STOP! DON’T USE DISPOSABLE DIAPERS.

Once upon a time, no one had ever heard of disposable diapers. Strange as it may seem, babies were born and raised for hundreds of years without them. Cloth diapers were the norm. My first children, born in the early sixties, never had their skin touched by the numerous chemicals that go into producing disposable diapers. Stop! Don’t use disposable plastic diapers.

When disposable diapers first came out, they were considered a luxury. But it didn’t take long before they took over the baby world. I’ll have to admit that my third child, born in 1970, never wore a cloth diaper. No more laundry days spent folding diapers! Who wouldn’t love that?

Since that time, landfills all over the world are jammed with plastic diapers that will be impacting the environment for hundreds of years to come. It’s been estimated that it takes 500 years for a plastic diaper to decompose in a landfill. Politicians are quick to criticize fossil fuels and demand that we respect the environment with clean energy. And yet , I’ve never once heard a politician propose that we do away with plastic disposable diapers. Think of all the votes they would lose!

Not for profit diaper banks are available in many communities. Well meaning charities are praised for helping low income women keep their babies clean and dry. Disposable diapers are considered a necessity, not a luxury. Consequently, discarded dirty plastic diapers are everywhere– along the highways, in parking lots, public restroom, and beaches.

Stop! Don't Use Disposable Diapers; use bamboo cloth instead — Stop! Don’t Use Disposable Diapers. They’re expensive and clog up landfills.

You can now purchase biodegradable bamboo disposable diapers but they’re way too pricey for the average consumer. Wouldn’t it be better if diaper banks issued bamboo cloth diapers? They’re earth friendly, without skin irritating chemicals. If we banned plastic diapers just as some communities have banned plastic bags, landfills would stop filling up with dirty diapers. Money would be saved to be spent on other necessities.

According to a recently published article in Mint Intuit ” Disposables came in at $800 for the year, while reusables cost $584 – a savings of 27 percent. That savings climbs drastically – to 60 percent – when you look at the second year of your child’s life. Cloth diapers require scant extra investment, while disposables keep hacking at your wallet.”

Inflation is rapidly eating away at our purchasing power. Stop! Don’t use disposable diapers. They are more expensive than cloth.

December 23, 2022December 23, 2022

BUSINESSES ARE SLIP SLIDING AWAY

Economists can’t agree on whether or not we’re in a recession. Some are predicting doomsday, while stock brokers are advising investors to buy now. Financial analysis is far too sophisticated for me to understand. What I do know is that in this small midwestern college town, businesses are slip sliding away.

Let’s start with the past month. We called and ordered new window blinds to shut out the sunlight glaring in my husband’s failing eyesight. We chose to buy from a business that had been around for a quarter of a century. But when it came time to deliver the blinds, we were informed they’re going out of business at the end of the year. Unfortunately, the remote control didn’t work on the motorized roller blinds. Now, we are waiting for a working remote. And have just been informed it won’t be in until sometime in January They wanted us to pay the bill now, but we’re waiting until we get what we ordered.

.A few weeks ago, we bought all new tires for our aging SUV. Several days later, we found the tire pressure down on the left front tire. Asked the dealer what was wrong, and they shrugged and simply put more air in the tire. It went down a week later. They wanted us to stay and look for a nail in the tire, but we were low on time, so just got a refill on the air. The next week, the pressure went down again. This time, they grudgingly agreed to an inspection and found a leaky valve, which they had overlooked when installing the new tires. I suspect this dealership is understaffed and seeing a drop in new business. It won’t surprise me if they either change hands or simply slip slide away in the coming year.

. Lost my eye glasses, then accidentally found them after we stepped on them under the table. Called the hospital optical shop which has been in here over 35 years. Said they’re going out of business, but offered to fix my glasses. Which they did, free of charge. So sorry the people there will lose their jobs next year.

