Is INFLATION Too High Where You Live?

[williamtcooper]

Is inflation still too high where you live?

What items have gotten too expensive?

One person in California told me it cost them $10 for a dozen eggs?

What is it like in your part of the world?

[e_huma-s_zill]

In Pakistan the price of eggs is PKR300 i-e $1.3. Which means the month expense has increased 3times than LAST MONTH.

For a freelancer to earn 3 times more is difficult but for an employee, where do you get the extra from.
Plus is tech giants are downsizing, what are we to expect.

[williamtcooper]

Zill,

Thanks for sharing!

How can anyone afford a dozen eggs unless they have a high paying job? What is the average monthly salary in Pakistan? Have an amazing day!

[e_huma-s_zill]

Believe it or not monthly salary is $300+ 
People with kids are freaking out. We are an agricultural country so alot of upper middle class have hereditary  farm land and they are hand to mouth now.
This wednesday we had an electricity breakdown in the ENTIRE COUNTRY for 24 hours.
It is getting really realy tough.

[williamtcooper]

WOW so the whole country is on one grid. I am in Texas and last winter most of our state is on one grid and it went out for a few days. It saves money being on one grid, but appears to be a bad idea. We have some countries in this part of the world that live off of $300 to $400 a year which is extremely difficult. What are the main food(s) in Pakistan?

[e_huma-s_zill]

To clarify $300 a month not yearly. For emphasis average electricity bill alone is around $200.

Flour is staple food here. In addition rice, pulses, vegetable and meat. Meat is a luxury now.
This year our country did not have enough gas reserves (cooking and heat kind of gas). I live in the largest metropolitian area of the country and people are using WOOD as fuel. Just chopped up branches, not even proper burning wood.

[williamtcooper]

My bad I meant monthly on my number not annually.

Sounds like electricity is same as here, but that makes sense because oil and gas trade internationally.

Will they run out of wood at some point?

[e_huma-s_zill]

In Pakistan, the great thing is food drives. No one goes hungry, atleast in cities. There are huge dastarkhuwans (table clothes) along side of roads serving free meals twice and alot of drives and labourers just eat there, basically anybodys welcome. This system was gravely effected by covid. But other than that food is not really a big problem. everything else is.

[williamtcooper]

In the USA, most of the food drives are at food banks and churches. Everybody has access to food if they truly want it. Covid made the need for food drives much greater.

In some of the Latin American countries that I had the opportunity to do ministry work with, the people are very loving and kind toward each other on these types of issues. I would continually see someone eat half their meal and give the other half to someone that was hungry. Very touching to see humanity in action.

[97c8fcd5]

😞

[spxpert]

Hopefully things will be go back to normal soon.  In India (where I live) things seems to be going normal,  some days food prices go little up (for no reason,  just because we have so many competing mobile apps to order now,  they set price to whatever they want).  I can still go to a nearby market and buy fresh fruits and veggies from locals coming from nearby villeges.  Dozen of Eggs little over $1 and fuel is very costly (due to russia - ukraine) or whatever  about INR 105 / per liters. (apprix $5 / gallon)

One great thing about south east asia is that atleast we have good weather all around the year to grow crops / foods.

[williamtcooper]

Sudhir,

How can the average person afford $5 a gallon gas or they just don't need it?

[spxpert]

William, 

here we don't really need as much Gas as US uses.  2 wheelers/ Public Transport / Local Trains/ lately metro is very common mode of travel here. 

in US the gas prices are very low but places are very far so you got to use Cars to go everywhere.

In india most of the essentials (grocery etc) you will find near by( even doorstep  delivery by local grocery shops.  So you don't need much gas for essentials. Thanks to WFH my monthly expenses on Gas is reduced by 80% .

[williamtcooper]

Sudhir,

I live in a city of 125,000, however everything I need is within a walking distance. I don't miss the days of driving to work and spending money on a car, gas, parking and dress clothes. I used to have to waste 10 hours a week driving to work, but not in the past 25 years as a freelancer. What do you like most about freelancing?

[spxpert]

William,  I wrote an article on upwork about the difference i see being a full time employee vs full time freelancer.  The best thing is having control over how and when i want to work (also how much).  In a typical Office we waste 80% of the times in the non productive activities (meeting,  prep meeting, scheduleing, rescheduling meetings,  office lunch,  here and there celebrations).  I got a what's app forward from my ex-colleague.  and that's very much the reality of a typical day in office.

I worked full time for 2 decades and wasted almost 2-3 hours daily on commute (India, USA),  not counting the hours for getting ready etc.  So for a typical 8 hours day,  you got to be spending atleast 11 hours (and a typical day is never 8 hours,  its a lot more)

[nirodha96]

Sri Lanka recording the highest food inflation rate of 94.9%.

[williamtcooper]

WOW!

I thought Sri Lanka produced most of their crops themselves? Is the price of most items up 95%?

[nirodha96]

We were, but in 2021, the government banned importing fertilizer to the country. So everything goes the sideway after that.

