After reading this news story that half of Americans are skipping meals because of affordability and a bad economy, I have to ask how are you all doing out there?

I heard from a real estate agent friend of mine that REOs, i.e. bank foreclosures on home mortgages, are going up like crazy, which is a sign of bad times, like the recession of 2007-08.

I have heard from others about rents not being paid, lack of jobs, etc.

Every day, there’s more news of corporate layoffs, moreso than usual.

I live in the economic bubble of the SF Bay Area, where tech wealth more-or-less insulates me and mine from the most serious consequences of a bad economy, but how are things elsewhere?

  • paultimate14@lemmy.world
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    23 minutes ago

    Northeastern US. Things are okay. Worse than I would have predicted 5 years ago but not terrible.

    We pay our bills, contribute to the 401k and HSA, and have still been saving every month. Our electric + natural gas bills fluctuate as we switch from electric cooling to gas heating, but their combined monthly average has doubled in less than 5 years. I’m eyeing up solar systems for some relief. We don’t drive much so the direct price of gas hasn’t been huge. Groceries are a bit more expensive, but usually not as crazy as I see on the news. Clothing has gotten wildly expensive, with thrift and outlet stores selling stuff for prices I would have paid at regular retail 5 years ago.

    We’re holding on. I wish we ate out, and especially drank out, less. I was always a homebody, but nowadays its $15-$20 for a cocktail, $10 for a domestic draft, plus tip.

  • craftrabbit@lemmy.zip
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    1 hour ago

    Pretty decent in Switzerland. The cost of living has always been very high here, but so have the wages and inflation hasn’t been as bad here as in other places over the past few years.

    Edit: Also, the fuel prices don’t really affect me at all, or at least only very indirectly. Now, more than ever, I am grateful for the awesome trains we have.

  • zlatiah@lemmy.world
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    2 hours ago

    Belgium. Personally, I have a job now so I feel fine, has a good bit of leftover money despite being on single salary. Salaries here are indexed against cost of living (not too many countries do this anymore), so anyone who is not living in the capitol can survive even on minimum salary; and in the capitol, yes with cohousing. People without a job are somewhat fucked though… yes the unemployment benefits are quite generous, but there simply aren’t many jobs out there. Belgium has a competitive strength in pharmaceuticals but then last year there was a pretty notable company shutting down, and recently GSK let go of a large chunk of their R&D team. Things are not looking very bright

    I guess this isn’t what the topic is about but… macro-economics numbers seem functional? The fiscally conservative leading party implemented some budget cuts that were supposed to help, I’m not an economist so I can’t say whether they helped but there certainly were lots of protests. GDP is slowly growing, not as fast as NL but the numbers are going up

  • Adniem@thelemmy.club
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    2 hours ago

    well to put it nicely in egypt we are doing bad and probably failing because the President Dictator is just not wanting democracy and is just bad at his job

  • acchariya@lemmy.world
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    7 hours ago

    In the provinces of the Philippines, electricity and diesel prices are hitting hard. Add to that a bad rice harvest and an expected drought which will make the next one worse, and things get bad. For me personally I am working a remote position from the us, so I am earning dollars which are worth more an more pesos each week. We try to take care of people where we can but too many people struggling will lead to instability and safety issues

  • chleb@lemmy.world
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    10 hours ago

    I personally live in survival mode.

    I hope these people will stop believe narratives of oligarchs backend politicians and stop to blindly trust politicians. Israel annually receive at least 3.5 billion dollar of aid from the USA ever year, while millions of american doesnt have proper life standard and basic healthcare insurance.

    While oligarchs and upper-classes get more rich, middle class is eliminating, but if you listen their narratives, they will say GDP and economy is growing. Yes, it grows but only for the oligarchs and rich class.

  • NovaVeles@lemmy.world
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    15 hours ago

    I am in Melbourne, Australia, things are still ticking along fine enough BUT we can see the wave coming.

    There was a book from 1957 called ‘On the beach’, it was about Melbourne being last city on Earth that has survived a nuclear war and how we would surcumb to the same fate as everyone else. It is starting to feel like that but in economic terms.

  • WanderWisley@lemmy.world
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    13 hours ago

    Live in rural northern Nevada. Everything is pretty expensive now. Especially because of being so rural everything has to be bought in by truck. And 90% of the people here are insanely conservative and are all preparing for WW3 or civil war 2. This up coming week is gonna be crazy and interesting.

  • Polisheocket@lemmy.zip
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    14 hours ago

    Live in CA, everyone I know that wants to work has decent jobs, houses, families. Pretty good times in our little part of CA

  • Horsey@lemmy.world
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    13 hours ago

    Researcher here who taught graduate level research skills: I’m walking dogs.

    Because of the belief that the economy is bad, employers are taking advantage of working class people by removing their niceties like remote work and easy work days. We’re being told to work harder and produce +50% to make up for a 10% shortfall which feels like a fucking scam.

  • SpaghettiMaster@feddit.uk
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    20 hours ago

    UK, depends who you talk to. Russian bots would have you believe everything is falling apart. London is also really expensive.

    I live on the south coast, even on minimum wage I have never struggled. As long as you can find stable employment you will have enough money to be comfortable. Honestly, I don’t even know what to spend my money on.

    Approx monthly bills, 900 mortgage (fuck you Liz truss), 175 council tax, 80 electricity, 120 food, 22 internet. Water is on a 6 month cycle and costs some mid 2 figure number each time so that is barely anything.

    So about 1300/month. That is for 2 of us, £650/month each, or £7800/year. Minimum wage is about £25k.

    • NovaVeles@lemmy.world
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      15 hours ago

      I love and completely hate just how much of a dint Liz Truss did in for 40-something days. Made the history books in the worst way.

    • gandalf_der_13te@feddit.org
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      16 hours ago

      £120 food

      that is … very low? i spend 300€ on food each month

      also what is “175 council tax”?

      also damn, “900 mortgage” (for 2 people) each month? that’s surprisingly affordable.

      • SpaghettiMaster@feddit.uk
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        12 hours ago

        Well living on the south coast is more affordable than London, air is a bit cleaner too. Downside is lots of reform scum.

        Council tax is something each household has to pay, houses are in different bands depending on their price in the 90s. Though the tax range is fairly narrow compared to the value range of houses. House could be 100x the cost of mine yet the tax would barely be 3x as much.

  • braindead_hottie@lemmy.world
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    23 hours ago

    Rural north-eastern Brazil.

    I’m unemployed, living with my mom and sibling and we’re neck-deep in debts while living on less than $400 a month. I can’t afford to go to university and there are little to no jobs that I can do nearby (I’m autistic and have a shitload of sensitivities). I’ve a couple more places to apply to, and my dad is studying the possibility of bringing me to live with him somewhere else.

  • FeelThePower@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    23 hours ago

    I only paid $200 of my rent today and have to backpay the rest. been eating white rice with random stuff mixed in to sustain. sometimes vegetables, sometimes beans, sometimes absurdly random shit like mustard or pickles lmao. gotta do whatcha gotta do I guess. I live not far in the central valley