Throughout human history, individuals and groups have exerted control over others, a practice that persists to this very day.  The level of control and ownership has varied. Still, it typically involves some form of power over another’s life, with the expressed purpose of using that individual to serve the needs of the individual who owns them. Often, the individual providing the services is not compensated financially, or if they are compensated, the money is used as a means of control.

Enslaved people are individuals who are “owned” by their masters.  Slavery predates written history, and there are indications that individuals were enslaved by others as early as 11,000 years ago.

Slavery exists in several forms:

-Chattel Slavery is where another human being is considered property that can be bought, sold, and inherited just like any other piece of property.

-Bonded Slavery is where a person agrees to provide labor to pay off their own or a relative’s debt.  However, the agreement is structured in such a way that they are never able to pay off the debt and become enslaved.

-Forced Labor is another form of slavery, where someone is forced to work against their will using the threat of imprisonment, destitution, or punishment.

A particularly horrific form of slavery was the transatlantic slave trade to America that started in the 15th century and continued for hundreds of years.  Africans were forcibly transported, often under horrific conditions, to the Americas to provide labor. These human beings were considered property, and many suffered a heinous life of brutality. 

Some churches supported slavery, using Bible passages as justification. Slave owners did what they could to control their enslaved people.  Many southern states passed anti-literacy laws, which made it a crime to teach an enslaved person to read or write.  Their justification was to prevent an enslaved person from forging documents that would claim their freedom.  However, knowledge is power, and such laws also prevented an enslaved person from gaining knowledge.

At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, slavery was heavily debated.  In 1800, Congress created an Act that made the slave trade illegal between countries.  However, slavery continued in the US.  There are reports of some slave owners creating breeding farms, similar to the way that animals are bred. Enslaved women would be forced to become pregnant to produce offspring who were then taken away and sold.  Just writing this paragraph makes me shudder.

Slavery officially ended with the Civil War, but that doesn’t mean that controlling others came to an end.  Movies like D.W. Griffith’s 1915 “The Birth of a Nation” portrayed blacks as violent, sex crazed monsters and served as a way to promote race distinctions. 

Despite the modern belief that the ownership of another is morally wrong, slavery continues in this country and other countries. The BBC estimates that 45 million human beings live in enslaved conditions, with about 2/3rds of them residing in Asia.  However, forms of slavery exist in Western countries, and I recently read about Poles brought to England with the promise of work, who were functionally enslaved there. Modern-day enslavement involves forced labor,  forced child marriages, bonded labor, child exploitation of many types, and criminal exploitation.  It is believed that over 1 million individuals in the United States are in some form of slavery.  This number included the forced labor of prisoners, forced agricultural labor, and other forms of forced labor.  Forced sexual exploitation of both adults and children is another form of slavery.  I was shocked that eight states support the marriage of girls to adult men.  Most of these girls are between 16 and 17, but there are reports of children as young as 10 being married.  

An indentured servant is an individual who agrees to work without monetary reward to repay a debt.  An example that I remember from my 5th-grade history class was those individuals who secured passage to the Americas and who repaid that passage with 4-7 years of labor.  During that time, they had limited freedoms, and their benefactor owned their labor.  In an ideal situation, these individuals were eventually granted rights and often received additional compensation at the end of their indenture.  However, that was not always the case, as it was possible to use loopholes to enslave the indentured individual. 

Company towns were established in the United States in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Company towns helped companies develop a workforce and included the necessary amenities for daily life, such as housing, a company store, and healthcare facilities. On the surface, such an investment is beneficial as a company town offers a better life in a highly structured and planned community. However, there is a dark side to this social experiment. Companies had total control of their towns, giving them the ability to exploit their workers.  For instance, a company could create an imbalance between earnings vs. living expenses. This could push a worker into debt owed to the town’s services and indirectly to the company, preventing the worker from seeking better opportunities and essentially turning them into indentured servants. The company town eventually lost favor with the collapse of the economy during the Great Depression.  An additional factor that contributed to the decline of company towns was the automobile, as it opened up possibilities for workers to shop for better prices and to travel to more desirable jobs. 

