Mary Ann Hayes

Why does it cost so much to live these days? Where in the world did today’s prices come from? (I know, I know, it’s all about the cost of oil! But let’s just muse about life, okay?)

I mean, it used to be we could buy a whole house for the current cost of a luxury car.  When we were first married, our dream was to eventually work our way into a forty thousand dollar almost- mansion. A house like our parents had.  By the time we bought our first house, it was thirty eight thousand and about half the house we were hoping for. Maybe even less. And it was kind of cardboard-y. Not like the brick homes of our parents at all.

I’m concerned about vegetables. The price of vegetable is going up steadily and soon will be a luxury to buy. I wish I still hated vegetables as I did when I was a kid. But now, I love them.  It’s actually just about all I want to eat. It’s possible that now is the time to try out gardening. Maybe start with little cherry tomatoes, carrots and onions and beats. That would be a nice start and a good idea as long as we have sunshine this spring and summer. (For some reason, the Pacific Northwest Region hasn’t been included in global warming.)

But, back to complaining about the cost of living, starting with getting up in the morning and having that first cup of coffee. Can’t live without it, yet can’t believe the cost. Hungry? Want some breakfast? Fruit is outrageous. Even a couple of slices of toast are costly, especially if you care not to eat cheep white bread. Eating healthy is an expense.

Then we have our must- have vitamins and supplements, prescriptions, cosmetics, hair supplies, body lotions, scrubs, teeth whiteners,  exfoliants and moisturizers. Is any of it in-expensive? Of course not.

Let’s talk about transportation. Cars are a losing investment. They lose value daily. They constantly require being re-filled with outrageously priced gasoline, they need oil  changes, air filters, and insurance.  It’s also a good idea to have a garage to put them in.  Cars cost so much we should either be able to live in them or trade them in for bikes. Bikes are kind of miserable to ride in the rain and snow, yet we would certainly be in good shape if we rode them instead of driving. And we’d have a lot more cash on hand.

We live in houses that cost ridiculous amounts of money. They cost to much to build, buy,  maintain, and heat. I’m thinking we may need to retire to a grass hut, like the one in the picture. A nice simple grass hut in a tropical climate where the locals either love Americans, or are Americans. Some place where the land is free, pure water flows through the property, the temperature is always seventy eight degrees and fruit and vegetables grow so prolifically we end up giving them away before they go bad!

Perhaps the solution is to enhance our formal education so we are eligible for higher paying jobs. If you’ve put a child through college lately, well…need I say more?

And, it’s getting a bit tougher these days, competing against kids for jobs that used to require years of experience, the kind that comes with age; the kind we have. Now, the experience comes from being born into a world of technology and being introduced to it at birth. By the time those babies are twenty years old, they are far more equipped for the current job market than most of us baby boomers will ever be. They have a technological savvy that is enviable.

So, I’ll let you know when I find the perfect place to live. The freebie that just happens to be in an unbelievable paradise somewhere just waiting to be discovered. I’m sure it’s out there and my name is on it!

Later,

Mary Ann