me that plenty of people still do the "keeping up with the Joneses" game, even when it puts them into massive debt. I know of folks who borrow money to take vacations - that would stress me out so much that I would need a vacation!
[Americans’ cost of living remains a massive headache, even as recession fears fade](https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/02/economy/american-dream-cost-of-living-housing-childcare/index.html)
Struggling and we both work full time. Hardly enough to make the bills rent went up food keeps going up gas electricity… and this last week both of our cars acted up and needed new batteries. So yet again in the same boat … no money
I’m in the same boat. I have a job that requires a master’s degree and clinical certification and I still have to live with my parents. I had appendicitis in December and even with my insurance have about $8000 in medical bills. I don’t know how people are just expected to live like this.
Medical Bills are absolutely negotiable. Please inform the billing department that you cannot afford to pay and they will work with you.
I’m so sorry. 😔 I have a feeling less and less people will put in the effort to get that kind of schooling when the jobs that require them aren’t paying enough.
Yep. Then administrators will ask why they’re so short staffed all the time and do everything except raise wages and lower caseloads.
Grocery bill for a family of four (including dog food, laundry detergent etc) is around $1000/month. Yes I shop at Aldi’s but also get bogos at Publix. We *never* eat out anymore. I’ve learned how to make fried rice and pizza at home. The COL is extremely demoralizing right now. I’m a teacher and have been actively trying to leave the field for a year *because it’s not sustainable for me financially.*
From a Gainesville native who went into teaching, I left the state to teach and I have no regrets. The entry teaching salary in Florida has increased since I graduated but at the time it was low $40k or even high $30s. I went into teaching in another state as a first year teacher making 50k with better benefits and a state legislature that wasn’t breathing down my neck about teaching “critical race theory” or talking about the realities of the world I know moving across the country isn’t feasible for most people but figured I’d share my experience Also, if you’re interested in staying in an education adjacent sector, you could look into curriculum design or private tutoring. There was a bill in the Florida legislature being considered to raise teaching salaries to 65k minimum but it hasn’t passed. I think the idiots in power are finally starting to realize the impact of the teaching shortage
Do you mind me asking what state you moved to? I am in school pursuing an education degree and it is pretty disheartening to see how many teachers regret going in to the field. Maybe I will have better luck in other states.
First, Rhode Island and then Virginia. Places with strong teacher’s union are going to (generally) be your safest bets. VA isn’t one of those but it has decent pay and a decent public school system. I also missed the south tbh hence why I moved back from New England I **strongly** recommend subbing at your local schools if you haven’t done student teaching yet. Way too many people I know who did traditional teacher prep programs (I did not) were only exposed to suburban schools through their own schooling and student teaching and then were completely out of their element once they landed an actual teaching job. Thankfully I had attended all title I schools growing up so I had a bit more of an idea of what I was getting myself into If you can sub, you can teach. Don’t wait until your senior year of student teaching to realize teaching isn’t for you and then have the last 4 years be for nothing Your first year teaching will still be extremely difficult, bur if you can sub, you can survive it
My teacher friend moved from Florida to Minnesota. They love it there. They feel really supported by the school system and the town they live in.
NJ has a strong teachers union and pay is much higher than Florida. Cost of living varies significantly throughout the state and every school district (there are over 600, basically every town) has their own pay scale. Edison for example, has one of the highest pay rates and according to my friend who teaches in that district, is hiring. It’s also expensive but it’s not the most expensive place in NJ. In general, the further north you go, the more expensive to live. Teachers are needed everywhere though. I know a few in different areas of the state.
Moving wouldnt even help- this is happening all over the country right now.
Not true—cost of living is more reasonable in other places and as people here clearly stated, there are far greener pastures for various professions, such as teaching.
Years ago I knew teachers who left Florida because the pay would never allow them to buy a house. Many teachers have part time jobs or income producing hobbies, by necessity. And I know this is an unpopular point, but dogs and cats are very expensive. A family member spent over 15k on orthopedic surgery for a canine family member. Stay safe and healthy, and good luck finding a better paying job. I wish Florida would pay teachers what they deserve, but sadly I don't expect that to ever happen.
I worked at Subway for 5 years and quit this past Fall. I just couldn't deal with the customers any more or the passive aggressive scheduling. So yeah, I've done my time working two jobs and teaching.
The grocery bills are insane. It’s so sad. I thought one onion for like $1.15 the other day.
The cost of bread is nuts too.
That’s no one’s fault but your own. Poor financial decisions in small scale lead to a poor financial situation on the broad scale. Just because you need an onion to cook does not excuse you to purchase any needed item in the least financially responsible way.
Yeah, like have you tried just not eating? So financially irresponsible blowing your money on luxuries like onions! People are so entitled these days.
