Tough times, tough choices
A 'silent tsunami' of economic factors slowly putting squeeze on middle class
Alan Hawes
The Post and Courier
Mahli Denton, 5, harvests some radishes from the family garden at their home in West Ashley. Growing some of their own vegetables is one of the ways the Dentons are saving money as they deal with the economic downturn. They also walk to the store — so they'll buy fewer groceries for the trip home.
The Post and Courier
A few days each week, Prisca Denton sets out from her West Ashley home to walk a mile to the nearest supermarket with her two girls and the family dog in tow.
Denton has a perfectly good car in the driveway, but she leaves it behind for a reason: If she must carry her groceries home, she will buy only what she truly needs.
Squeezed by surging gasoline and grocery prices, the Dentons and other middle-class families are looking to cut corners any way they can to keep their household budgets afloat. It's become a daily struggle for those who exist in that gray zone between safety nets and Easy Street.
People are trading name brands for generic offerings, eating out less, pooling errands to avoid car trips, clipping more coupons — whatever they can do to save a few bucks here and there.
"We're in some very uncertain times right now," said Frank Hefner, an economics professor at the College of Charleston. "I don't think we are going back to the '30s where people didn't spend money, but people are thinking more about how they spend their money."
Denton is a case in point. She is a stay-at-home mom who depends on what her husband, Jeff, earns as an electronics technician. They do all right, but mostly because they're smart about their spending.
She recruits daughters Mahli, 5, and Madison, 10, to plan meals so they'll concentrate on the ingredients they need and not think about other foods. She takes her dog, Flynn, to the store because leaving him outside forces her to shop quickly and avoid the temptation to stray from her shopping list. She only buys milk — or "white gold," as she calls it — if she goes to a discount store where it's cheaper.
"We are probably not getting ahead," she said. "But we are definitely staying afloat."
The cost of groceries rose 4.7 percent in the past year and is projected to rise another 4 to 5 percent in the next 12 months, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Utility bills also are soaring. And the price of gasoline, already approaching $4 a gallon — well, who knows how high that might go?
Rich Yamarone, chief economist with Argus Research Group in New York, said such increases can erode consumer confidence and stifle economic growth. People feel like they are working simply to put food on the table and gas in the car, he said.
"You're running in place, is what it is," he said. "You're making money and you're spending money, but you're not advancing."
Jenny Kizer of Dorchester knows that feeling. An accounting manager, she drives about 150 miles a day taking her two children to school in St. George, traveling to North Charleston for work and then repeating the process in reverse. It costs her $42 to fill the tank of her Nissan Pathfinder halfway. If she's lucky, that will last her two days. She and her husband have all but eliminated spending on entertainment and other niceties.
"I haven't received a raise in nearly three years, so even the smallest of increase hurts me," she wrote in an e-mail. "There is no more buying what we want at the grocery store; we buy what we need."
They're hardly alone. A recent survey found that more consumers are planning to cut back on discretionary spending, with nearly 46 percent planning to spend less on home improvement and major personal purchases, according to Discover Financial Services' consumer spending confidence index. Another recent study by food service consultants Technomic found that 85 percent of people surveyed are eating dinner at home more often.
Retail analyst Burt Flickinger III, managing director of Strategic Resource Group in New York, said inflation in food prices alone is the worst he has seen since the 1970s, forcing consumers to "switch from red meat to poultry to pasta and on to peanut butter and jelly. They're trading down to stomach-stuffers."
This is just one change of many for average American families, who are quickly adjusting their spending habits to stay above water financially, Flickinger said. "It is affecting the middle class because there is a silent tsunami taking money away from the middle class."
Elwood Stith of North Charleston has felt that tide go out. Stith, a sales and marketing manager, has cut back on eating beef and seafood to save money. He fills the void with soy products such as spicy bean burgers. He eats no more than the recommended portion on the package to make sure he stays within his food budget.
"Sometimes, it's more economical to buy one piece of chicken because that's all you will eat," said Stith, who is single.
