On the cost of living....

The older I get, the more conscious I am of how much things cost. Growing up, I don't think any of us really understood what it cost our parents to feed and clothe us. Now that I'm an adult, I'm acutely aware of prices and there's very little I buy that isn't on sale or doesn't come with a coupon. When I shop for clothes, I'm hard-pressed to find items I'll pay more thatn $10 or $12 for. I have this thing about buying clothes...I have a ton already, so when I see something I like, I try it on then put it back on the rack. And if I still want it a week later, I'll have another conversation with myself regarding whether I need it or want it; whether I'll still love it in six months; if it's worth the cost, overall. That little trick has saved me quite a bit of money and guilt over the years. I even tend to do that with wine and groceries...though sometimes, I really really just want to make brownies and drink some wine, so I go for it.

That said, I honestly can't think of a single thing I'd continue to buy if the price was twice as much as it is today. Yes, even groceries. I can grow my own veggies and be a vegetarian if it came down to it. I don't need cheese, coffee, oatmeal, yogurt...pretty much anything I eat is a luxury.

I'm a closet technophile, but even that won't convince me that paying twice what I did for my iPhone is a good idea. It's a great piece of equipment and I love how organized and connected I am with it, but $400 for a piece of metal and some glass? That's probably not going to happen. Even my cell plan, I'd downgrade if I had to pay more than I already am...which does make me hope that Sprint getting the iPhone helps my case in the battle for decent rates with AT&T, of whom I have been a customer for over 10 years. I digress.

Starbucks, I sure as HELL wouldn't pay twice as much for. There's not a coffee in the world I'd pay $5/cup for. It's hard enough shelling out $2.50 every (or every other) day. And I actually have to save up to put money on my gold card.

Maybe I'd pay twice as much for black beans. I mean, they're only $0.89 as it is. I think I could stand to pay about $2 for black beans and be okay with it. They're pretty much a staple for me, so that's probably one thing on which I could swallow a price increase...

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