Seriously " (I'm a teacher in Texas. We haven't had a raise in 7 years.) I guess you don't have a Union. I have worked for more than 40 years, and we always got a raise every year. I was salary so we did not have a union, but the labor force did have a union, COLA's were in their contract we got the same COLA as the Union. What kind of employer does not raise wages when the cost of living is rising?
On a different subject, is it just you and your son? How do you shop? I am single now and doing my own shopping, I get a box of wine $18, a roast $11, a chicken $6, fruit and veggies $8, a bag of food for the poor $10, a bag of rice or noodles $3, half a pound of cheese $4, a box of crackers $3, Coffee Creamer $3 and coffee $5, typically each week. I don't see how you can't feed two for $150 a week but maybe you are including dish soap, laundry soap, bath soap, dryer sheets, deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, and other cleaning and personal hygiene items in your groceries. Maybe I am a dirty bird, but those additional items last me a very long time if divided by dollars per week they would not be a lot of added dollars. I don't mean to quibble as the real problem is not you paying too much at the grocery store. The real problem is your pay not being adjusted for inflation. In 7 years you have gone without a raise your pay should have increased by at least 50% just to cover inflation, compound interest works for pay raises not just savings. Your elected officials and the voters are putting the screws to you.
I reread this and thought about my menu and feeding myself vs. the diet for a growing child. I don't eat breakfast, just coffee, sometimes I skip lunch (does your son get lunch at school or does he bring his lunch). I only work 4 or 5 days a week so I have ton's of time for meal prep so I can make a lot of food that goes a long way. That 3 pound roast and 5 pound chicken actually some of it goes in the freezer. I can't or don't eat a pound of meat a day. I actually also grow some of my own veggies. I am sad you can't save for vacation or emergencies. Not your fault, they need to pay you better.
TEK
