The cost of living in 2026

[Bazza]

Some consumer tips......

 

[Bazza]

 

[JDCrimson]

Its indeed more expensive eating out for our family but we waste more food eating at home. It sort of evens out for us. Nobody has to do dishes either.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Its indeed more expensive eating out for our family but we waste more food eating at home. It sort of evens out for us. Nobody has to do dishes either.

How so? Leftovers?

 

[JDCrimson]

How so? Leftovers?

Expiring condiments, special sauces, expired milk, molded bread, soured meat, etc. When you shuttling kids to one after school obligation to another, its really a waste of money buying non-breakfast foods becuase they won't get eaten timely at our house.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Expiring condiments, special sauces, expired milk, molded bread, soured meat, etc. When you shuttling kids to one after school obligation to another, its really a waste of money buying non-breakfast foods becuase they won't get eaten timely at our house.

Makes sense. We homeschooled so leftovers were school lunches.

Combine that with my growing up as a typical GenXer (being constantly told ‘eat your food - there are starving kids in Africa…’) we’re good about not throwing food out.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

My rent is going up $100/month. My paycheck is not going up at all.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

My rent is going up $100/month. My paycheck is not going up at all.

Pretty typical these days...

 

[crimsonaudio]

My rent is going up $100/month. My paycheck is not going up at all.

The last five or six years of paying the piper for endlessly printing money will continue to grow more painful as the government continues incessantly outspending revenue.

 

[AWRTR]

The last five or six years of paying the piper for endlessly printing money will continue to grow more painful as the government continues incessantly outspending revenue.

That's the underlying part of inflation no one is talking about. You can't keep running up debt endlessly and printing money and not expect it to trickle down to everyday goods.

 

[Bamaro]

The last five or six years of paying the piper for endlessly printing money will continue to grow more painful as the government continues incessantly outspending revenue.

I would say the last 26 with some years worse than others.

 

[Its On A Slab]

Its indeed more expensive eating out for our family but we waste more food eating at home. It sort of evens out for us. Nobody has to do dishes either.

Since I retired in December, I've had a lot more time to plan meals. And with the advent of AI, I can take an inventory of what I have left from previous nights, and figure out how to use those items in something else. That way, I don't throw away near as much food, and my grocery bill reduces since I'm using what's on-hand.

And since I'm at home now, leftover from last night's meal is my lunch for the next day.

 

[Bamaro]

Since I retired in December, I've had a lot more time to plan meals. And with the advent of AI, I can take an inventory of what I have left from previous nights, and figure out how to use those items in something else. That way, I don't throw away near as much food, and my grocery bill reduces since I'm using what's on-hand.

And since I'm at home now, leftover from last night's meal is my lunch for the next day.

The United States wastes roughly 70 million tons of food each year, representing about 29–40% of the food supply.

Magnitude​

Food waste in the U.S. is estimated at 30–40% of the total food supply, which translates to approximately 70 million tons annually as of 2024, with a total value of around $380 billion. This includes food lost or discarded at all stages of the supply chain, from farms and processing facilities to retail stores and households. On average, each American spends about $762 per year on food that ultimately goes uneaten.
ReFED+3

Sources​

Food waste occurs across the entire supply chain:

• Farms and production: Crops may be left unharvested due to cosmetic imperfections, low market prices, or labor shortages.
  
  2
• Processing and manufacturing: About 40 million tons of food is wasted in manufacturing and processing, with some managed through anaerobic digestion or composting.
  
  1
• Retail and food service: Supermarkets, restaurants, and institutions contribute significantly, often discarding food due to overstocking, expiration dates, or aesthetic standards.
  
  2
• Households: Consumers discard food due to confusion over “sell-by,” “use-by,” and “best-by” dates, over-purchasing, or improper storage.

 

[crimsonaudio]

I would say the last 26 with some years worse than others.

Of course, but COVID really turned the printing presses up. And really, we've not seen inflation over the past few decades like we have in recent years.

 

[75thru79]

Since I retired in December, I've had a lot more time to plan meals. And with the advent of AI, I can take an inventory of what I have left from previous nights, and figure out how to use those items in something else. That way, I don't throw away near as much food, and my grocery bill reduces since I'm using what's on-hand.

And since I'm at home now, leftover from last night's meal is my lunch for the next day.

Why do you need AI to inventory your pantry and fridge? I reckon people will need AI once we stop using our brains for anything other than indulging our own pleasures but that's probably 50 years away.

 

[CrimsonJazz]

Why do you need AI to inventory your pantry and fridge? I reckon people will need AI once we stop using our brains for anything other than indulging our own pleasures but that's probably 50 years away.

An acquaintance recently confided in me that he took a pic of his morning BM so he could ask AI if this was the stool of a healthy individual. I didn't ask if it worked or not. (I did, however, manage to ask "What the hell is wrong with you?")

 

[Its On A Slab]

Why do you need AI to inventory your pantry and fridge? I reckon people will need AI once we stop using our brains for anything other than indulging our own pleasures but that's probably 50 years away.

Don't be so dismissive.

You would not believe what I've been creating out of what used to be just random remnants in the fridge. Some amazing stuff is out there if you just look for it.

Or are you of the tribe that still says, "When we 'wuz young, we ate DIRT. And we LIKED it!!"

 

[UAH]

The last five or six years of paying the piper for endlessly printing money will continue to grow more painful as the government continues incessantly outspending revenue.

I recall Greenspan saying that the growing trend in arcane options trading were weapons of mass destruction but then the Fed went on to develop Quantitive Easing which I would classify at the level of War of the Worlds.
We operated in its zero interest rate regime that pulled forward demand for cars, housing, and consumer goods and Congress aided the attempt by constantly spending money that didn't exist for at least the last 25 years. I believe now we all are going to pay the price for our prolificacy.

 

[arthurdawg]

I recall Greenspan saying that the growing trend in arcane options trading were weapons of mass destruction but then the Fed went on to develop Quantitive Easing which I would classify at the level of War of the Worlds.
We operated in its zero interest rate regime that pulled forward demand for cars, housing, and consumer goods and Congress aided the attempt by constantly spending money that didn't exist for at least the last 25 years. I believe now we all are going to pay the price for our prolificacy.

Agree completely.

How long felt it was gonna be rough when the piper insisted on being paid back for the debt.