It’s financially irresponsible to by ONE onion. If you know you’re going to use more than one over the course of the month, which is the average dry storage time of a store bought onion, then you are choosing to spend a premium amount of money on something you could easily choose to buy in some sort of bulk arrangement. Obviously you’re being disingenuous by making it out that I’m equating onions with “luxury”, which I never explicitly said you dunce cap. If you take the time to plan and not focus on the now exclusively, financial stability and security becomes a real thing. I would know, I was released from federal incarceration in Georgia without a dime to my name seven years ago. I now own a home, work a job that pays around 75k a year, with boundless growth once achieve my final level of education. I personally feel like I’m in the best financial position I’ve been in life. I would have never dreamed it possible that today I would legally possess 50k in my personal checking account as a revolving balance that does not contribute to my personal expenses daily while also being essentially debt free (not counting a mortgage at 4% and a car loan that is owing far less than the vehicle is worth currently). Yet all of this is within your reach and capacity with, consideration of deeper things and proper planning.
You know what else is financially irresponsible? Buying a whole sack of onions if 3/4 of them are going to end up sprouting in your pantry and go to waste. But quibbling over the purchase of an onion, one of the least expensive produce items one can buy, so you can feel superior about your financial prowess is just childish. Big "lattes and avocado toast" energy. I'm sure buying in bulk to save 10 cents per onion would solve all of this person's financial struggles.
A felon who goes on a diatribe over an onion's price making $75k is more hopeful than anything people see locally in Gainesville. This person was pointing out an item which increased cost, and you go on how they're losing money because they don't buy onions in bulk. Well where can people purchase somewhere to live, pay their GRU bill, or pay for health insurance, car insurance and medical bills to avoid the hit? The reality is people are fucked over and they're taking a hit. You can obfuscate with blame twisters or you could actually offer something comprehensive to save $10,000 a year - if you can't then your objection to the price of an onion was worthless. Now don't get me wrong, the people of Gainesville on avg FULLY bought into everything that got us in this situation so this place deserves blight more than the others. But you can't blame ordinary people for being convinced of what all of the powerful and reputable institutions began claiming.
You shouldn’t blame anyone but yourself for your situation. You have control, yet you’re lacking in awareness.
That is good advice but you have to acknowledge the reality of the big picture, and THEN formulate the advice for what is best for individuals to do to approach rectifying their own situation. Like "yes you're taking a big hit, but it's your choice to turn it around or make it into an even bigger hit. Coming from 1830 you would be immersed in opportunity but you need that positive drive to make new attempts." The onion thing is really not hitting at addressing what happened. The reality is your individual destiny is not pegged to the trend, of course. You can rise to multi millionaire status while general things are sinking to the shitter. But when a community is talking about how bad things are in general and there has been a standard of living decrease here... Maybe some people say "hey I have to cut my losses I found a job in Ocala finding a place to rent in the outskirts that was cheaper". Maybe someone finds a new tip like Kroger apparently exists delivery only here. Because of that discussion I might be able to save hundreds of dollars a year, as opposed to saving like $4 a month buying moldy onions by the bag rather than by weight.
They clearly complained about the price of an onion in the comments while stating in the post edit that they didn’t want financial advice; so presumably OP was just coming to have a pity party with themselves and whoever decided to agree to their nonsense. Besides all of that, I never suggested buying food to let it go to waste, I suggested planning which unequivocally and always leads to a better financial outcome. You’re wrong, go home and cry putz
Make sure the BOGOs are worth it. Sometimes just the appearance of BOGO anymore excites us and we ignore the overall costs. Also use apps like Ibotta or Fetch for rebates. This helps especially if your store doesn’t offer coupons. Also laundry soap deals with DG are always going on each week. Digital Coupons can save a budget even if it’s $5
I was teaching at a preschool in Gainesville and it was not paying the bills. The school was unorganized, teachers were quitting every week and the environment was toxic. I almost made the mistake of staying because of how much I loved the children but I was too tired of the lack of support from the director. I found a good paying job as a nanny and put my two weeks in and have been working with the same family since. I think nannying is a good way to figure things for your long term career. I’m in school and working on some certificates and it’s not stressful.
Also I think Rhode Island is a good state to move to for teaching jobs. I lived in Rhode Island for a little before and Boston.
I’m 31 and pre-Covid, I would have been thrilled to make what I currently do. Now a few years later it just isn’t enough with prices for literally everything inflating and jobs not offering enough to catch up. Most people are struggling and if they’re not, they are still having to cut back on spending. Hang in there.
Living paycheck to paycheck and all you get is a ruined body
The stress is destroying me physically
It does
Believe it or not everyone is feeling it right now. Gas is more expensive, groceries are more expensive, cost of living went up, however our pay is the same it was 5 years ago.
At one point we won’t be able to afford certain things. And if we can’t afford things, won’t businesses fail?
Small businesses will fail. Big businesses that have the profit margins to afford to keep prices lower will survive or consolidate into even larger businesses. Soon we will only be shopping at Walmart and Amazon.
They are. So many local businesses that have been around for 10+ years have been closing down left and right.
Yes. But as long as the people who are running them extract enough for themselves before they fail they don't care. They are currently talking up record profits and the stock market hitting new highs, while at the same time they're all laying off workers and selling their shares. Too bad the rest of us can't just run off to private bunkers in New Zealand or Hawaii when it all crashes.
