Speaking of steak....what does it taste like? (I know it isn't like chicken) LOL
All I know is what I experience... I can't speak for others. We are what is termed as Middle Class. I am beginning to believe that that section of our society is going to slowly cease to exist and the Middle Class is going to seep into the Lower Level closer to poverty. My reasoning (again speaking from my own experience) is this -
Wages aren't going up, more people in our area are getting layed off, groceries are going up, gas is going up, all prices are going up. I understand that the reasoning for this is being blamed on crude oil prices because it is so much more expensive to transport products that are needed by consumers. That is what we are being told anyway.
I don't know... all I DO know is that it is getting more and more difficult to pay our bills, feed the kids, purchase the items that are NEEDED, not just wanted. We are dreading this winter - living in the country we use LP as a heat source. We are looking at wearing layers in the house to stay warm.
Wages in our area are being affected (effected?) by immigration (legal and illegal). What was once a $12.00 per hour job is now at minimum wage without insurance or benefits. Many people I know are dropping their health insurance coverage in order to give themselves a raise (while praying that no one becomes ill). Farmers are turning to building hog confinments on their land to make money which more often than not are close to residential areas or within 500 yards of a home in the country. That causes property values to drop between $5,000 - $20,000 but doesn't seem to curtail the rising property taxes. Cause and Effect - Robbing Peter to Pay Paul - oh, and if by chance you do drop your health insurance in order to feed your family with the little bit of money you will save and happen to get sick and have major medical expenses, the government has made it more difficult for you to declare bankruptcy.
I guess I am done...