It is universally agreed that the ownership of another human being is morally and legally wrong. However, the above examples should make it clear that some form of slavery has existed in this country long after the Civil War.  I wonder if we are moving towards a new type of slavery in 2025.

We live in a society that runs on money.  If you have it, your life can be good.  Without it, your life will likely be terrible. Our country’s economy is fueled by consumer spending, and we are constantly being encouraged to spend more money.  This is traditionally done by creating a problem that is solved by a product. We are told that our lives will be better if we purchase a nicer car, a bigger house, or if our teeth are whiter. We are constantly pushed to spend more money with advanced psychological tricks.  When I was young, I was influenced by radio, TV, and print ads, but it wasn’t a constant barrage of advertisements. Today, sophisticated algorithms monitor our every action and interest.  Every time you do a Google search, buy an item at the grocery store, pick up a prescription, or buy a ticket for an event, it is being recorded. That information can be compiled to form a very accurate picture of your purchasing vulnerabilities. 

Influencers and para-friends.

Shopping channel hosts form para-social relationships with their viewers to encourage them to purchase unnecessary items under the guise of these fake friendships. Websites, like YouTube and TikTok, have become massive selling platforms where influencers gush with orgasmic excitement about a new face cream or piece of luggage. They showcase their fabricated lifestyles, featuring huge mansions, private jets, and luxury cars, implying that we can emulate them if we purchase their products or enroll in their mentoring program. 

Others tell us that we are too fat, too thin, not muscular enough, too old, or not old enough, as they offer the cure with their proprietary supplement or plan.  

Obtaining all of these wants costs money. Often, substantially more money than an individual has at their disposal.  

No Safety Net.

According to Bankrate.com, in a 2025 survey, 59% of American adults don’t have $1000 to cover an emergency expense.  Many emergencies now cost well over $1000, including car repairs. A 59% rate means that we are talking about many levels of earning, not just those who are poor or underemployed.  This means that most Americans have to rely on credit to cover a basic emergency.

Easy Credit.

Credit cards have been around for a long time, but they gained significant popularity with the introduction of bank cards, such as MasterCard and Visa, during the mid-20th century. To attract more users, banks would visit college campuses and register naive young college students, many of whom would start their debt lives uninformed. Approximately 50% of U.S. adults or households have credit card debt, with some surveys indicating that the actual number is closer to 60%. The average interest rate on a credit card is between 20% and 23% with some high-interest cards having an interest rate of around 36%.  One former card offered by First Premier Bank had an astounding interest rate of almost 80%! If you are poor and don’t have a high credit score, you may have to settle for a high-interest-rate card. 

Let’s say you have an average APR on your credit card of 21.5% and you owe $10,000.  Money is tight, and all you can pay is the minimum monthly payment of $200.  However, you are responsible and pay your $200 every single month.  How long will it take to pay off that $10,000 debt?  One hundred and twenty-seven months or ten and a half years!  Wait, it doesn’t stop there, as you will be paying the bank $25,374, which is $15,374 more than the amount that you borrowed. However, most people living paycheck to paycheck, borrow more and more, creating an increasingly impossible financial situation. All it takes is a car repair, an ER visit, or another unexpected bill.  By the way, 65% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. 

There are other predatory lending practices.

In my state, you can get cash via a “payday loan.”  If you are very cash-strapped, you can borrow up to $500, and you are required to repay your loan plus interest within 31 days.  The interest rate is exorbitant, often over 390%.  These loans are used by low-income individuals who lack other financial options.  