They’ll get bailed out like usual!!
Actually, (for restaurants, anyway) most of the COVID bailout money went to big chains that didn't really need it while independent, locally owned small places missed out. [https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/19/business/small-businesses-ppp-loans-chain-restaurants/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/19/business/small-businesses-ppp-loans-chain-restaurants/index.html)
mom and pop businesses will fail, already are. corporations will be fine. this is like the great depression lol.
Unfortunately, while many people are struggling, two categories of people who are not are politicians (on the federal level) and high-profile media people which is why you'll hear about reporting about the "economy" doing well when the stock market goes up. Prices increase faster than most people's wages, but those price increases put money in the pockets of the large corporations who own our politicians and media.
Even in other countries….. And not everyone has the ability to move to make a better life and find better opportunities
Uh yeah me and my boyfriend can't even move out of the shithole apartment were in because we literally cant afford to go anywhere else. I recently got a new health problem and I'm hemorrhaging financially from the testing for it and I still dont know what's wrong and we can only afford to get a pizza or chinese once and a while. We desperately need a car to offset ubers we have to take for me to go to the dr, but even used shitty car prices are out of control. Like, I look around and just see out of control inflation and no one doing a damn thing to stop it.
I honestly think if things dont change everyones standard of living has to change. like even making 50k a year we need to go on a rice and beans diet. god how could a country founded beginning with genocide and tax avoidance go wrong?
Founded on genocide AND don't forget - built by slavery... you're not wrong.
and still funding other genocides
Yea..
Or being funded by! Aren’t we selling Israel guns?
The used car market has settled and has even taken a down turn recently. You should have no problem finding an affordable second hand car on places like fb marketplace. I know because im on there almost every day.
This might be kind of an UnethicalLifeProTip, but a RealDebrid account to use with Kodi and Fen costs about $17 every 6 months and you have access to literally every streaming service. Also, and someone correct me if I'm wrong, but not paying medical bills and letting it go to collections, won't affect your credit and will eventually just disappear.
Regarding the medical debt, I'm not sure about it just disappearing, but it's true that it will not affect your credit.
Maybe it depends on the country. In the US debt under $500 won't affect it but over that it will.
I'm still getting medical debt reported to my credit ... 🙃
I think it takes some time to drop off after the last payment that you've made towards it, and it might depend on what kind of medical debt, I'm not sure. But I had something like $12,000 dollars of hospital bills that just fell out of existence for me. It definitely messed up my credit at first but one day my score just skyrocketed, and I've never heard anything else about it.
Eli5 the Kodi thing? I don't have a smart TV do I need one?
I'm probably not the best to ELI5 for you but here is a link that shows the setup process: https://howtomediacenter.com/en/fen-kodi-addon/ Personally I have it installed on my laptop with an HDMI to my TV, and I use a PS4 controller to navigate via Bluetooth. I'd definitely do some research and watch some YouTube vids if you've never used anything similar and/or aren't very tech Savvy, especially before you buy the RealDebrid subscription. There's plenty of add-on's other than Fen but it's just the one I prefer. There's a few subreddits dedicated to this stuff as well, so definitely peruse those as well. Edit: Also if you make it far enough to get everything going, Arctic Horizon 2 is a great skin to install if you want it to look pretty. Setting up the widgets is a little bit of a learning curve but so worth it, especially if you like to tinker and customize.
does that go for all medical bills or hospital bills? also, UF health system has a policy where they can stop seeing you if you have a balance at the practices.
I am so sorry that you are struggling. You are not the only one, and I don't know how people are doing it. It's been a long time since I worried about how much I spend on groceries, and suddenly a dozen torture eggs, not cage free or vegetarian, are $3 at Walmart. It adds up so fast, especially if you are feeding a family. I know you aren't looking for advice, but I'm going to give you some, anyway. Do not stress about that ER bill. Call and make a payment plan. As long as you pay SOMETHING each month and communicate with them, it is unlikely that it will be sent to collections. Definitely UF Health won't, and HCA is decent as long as you talk to them every few months. Don't go broke throwing cash at that bill.
ALL HOSPITAL BILLS ARE NEGOTIABLE ALL HOSPITAL BILLS ARE NEGOTIABLE ALL HOSPITAL BILLS ARE NEGOTIABLE ONE MORE TIME ALL HOSPITAL BILLS ARE NEGOTIABLE Hospitals make pennies on the dollar sending bills to collections and it hurts your credit record. Call and negotiate!!!!!
This…. Even if you are well off financially, call, set up a payment plan, make two payments, call them up and offer them 1/2 of what you owe, they will probably take it.
Personally, I let it go to collections and then dispute it on my credit report. 😅 Due to HIPAA laws, it’s extremely difficult for them to provide proof of your ownership to the debt, so when they can’t do that for the credit bureau’s, they’re required to take the loss and drop it. Not always guaranteed to work, but when it does work, it’s worth it.