Elizabeth and Tom Beaudry of Summerville have made frugality into something of a science. The couple and their children — ages 9, 13 and 17 — mostly survive on what Tom, 43, earns as an English teacher at North Charleston High School. He brings in less than $40,000 a year. Their budget is so tight that they dropped their $350-month health insurance so they could afford to buy groceries.
"Now, we just pray to God that neither we nor our three kids get severely sick or injured," the 39-year-old mother said.
She is studying to become a nurse and maintains a 4.0 grade point average at Trident Technical College so she will qualify for a full scholarship. Two nights a week she delivers pizza to earn a little extra cash for her family's "milk and bread fund."
To stay afloat, the Beaudrys keep the thermostat turned high in the summer, low in the winter; buy meat only when it's on sale with a buy-one, get-one free option; consolidate errands so they make only one or two car trips a week and forgo luxuries such as cable television and Internet service.
"I feel like an ogre because we have to ration milk to no more than a glass a day," Elizabeth Beaudry said. "We feel like we're down in a World War II situation here."
Shawn Wright, a single mother of three from Georgetown, understands these pressures all too well. As an administrative specialist at a community college, she earns too much to qualify for assistance and too little to move beyond a state of just-getting-by. She has two teenage sons and a 9-year-old daughter. She can't afford to take them on trips or to the movies.
Wright, 37, spends most of her money keeping a roof over their heads and making sure they are fed. She looks for bargains on food prices, but sometimes avoids the cheaper stores because they are farther away. It makes no sense to spend $5 worth of gas driving to the store so that she can save $1 on milk.
"Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet, go to the closer store and pay more," she said. "Then you pray the kids don't drink the milk before the week's up."
Debbie Smith and her husband, Mike Hargett, have tried to be thrifty as well, but they still find their financial obligations outpacing their earning power. She is a furnishings coordinator at the Medical University of South Carolina. He works in pest control. Together they earn less than $55,000 annually.
They traded in their gas- guzzlers, haven't take a vacation in seven years and rarely go out to eat. They watch what they buy and make sure it gets used. Still, they find themselves losing ground. They recently started using credit cards to subsidize their income so they can buy groceries, pay utility bills and make loan payments on their West Ashley home. They recognize this is a dangerous strategy, but they don't see much choice.
"I know that my husband and I are truly blessed to have what we have, and there are others that are in far worse conditions than we are," she said. "But this is becoming really scary because I know if I continue down this path I could end up in real trouble. I worry that I will end up so in debt on the credit cards that I will never get myself out of it."
Doug Mann of West Ashley also worries about the future. He is a salesman for a Columbia printing company, and his territory runs from St. George to Georgetown. Gas prices are squeezing Mann hard at the same time customers are tightening belts and cutting back on orders. Even with a fuel-efficient Kia, it costs him $60 to fill up the tank.
To save money, he has reduced his trips to the outskirts of his territory. But fewer visits can mean fewer sales. He's in a no-win situation.
At age 47, Mann is about to sell his home at a loss to avoid foreclosure. He is looking for an apartment and shopping at discount stores. He has cut way back on food purchases, passing over red meat and seafood unless there's a good sale.
But prices keep rising, and he has more than just himself to think about. He has four children from two marriages, including one who he is helping to put through college in Florida. He just wonders where this road is taking him.
"A lot of things have happened at once," he said. "It's hard to function when you're not mentally there, when you have certain fears and concerns about what the future is going to hold."
Saving on groceries
Consumer Reports recommends the following steps to cut the cost of your grocery bill:
--Make a list, stick to it, and don't shop hungry. You'll be less tempted to "overbuy."
--Consider lower-cost store brands.
--Compare prices in different areas of the store: Cheese at the deli counter, for example, is often pricier than cheese in the dairy case.
--Weigh the cost of convenience. Prepared and precut foods often cost more. Similarly, you'll pay extra for single servings, such as cereal in disposable bowls.
--Compare unit prices. Big packages often are more economical, but not always. Comparing unit prices (per ounce, etc.) is especially important when one size is on sale.
--Clip coupons. Check out the Sunday newspaper inserts or visit Web sites such as www.coolsavings.com and www.valpak.com.
