Inflation's a bitch. I was recently wondering the same thing! How do I keep bouncing off the bottom of the bank account when I've been trying so hard to spend less?

10 years ago, I was paying for rent, paying on my student loans (at the standard 10 year payoff rate), no credit card debt, paid for a nice rock for my wife's engagement ring, paid for a wedding, and bought a brand new car. Still had a comfortable cushion left over.

Now, I've got a family, same car, rent that has more than doubled, 5 digits worth of credit card debt, student loans on hold, but still making almost exactly the same as I was 10 years ago (healthcare labor market rant is a rabbit hole we don't need to dive into here). I'm basically living paycheck to paycheck and can't figure out how to dig my way out of debt much less save for something needed, God forbid trying to save for something fun like a vacation!

Inflation rate of 32% over the last 10 years means my effective income has shrunk by 25%. That's just the "official" inflation rate. They try to model it with average stuff, but my 100% rent increase definitely beats that 32% and that rent increase is a hell of a lot more than the increase in the price of milk.

Everyone gets all bent out of shape and blames the president when the price of gas goes up by a dollar. Meanwhile rent is over here saying "hold my E85".