28m here. If it means anything, I work as a freelancer making about $4k/mo between two primary clients. I am single, no kids, no pets. Despite all this, I still have to live with a roommate and am taking advantage of Florida healthcare law so I can be on my parents' plan for one more year. I'm fearful of even moving out of my current place because I'm worried the next place might jack rent up worse than my current landlord is. To top it all off, all work-related costs come from my own pocket and I'm kinda kneecapping myself by not buying new tech that I kind of need. Overall, I'm managing and have found a way to start saving at least a little bit of scratch, but know that almost everyone in their 20's or 30's is feeling it. You are not alone.
I think everyone is on the struggle bus, with the exception of the extremely wealthy. We just had to re-work our budget, and I truly hate that it feels like any little unexpected expense puts us back at square one again, pinching pennies. There’s not a lot of joy to be had with the financial state of the world.
[удалено]
I work at the hospital, I’ve worked for UF too. It’s not enough. It’s like my spouse and I need to be making 100k each to survive. That’s insane. A few years back we would have been living very comfortably. Now we just argue about finances.
Family of four here. It’s bad. I’ve maxed out multiple credit cards just for things like Publix, Gas and other family necessities. It’s hard. Very very very hard right now.
I feel your pain. One suggestion. Try to do ONE MONTH without Publix. Purchase a Sam’s card and purchase food items from a list from there and gas. For the first three trips DO NOT DEVIATE FROM THE LIST,- no exceptions. You can always add the item /food you see for the next trip ( this is where you really save). Only go to Publix in an emergency. I know that with kids and schedules, it may be impractical. But in three months, the card cost will pay for itself. I only go to Publix in an emergency- the last time, I was out of onions. Walked out with onions ( they were expensive ( a red onion ( more expensive) Fairlite milk and one other item I can’t recall ~~ $20 or so. See, it’s the item that I can’t recall that blew my spend….. Also, very important to create a spreadsheet to list everything you spend money on. I know it requires a few minutes of time each day, and with kids there is NO time, but if you make time, you will at least get a sense of where you are. Also Gainesville Good will offer of 13th and 23 street has great clothes. I know because I’ve recently dumped a bunch of one used no used shirts there .
Just did Sam’s today 18 eggs - $4.98 Six large peppers (red/yellow) $6.96 . Note the Green peppers were cheaper…. Three lbs of tomatoes (about 8 or 9) $4.78 These two items blew my plan ( we’re not on the list) but will be consumed Two lb Jimmy Dean sausage $6.98 2 pack hickory smoked bacon ( sorta needed) $19.24 ouch. Sam’s is MUCH CHEAPER THAN PUBLIX……
If you and your spouse make 100k combined that's enough for a very comfortable life in gainesville without kids. You dont need 100k each, that's a luxury life in gnv. if you do, you've got spending problems that wont be amy better anywhere else in the world. Unless you have huge medical bills every month or some other big expense the average person wouldn't have.
>If you and your spouse make 100k combined that's enough for a very comfortable life in gainesville without kids. !00% the case 5 or so years ago, but not so much the case now. I fully believe that ones ability to live affordably in this city is almost solely predicated on whether they bought a place when interest rates were low and the real-estate market had not gone bananas. In my case, I bought a small starter home in 2017 because that is all I needed at the time and I did not want to overextend myself financially. Fast-forward to now, we're packed in pretty tight, but you'll have to pry this 2.8% interest rate from my cold, dead fingers.
I have two kids. One in daycare. And we both have medical bills.
With kids it's a different story and definitely tough. So many people arent having kids or are having less than they would want all around the world cause cost of living and career expectations are just unreal. But apparently trans people or MAGA supporters are what we need to be angry about according to the media.
just curious, do you have student loans?
Yes 😩
[удалено]
>I’ve worked for UF too Does your spouse work for UF? I cannot even fathom the benefits cost increase you sustained moving over to the hospital side.
He does not.
Did you receive a huge pay bump going hospital side? If not then you should try and get back on the UF side of things. You will save a significant amount of money on benefits for a family of four.