--Get preferred-shopper cards that provide automatic discounts on products without having to clip coupons. These programs request personal information, which means that the chain can track your purchases. Most chains have strict policies, but it makes sense to review them before joining.
--Don't assume all items advertised in circulars are on sale. Manufacturers might have paid for placement.
--Beware of last-minute temptations. Single-serving snacks at the checkout counter cost more than multi-packs of like items along the aisles.
Reach Glenn Smith at gsmith@postandcourier.com or 937-5556.
Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
This article has 23 comment(s)
Posted by jmw29410 on May 4, 2008 at 7:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Imagine this scenario - a person is disabled and unable to work. He finally gets a break and starts getting Medicare, which eliminates the huge rape, er...premiums, paid to Blue Cross for his health insurance and he can now makes ends meet. OOPS! DSS says his Net Monthly Income is too high now, so bye bye Food Stamps. Fortunately there are Food Banks where he can get some help every two weeks, and he lives close to grocery and drug stores. Rising fuel prices offset any help he finds. Friends have helped some, taking him out for coffee and a sandwich or giving him a few bucks or food now and then. Such generosity can not be counted on. It is a blessing when it happens.
The idiots who determine how much assistance is adequate obviously have never considered having to live off of it. Our lame government can spend billions on that Bush League War in Iraq, but our own people suffer.
It's sure great to be an American.
Posted by tcm3412 on May 4, 2008 at 7:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with jmw29410 100%, because this is exactly how I am living now. DSS says I make to much money to receive food stamps to feed myself and my minor son, but after all my bills are paid each month there is hardly any money left.
Posted by majorjohnson on May 4, 2008 at 9:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
She can't afford to drive the car 1 mile to shop? That's got nothing to do with the price of gasoline. Make one trip every two weeks and buy what you need. A 2 mile round trip is gonna cost about 30 cents in gas. Frankly, the walk is probably good for them anyway though. Either way, that's hardly a hardship.
If 2 people are making $55,000 and struggling to buy food it's probably lifestyle, not hardship.
There isn't a time, regardless of the state of the economy, that you can't find sob stories of people who are struggling. You people who advocate socialism to fix all of societies ills seem not to have noticed that socialist countries aren't all that great. Our capitalist system has allowed more people to raise themselves out of poverty than all the socialist countries that exist or have existed. Socialist nations have huge percentages of people unemployed or claiming disability. Fix your lifestyle, don't ask government to take from others to support it.
While you're complaining about gas prices, why don't you take the time to notice that the government takes far more from gas companies in corporate and excise taxes than the companies make in profits. In other words, taxes are far more relevant to your cost of gas than profit. If you don't like gas prices you should be far angrier with government than with the companies.
“The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.” Winston Churchill
Posted by KidYendor on May 4, 2008 at 9:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The socialists and one world government proponents have succeeded. The borrowing for the U.S world police/war machine /welfare state economy has finally turned the middle class and their pockets upside down. Borrowing and more borrowing has devalued our dollar and now our way of life is over. The politicians gutted us and our blood has dried.
Posted by RTC on May 4, 2008 at 9:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
So much of what these people are describing as being "forced" to do, is sometimes just good common sense.
I have always been thrifty and taken advantage of sales, coupons, etc.
There are many ways to stretch a dollar, and it shouldn't take a so called crisis to start learning.
You also don't have to be poor or even middle class to be doing this.
You can be frugal and still have money to enjoy life without having to make huge sacrifices.
Can you imagine what people who lived through The Great Depression would say about today's society?
Posted by ConcernedinCHS on May 4, 2008 at 10:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with majorjohnson. Not driving to the store that is one mile away to save money doesn't payoff. If gas rose to $4.00 per gallon and her car gets 20mpg a round trip would cost 40 cents.
Although the walk is quite a healthy alternative
Posted by BillytheKid on May 4, 2008 at 10:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"The Arabic-language network Al-Jazeera released a full transcript Monday of the most recent videotape from Osama bin Laden in which the head of al Qaeda said his group's goal is to force America into bankruptcy."
