I agree the prices keep going up and the contents keep going down.

I went out on disability in 2004 because I lost my central vision after a stroke and 5 blood clots including my lungs. My husband retired to drive me to all of the appointments.

At first it wasn't too bad. We got by ok and had a mini (weekend) vacation every year. But with no raise in SS and with the jump in prices we can't even do that. We don't go out to dinner, etc.

I am a big coupon shopper, but they are making so many that you have to buy 2 for 50 cents. That is ridiculous!

What really ticks me off is when our local grocery store has a sale on something, like Italian Bread for $1.00 save 25 cents. Then the next week it is $2.00.

Also, I have my husband read the expiration dates especially the dairy items. When they have a sale, the expiration date is usually the following Monday or Tuesday.

What do they think we are stupid! How much more do they think the normal taxpayer can pay?

Now they are charging 5 cents a bag and we have a 5 cent deposit on water bottles.

You would think some enterprising person could start a work at home business sewing uniforms for a reasonable price. With so much unemployment seems some talented person could supplement their income. No way would I pay $600.00 for a cheerleading outfit -- not even in Dallas!!!

Yeah, they've been doing the "must buy 2" or 4 or 6 (yogurt coupons want you to buy 6) for years now. It must be a reaction against coupon doubling but it locks me out of using a lot of coupons, because I just don't use things up fast enough.

I read expiration dates, too. You know, if the date is too soon, you can always ask at customer service for a rain check so you can buy at the sale price after they restock. Or just wait until later in the week, when most of the old stock has been sold.

I do this with produce sales, too. They will have a great sale and crummy produce. I'll ask for a rain check if the veggies or fruit aren't in a condition I'd pay for, and they do usually give the rain check. Then, the week after the sale, you see beautiful, perfect, fresh produce at some pipe dream price, and I buy it using my rain check.

You know, I don't have that much of a problem with the cost of things going up gradually... What my latest gripe is: the price goes up, and the size of the packaging goes down! So, you get less, and still pay more!
Here's a couple examples making me crazy lately; Centrum vitamins recently had a commercial that said' Now smaller, and easier to swallow!' that means less vitamin, more price...
16 oz jar of Walmart salsa cost 1.86 2 months ago. Last week, I see they changed the shape of the jar.and it's 14 oz..oh yeah, the price went up to 2.54... My hair spray, Suave... 12 oz pump bottle 6 months ago,.97 ( last time I bought it) this last month , again, changed the shape of the bottle, now it's 10 oz. and price went up to 1.47. arrrgggh!

I too hate it when you get les product for more money. Our food here seems to be going up a little every week, They have put in Wal Mart Super Centers and continually raise prices. We have SavALot stores here and I've gone back to getting what I can there, their prices have gone up also just not as high as the other stores. I buy what we need or want. I also don't shop at LQS for fabrics and use less expensive fabrics. If my quilts don't last for several generations, I don't care, I won't be here to know how long they last. I want to be able to make them now. Usually people can afford whatever they want and just complain about the neccessities.

One thing I will always be grateful for is that a yard is a yard is a yard! They can't make that smaller and charge us the same. But, they still can end up charging us more for those yards. I have found though, that the price for fabric has stayed pretty stable. Is that the case everywhere?