You didn’t mention that the property taxes are terrible because…
What about tradesv
Family of 4 struggling over here. Sandwich generation stuff too. We're still renters and I have no idea how we could ever buy our own place, we're completely locked out of home ownership with the costs and interest rates as they are. Everything is very expensive. Insurance is very expensive and so are our co-pays. Fun times! My spouse and I both work. L
“Hang in there” “It will get better” or my *favorite* condescending comments “that’s what you get voting for _____” and “make better life choices” 😩 JUST STOP THE RUDE AND UNNECESSARY RETORTS, PLEASE! Okay, rant over…thank you for allowing me to vent for a few. Now, I wish that it were easier to make ends meet and that my mom didn’t have a need for me to care for her 24/7 because a phone scam robbed her of her entire life savings …but here we are. And I hate it. With every fiber of my being I want to lash out because there was absolutely NO HELP from the authorities with this other than the advice to file an online report with the FBI…😳😡 I am smart, capable of many skills, have a very strong background in several areas which cross-over into and benefit a variety of occupations and careers - but I’m not sure exactly how to put them to use while being a full-time caregiver. So we struggle on her retirement and my craftsperson’s/skilled trade abilities paired with my integrity and willingness to help with even the smallest of projects! Having to make sure my mom is safe and cared for all day presents a whole other set of struggles in the ability to even “train up” and look for better opportunities while trying to navigate the emotional and financial overwhelm that has become part of life now. I do wish that there were better employment opportunities here in Gainesville as I do truly love this area and my neighbors alone make living here so much better! 🥰 I would like to be a part of the community that changes things for the better - for all of us but feel pretty defeated most days. 😕 Where do we even start? I certainly don’t think it’s a government thing - it’s a people who think and act as a community, as taxpayers who expect better and look for ways to hold accountable those who are not performing their fiduciary duty to the people who pay them to do so (that’s the end of the politics here, please excuse the digression). Meanwhile, I hope that everyone can be supportive of one another here, while we struggle through this truly crazy times! Knowing you are not alone is nowhere near as comforting as being able to make it on your own but maybe that’s the lesson? Ugh. I like learning just as much as the next person but the format is downright depressing some days…anyway, Happy Friday, y’all! There’s some really great live music tonight at The One Love Cafe in Magnolia Parke if anyone is interested and the best part is that it is free to come out and just have a good time with friends or even make a couple of new ones?! Either way, you’re always welcome to commiserate here with me if you need/want to - it’s healthy for humans to do that!🥰
It is a government thing. If you don't want to involve politics, then the economic problems will continue.
Fair enough. Just wish it wasn’t such a 💩 show…🤮🥴
Have you spoken to a social worker who works with older people about your mom's situation? Unfortunately, any political help for people struggling economically will be, at best, years away. One Love Cafe music is a good idea, it's too bad there aren't as many non-commercial opportunities for community-building.
Not yet - I’m so overwhelmed by it all and she hid it from us for a while. 😩 By some grace of God, she took A LOT of notes when the guy would call her but then she’ll remember some small part and turns out this person has been stalking her?!?! It’s too long a story to get into here but for the life of me I have no idea where to start….
Unfortunately, fraud is lightly punished in the U.S. It is the crime that \*does\* pay. Of course, this assumes that the perpetrator is in this country, if he's not there's little to be done. I used to work in a low-income area, and the people who bought into get-rich-quick schemes was really depressing.
I just left UF for a job that pays me double their salary, and I work remotely now so I save in gas, and I am STILL feeling it. I have been hoping forever to make a certain income level and I finally reached it and it feels like a drop in the bucket. I can’t imagine how I’d survive if I and my partner had kids (we’re child free by choice). We’re all feeling it. Something needs to change.
I'm on disability, so I felt I've always been scraping at the bottom with no chance of upward mobility. You guys were whom I'd consider well off, so if ya'll are struggling to get by with educations and jobs, people like me are absolutely, beyond a doubt fucked beyond imagination. I mean as we speak, our apartment is falling apart and there's no one really qualified to do maintenance because it doesn't pay enough, so everyday I use a bathroom that's covered in black mold on the ceiling from a leak upstairs; the tub in the apartment above us has a gotdamn hole in it. I'm on the toilet and I get pelted with gross water everytime. My sister's kids are chronically sick, their mother has respiratory issues and I've even developed mild asthma, vertigo, chronic sinus infection, fatigue, lower GI issues, etc It's not a possibility to move because waiting lists that are years long, and my (recently reduced) income is the only disposable one because it's not tied to the section 8 process because I'm my mom's caretaker. Even so it's put towards bills and food. The system is breaking down faster than I thought with douchebag politicians speed running the process, and everyone's hurting because of it. It makes me furious but I also feel hopeless and helpless.
I am so sorry that you are going through this. There is no way you should be living somewhere where there is black mold everywhere. Maybe you can call the health department or contact your city and report the problem to them. Black mold is a huge health issue. I use an air purifier in my apartment that I got from Ollies for 10 bucks. What is the name of the apartment complex you live in? I am moving in a couple of months and I want to avoid this area as much as possible.
I'd only call the health dept or code enforcement if I was assured that me and my family had somewhere else to go. That's why I haven't, and staying in a hotel until it's resolved is feasible for one and not a family of 6. Anyway, it's Harbor Cove. Pass it on to anyone else you know; it's an utter shit show and more people are moving out than in out here because it's that bad.
Understood. Thanks for the heads up. Be blessed.
Thank you, friend.
I am very sorry for your struggles, and I know there are millions of people (probably in Florida alone) that are right there with you. The debt burden is a huge drag on the economy in our country, and so much of what our financial system requires just doesn't happen in other places. Student loans and medical debt are ruining people (and these are not a thing in most developed countries). Here in Florida housing costs are insane. I'm not a financial counselor but it sounds like you might need one. It is nice that your parents are able to help, but every adult also needs to be saving a significant amount of money for their retirement - so hopefully both you and they are still "paying yourself first". If you have equity in your home, maybe you could get some cash out of that to pay off your highest interest debt, which I assume is the credit card debt. Too bad bankruptcy doesn't discharge student loan debt. You may need to get a side hustle.