A similar scheme is called a cash advance app.  These apps offer short-term loans that withdraw the money directly from your bank account when you receive your next paycheck.  They use a loophole to avoid being classified as a loan, but they are, in fact, loans.  They charge a fee that they deduct, and their calculated APR can sometimes exceed 1000%. The use of these apps can be a chronic and severe problem.  Let’s say you need $200.  When you get your paycheck, the app immediately deducts that $200, plus a fee.  Now you are “short” for the next month, requiring you to use the app again.  This further reduces your next check. The user ends up chronically short of money, and the lender makes a fortune with constant loan fees. 

‘Buy now, pay later’ services.

Another way to increase consumer spending is to encourage “buy now, pay later.” This concept has been around for a long time, but it has gained significant traction with programs like Klarna. That $100 shirt you can’t afford is now only four payments of $25, so why not buy it?  Retailers have discovered that people are likely to spend more if they use buy now, pay later plans.  Even Walmart offers a BNPL program.  The consumer is obligated to repay the loan with interest. How much is that interest?  On the Klarna webpage, it says, “Pay as little as 0% interest.”  Sounds great, what they don’t tell you is that interest can go as high as 35%. NBC News reports that 41% of Klarna users have had late payments. This subjects them to additional late fees.

Additionally, the retailer pays Klarna for the service, so this has the potential to increase prices for everyone, as the retailer must recoup that cost.  All of these things lead to debt and financial insecurity. 

Once again, we are dealing with predatory practices that make the poor poorer and the rich richer.  I know some of you are probably saying, “No one forces them to use the app.”  I would say that desperate people do desperate things, and super-easy credit can be pretty addictive in a world where everyone seems to be going for that next dopamine hit. Don’t judge, unless you want to be judged. 

The insanity of escalating car prices.

Car prices have skyrocketed, with the average car costing nearly $50,000.  When I was on vacation, someone broke off my sideview mirror, and I had to go to a local dealership to get it fixed.  While I was there, I wandered around the dealer’s showroom.  Only one car was $48,000.  The rest were between $60,000 and $100,000.  It used to be that you would take out a car loan for 3 years.  Now, 7-year loans are common, and 8-year loans are becoming increasingly popular.  In 2025, the average length of a car loan is approximately 6 years, and the average monthly payment is around $750, both of which are on the rise. 

Dealerships have convinced us that it isn’t what you pay for a car, but its the monthly payment that counts. In the last 5 years, the average car price has increased by 30%.  That is a massive number, as cars are expensive to begin with.  As loans get longer and longer, the owner now has to deal with continued payments, as well as mechanical repairs.  Some owners can’t deal with an unreliable older car, so they trade it in with negative equity.  In other words, they owe more on the car than it is worth. That balance gets added to the new car payment. This cycle repeats, spiraling the consumer into increasingly debt. 

Let’s say you have a bad credit score (500), but you need a car for work, and you find a vehicle and a lender. Because of your poor credit, the interest rate is 21.58% (per Bankrate.com), and you take a 7-year loan for $50,000. Heck, you deserve a nice car.  That is what the salesperson tells you.  You agree.  The salesperson is happy as he makes a bigger commission. Your monthly payment for the next 7 years will be $1158, and you will pay the bank a total of $97,302.  That’s $50,000 for the car and $47,000 in interest.  Just pray that you can continue to repay your loan; otherwise, the vehicle will be repossessed, and you will still be responsible for any negative equity on it. Holy cow! 

Housing costs are insane.

Want to buy your own home?  For many, that is now a pipedream.  How about renting an apartment? The “Washington Post” says rents have risen by 19% since 2019.  A huge increase.

Gone are the days when each kid “needed” their own bedroom.  Now some families share apartments.  

When I retired, I got into van life as a hobby. Van life is where people live out of a converted van. It is similar to RV life.  I also have a home and have the resources to make this experience an adventure.  That is not the case for many van dwellers who live in their vans and cars because they can’t afford to rent an apartment. This group includes individuals who have a job, and retirees who struggle to make ends meet on their Social Security checks and limited savings. 

Higher education costs are insane.

