Economy

I know I am. Both saving and experiencing higher prices in most of the things I buy. The latter is inflation. The former means that inflation isn't putting me in the red, in that, on net, I add to my savings/investments rather than drawing from them.

I am frugal, but that doesn't mean I'm not experiencing inflation. I'm just not being harmed by it in a way that hurts. But my dental cleaning and checkup costs keep rising, my Medicare Part B premiums and Medicare Supplement keep rising, brocolli crowns costing $3.49/pound (and that's not organic), my instant coffee is now over $10, sheesh. Property taxes going way up, home owner association dues going way up. Year after year after year.

I eat at restaurants and fast food places a lot less than I did pre-pandemic. But when I do go out to eat, it does cost more for the same meal. That's inflation, even though I might be spending less total dollars on meals away from home.

And restaurant food is so full of salt and fat, is another reason I eat away from home less than I used to, now that I've broken the pattern.

I much admire your budgeting / spending system.