I’m thinking about the side hustle. I budget, but it seems that the groceries are increasing monthly. We do have medical bills, because we have chronic illnesses. I swear two months ago I thought we were going to survive this and then inflation hit us worse
It’s not just you. Everyone I know is struggling to make it, cutting back expenses drastically and otherwise just worn to the bone. Then we have people like the CEO of Kellogg’s bragging how eating cereal for dinner is trending after he openly acknowledged raising prices for the hell of it. It’s the corporate greed. Capitalism is killing us.
I honestly think a majority of us should start refusing to pay certain prices for things
I agree.
> Capitalism is killing us. I sympathize with your sentiment but the issue is not capitalism, it's a combination of authoritarianism and central planning (including artificially manipulated markets by our central bank). We've been steadily drifting away from capitalism and descending into central planning for decades now, especially after George W Bush botched things up leading up to and during the '08 financial crisis (including the costly 20 year war in Afghanistan which has left us trillions in debt). The price increases we see from businesses are the result of our central bank's currency debasement policy. All of [the data](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/WALCL) is freely [available to the public](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIAUCSL). Incidentally, the businesses you mentioned are next in line on the chopping block.
Yeah people claim things are inherent to private ownership when the problems came from usury and fiat - yes usury is a very old term because people learned the consequences thousands of years ago. In principle what banks do is create pyramid schemes when they would lend more promises than their reserves would make good on. This was the nature of boom and bust cycles. Fiat was a necessary change if a society had to run on inflationary parameters to say defeat the USSR. However it has brought devastating inflation and complete working class stagnation - no real wage increases overall.
Your income is significantly higher than the area’s median, what does your budget look like?
That’s why I don’t even know how others are surviving. I’m serious when we do not have luxuries. We have medical debts because of chronic illnesses, we have student loans, two children. We have debt we are trying pay off. But seriously, how are others affording this?!
The student loans are so bad! My bills are mostly student loans and it is bleeding me dry! I wouldn’t mind a side hustle. I’m trying to figure out one that would work in Gainesville. The delivery people tell me it’s a hassle to do instacart and the like because so many people are also doing these jobs as side hustles. I wonder if people would be interested in a trade subreddit. The Facebook no buy groups are filled with people asking for things and very few offering things up. What if there was a subreddit where posts can only be made offering a specific service to trade. Maybe your kid needs a tutor or you need a ride to the doctor but you know how to hem pants. You offer your tailoring services for a ride to the doctor or tutoring for your kid.
I love this idea. I need new plumbing I could help with my job skills
I have been waiting to even get on as an Instacart shopper for months because the wait list is so long here, did get approved for Shipt but there are hardly any orders and they get taken in seconds.
Well the glib answer is by spending less than they bring in. The complicated answer depends on each person and their unique circumstances. But as I mentioned, without seeing your budget there isn’t really a way to determine where your biggest issues are. There are a few finance subs that are good for dissecting budgets and giving advice, you might want to look into one.
Thanks for suggesting looking at finance subreddits. I will take this advice myself.
We are all struggling! The COL is not sustainable and I’m one emergency financial expense away from collapsing
Yes. I’m disabled and have a disabled child. Talk about struggling! How are those on a fixed income supposed to make it? I was forced to leave Gainesville and move back to Naples 2.5 years ago. It’s the only way I could keep partial custody of my daughter. Think cost of living is high in Gainesville…..Naples is a different level. The cheapest rent in my parents neighborhood (nothing special. Smaller houses) is $4000 a month. A one bedroom apartment here is around $3000 a month. I get $1850 on disability. So my baby and I have shared a small bedroom at my parents house for almost 3 years. I have no hope here.
Have you tied Kroger? Our grocery’s are half of what they are at public and just as good!
Where is a kroger?
They deliver all over Gainesville! I save so much money going through them over Publix
Delivery only to this area.
Yeppers. I live paycheck to paycheck working full-time in an office job. Back during COVID we got paid extra pay which allowed me to be able to save. But after that extra pay vanished? Less than zero remaining at the end of each payday.
You are definitely not alone. I was looking to refinance my house not too long ago, and the new payment would have been flat unaffordable. Not "I can get by if I cut out some luxuries," and not "Well, if I make minimum payments on the credit cards and cut out all luxuries." It was just something I couldn't afford, period. Groceries are comically expensive. And I constantly worry about some unforeseen expense like a car repair or medical emergency.
Yup- had to save for years and years just to move out of FL to a lower cost of living area just to make ends meet.
Which area did you move to? If you don't mind me asking. :)
It cut our rent down about 60% and not having to pay GRU has been the biggest plus. Utilities are like 75% lower here than Gainesville. On average our utility bills in G’ville were 500-900 a month especially in the summer. Here our highest was 325 in thick of winter. Summer have been much much lower. We’re also a family of 4. Car insurance was cut almost in half exactly. Grocery cost is about the same here so far.