Took my prescription to one of those bargain optical companies in a strip mall for a pair of back up bifocals. There was one person waiting on folks. While he checked my face to fit my glasses, he stopped to wait on other customers who were making new appointments. Then, he left again to help someone at the desk fill out some paperwork. Finally, finished the measurements, and said the glasses would be ready the next day. But they weren’t, which I found out after driving across town to pick them up. Although I’ve already paid for them, they can’t tell me when they will be ready because the person in the lab is sick, and their equipment for grinding out glasses is broken down.

These experiences have all taken place within a months’ time. I can’t remember anything like this in my lifetime. I have to believe that our economy isn’t as healthy as the politicians would like us to believe. How many more businesses will slip slide away next year?

November 1, 2022October 31, 2022

WHO IS STASHING ALL THE CASH?

Thanks to Covid, inflation, and the uncertainly in our world, lots of folks are hanging on to cash. They’re not putting it in the bank or spending it on the grandkids. It’s piling up under a mattress or in their underwear drawer. How do we know that? Because 100 dollar bills are disappearing from circulation, and the government has had to print more of them just to keep up. One out of five people are now stashing cash at home. As a middle aged parent with three kids, saving cash would not have been possible for me. Although I avoided credit card debt, we lived very frugally. Some years, even going with out a/c in the summertime. And now, many parents are struggling just to put food on the table. But somewhere out there are people with extra money. The question is, who is stashing all the cash?

It began with the Covid stimulus deal. A lot of middle income people of all ages received money they really didn’t need. Not everyone lost their jobs, and well educated people were often able to work from home. Although many seniors are living on nothing but social security, some aren’t. Those who have pensions, 401ks, and mortgage free homes saw their bank statements grow larger during the pandemic. They were spending less because they weren’t going much of anywhere, buying new clothes, or eating out. And now, those same people, are getting scared about what’s happening in the world.

Putin is threating nuclear war. People don’t feel safe anymore, due to increased crime, political upheaval, climate change. Life isn’t as simple as it used to be. The reality is that nature, itself, can upend our lives with flooding and tornadoes. You could be stuck in a situation where the banks are closed, and there’s nothing much in the freezer. Right now, my cupboards are bulging with canned goods. . At the beginning of the pandemic, I began buying two of everything instead of one. Two cans of tomatoes and green beans. Two packs of rice, maybe three. It wasn’t a conscious effort, instead just something instinctive.

And now, with the midterm elections, people are feeling scared. The war in Ukraine could result in WWIII. Will inflation get worse? Maybe, maybe not. Can they count on a change of political parties to make our lives better? The solution, for some, is cash. It’s solid and unchanging. You can see it, feel it, smell it, and use it to buy things. Conventional wisdom tells us that hoarding cash is a bad idea. Due to inflation, it’s rapidly losing it’s value. It could be stolen, or lost in a fire. Thieves could rob you. And yet, money is still disappearing from circulation. Who is stashing all the cash?

October 4, 2022October 4, 2022

WILL SEX OR MONEY DECIDE ELECTION?

A couple of months ago, it looked like the Republicans were going to take over the Senate and Congress like a tidal wave. That was before The Dobbs decision, overturning Roe vs. Wade. Now, scads of people have changed their minds , and the Democrats couldn’t be any happier. They’re pretty sure no body is going to vote for some prissy old Republican who says they can’t get an abortion. On the other hand, the Grand Old Party wants to believe that inflation will be blamed on the Democrats, and folks are going to vote their pocketbooks. Both pretty hot button issues. What do you think? Will sex or money decide the outcome of the November election.

Inflation is a no brainer. They say it’s only running at 8 % but all of us know that we’re spending almost twice as much money on everyday expenses as we did a few years ago. . Obviously, the Covid- stimulus money is part of the reason. Then, we have the war in Ukraine, and Lord knows what all. Student loan forgiveness. Labor shortages, Supply chain issues. Republicans are blaming it all on the tax and spend policies of the Democratic party and up until this month, they figured no body in their right mind would vote for a continuation of those policies. Everybody wants inflation to end, especially those who are living paycheck to paycheck. .