Society informs us that we need a college education, citing outdated statistics.  When I attended college, the overall tuition costs were quite reasonable; in fact, it was possible to pay tuition costs by working a job. However, tuition costs have skyrocketed well past inflation.  Colleges will cite a variety of reasons ranging from expanded student services to a greater commitment to research.  However, those reasons are only part of the story.  As student loans became more readily available, colleges saw an opportunity to increase tuition.  This also spawned the online for-profit college movement of the late 1990s, where predatory schools encouraged unqualified students to take out loans and enroll despite a very low likelihood of degree completion.

Regular universities also saw an opportunity to increase tuition.  Here are just a few examples based on a Google search of yearly costs for some university undergraduate programs: 

University of Chicago: $85,446-$98,301/year

Northwestern University $76,674-$93,333/year

University of Illinois Urbana $36,930-$65,722/year  (resident/non-resident)

Vanderbilt University $91,299/year 

Indiana University $30,920-60,072/year   (resident/non-resident)

University of Michigan $38,548-$84,164/year  (resident/non-resident)

Of course, a savvy consumer can reduce their college expenses by seeking scholarships and grants, as well as attending less expensive schools. But even lower-cost colleges have become prohibitively expensive. I attempted to look up the yearly costs of a smaller local college, but I faced confusing data pages that listed endless columns of fees and often cited tuition per class hour instead of a yearly rate. They did not list a summarized range of expenses.  I was not willing to spend an extended amount of time trying to decipher all of that mambo-jumbo, and I’m sure many 18-year-old candidates would not either.

There are reports of entry-level jobs, including retail jobs, that require a college degree as well as years of experience. You have got to be kidding.

Being a social worker is a noble and essential profession that often requires not only a Bachelor’s degree, but also a Master’s degree. That is a costly proposition.  The average starting salary for a social worker was challenging for me to determine, as there were numerous different average salaries listed on various financial websites. Let’s assume the average is around $60,000.  However, I am aware of many social workers who began their careers in the $35,000 to $45,000 range. There are jobs for social workers, but after six years of schooling, will they earn enough to live comfortably and pay off their loans?  What if you have a degree in Art History, Archaeology, or Poetry? How many of those expensive degrees have available jobs?  

In the past, monthly school loan repayment was based on income and family size; however, recent changes in the government have removed this option, sometimes doubling or tripling a monthly obligation, making it impossible for people to meet their other financial obligations. YouTube is filled with videos of college graduates with absolutely enormous monthly student loan payments.  It isn’t uncommon to see debts of $75,000, and some folks owe in the $200,000-$300,000 range.  I just saw a Dave Ramsey video of a married couple whose combined student loans were nearly $ 1 million, as they included loans for professional schools. One woman on YouTube had obtained predatory school loans at very high interest rates.  She said she had been paying over $ 1,000 per month for years, only to discover that her loan had not been reduced; instead, she owed substantially more.

Some of you may be saying, “They knew what they were getting into!”  Did they?  How financially savvy is an 18-year-old?  Kids are fed the “college experience” line.  High schools often promote prestigious/expensive schools, as it makes their high school’s statistics look good.  It is easy to sign on a loan without fully understanding what you are doing or what the costs will ultimately be. This happens to seasoned adults too.  Know anyone who has a time share?

Here are some yearly costs for medical school. These costs include fees and living expenses; it is almost impossible to work while attending medical school. Also, note that this is for a first-year medical student, and costs will increase in subsequent years. A 4th-year student has more expenses than a first-year student. Lastly, tuition will always increase every year. Here are some yearly costs:

Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine MD program $115,930/year

Midwestern University DO program $126,357/year

Granted, most doctors are guaranteed a job and a good living.  But imagine having undergraduate plus medical school debt of $500,000 or more!  

