Not a Founders Favorite or a Golden Cow!

Please explain inflation
Why do prices rise
For when I go out shopping
They change before my eyes
I just don’t seem to get it
Why some go up and down
Why a red car’s more expensive
Than a new car that is brown
I tried to do some simple math
I went back to the books
Now I think that all economists
Are just white collar crooks

Everything is getting more expensive. “It’s Corona’s fault,” we hear and I wonder if that’s the truth. Many have lost money last year, and of course they want it back. Unfortunately, it seems they all want MY money. Supplies have gone up. For one roll of cotton, I pay now $49 instead of $28. “The factories in Texas producing cotton and foam had been hit by a tornado,” was the explanation I got. I didn’t BUY it, but bought the cotton because I need it.

Every four months I send two of my fabric scissors in, to get sharpened by the manufacturer. It cost $12 last year and the years before, now it’s $15 per scissor. My hairstylist wants more money and so does my cleaning lady. $35 an hour. I asked if she has a law degree. Sadly, she didn’t get my joke and we parted ways. She makes more money than I do. I am in the wrong business!

She lost clients she explained and I wonder if overcharging the remaining clients might be the right way to go.

Last year, during the lockdown when so many were hurting and needed extra income, we hired a YARD HELPER -a lady, who lives close by. She needed the money. Pulling weeds, cutting bushes and plants, spreading mulch, we kept her busy. She charged $250 and did a mediocre job. This year she came and gave us an estimate which almost made me want to drink again. $800 she said, after she had studied her notes. I didn’t blink -didn’t laugh either. “I will call you,” I said but didn’t say when. So far I haven’t and chances that I ever will are slim.

Grocery prices are going up, or the packaging gets smaller and we get less. Our favorite pizza cost now $30. The founders favorite! Extra banana peppers, gluten-free crust, no cheese on the right side -with delivery and tip. It went up $6.50. Bye-bye Founders Favorite.

Everywhere I go I pay more or get less. For me it’s easy. I have to raise my prices, my competitors already did. What’s the name of the game? Inflation? Let’s spread the joy! (But I really don’t want to.)

Some companies and states just raised the minimum wage to $15, and families with small children are getting checks from the government now. Finally, many will come out of poverty and will be able to make ends meet.

But now they are moving the ends. More money + higher living costs = Same shit as before.

Dollar bills flying out of the air
Trillions for all of us to share
Best send some more
The fast food store
Took a million for my dinner there

I am lucky. I don’t have to ask for a raise, I just give myself one, but what with the rest of the people? Will they all get a raise. I doubt it.

This all makes me very nervous. I am supposed to spend my money and help the economy, but I will do the opposite. The more the prices go up, the more careful I will become on how I spend our money. We will start saving it for rainy days, because we had rainy days in our life together without savings. It’s no fun to stand in a puddle when it’s pouring.

We have been ordering in during the lockdown and HELPED the restaurants. Now they charge $7 for a burger. Are you serious? Does the burger come from a golden cow?

The other day I wanted to surprise Mr. Sweet Tooth aka my husband with a blizzard from a famous dairy chain. I ordered at the window. “What size?” Well, large of course, let him indulge a bit. $6.50 she said. “For a #$%@ blizzard? I suppose the milk used also comes from the golden cow the burger meat came from?

I drove off. Screw you all! I am just not willing to pay that much for a drink no matter if it’s an overprices and overrated coffee or a milkshake. We work to hard.

House prices up, car prices up, gas up and it’s never going back to normal. The new prices are now the norm. My head is spinning, my wallet is crying.

If you go to the US inflation calculator is shows that prices since 2000 went up by 57%. Holy cow (Probably the golden one where my burger came from.) My husband’s income didn’t go up by 57% neither did mine. Does that mean we got poorer?

News from the United States Trading Economics:

Annual inflation rate in the US accelerated to 5.4% in June of 2021 from 5% in May, hitting a fresh high since August of 2008, and well above forecasts of 4.9%. Biggest price increases were recorded for used cars and trucks (45.2%), gasoline (45.1%), fuel oil (44.5), utility gas service (15.6%) and transportation services (10.4%).

No mentioning of the golden cow! Am I not getting it?

I thought my times of clipping coupons are over, but it looks like I will get right back to it. I was good at it, had a folder with coupons everywhere I went. I can do it again if I have to and I will.

Time to feed our piggy bank. Rainy days might be ahead.