Of course, I know there's been inflation over the last three years or so; it's obviously been a significant economic and political story. Even so, I am fortunate enough that the news has only had a tangential impact on me: Although we have a loose budget, I can easily afford to buy our essentials without carefully tracking the cost.
Recently, however, as I have shopped for the monthly prizes for our annual writing challenge, inflation has become glaringly apparent. For example, candy that used to cost 99 cents not so many years ago is now 1.39 on a good day. And other items have risen by more than that 40 percent, so our expenses have nearly doubled. In fact, the grand prize t-shirts' price has literally doubled in the last 5 years.
Oh, in the larger scheme of things, the money for these purchases, whether subsidized by a PTA grant or a GoFundMe campaign, or not, is little enough, especially for someone who can buy whatever she wants at the grocery store. But I know that not everyone is as advantaged as I am, and I'm sorry I haven't been more empathetic.
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