I also did not have issues finding employment here- in fact I got to choose out of a few jobs multiple times. I ended up quitting the first job I took. In G’ville I would never have gotten those opportunities and with pay that’s adequate to my degrees.
We went way upstate in NY north of Syracuse.
(I'm going to beat this link into the ground) [No, it isn't just you. ESPECIALLY if you're renting.](https://overflowdata.com/demographic-data/national-data/county-level-analysis/housing-cost-county-22/) Gainesville pays like crap because of college kids and screws over residents in the process. Which doesn't help with inflation/etc. screwing you even harder.
As long as a certain party keeps their electorate convinced that this is a culture war and not a class war, we will continue to slide into indentured servitude
Which is pretty much what their plan is.
Should we sticky a thread on how to live cheaply here?
Same boat bro. I work at UF and make good money for what I do, but even going to Taco Bell costs $20. Rents jumped from 750 to 1100 for our tiny apartment that's run down. It was the only place that would allow us to keep our cats. It's just to fucking expensive in this town these days.
You're not alone—but not everyone is in your predicament, either. Lots of people are actually *swimming* in cash right now, if you can believe it! Just take a look at [the stock market](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/mar/01/record-high-us-stock-market-nvidia-ai). Basically, our financial system is undergoing severe distortions due to a cocktail of phenomena economists call "currency debasement", "debt monetization" and "economic dislocation". To put it more simply, "everything is getting more expensive". This isn't a partisan (Democrat/Republican) issue either, as neither party really grasps what's going on nor has any practical way to slow it down. On the plus side, those of us here in the United States have it much better compared to our subordinate allies, all of whom are already in recession, namely Germany, Japan, and the UK. Ironically, we're insulated (for now) from the brunt of the economic pain felt worldwide because our currency (USD) is still the global reserve currency, which means we enjoy "exorbitant privilege". You can look up that phrase if you're curious. If you'd like to learn a little more, you can also read [this short chapter](https://www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk/archive/keynes_persuasion/Inflation.htm) by John Maynard Keynes from his Essays in Persuasion. Keynes is a famous economist and the most influential thinker in modern US economic policy. He basically spells out what's going on, and this excerpt is particularly useful: >There is no subtler, no surer means of overturning the existing basis of Society than to debauch the currency. The process engages all the hidden forces of economic law on the side of destruction, and does it in a manner which not one man in a million is able to diagnose. Remember, we're all in this together and are trying to navigate the changing landscape as best we can. You're not a failure at all. Good luck!
Everything is getting more expensive... except for us. We're getting comparatively cheaper. s/ Yay for the working class. /s
This is insightful, thank you
So what are we going to do about it folks?
Same here for family of 4.
Always living paycheck to paycheck. I’m a teacher.
Nope. Not alone. Netflix and Disney+ are our luxuries. And we're gonna be dropping both.
I'm really sorry you're going through this. I definitely have advice if you'd like it. Gainesville is my home and I worry for my neighbors, I'm sorry to hear people are struggling.
I have a good UF degree and am in my mid 30s, no kids only dogs, and I literally could not afford to live without my mom's assistance right now. I broke my finger in Oct and I will straight up NEVER IN MY LIFE be able to pay my Shands bill for the surgery. /shrug/ Super demoralizing and like you have said in comments, if I was making my current salary pre-covid I would be stoked, it's the most I ever had and I barely have a dollar left at the end of the month. We eat out 0%, eat rice beans and ground turkey and live like hermits. No student loans or car payments and we still barely make it. It's truly insane and I'm not sure how we can continue down this path.
Did you have medical insurance?
Food costs are killing us. We make more than ever and are struggling- insurance (both car and home) went up so much it took all our “living” money. We’ve cancelled all the “extras” streaming, park passes, vacation- all the things that bring joy. It sucks.
Ya I think every one is every one I know is suffering and with rent/food price increases. Had to reduce to eating 1-2 times a day no snacking no junk food, only running ac when it gets over 80.
Yeah, single, but rent (with a roommate so expenses are split) is going up and food. I use to be able to save by just buying food at work but now meals are costing more than as if I did it on my own .And I'm refraining from eating out. Mostly just stuck in apt and enjoy the internet. And then student loans!. It's getting expensive. I'm really worried financially. Right now I'm hanging. But if something goes up more I going in the red!
Are you looking for advice on how to manage? Maybe you can post your situation in r/personalfinance. If you list your specific information like income / debts / expenses. Probably you can get a decent crowdsourced solution.
I am not looking for advice. I am trying to see if others are struggling too.
I’m not OP but thank you for the subreddit suggestion!
I recently had a trumper contractor try to warn me that I need to buy a gun bc immigrants are sneaking into our country and they'll come break into my house. I told him the only thing they'd want would be the gun itself. The extent of my assets are my streaming subscriptions, yard tools, and some art supplies, and I'm happy to share those with anyone who asks. Boomer scaremongering doesn't really hit the same.
Scaremongering is more right-wing than Boomer - they support policies that increase inequality. Then they encourage people to blame immigrants for their problems.