Nevertheless, most people of child bearing age would like to enjoy their sex life without having to worry about unwanted pregnancies. None of them can remember a time when abortion wasn’t an option, but I can. In fact, most single girls were virgins before the pill and Roe vs. Wade. because they had a mortal fear of getting pregnant. When an unmarried woman was pregnant, the father was expected to marry her. Whether he liked it or not. And if he didn’t, an illegitimate child would be a disgrace to the mother and her entire family. Some people did get abortions in places like New York City, but that was not an option for women in the rest of the country, unless they were very rich.

If you’ve reached the age where you read the daily obituaries, you see that most people over the age of 80 married at a young age….preferably, by the time they were 21 years old. Contraceptives were available, but they weren’t reliable. If you wanted to live together, you were supposed to get married.

So now, it looks like the younger people will have to make a decision. Shall they vote for a Republican, in the hopes that it will put an end to inflation? Or will they go with the pro-choice policies of the Democrats? I imagine it will depend on your age and how important a carefree sex life means to your overall happiness. What is more important? Love or money? We’ll find out in November.

July 26, 2022July 26, 2022

WHERE WILL ALL THE FLOWERS GO?

There’s a special place in my heart for men who buy flowers. Especially if they’re going through the checkout lane at the supermarket. Maybe they can’t afford an expensive arrangement from a florist for their loved one. But they’re still bringing her flowers. However, you don’t see that so much anymore. Walked in the supermarket and found buckets of fresh flowers on sale for $1 a bunch. What is happening? Obviously, they didn’t sell nearly as many as they had expected last week. When money is tight and inflation is surging, discretionary spending takes a hit. And if you can barely afford hot dogs, you’re certainly not going to buy a bunch of roses for your wife or girlfriend. Where will all the flowers go now?

Florists must be feeling the pinch. Lately, I’ve had friends complaining of expensive floral arrangements that didn’t last more than a couple of days. Which means florists are using up old flowers that they ordered, based on last years sales data. Ditto for the supermarkets. It’s a bonanza , though, for anyone who has a few extra dollars to spend. Especially since this summer drought ruined most of the lilies and other garden flowers I’ve always gathered in years past.

Just read in the paper that Walmart sales have taken a hit. Discretionary spending is way down. Not only are they selling fewer fresh flowers, but probably lots of other merchandise. If you’ve stopped traveling and eating out so much, you really don’t need new clothes. My closet is full of outfits I haven’t even worn this summer. Mostly, I’m saving on laundry by wearing the same clothes over again the next day. . Who cares how you look at the grocery store when you’re wearing a mask because of Covid, and no one even recognizes you?

It’s a sign of the times. When we see more people buying fresh flowers at the supermarket, we will know that we’re coming out of this recession and inflation has stopped rising. Meanwhile, where will all the flowers go?

July 13, 2022July 13, 2022

FIVE WAYS SUPERMARKETS MAY CHEAT YOU

If you are the family shopper, you know that inflation is getting worse instead of better. Supposedly, it’s running at 9%. But those of us who roam the aisles of the grocery stores know better. Especially at checkout time, when you’re hit with a whopper of a bill. I suppose the people who run big super stores are having the same problem at the wholesale level, so they’re desperately seeking ways to make a decent profit in order to stay solvent. Unfortunately, they’re resorting to some sneaky tactics to make that happen. Here are five ways that supermarkets may cheat you.

5 ways supermarkets may cheat you — FIVE WAYS SUPERMARKETS MAY CHEAT YOU” # Inedible fruit, Double scanning, couponing, false advertising, forgotten items.

1.Selling inferior or frankly inedible produce. This is a biggie, because most of us are trying to eat healthy. So, you buy a cantaloupe, or what some farmers call a “musk melon.” But you’re taking a big risk, because when you get it home and cut into it, you know you’ve been ripped off. In some cases, it tastes like squash. Or it’s half spoiled, or hard as a rock. So you throw it in the trash because it’s not worth spending $5 on gas to return a $3 melon. Other examples of bad produce are avocadoes that have turned black inside; green potatoes, mushy asparagus. The list goes on and on..

