Inflation. It’s all over the news. The inflation rate this year is the highest it has been in 40 years. And now I find myself changing my behaviors to address the higher cost of just about everything.
It all started with the thermostat in my house. I read throughout the fall that I should expect significantly higher heating costs this winter. I decided to be proactive and turned down the temperature in my house by 2 degrees by day and 7 degrees by night. It hasn’t had any negative impact on my daily life and I get to spend extra time in cozy hoodies and under blankets and with cuddly cats on my lap. I am indeed using less natural gas than last year. And I’m paying a lot more for it, so I’m truly grateful that I took action early.
Then came the gas pump changes. Gasoline is incredibly expensive right now. And changing my driving habits isn’t really a very viable option for me. So I’m being extra careful about chasing the lowest prices. I know from my experiences that the price per gallon varies wildly even within State College. The cheapest prices are on the north end of town, near the sad mall, and even cheaper just north of there in Bellefonte. And the ultimate lowest price in the area is at the members-only warehouse club across from the sad mall. But don’t take my word for it, because these things can change on a moment’s notice. Take a look at the Gas Buddy app. It will tell you the most recent gas prices wherever you happen to be. I know that when I need to fill my tank, I try to do so when I’m near the places with the lower prices.
Most recently I’ve been changing my grocery shopping habits. A lot of the supplies that I used to keep on a monthly auto-ship I have recently dropped from the convenient delivery process. It’s just significantly cheaper for me to buy a lot of these things at the warehouse club. It’s less convenient, but the savings is worth it at a time that groceries in general (and especially pet supplies) are soaring in price. In addition to changing where I buy, I also find myself changing what I buy. Beef is barely a part of my diet anymore because the price is just too high. Now I eat mostly pork and poultry proteins, as well as vegetarian options such as beans and eggs. And in the winter months I tend toward frozen berries and vegetables to keep the costs manageable for these out-of-season fruits and veggies.
I suspect the cost of things is going to get worse before it gets better. I’m sure more changes lie in my future. I’m hoping that I won’t need to make any major purchases in the near future. (Hang in there Prius and refrigerator….you can keep going a little longer!!!) Inflation is stressful. But it’s our current reality. We can’t easily change the state of the economy. But we can change how we react to it.
