Prices around here are getting out of hand!!!

[kandb]

We live in an expensive area in Northern NJ, approx 15 miles from NYC. The median house in our town is probably $500K and I do know salaries are higher in the area as well. Yes, groceries have gone up, as well as gas and everything else but last night we visited a Dairy Queen. I had my children get a SMALL scoop (probably a scoop and a half), no toppings, $3.50 each. When ice cream goes on sale in the grocery store it's $2.00 a half gallon. For my 3 children, I spent over $10, for a little cup of ice cream. Today, we had a friend over and went bowling. The price per game for a child was $4.50, and $2.50 to rent bowling shoes. Is it me, or are these prices outrageous??? It's getting to the point where I don't want to do anything but go to the free library. It's been an expensive summer.

 

[BeachLove]

Try around here its $7 for a small one scoop no toppings. Toppings are between 50 cents and $1.00 each.

Bowling is $8-10 per person per game with shoes. Saturday and Sunday its $50 per hour with shoes. 5 years and under its $6 with shoes.

 

[happily single]

I've always considered myself "middle-class" and have been fortunate enough to be able to provide for myself and my three kids alone. Recently I've really been struggling, in fact, there is no Disney vacation in the plans.

I haven't been able to figure out why I am struggling. Although I moved my rent remained the same, ultities are actually a bit cheaper. Then it hit me-EVERYTHING has gotten more expensive!

 

[Zuzu03]

Here in Vermont things are really getting out of control too. We (I'm a teacher) haven't had a raise in 4 years. Well, this year we got 2 1/2 percent. However, our health insurance went up 25%, so that wiped out that raise. So many of our teachers have second jobs now and arrive to school exhausted in the mornings. Talk about feeling like a hamster on a wheel!!!

 

[maxaroni]

We live in an expensive area in Northern NJ, approx 15 miles from NYC. The median house in our town is probably $500K and I do know salaries are higher in the area as well. Yes, groceries have gone up, as well as gas and everything else but last night we visited a Dairy Queen. I had my children get a SMALL scoop (probably a scoop and a half), no toppings, $3.50 each. When ice cream goes on sale in the grocery store it's $2.00 a half gallon. For my 3 children, I spent over $10, for a little cup of ice cream. Today, we had a friend over and went bowling. The price per game for a child was $4.50, and $2.50 to rent bowling shoes. Is it me, or are these prices outrageous??? It's getting to the point where I don't want to do anything but go to the free library. It's been an expensive summer.

We are originally from your area and moved 25 years ago...south jersey. While it is the same here as in expensive with all costs rising we couldn't move back to north jersey. No way

 

[happygirl]

It everywhere. I did see that Burger King had there cones on sale for 50 cents

 

[SAT887]

We moved from NJ to NH 6 years ago, and between, fuel, food, medical and taxes it has eaten away at the extra cash we had been earning. All our utilities keep creeping up, and my property taxes have doubled (for what?? nothing I can see yet) It sucks, however we are thinking about moving again and hopefully finding somewhere to get a decent school for our taxes, commute less and hopefully run away from old man winter and his ridiculous heating bill...

 

[Zuzu03]

We moved from NJ to NH 6 years ago, and between, fuel, food, medical and taxes it has eaten away at the extra cash we had been earning. All our utilities keep creeping up, and my property taxes have doubled (for what?? nothing I can see yet) It sucks, however we are thinking about moving again and hopefully finding somewhere to get a decent school for our taxes, commute less and hopefully run away from old man winter and his ridiculous heating bill...

I hear you on the property taxes and heating bills! We moved from Ohio 14 years ago and our property taxes went from 1200 a year (which included garbage, water and sewer) to 4800 with no garbage/water/sewer. It's really tough to make a living up here in the northeast, that's for sure!

 

[SAT887]

I hear you on the property taxes and heating bills! We moved from Ohio 14 years ago and our property taxes went from 1200 a year (which included garbage, water and sewer) to 4800 with no garbage/water/sewer. It's really tough to make a living up here in the northeast, that's for sure!

Especially living in the middle of nowhere! It was easier with no kids (i know its always easier with out kids) However now we know we need to get out before they start school - coming from NJ where most of the schools are good - I was shocked that kindegarten only became mandatory recently! So now we are looking hopefully transfer outside of Raleigh, close to city life (we miss the general public of NJ hehe) and low property taxes. low house values and decent schools (if you pay attention) Plus my SIL electric with her central air on was cheaper than my electric bill!!? Whats up with that?

 

[nansmama]

If you can buy ice cream at the grocery store for two bucks, you're doing a lot better than here in Western Mass. Regular price is $6-$7 for a half gallon and $3.50 on sale if you're really lucky. I think things are just expensive everywhere.

