[3aidlillahi]

With increasing gasoline and grocery bills, are you starting to feel the tight squeeze of the economy? If so, how bad is it getting? Are you on your way off of the tight-rope or will you go bankrupt in a few months? If not, do you think the economy can ever hurt you? Are you that independent of any oil-based economy?

[strider3700]

I voted not yet.

I've received multiple raises and bonus's in the past 6 months keeping me well ahead of inflation this year. Of course my rough estimates of the company finances says the company will be crushed sooner then later. In the mean time I build contacts and collect as much cash as possible.

[joeltrout]

Thankfully my parents encouraged me to work in the oil industry so I am in the same boat as strider3700. My salary has gone up around 34% in the last 2 years, the bonuses have been the largest given out in a long time, and it looks like this year will be another record year for our company which in turn benefits all the employees and shareholders.

joeltrout

[RedStateGreen]

The Oklahoma economy is pretty strong still; we have some of the lowest gas prices in the nation.

My husband works in defense; he won't be laid off unless the government collapses or for some reason they no longer need the plane he does software support for.

I do have to factor in gas when looking at getting prep-type things off craigslist, though. If it's too far and not a great price to begin with I've been passing things up; sometimes the price to get there and back is more than the thing is worth.

[girlscout]

I think we're in a better position than many of the people I know, but we've definately been cutting back. I consolidate my errands and only go out when necessary. My husband and I are a lot more conservative with our grocery bill, and probably spend 1/2 or less of what we used to. We rarely go out to eat anymore.

We've decided to cut back on a lot of discretionary spending to get caught up before the winter comes. Unfortunately we have an oil furnace, and the locals here are speculating that it will cost at least $4000 to heat an average house in this neck of the woods for the season. We are lucky enough to have one wood stove which, for most of the winter, will heat the downstairs quite well, and provide some heat upstairs. This summer and fall we'll be doing quite a bit of chopping, chainsawing, splitting, and stacking!

[hope_full]

We're not feeling the squeeze, but we're feeling the increases in gasoline costs and food costs. We're fortunate to be able to live BELOW our means. Like the others said, we're in a region with a strong local economy and things are pretty much normal right now.

It'd be interesting to know more about the demographics at this website. I wonder if most of the folks here are college educated and thus, in the higher tiers of income?

Folks here don't seem to be hurting too badly (or so the responses suggest).

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')t'd be interesting to know more about the demographics at this website. I wonder if most of the folks here are college educated and thus, in the higher tiers of income?

[joeltrout]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('hope_full', '
')
It'd be interesting to know more about the demographics at this website. I wonder if most of the folks here are college educated and thus, in the higher tiers of income?

[CarlinsDarlin]

Only nine responses thus far. I don't think that number represents all of the 20,000 members just yet. However, you might be right that we probably have a higher percentage of college grads than the general population. I don't know, of course. But as joel said, I don't think income, per se, is the defining factor as to whether or not someone is being pinched right now. Management of one's money would be the more likely culprit.

Our (US) culture has collectively agreed that living beyond one's means is "normal." "Everyone" has a mortgage, car payment(s), credit cards, etc. At least, that's what most people think.

I think that many people who participate in these forums, having had an idea of what was coming down the pike for at least a little while, have tried to position themselves to be able to deal with economic downturn. Many of us have tried to live within, or below, our means. Many of us have tried to reach a certain level of independence from the system.

Of course, nearly all of us still drive cars and must pay for groceries, but being in a better financial position outside of these two items helps to offset the increases in those prices.

Personally, our family is debt free. We own our house and land, and our monthly bills are maintenance bills (with the exception of about $1000 in medical bills we're paying on). Though I do have a college degree, my husband does not. He does make decent money for the area in which we live, though. I am not currently working outside the home - so whether or not I have a degree is a moot point. Because we have only one wage earner, our family average income is low by most standards. We do okay, though. We've cut back on spending here and there. He drives a motorcycle these days instead of his truck. We've made adjustments - but that's only because we could make them (because we had an idea this was coming). If all our money were going to rent and/or a house payment, we'd be in a world of hurt.

Kathy

[Ludi]

Doing well right at the moment. My husband is concerned about the lack of job calls. Client inquiries are sharply down, so work may be drying up. We might have a decently big job lined up, but it's just in the beginning stages, no contract yet. It may evaporate, as they often do.

So - doing well now, nervous about the near future.

[Pablo2079]

I voted "not yet".... I've noticed my pay check is not going as far and I've been shopping at lower cost grocery stores, but it's manageable at this level.

I don't think people can be pushed much more until we see some wholesale changes in the consumer. It's amazing seeing how many people take mass transit these days compared with just a few months ago.

[Narz]

Food & fuel are still very, very cheap.

I voted the last option just for fun.

[ANewHuman]

I recently fired one of my maids... so take from that what you want. Feeling the pinch? Well I replaced her with a mexican that doesn't talk and works harder. So not yet..... will take the collapse of america before I feel it, I guess.

[JoeW]

Our household is definitely feeling the squeeze. My wife decided to give up a decent-paying job to go back to college and become a teacher. She's had her degree for more than a year, but hasn't worked since January. Job market for elementary teachers stinks around here. My salary alone would have been enough a couple of years ago, but the rising cost of everything has made a pretty big difference.
All the bills are still getting paid on time, for now. I am constantly on careerbuilder.com looking for better-paying work, as my company has been mostly stingy with the raises over the last ten years.

[nickynicky]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ANewHuman', 'I') recently fired one of my maids... so take from that what you want. Feeling the pinch? Well I replaced her with a mexican that doesn't talk and works harder. So not yet..... will take the collapse of america before I feel it, I guess.

[xerces]

Not feeling it. Prudent investment policies and a series of promotions have increased my annual income by over 150% over the last 2 years. Furthermore, a powerdown lifestyle has decreased my annual cost of living by 50%(even including inflation).

[lowem]

My petrol bills (gasoline for you American folks) are now 100% hedged via Canadian energy income trusts. These have dropped somewhat together with many stocks in the recent meltdown but still, their dividends are paid monthly and continue to (virtually) offset my bills. When the Civic Hybrid arrives (there is a 2-3 month order backlog), I should be 200% hedged.

I haven't quite figured out how to hedge my food costs, though. At the payout rate of most of the "food majors", I'd have to put in 10 times the amount I've put into energy trusts in order to cover my monthly grocery bills - and of course I don't have that much. Plus, the "food majors" usually don't pay out monthly as well.

[lowem]

(continued) ... so the squeeze for me will mostly be on food, utility bills, and various household items. Some samplings : cooking oil in Singapore has gone up 75%, electricity rates have gone up 56.1% within 3 years, and ordinary fluorescent light bulbs have gone up 45%.

I'm in the military/defence industry and it pays pretty decently (I think), but I worry that this whole inflation thing could really turn exponential any day now, if the Fed starts monetization in earnest and other central banks were to follow.

[FoolYap]

"Not yet", but only because we've lived below our means for years. No raises, so cost of living increases are meaning we're cutting back on savings to make the budget. But as we essentially live on one of our two incomes, it's been doable.

--Steve