After reading this news story that half of Americans are skipping meals because of affordability and a bad economy, I have to ask how are you all doing out there?
I heard from a real estate agent friend of mine that REOs, i.e. bank foreclosures on home mortgages, are going up like crazy, which is a sign of bad times, like the recession of 2007-08.
I have heard from others about rents not being paid, lack of jobs, etc.
Every day, there’s more news of corporate layoffs, moreso than usual.
I live in the economic bubble of the SF Bay Area, where tech wealth more-or-less insulates me and mine from the most serious consequences of a bad economy, but how are things elsewhere?
Sketchy, UK, Southern, think below London and on the Sea.
I’m a carpenter and have someone with a masters in environmental science working for me as a labourer.
Many of my construction friends are being called by there office friends for jobs.
Supermarkets are struggling because there aren’t enough people buying groceries.
Rural north-eastern Brazil.
I’m unemployed, living with my mom and sibling and we’re neck-deep in debts while living on less than $400 a month. I can’t afford to go to university and there are little to no jobs that I can do nearby (I’m autistic and have a shitload of sensitivities). I’ve a couple more places to apply to, and my dad is studying the possibility of bringing me to live with him somewhere else.
Not giving a shit is what it is. Third? Fourth? time around, I think I’m getting kinky.
I limit my food intake to stay skinny & petite & cute & energetic, but skipping meals also saves a lot of money. How’s the economy where I live? I can answer that in two words: Los Angeles.
Skipping meals now and then is energizing, I have found.
Skipping meals because you can’t afford food… That’s never happened to me, but I’d imagine it’s soul crushing.
To shreds you say…
UK, depends who you talk to. Russian bots would have you believe everything is falling apart. London is also really expensive.
I live on the south coast, even on minimum wage I have never struggled. As long as you can find stable employment you will have enough money to be comfortable. Honestly, I don’t even know what to spend my money on.
Approx monthly bills, 900 mortgage (fuck you Liz truss), 175 council tax, 80 electricity, 120 food, 22 internet. Water is on a 6 month cycle and costs some mid 2 figure number each time so that is barely anything.
So about 1300/month. That is for 2 of us, £650/month each, or £7800/year. Minimum wage is about £25k.
I love and completely hate just how much of a dint Liz Truss did in for 40-something days. Made the history books in the worst way.
£120 food
that is … very low? i spend 300€ on food each month
also what is “175 council tax”?
also damn, “900 mortgage” (for 2 people) each month? that’s surprisingly affordable.
Well living on the south coast is more affordable than London, air is a bit cleaner too. Downside is lots of reform scum.
Council tax is something each household has to pay, houses are in different bands depending on their price in the 90s. Though the tax range is fairly narrow compared to the value range of houses. House could be 100x the cost of mine yet the tax would barely be 3x as much.
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It’s ok not great I guess? There is a growing disconnect between prices of goods, and wages. Rents and house prices being the biggest example but also electricity, food, gas (I don’t drive much but the gas price shows up in other things like food)
Live in rural northern Nevada. Everything is pretty expensive now. Especially because of being so rural everything has to be bought in by truck. And 90% of the people here are insanely conservative and are all preparing for WW3 or civil war 2. This up coming week is gonna be crazy and interesting.
Most folks here in Vietnam seem pretty happy.
I’m on the look out for jobs for 4 people right now but not seeing anything good so far despite their talents.
Everyone is stuck housing wise where prices are so high plus inflation most I know can’t get into buying a house and those that want to sell are holding off.
Every retired person I know is on active look out to reduce expenses drastically because the fixed income just enough.
Northeastern US. Things are okay. Worse than I would have predicted 5 years ago but not terrible.
We pay our bills, contribute to the 401k and HSA, and have still been saving every month. Our electric + natural gas bills fluctuate as we switch from electric cooling to gas heating, but their combined monthly average has doubled in less than 5 years. I’m eyeing up solar systems for some relief. We don’t drive much so the direct price of gas hasn’t been huge. Groceries are a bit more expensive, but usually not as crazy as I see on the news. Clothing has gotten wildly expensive, with thrift and outlet stores selling stuff for prices I would have paid at regular retail 5 years ago.
We’re holding on. I wish we ate out, and especially drank out, less. I was always a homebody, but nowadays its $15-$20 for a cocktail, $10 for a domestic draft, plus tip.
I am in Melbourne, Australia, things are still ticking along fine enough BUT we can see the wave coming.
There was a book from 1957 called ‘On the beach’, it was about Melbourne being last city on Earth that has survived a nuclear war and how we would surcumb to the same fate as everyone else. It is starting to feel like that but in economic terms.
On The Beach was adapted into a good movie in 1959
Good. I’m in a mining town, so the demand for minerals is moving things along. House prices are comparatively low. Northern Canada
In the provinces of the Philippines, electricity and diesel prices are hitting hard. Add to that a bad rice harvest and an expected drought which will make the next one worse, and things get bad. For me personally I am working a remote position from the us, so I am earning dollars which are worth more an more pesos each week. We try to take care of people where we can but too many people struggling will lead to instability and safety issues
You have Trump to thank for the bad rice harvest too, because a good chunk of that Middle East petroleum that is blocked because of the war that he started would have to making fertilizer.
If you think it’s bad now, wait until next year’s rice harvest…
Its because of the el nino, heavy rains beat up the rice for this harvest, and they expect a severe drought for the next harvest (we have two per year). We can blame trump for the diesel prices and the electricity price but not for the rice harvest.
The positive of this is that we are switching to solar at an unbelievable pace and I think this islands will be solar powered for the most part in 5-10 years. Yes, it’s all Chinese imported, but at this time it is better to partner with the Chinese to import solar panels than with the Americans to import diesel