This was in November of 2004. They are doing a good job, except for the stock market which is in another planet as far as the US economy goes. The only commerce that is making any money now is the ones that supply the Bush/Cheney war machine and the Bush/Cheney oil express. The mortgage problems started with this team also, and we have one of their strongest supporters from South Carolina. He needs to go, more like they all need to go.
Un-checked free enterprise will break laws, steal, cheat and use the system(buy a vote) always, always. I have always said, expect what you inspect. If no one is looking they will steal you blind.
Posted by Reader on May 4, 2008 at 10:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
MajorJohnson and ConcernedinCHS both commented about the subject's walking to the store, claiming that walking the one mile would not save enough money to make it worthwhile.
First, the second paragraph of the article specifically said this: "Denton has a perfectly good car in the driveway, but she leaves it behind for a reason: If she must carry her groceries home, she will buy only what she truly needs." She is not walking to save gas money - she is walking because it compels her to focus on the most important things at the store.
I applaud her for all of these things that she is doing to help her focus on her budget and save some money. I was pleased to read an article about a woman who was not whining about her position and complaining about the lack of government assistance.
And, by the way, not driving to the store, no matter how close, does save money. Mind the pennies, and the pounds will take care of themselves.
Posted by DOODGUY on May 4, 2008 at 10:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Posted by tcm3412
I agree with jmw29410 100%, because this is exactly how I am living now. DSS says I make to much money to receive food stamps to feed myself and my minor son, but after all my bills are paid each month there is hardly any money left."
Good to see your priorities are in check (hint my sarcasim). You have a computer and are spending money on an internet connection and you expect those in your community to pay for your food? What is the rest of the background with these folks in this article. Do they have cars they can't afford, internet, cellphones, cable tv etc. Eliminate one of these items and problem solved. Food is up 4%... an entire four dollars for every one hundred spent. Everyone screaming the sky is falling, needs to take a walk. Take responsibilty for your actions and realize that times are hard on you because YOU made poor decissions.
Posted by BillytheKid on May 4, 2008 at 10:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the lady, Prisca Denton, point in walking to the store was to only get the things she really needs as to filling up the shopping cart with all those "extra" things we fall victim to. I am going to just do one bag, my bag, from now on. Now where can I get a BIG bag?
Posted by DOODGUY on May 4, 2008 at 11:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Billy, so its the governments fault that people signed on to mortgages they couldn't afford? Last I read our Declaration it states, "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." Keyword here is pursuit. No where does it say you are guaranted happiness, ie. free healthcare, free food, free medical care, free place to live. You bark with such envy at those who are successful and oil companies aren't the only companies turning profits right now.
"Un-checked free enterprise will break laws, steal, cheat and use the system(buy a vote) always, always. I have always said, expect what you inspect. If no one is looking they will steal you blind."
Please name one thing the government has done successfully that would warrent giving them more power. The restrictions government has placed on business in the form of outragous taxes is why things are they way they are. No exploration for new energy in the United States means higher energy prices, no thanks to the enviromentalist. Subsidize corn production for fuel and expect a shortage of food and therefor higher food prices. The free market has brought the people of this country the best standard of life in the world, and you would rather give credit to the government rather than the great people of these United States who were able to give you all these things in the face of such great obstacles put forth by our government.
Posted by majorjohnson on May 4, 2008 at 11:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
While government is a big part of the problem, it's largely by it's involvement, not lack of. Look what government has done for health care. The more they are involved the more expensive it gets. Education, the more government gets involved, the more expensive it becomes. They take so much from our paychecks we can't save for retirement and get to live on whatever they decide SSI is worth when we retire. They take over 13% of your paycheck and you get a piddling sum that is not guaranteed when you retire at the age they decide you can. If everyone in the country saved 13% of their incomes over their lifetime practically everyone would retire a millionaire. As far as mortgages go, government at all levels have restricted building, making it more expensive, then required lenders to loan money to people who couldn't afford a mortgage to begin with and made no effort to be prepared for a mortgage, like down payment and money in the bank for emergencies.
Yeah, government and socialism is sure the answer.
