An article appeared in the 14 July 2026 edition of USA Today titled “Americans call for action as grocery prices surge” by Marcia Greenwood. It was about the results of a survey of 1,100 registered voters conducted in May by Global Strategy Group. The target audience for the survey was middle-income families of all ages, geographic locations, and political leanings. The purpose was to determine how the cost of living is currently affecting those families.
Two-thirds (67%) of those surveyed reported that the rising cost of living is causing significant pressure on their households with 63% indicating that grocery prices were the top source of that pressure. The survey also allowed people to attribute the cause of the increased prices, most of which were perceived causes or opinions.
When prices go up, it’s natural for most people to complain and ask/demand that something be done to rectify the problem. Many will think they know how the problem should be fixed but, truth be told, there’s not a whole lot the regular citizen can do about it. So what’s next? Learn to live with it comfortably – which will take some adjustments and rethinking and, maybe, even relearning some skills or learning some new skills.
When prices go up, do you change your spending habits to stay out of debt? Do you change your eating habits? Your shopping habits? Your driving habits? The way you use water? Gas? Electricity?
When costs go up, you can either bring in more money, or you can spend/buy less. Buying or spending less is most often the easier of the two options, but it requires diligence, cooperation, and discipline, all characteristics of a self-reliant person.
What can you do to spend/buy less and stay out of debt as prices rise? Only you can answer that question.