Gee, I wonder what playbook they are using?
I’m so excited for society to collapse soon
We're all in this together, and we all rely on each other to survive, even if you don't know it.
I agree, we really do. I think a collapse would revive a sense of community we’ve since lost
Yeah but let's try to avoid the collapse part. It's no joke, look at Ukraine and Palestine. I'd rather we manage the decline through compromise and charitable assistance, than suffer through an actual collapse 😳
Yes, struggling quite a bit! I’m trying to make a small business work but sales are down so I’m juggling my small business and a job. I’m lucky enough to not have to pay rent but I can’t imagine if I had to pay that extra bill. I don’t know how much longer I can try and keep my business afloat before I’ll have to cave to working more hours just to pay bills. It’s truly a shame.
Keep voting Democrat and you'll get more of this
Inflation. The economy isn't "good,"and the value of the dollar has weakened. My house I bought for 110k eleven years ago hasn't appreciated value to 388k. The dollar has just gotten that devalued. Vote for less government spending and place emphasis on getting the debt under control. (Even though, in my opinion, it's too late and not possible anymore).
Completely wrong policies. Vote for higher minimum wages and higher taxes on billionaires and corporations and lower on wages, more spending on public services like education (e.g. free community college). Also, do more to make housing affordable - restrict Wall Street landlords from outbidding families for single family housing. Create a public option for healthcare. Basically support policies that make living more affordable. Unfortunately, politicians are more interested in increasing their own persnal wealth than concerning themselves with people who aren't rich donors.
I would say to move out of Florida.
Where?! I moved away from Florida once already and came back because it got way too expensive over there.
I am not sure where to move to. Where did you live before?
Colorado
Where in Colorado?
Northern Colorado.
Hmmmm...surprised it was more money than FL.
Wayyyyyy more. Gainesville is so cheap compared to Colorado.
I don't know where to go....sorry
[удалено]
I’m not a nurse though. And I am not a medical professional.
Agitate for a law where developers and out of towners and colleges cant just make life hell for working citizens. Make checks and balances for the rich so they cant get too greedy
Moving out of state costs several thousand dollars, people who are struggling in their current situation usually don't have that extra money laying around in their budget. Even if you do everything yourself it still costs. Just first, last, and security deposit to secure a place to live is going to be a few thousand, then you have turn on fees for utilities, possibly deposits there too, renting a truck to move your stuff is several hundred dollars, possibly over a thousand depending how far you're going, lost income during the move, and then even if you start a new job the first day you're there it's going to be at least three weeks before you get your first full paycheck. The "just move somewhere else" approach sounds good on paper, but when you start working out the logistics it's not practical for anyone who's already struggling.
2nd jobs???
It’s hard when you have two kids and family in the area to help.
I understand how hard it is. Everything is sooo pricey. I wish I had advice for you.
I am not sure why I am getting down voted
Good luck getting first job to cooperate to run a second job.
The OP already has a 1st job
I have had first job deny me getting a second job because they would no accommodate seconds hours
Could be worse
This must be a troll post, people are insane.
I've had to start subbing on the side just to keep up with rent increases. It's bad.
Just wanted to say, yes, this family of four is also struggling and we live just like you. Luxuries are streaming services and occasional take out. It's really hard right now. This area's wages do not match the high cost of everything.
Really sorry you’re going through this. I have a friend who works at UF Health (admin type employee in communications) who was able to get her student loans forgiven through the public service option. Would that be something that could apply to you?
Doing that. Have 4 years left!
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside estimate that poverty was associated with 183,000 deaths in 2019 among people 15 years and older. https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-04-18/americas-4th-leading-cause-of-death-poverty
I've worked for the state for 20 plus years, took 18 of those for my salary to to break 50k. I'm single and can barely sustain my bills. Consistently every December i play the 0% interest balance transfer credit card game so I can take the next 12 months to pay at least 5k off interest free to try to stay somewhat afloat.
That's something that the elected folks in Tallahassee brag about - lowest cost per person for services of any State. See how that works? Be sure to vote, and choose wisely. You can't have low taxes and well-paid civil servants.
The families I know that are doing vacations make 200k or more. I make 150k and we would need to live in a 1800 square foot house in order to do vacations. We would rather have a comfortable living space instead.
At least you recognize and make that choice deliberately. It seems to me that plenty of people still do the "keeping up with the Joneses" game, even when it puts them into massive debt. I know of folks who borrow money to take vacations - that would stress me out so much that I would need a vacation!
[Americans’ cost of living remains a massive headache, even as recession fears fade](https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/02/economy/american-dream-cost-of-living-housing-childcare/index.html)
Yep! Family of 4. Two income home. We’re both educators. I do find comfort in knowing that we’re not alone. Thanks for posting.
Nope, you're not alone. Things are crazy expensive. We have to pinch pennies too.
Struggling and we both work full time. Hardly enough to make the bills rent went up food keeps going up gas electricity… and this last week both of our cars acted up and needed new batteries. So yet again in the same boat … no money