With energy prices and inflation going mad, what changes will you be able to make to save money?

I have watched my savings plummet in 2022. My retirement shrank by about 25% and my investment dwindled by 10% overall. I stopped watching the news except for the weather and I rarely open the Finance app on my phone now to check my stocks. I think, I, along with probably the entire world feel like 2022 has gone straight to hell.

At the moment, the only cost that’s remained pretty constant is utility. I get an allotment of water each month. The cost increases if I got over and I have been able to conserve water by installing drip irrigation, capturing water from washing veggies and my showers and then using that water to maintain my garden.

The two costs that have truly skyrocketed are food and gasoline (even if it’s come down a bit in the last month or so). As of yesterday, Tuesday, August 30, 2022, the price for a gallon of gas in my area ran around $4.60 with Walmart at the cheapest, which was $4.46. Fortunately, my car is quite efficient and it’s got a small tank (only 12 gallons), the only time I really restrained myself from driving was when it was over $5 which, thankfully, wasn’t for very long.

I had to nearly cut eggs out of my diet in the last few months as the prices for a dozen eggs soared from a little over $1.25 to over $3 a dozen. That’s ridiculous. I’m just glad the prices of yogurt and milk haven’t gone up so I can some protein this way. And don’t get me started with meat.

Thankfully, I haven’t had to worry about buying veggies since April as my garden have been giving me tons of food from lettuces to kale to green beans and more.

Everyone thought I’ve gone crazy, starting a garden in March when it was still 40-degrees outside. I sowed lettuce, bok choy, broccoli raab, and peas, which were ready to harvest starting mid-April. Then came the waves of green beans as I sowed seeds in all available places. I’m now averaging about a pound of green beans a week. I also have zucchini and cucumbers.

Of course, mom still bought veggies from the store. She complained my veggies harvests weren’t big enough for her and she’d rather give away the zucchini and cucumbers than consume them herself. Whatever, I wasn’t going to spend a cent on grocery store vegetables.

Do you think there is anything you can do in respect of voicing your concerns?

How I feel about these dark times is probably synonymous with many around the world.

Unfortunately, politicians don’t care. They are like children shouting, pushing, and shoving in a playground, uncaring about the people around them. I feel the day everything will turn around will probably be the day when politicians feel the world has hit rock-bottom. Until that day comes, I’m afraid no one’s concern will be heard or taken seriously.