Many undergraduate students take more than four years to complete their degrees, increasing their loan debt. According to NBC News, only 45% of college students complete their degree within four years, and fewer than two-thirds finish within six years.  Educationdata.com reports that 39% of those who start college never finish (based on an 8-year timeline).  They have to replay their loan debt, but have nothing to show for it. 

Many students extend their education with a graduate or other degree.  Unlike medical school, there are no guarantees of employment for law school graduates.  Job prospects depend on where you went to school, how you did at that school, what extracurricular activities you participated in, and, most importantly, your connections.  I treated a number of lawyers during my years of practice, and many new graduates were unemployed, underemployed, or in very abusive jobs.  Who seems to do the best (based on my samples)?  Those who had connections.  For instance, if a parent were already a lawyer, their child could join that practice. Law school is typically a 3-year commitment.  Below is the yearly cost for one of our local law schools:  

Loyola University School of Law $92,324/year

Childcare costs.

Per Care.com, the average monthly cost for one child in day care is $1370.  They note that parents report spending 22% of their income on childcare, with the average parent depleting one-third of their savings on childcare. 

According to The New York Times, the US is an outlier among developed countries in terms of child care. For instance, Norway contributes almost $30,000 annually for early child care compared to the US, which contributes around $500. Even tiny Lithuania contributes over $8,000 per year for childcare.  

Of course, child care workers deserve a living wage.  However, most advanced countries heavily subsidize this need. Do you want to argue that parents are aware of what they are getting into when they have children?  As a parent, I would say that you don’t fully know until you do it. However, people are now opting not to have kids as they simply can’t afford them.  This is detrimental to our country, which requires a certain number of births each year to avoid economic collapse. The federal government is proposing to award mothers with the most births, as well as grant new moms a few thousand dollars.  Hardly a compelling solution to this problem. 

No longer owning, now renting.

We are becoming a nation that has to rent everything on a monthly basis.  This applies to streaming services like Netflix and Spotify, software programs, and even subscriptions that enable features to work on our cars.  Those payments add up, and we have nothing to show for them

Utility costs.

Have you noticed that your utility bills are going up?  I have seen increases in just about everything, from internet costs to electricity.  NPR reports that Electricity prices are climbing at a rate over 2 times that of inflation. 

Repair costs.

All repairs are up.  I needed a sump pump replaced.  This is a standard and straightforward (easy) procedure.  I went on a local Facebook page and asked for recommendations. I called a number of plumbers, none of whom would give me a rough estimation of the installation costs.  They all said that they would have to come out and charge me a substantial evaluation fee.  That fee would be deducted from the repair fee, but what if I didn’t want to use them?  This move basically blocks the homeowner from doing comparative price shopping. I have lived in my house for over 30 years and have never had anyone ask for an evaluation fee before.  In the past, a tradesman would say something like, “The cost is typically XXX, but could be more if we encounter problems.” Often, they would come to my house and give me a free estimate for larger jobs.

I had a similar experience with a car repair, but with an additional twist.  Not only do they charge an evaluation fee, but they also add a “service fee” to all the other repair costs.  Again, new for me.  However, it got me to leave the dealership and find less expensive alternatives. 

Here again, I understand that workers need to be paid for their work.  However, this is one more expense that is growing for US consumers. 

Health costs.

We are the only advanced country that doesn’t have universal health care.  Everyone hears about the person who had to wait for a knee surgery in another country.  However, many people in those countries are grateful that they don’t have to worry about their health coverage or whether they will go bankrupt due to medical bills.  

We are very grateful for the Affordable Care Act, as my wife has an individual policy.  I knew of people who were denied health coverage due to pre-existing conditions before the ACA. We pay a very high premium, and that doesn’t include deductibles and other charges. She has a medical condition that requires tests and scans every year, and I estimate we pay out-of-pocket around $30,000 a year just for her healthcare costs.  That does not include my Medicare/supplemental payments, which are thousands more. 