 

[kandb]

Oh, I didn't even mention the insane taxes here. My sister lives 10 minutes from me and pays $20K a year. My bil, lived close by and was paying $26K a year. The taxes are high because our teachers and police get paid very well around here. Most police officers make around $120/year and teachers are mostly $70-80K and alot even higher if they have alot of years into the job. Don't know how long people can pay these amounts of money.

 

[Sagginit]

agree, thats crazy. for $4 i get a small frozen yogurt with two toppings from the truck in midtown, so $3.50 for a cup of processed DQ crap is overpriced (which i eat DQ im just pointing out the huge difference in quality).

i almost had a heart attack when i moved to hudson county and went to the food store. my budget trick is i will still food shop at the shore when i go to visit my mother.

i think we could start an entire thread on the cost of things and how they are skyrocketing. i think the one thing that has me scratching my head some days is the cost of a candy bar. i remember when it was always under $1, now its a steal if you can get one that cheap.

 

[superme80]

Tell me about it. I go to the grocery store and I feel like I hardly got anything! Gas is almost $4 again and everything is going up Not a happy camper!

 

[SAT887]

Tell me about it. I go to the grocery store and I feel like I hardly got anything! Gas is almost $4 again and everything is going up Not a happy camper!

And nothing ever flucuated "down" with any of these $4 a gal gas spikes...

 

[HugsForEeyore]

Oh, I didn't even mention the insane taxes here. My sister lives 10 minutes from me and pays $20K a year. My bil, lived close by and was paying $26K a year. The taxes are high because our teachers and police get paid very well around here. Most police officers make around $120/year and teachers are mostly $70-80K and alot even higher if they have alot of years into the job. Don't know how long people can pay these amounts of money.

Not sure what county you are in (Bergen? Essex?) but I totally agree that public employee salaries are insane in some towns. I used to work for the library systems in Essex and Bergen. One place I worked at had 9 administrators/librarians on staff all making over $90,000 a year with cadillac benefits on top of it!!! Absolutely unreal compared to the rest of the profession. Even more so, there is very little accountability and no one can ever get fired. We were lucky if they even showed up (since they all had 50 paid days off a year). Just nuts. But nothing ever changes to bring this stuff back to reality.

I seen the only way towns can afford these positions is to raise taxes and to lay off all the lower part-time workers who made next to nothing in comparison and didn't even have benefits anyways.

Now gas is rising again - almost $4.00 in my town. Ugh.

 

[angwill]

We are feeling it in IL too. Everything has gone up and the sizes are smaller too. Wait till next year when prices skyrocket even more because of the drought here in the midwest effecting corn and bean prices. Even gas is made with corn anymore.

One thing that really upsets me more than even food is the cost of going to the vet. I have a dog with bladder issues and everything like urine tests etc have doubled in just the last 3 years alone. It is getting to the point where people won't be able to afford a pet. I would hate to see it where strays are roaming because nobody can afford to take care of them or even people having to put their animals to sleep due to simple issues like bladder infections.

 

[Zuzu03]

We are feeling it in IL too. Everything has gone up and the sizes are smaller too. Wait till next year when prices skyrocket even more because of the drought here in the midwest effecting corn and bean prices. Even gas is made with corn anymore.

One thing that really upsets me more than even food is the cost of going to the vet. I have a dog with bladder issues and everything like urine tests etc have doubled in just the last 3 years alone. It is getting to the point where people won't be able to afford a pet. I would hate to see it where strays are roaming because nobody can afford to take care of them or even people having to put their animals to sleep due to simple issues like bladder infections.

I know, it's really hard! I have an older dog and cat and bloodwork sure is getting expensive every year! We had a cat who had cancer last year and the vet was pushing us to surgery. The cat was 14 years old and had a wonderful life with us from kittenhood. We just couldn't justify spending several thousand dollars on a surgery with 50% chance of getting the cancer. We put him on prednisone, but of course it didn't do anything and eventually we had to put him to sleep.

Yes, next year's prices will be REALLY bad with the drought. Cringing to think about it.

 

[SaraJayne]

Prices will begin rising within a month or two due to the drought. We won't have to "wait" until next year, unfortunately. Prices where I live (WI) have already gone up dramatically, on apples and cherries due to the drought. Meat and other produce as well as dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc) is soon to follow.

Everything is a chain, and that means everything will be increasing in price.

 

[MinnieForMe]

For NJ that's probably a good price. That's exactly what I paid at Salisbury, Massachusetts two week's ago.

 

[ryka]

i almost had a heart attack when i moved to hudson county and went to the food store. my budget trick is i will still food shop at the shore when i go to visit my mother.
.

I live in Hudson co too and it is crazy here. I shop for some things when I vist my parents in PA. It's a lot cheaper.