Posted by BillytheKid on May 4, 2008 at 1:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
DoodGuy, you drank the Kool-Aid! The oil industry, in the USA, has been reducing the oil that it pumps from the USA because it found out in 1973 that they can keep their asset(the crude in the ground) and still pass on the higher cost of imported crude to its customers. Go goggle USA oil production and USA use and you will see how our own USA production has fallen off by 45% from its 1973 high. The bastards(big oil) have more ways to get out of paying taxes that the average voter. They can drill for oil, find it and cap the well(my brother owns some land up in Michigan where they have done this), write off the cost of “exploration” and have the “asset” the oil found not taxed as inventory. What a great country for oil companies.
I don’t need any more “power” given to the government. I would like to have it stop being abused by the people, like Lindsey(I am a Bush puppy) Graham, and have the laws we have in place used and the “gifts” we give out to special interest removed from law and regulations. Is that too much to ask for?
Posted by Smart_Enough_2_Know_Better on May 4, 2008 at 4:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
To jmw29410, billythekid and all you other socialists out there, I get what you're saying: life is sometimes tough and government/society OWES it to you to take care of you in tough times. For your mindset, the solution is to move to France. I'm sure you won't mind the 50% personal income tax that you'll pay for the piece of mind it gives you knowing that government will be there with a handout when you need it.
The rest of us will stay here in the US where we benefit from a 22% lower tax rate so that we can work hard and SAVE for those times when we need it most, rather than have government steal it (any more than they already do) from our pockets. Also keep in mind that in this country you are 14% more likely to own a home than in France, and the median household income here is 27% higher than it is for our cheese-eating socialist brothers. (And yes, that's before you get whacked with that fun French tax rate!)
So please, either shut up about what government owes you or move so the rest of us don't have to listen to your whining. And if you can't afford the ticket to France just ask Johnny Depp to spot you the fare. I'm sure he'd be happy to have some like-minded Americans join him on the Riviera.
Oh and by the way, I really do feel for the people that are suffering. That's why I make DONATIONS to several different nonprofits- nice to be able to choose how the money gets spent rather than have government dole it out blindly.
Posted by algorelost on May 4, 2008 at 4:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Could the P&C please post the following information on the people interviewed in the story?
Cable Bill?
Cell Phone Bill?
Internet Bill?
Car Payment?
Education Level?
Posted by Reader on May 4, 2008 at 6:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
AlGoreLost wrote, "Could the P&C please post the following information on the people interviewed in the story? Cable Bill? Cell Phone Bill? Internet Bill? Car Payment? Education Level?"
What possible difference could this make to the story? The point of the story is that when the economy takes a turn for the worse, people can make small changes to compensate - not that this woman was already living hand to mouth.
The implication of your post is that a person is entitled to complain about the economy only after having done everything possible to increase her earnings and decrease her unnecessary expenses to the extreme (even though this woman was not complaining in the article). That is absurd. In your world, the only people who could complain would be Amish Ph.D. holders!
Posted by jmw29410 on May 4, 2008 at 7:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Smart_Enough_2_Know_Better.... (or is that DUMB_Enough etc?)
I'm not a socialist. But I worked full time jobs since my mid teens...over 40 years ago. I often worked 2 full time jobs. I paid into the system with every check. I should be able to expect better than this. We have welfare mommas squirting out baby after baby. We have freakin' illegals collecting benefits that real Americans should be getting. And those of us that paid in all our lives? Too bad, amigo!
I hope you never see the day that you physically can't work. I never thought I would. But when it comes and you can't get squat for help while our great nation feeds those who have not made a real contribution to the almighty FICA deduction, I want to hear how loud you squeal, little piggy.
Posted by algorelost on May 4, 2008 at 9:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Reader, you must have read a differnt article. The one I read gave an example of a couple that had a 55k income and
"They recently started using credit cards to subsidize their income so they can buy groceries, pay utility bills and make loan payments on their West Ashley home."
I was just curious as to where the money went if they are having to pay for groceries with credit cards on a 55k a year income. Could it be they are spending money on things like cable, internet, cell phones, and car payments?
I simply thought the P&C did not do a good enough job explaining how a couple on a 55K income could not buy groceries?
It is not hard to make it if you have your priorties right.