The current administration is eliminating subsidies for the ACA, which benefited lower-income earners.  We currently pay “full freight,” but we will also be impacted as those healthy, younger individuals drop out of insurance plans; costs will increase for everyone else. I’m fortunate that I can afford health insurance, but how many typical, hard-working individuals can’t? 

Expect hospital costs to increase.  People without insurance often go to the hospital instead of the doctor’s office when they are sick, and they usually delay their visit until they are severely ill, which results in more tests and hospitalizations. 

Some hospitals, particularly those in rural areas, rely heavily on federal programs, such as Medicaid, to sustain their operations.  Reduced Medicaid reimbursements, and hospitals close.  Even if you have regular health insurance, you may have to drive to an open distant hospital, which could be hours away. Not great if you’re having a heart attack.

Inflation.

If you are alive, you know that prices for many things have become insane.  Bankrate.com notes that overall prices have increased by over 24% since the year 2000.  That is incredible.  

Between 2000 and 2024, grocery costs increased by 24%. Anyone who has visited the grocery store in 2025 knows that costs are now significantly higher than they were in 2024. Add to increased grocery prices, shrinkflation, and skimpflation, and over 80% of grocery shoppers now experience stress when grocery shopping (according to AP News). Grocery shopping should not be a life stress.  We don’t live in a third-world country.

The Trump tariff taxes.

I don’t get this.  Yes, I understand the “purpose” of these taxes, but they hit the most vulnerable of our society.  Their impact on prices is starting to take hold and will intensify as stockpiles of goods are depleted.  Companies’ loyalties are to their shareholders; they will not absorb the increased costs.  If you think that other countries will pay these costs, please go beyond your biased news source and use your critical thinking skills.  

The end consumer ultimately pays tariffs as a form of tax.  That is economics 101. Tariffs have been tried in the past, and they have been shown to slow the economy and increase inflation. In fact, they lengthened the Great Depression.  

We are in a global economy, and it could take decades for the US to retool, which would then place us at an economic disadvantage compared to other countries that have lower labor costs.  The Trump tariff taxes have the potential to make our lives impossible, especially for those with lower incomes.  Thousands of dollars more for a home or car are certainly possible. You may even have to forgo simple pleasures, like a cup of coffee.  I have no words. The US is no longer the power player it once was.  There are billions of consumers in countries like China and India who are eager to make purchases. Will the US be left out?  What are we thinking? We are no longer in the 1980s when China and India were backward, poverty stricken countries.  They have arrived..

The bottom line.

I know that this is a long post, but I wanted to be clear about the level of devastation that all of the above is having on ordinary Americans. It is becoming a perfect storm of economic disaster where class division is ever more delineated. The rich and the super-rich will always be able to ride out the storm.  They have the inside information to keep their money safe, and an extra thousand spent here or there means little to a billionaire. 

If you are feeling the sting of cost increases, you are not alone. Individuals in the 25-34 age range are typically starting a family, buying a home, and going on vacations. They are reaping the benefits of their hard work and education.  According to Forbes, the average salary for someone aged 25-34 is $58,500. Now, subtract state and federal taxes from that number.  According to Talent.com, the state and federal income tax burden in Illinois (where I live) would be $13,009, leaving the consumer $45,491/year, or $3,790/month.  I understand that there are many variables, such as being single, married, and other deductions.  So this is just an estimate. If you have less than $4,000 a month and need to repay student loans, credit card debt, other loans, a car payment, and other expenses, do you have enough money to get married, buy a house, or start a family?  Can you even afford an apartment and food? Now add an unexpected bill, or an emergency trip to the ER. Life can become impossible quickly.

It is easy to blame the consumer, but that is like blaming a smoker for smoking.  Yes, they are responsible.  But many smokers were encouraged by tobacco companies to start smoking in their early teens (I started to smoke at 13. Thankfully, I quit by my early 20s). Once hooked, stopping an addictive behavior is extremely difficult.