[76982059]

Inflation has definitely hit my area hard, with basic necessities like groceries becoming increasingly expensive. A dozen eggs for $5? Yikes! #inflationstruggles

[williamtcooper]

Ali,

How is the average person getting enough food with inflation that high? Has it hit a crisis level nationally?

[b8b80eb0]

No. 

Every person is not getting enough food. 

I know families that have reduced their food.

Like they had three-time food (Breakfast, lunch, and dinner). 

But in the last 6-8 months, some have only a one-time meal, or some families have two times. 

This does not effect rich communities.  Mostly middle-class and poor people are facing this.  

[williamtcooper]

Muhammad,

Once Covid hit the United States in 2020, cars were lined up for a mile at some food bank locations to get free food so they could survive. Half the people in the USA live paycheck to paycheck. It's because so many of the items here can cost 10 times others countries. It's a mess.

[cebe4768]

Interesting note here is that cars lined up for a mile at some food bank locations. 

US People think they are poor but they can come to a long list of countries and instantly be classified as wealthy or middle class at least. 

A food bank (Soup Kitchen) in SA would have people lined up for miles, not cars. IF you have a car in SA, you could be considered middle class and not poor. 

Poor people here are dirt poor and that is a fact. 

It is attrocious

[b8b80eb0]

HI,

I live in a small village, have hens, and never bought eggs from the market.

I also have a small kitchen gardening area and grow all vegetables according to my needs.
But inflation is affecting us even we do not buy 50% of things from the market. 

Because other grocery items are so costly. 

Like

Cooking oil price is 3$/kg

Pulses 2$/kg

Sugar 0.5$/kg

Petrol 1 $/litre
and so on

[e_huma-s_zill]

cooking oil hit the worst. I have a kitchen garden as well. But like you said, everything is extremely costly.

[williamtcooper]

Muhammad,

How many people typically live in a small village and does everyone help everyone with the growing and harvesting of the food?

[b8b80eb0]

William,
Almost 60% of the population is village-based, but most do not have land for growing. 
Nowadays, there is a shortage of wheat flour in the country, and people are in lines (km) for the flour. 
People are not helping each other. 

[williamtcooper]

Muhammed,

Sorry to hear that the village people are not supporting and helping each other make it through especially for food. In the USA, many but not all people will go out of there way to help others with just about any thing especially food, clothing and shelter. Got a flat tire, someone will pull over and fix it for you, need a ride in an emergency, you get help, etc. If I think someone might need help, I ask them. Could be a little old lady in a grocery store that can't reach an item or looks confused. We will all get there one day. 🙂

[1b9493d5]

It is creeping up here in the US. We don't buy meat for ourselves anymore. We just live on potatoes, bread, and vegetables. It's not bad, actually, at least we can still afford food, but the big trips to the grocery store are over. Eggs are pricy, and we don't eat them as often as we used to.

[b8b80eb0]

The same is here, Grace, But I am shocked that such a superpower country also facing inflation results. 

For developing countries, this is normal, we get relief sometimes but not always. 
I am trying to make life more simple and its only solution 

[1b9493d5]

Hey, Muhammad. I have never seen inflation shoot up this quickly in my entire life. Yep, even in the West we are having problems. I agree that trying to have a simpler life with fewer expenses is the way to go. That is the best way to manage.

[williamtcooper]

Grace,

In Iowa what items have you seen go way up in 2022. In Texas, it's the food prices that are outrageous.

[b8b80eb0]

Exactly.
We all should think about it. I have some land for farming. 

I have set my next three years' goals to have all fruit trees on my land. 

I have grown 10,10 plants of each fruit (Guava, Mangos, Oranges, Lemon, Plum and many more according to my need)
This way, I will get rid of market fruits that are not fresh...

[williamtcooper]

Muhammad,

I agree whever we have the opportunity to grow some of our own food it just makes sense. Our needs are met and we can share with our neighbors. Who knows when any of us might go through hard times.

[williamtcooper]

Muhammad,

Food inflation in the United States in 2022 was up more than 10%. For our citizens that financially are in the bottom half income brackets, this is a great burden with many having to use free food banks to get by.

[b8b80eb0]

Last time our government initiated a package (Lanagar Khany) for poor people of the free food bank, and that was running with very success.  However, now that the new government has closed food banks.
One labourer works all day for 3-5 dollars. 

[williamtcooper]

Muhammad,

I guess the new government ran out of monies? Do local charities help with the food or how do people get help?

[b8b80eb0]

William,
Our new government is filling its own pockets, and the whole country is suffering

[williamtcooper]

Grace,

What do a dozen eggs cost in Iowa?

[mwiggenhorn]

In Mississippi, eggs are about $5.00/ dozen.  We are a state with many poultry farms which lost all or most of their stock due to avian flu.  When 1 bird tests positive, all have to be destroyed.  This is most likely the cause of the increase in egg prices, rather than inflation (although certainly inflation has a part in it all).

Anyway else remember the terrible inflation in 1973?  Lines to buy gas, which was rationed.  And "meatless Mondays" for whatever reason.  I really don't think it's as bad this time around.