Posted by umakebrains on May 4, 2008 at 10:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Education Level! give me a break I have a client with a Phd. in math living in the shelter,now you go figure. Because he gas an education doesn't make him less homeless.
Posted by Smart_Enough_2_Know_Better on May 5, 2008 at 12:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's very simple, jmw29410- you will NEVER hear me "squeal" about Uncle Sam not giving me money for my personal problems. I expect some basic things from government, such as defense (both internal and external) and infrastructure (both physical and virtual). But I certainly don't expect- nor want- government to bail me out if I over-extend myself on my mortgage, have too many kids, end up disabled or have just about any other personal disaster. Instead, I try using common sense and planning to keep me out of trouble, but also have savings and insurance to cover me when I’m knucklehead or the unexpected inevitably happens.
It sounds like you're in a crappy place right now and I’m sorry for your misfortune. And I definitely understand why you feel robbed after paying taxes for so many years into a system that you obviously assumed would one day take care of you should you become disabled. But that just should not be the role of government.
My point is that unless I explicitly choose to give to a charity (or even to you directly) to help you through your trouble, I don't feel that government should force me to pay to help bail you- or anyone else- out.
Posted by SomeTruthPlease on May 5, 2008 at 12:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the point of the article is this: a couple of years ago, milk wasn't over $5.00 a gallon, gas wasn't what it is today...I don't even spring for Orange Juice right now because I have a son that will drink the whole gallon in one day. I also got a higher-interest-rate mortgage, as most of my earnings are "off the books", and have amassed some credit card debt, but we are definitely chipping away at other expenses to level everything out. I watch every flier that comes in for certain groceries that I like to cook, but are usually fairly pricey...this week, I filled a grocery cart to the brim for $125.00. That, to me, is not bad. I got nearly everything I needed, to exclude bread, which I forgot, but for that, I was able to get an entire pork loin, boneless, a 12 lb. sirloin tip that will become several different things, about 8 lbs. of boneless skinless chicken tenders, quite a few veggies, etc. I buy things that I can cut up, package separately, and freeze. I try to find coupons for Soy milk, as it's a great alternative to dairy, at least for me, and the price of regular milk is so high, you might as well. As for eating out, try this: restaurant.com...if you haven't tried it, you should. They send coupon codes every so often, so the coupon is even cheaper. I take my boys once in a while to Fisherman's Quarters in Summerville, where the portions are HUGE, and we always have something left to reheat later. For 10 bucks, you get a $25.00 off $35.00 or more coupon, and with a coupon code, it might be $4.00 for the coupon. I have Vonage for my home phone, and that allows me to justify having high-speed, which is a luxury that I must have. I certainly don't drive all over like I used to...tell my boys that if they have somewhere they want to go, it has to be necessary. I don't personally know anyone that hasn't changed some frivolous habits in the past couple of years.
Posted by eyfigueroa on May 5, 2008 at 10:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Reader: "The implication of your post is that a person is entitled to complain about the economy only after having done everything possible to increase her earnings and decrease her unnecessary expenses to the extreme"
UH DUH!
What people have & continued to fail to do is "LIVE THEIR WAGE"
If there is a downturn in the economy then adjust your lifestyle accordingly.
Or how about a few ideas:
*increase earning potential
*lower expenses
*marry up (LOL)
I feel the pinch like anyone else. I've also positioned myself professionally and financially to absorbed the increased costs of day-to-day living. If it gets worse then I will adjust accordingly.
For the elderly and the truly infirm this may be difficult and I can certainly empathize. But if you work or able to work and claim that you can't go on vacation because gas is too high, then you truly couldn't go on vacation to begin with. If groceries are costing too much take a hard look at what your buying and stop going out to eat.
It really isn't all that dificult to learn to live frugally.
"If you do the things you need when you need to do them, then someday you can do the things you want to do when you want to do them." Zig Ziglar
Posted by algorelost on May 5, 2008 at noon (Suggest removal)
UMAKEBRAINS,
There has to be more to your story that your leaving out. If a person has a PHD in math and they can get a job with the CCSD you must be leaving something out.