When it comes to spending, consumers are constantly encouraged to do so. It is implied that they are not as good as the next person if they don’t go on luxury trips or drive a new car. 

Children are encouraged to attend expensive colleges.  All they have to do is sign for loans. However, they have a limited understanding of how those loans will affect their lives.  

Cars don’t represent a mode of transportation in our society; they are a symbol of sex appeal and demonstrate our success and social status.  Why not spend a little more every month and extend your repayment for a few more years to gain recognition? The salesperson implies.

Influencers on TikTok often appear to be cool and affluent.  They convince vulnerable individuals that they need a $1,200 purse or a $300 monthly skincare regimen. Can’t pay for it?  Use your credit card, silly!

Some really want a new phone, as theirs is two years old and out of style. Just use Klarna, and now that $1000 phone is only $250, at least for a little while.

The pressure is on to buy. You can always borrow that sweet, sweet cash.  It is so easy until you have to pay it back. Then life becomes hell.  Don’t pay it back?  Expect a poor credit score, debt collector calls, and the inability to perform normal adult activities, like renting an apartment.

Are we becoming the new indentured servants?

In many ways, yes.  Not having enough money leads to debt, and debt means you are beholden to someone or something.  You don’t have the freedom to get married or have a child.  You are stuck working in a job that you hate because you need the cash and the company’s health insurance plan.  You can’t rent an apartment due to a low credit score, so you have to live with your parents.  Every aspect of your life is negatively impacted.  You are being enslaved by debt.

So what can you do?

Times are rough, and for some of the above, you may need to ride out the storm. However, it is critical to make changes in your life if you hope to survive.  Here are some suggestions.

-Are you already in financial trouble?  I have had several of my patients achieve economic stability by enrolling in Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.  It is a simple-minded (a good thing) and logical approach to overcoming debt and building financial security.

-Approach all spending thoughtfully.  Most of the things that we buy, we don’t need.  Further, they give us little pleasure in the long run. 

-Are you an online shopper?  Wait at least 24 hours before clicking the ‘Buy’ button. In many cases, that thing that you really needed the day before is no longer desired.

-Avoid influencers, home shopping shows, and even emailed “sales” ads. 

-Use what you already have, adapt it if needed. Do you really need to buy new furniture, or can your ratty couch be made anew with a slipcover? Heck, can you just live with what you have? Can you borrow a needed tool from a friend, or barter services to get a job done?

-Stop using easy credit programs like Klarna, and consider cutting up all of our credit cards except one.  Place that credit card somewhere other than your person so you can’t easily use it.

-Create a budget and try to stick to it. Use cash whenever possible.  If you take $100 to the grocery store, you will spend that, not $150, with a credit card.  You will make better choices, put impulse purchases aside, and really think about what you need instead of what you want. 

-Be thoughtful about your grocery purchases. Why buy crappy Captain Crunh cereal for $6.50 for a 16.8-oz box (around 13 servings) when you can buy 42 ounces of nutritious oatmeal for $7.99 (over 30 servings)?

-Buy the groceries that you need, and use up what you have.  Plan your menus around what is in the fridge and pantry, not what you have a taste for.

-Reduce or eliminate going out to eat, including fast food.

-Develop cost-effective shopping habits.  This goes for everything.  I knew someone who told me that his wife found a great sale, so she bought four dresses instead of the one that she needed.  She wasn’t saving money; she was spending money. 

-Think about limiting your wardrobe.  Honestly, most folks don’t even remember what you wore the day before.

-One effective way to save money is to develop healthy shopping habits for groceries. In brief: use a shopping list, eat before you go shopping, shop the house brands, choose a less expensive store like Aldi, shop sales, and use coupons if possible.  You get the picture.

-Cook your food from scratch.  Yes, this is cheaper. I’m planning on doing an entire series on this topic.

-Change your eating habits.  Beef is too expensive, try a different meat or have a meatless meal.  I’m exploring various ways to reduce food costs.  Use your imagination.

