Change that you can believe in...

Things are getting a little scary in my wallet.
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, a trip to the grocery store will cost you 10.5% more this year than last year.
Did you just hear that?
10.5% more.
I have indeed been feeling my wallet shudder in fear the past several months. I have had moments so dire that I took all the change in my change jar and cashed it in at a coin star to buy food for the week.
It's that bad.
I know that it must be bad for all of you as well. Not as many people are buying tickets at Ticketplace, not as many people are tanning at the tanning salon. Not as many people are buying candles through my website. Attendance at local theatres is way down as well.
These are indeed scary times for me and all of you. The amount of money that we pay for gas is truly insane. I know that it has "gone down" since this summer, but it is still ridiculous. I know that gas costs more overseas and that we should consider ourselves "lucky" that it is not that high, but I am here to tell you that my salary has not gone up with the gas prices. My salary has not gone up with the food prices. I, like everyone else have started to struggle much more just to get through the week.
I'm not getting on a soapbox here, I'm just preaching to the choir. No matter who wins the election in November, the only change that I can believe in right now is the change that bought my groceries. And I am blessed and lucky that I even had that.
The economy is the number 1 issue in this presidential election, and we cannot pretend that it isn't. Look closely at the two economic plans. Really look at the break downs based on income per individual. Look at the tax breaks. I know which candidate is going to be helping my trembling wallet more.
So until something is done to pull us out of this quicksand that we seem to be descending into en masse, I am going to hope and pray that my change doesn't run out.
Not a sermon, just a thought.