Are we supposed to believe that the head of the produce department does not realize they’re selling inedible fruits and vegetables? That they never taste the batches of melons that come in the back door? Sorry, I’m not buying that excuse. They know perfectly well that they’re cheating their customers, but they also know that most folks won’t go to the bother of driving back to the store to return it.

2 .Double scanning. This happens most at crowded stores with small checkout stands. While the clerk is busy talking to you or the bagger he/she runs a box of crackers or a bag of tomatoes twice through the scanner. You don’t’ realize it until you get home and check your receipt. By then, it’s too late to get your money back. Who’s to say you didn’t buy two boxes of crackers?

3. Couponing Before I retired, I never bothered with coupons. Didn’t have the time to fool around with them. But most retirees do try and save a few dollars by using the ones in the paper and those sent out by the major supermarkets. . Trouble is, you must read the fine print. At least half the time, they’re rejected because you were supposed to buy two or ten of the item, or they’re expired.

4. Misleading advertising. As an example, one store recently advertised a name brand ice cream on sale for $3.00. (which usually sells for around $6.00) A large sign on the freezer door boasted of this fantastic sale. If I hadn’t been careful enough to look at each price tag, I would have paid $6 for my vanilla ice cream. Turns out the sale only applied to “select varieties” which include some strange flavors like carrot/avocado.

5. Forgotten items after checkout. This happens most frequently in stores with carousel bag holders. There a shelf in the middle where the cashier places big items, or ones that are fragile. Sometimes, you get home missing bags of potatoes or oranges. I’ve seen cashiers stash these things under the counter. Do they return them for resale, or take them home? Either way, you’ve lost money. Recently, I have a friend who found a steak left on top of the carousel. When he tried to find the person who bought it, she had driven away. Didn’t the checkout clerk see the steak? Was she planning to put it back for resale?. We’ll never know.

Many shoppers are too tired and rushed to look out for these five ways that supermarkets cheat you. Most of the time, there’s not much you can do about it. But if I get a rotten melon, I take it back to the store—not for the money, but just so they know I’m onto their tricks.

June 5, 2022June 5, 2022

GAS PRICES, HALF EMPTY LOTS, LOADED CARTS

Have you ever made the mistake of going to the store on a Friday afternoon? It’s typically a crowded tangle of payday shoppers, weekend partiers, moms with school kids, all jamming the aisles and running into each other. No retired person would voluntarily choose this day and time to shop. But sometimes, it’s a necessity, if you need something at the last minute. So, you grit your teeth and prepare to fight the crowd. However, it didn’t happen last Friday. Higher gas prices have led to half empty store parking lots and loaded carts inside.

I found a parking place right near the entry way. The store was eerily quiet for a Friday afternoon. And there were no long lines at the checkout. However, I didn’t see any light shoppers. Everyone appeared to be saving gas by shopping big. Loading up their carts with enough food and supplies to get through the week or more. Many customers had helpers with them because their top and bottom baskets were filled to the brim. It was a major undertaking to get the stuff loaded on the store conveyor belt, checked, bagged, and finally loaded into the back of an SUV in the parking lot.

Of course, if you don’t drive, it doesn’t cost anything but wear and tear on your legs to walk to the store. Ditto for bicycling. You can’t buy as much ,but it doesn’t really matter because you can go back at anytime without paying $5 a gallon for gas to get there. .

It reminds me of the old days, back in the 40’s. There was a grocery store on every corner, because many folks couldn’t afford to own or maintain an automobile. Those small grocery stores were gathering spots for the neighborhood, and provided the grocers a means to support their families. It would be nice if we could go back to those days, but we probably won’t. For now, the only way to save money on gas is to load up on groceries one day a week…or month..

High gas prices lead to half empty parking lots and loaded shopping carts. Now, where to put everything once you get it home?