-Review your monthly expenses.  You may have recurring payments for streaming services or other things.  Reduce or eliminate them. Small savings over time amount to big money.  In our area, we can access over 100 over-the-air TV stations with a simple antenna, and our library offers many popular TV series and movies that we can borrow. 

-Do a pro and con list for any significant purchase.  You may want a new fridge, but perhaps you can fix the old one.  The same could be said of a car, or many other major purchases.  

-Stop trying to keep up with the Joneses.  Their observed affluence may be hiding their debt.  No one cares, live your own life.  That little dopamine hit that you may feel from a trip will be offset by the pain of months of repayment.

-Find alternate activities.  There are numerous free and low-cost activities available in almost any community.  Our local high schools and community colleges offer great performances at very low cost.  Our town has free movie nights in the park and free concerts at our bandshell. See what your community offers. 

-Have friends over for a game or movie night.  Organize a potluck supper.  The options are endless. 

-Talk to your kids about money.  This is so important.  Children need to understand money and credit from a young age.  I began discussing college costs when my kids were in middle school. They all graduated college debt-free because of these conversations.  Children need to be aware of the dangers associated with Klarna, credit cards, and similar services. 

-Consider college options and alternatives.  I have bright kids who were able to get merit scholarships.  If that were not the case, we would have taken a long, hard look at other options, like attending a community college for their first two years.  

-Consider non-college options if indicated.  I remain a believer in the value of college, and my degrees have certainly had a profound impact on my life.  However, not everyone is college material, and some who are just don’t want to go.  There are other options, from certificate programs at community colleges to trade schools.  I think it is essential to have a skill that makes a person marketable, but that option doesn’t always require a 4-year college degree. 

-Get estimates for work.  I used to be lazy and didn’t do this.  Now, I get estimates for car repairs and home repairs.  Yes, there are now complications as some want to charge a large fee for their opinion.  I move on and eventually find folks who are willing to give me a general price that I can compare with others. 

-Watch YouTube to learn.  YouTube can teach you just about anything, including finances.  However, watch out for those hucksters who claim to make thousands with little effort, want you to invest in their cryptocurrency, or want ot sell you a course.  Use YouTube for financial 101 training from reliable sources.  

-Use YouTube to learn how to repair things.  Just last month, I fixed a crack in our fridge’s plastic housing using tips I found on YouTube.

-Simplify your life.  Does your kid really need to be in 6 different activities?  Do you have to be involved in multiple clubs?  Probably not.  Do only those things that really benefit you.  Be selective and intentional.

-Simplify your personal routines.  My sister tells me about the extraordinarily high cost of makeup, which manufacturers make for pennies.  There seem to be products for every part of your body.  Do you really need multiple products to wash your face?  Yes, use a gentle cleaner if needed, but do you really need numerous products?  I used to buy an expensive after-shave skin cream, but I realized it was just a diluted version of the product I was already using on my body. I was paying 6 times as much for some added water. I now use a tiny amount of my body cream with some water to achieve the same results. I’m a pretty bald guy, and it is simple for me to cut my hair.  That is a lot better than the $50 my friend pays to have his cut.

-Try to put money away every pay period, even if it is a tiny amount.  Eventually, it will grow.

-Work towards savings and an emergency fund.  

-I guarantee that you have expenses that you can reduce without a significant impact on your lifestyle. 

-If you can’t afford it, don’t do it.  Want that exotic trip but can only afford a day at your local water park?  Be grateful for that.

-Live your life as half-full, not half-empty.  I know so many people who focus on what they don’t have, what they can’t get, and how deprived they are. Actually, they have a lot, but they ignore their blessings.  Consider a gratitude list that you write or read every day.  Focus on the positive.

-Lastly, use the power of your vote to elect people who want to improve the life of all citizens. It will benefit you in the long run.  Evaluate if their election claims have merit or if they are just hollow slogans to get your vote. You have more power than you think.