The Not So Hidden Economic Crisis: How to Survive This Economy

The daily math of survival on a fixed income

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

I felt a low rumble of bass vibrating through the walls. It was louder than it should be at this hour. I had no doubt it was Shawn, my neighbor, leaving for work. No matter how many times I complained, he made a point of letting everyone in the community know he was leaving for the day.

It didn’t matter to him that, at 8 a.m., others might still be sleeping. Shawn, his wife, and 2-year-old daughter lived in the townhouse next door. I heard him leave every morning and return in the evenings. He was my unofficial alarm clock. Time to wake up.

I began the slow process of getting out of bed.

A yawn crept up on me as I reached my arms overhead for a nice, long stretch while whispering a prayer of gratitude for another day. Another cold day. Winter had been unforgiving, which was contradictory to Punxsutawney Phil's prediction.

We’d been hammered by a stretch of brutal days with brisk winds and temps in the 30’s. Overnight, the sky had given way to six inches of snow. It was an unusually harsh winter. One I could barely afford. Heat was a luxury.

“Let’s go,” I told myself as I struggled with the heavy stack of blankets. The top layer was a weighted blanket, which, while warm, took some effort to get out from under. The other two were fleece, and an electric blanket lay the foundation. Getting out from under the load, at 76, was cumbersome.

With the skyrocketing cost of electricity, I could no longer justify the luxury of running the heat or letting my electric blanket stay on all night. I set the timer for three hours, which was long enough to lull me to sleep. At 8 p.m., my thermostat automatically shifted to 63 degrees.

The other blankets carried the load, literally and figuratively, of keeping me asleep. To help with the task, I kept the bedroom door closed to keep the room warm. Then, I slept in cozy, flannel pajamas and furry socks.

Nights in bed were the best part of the day. Safe, comfortable, and warm. It was the other part of the day, being awake in a cold house, that tested my grit.

Photo by Dan LeFebvre on Unsplash

“Ahh, nothing like a good cup of coffee to get the juices flowing,” I thought as I placed my mug of days-old brew in the microwave. “Coffee makes everything better!” Even if it’s a few days old.

Powdered creamer was by no means as indulgent as the liquid gold I preferred, but it stretched my money. With prices climbing, Nespresso capsules were an expensive option. Ground whole beans brewed in a French Press did the trick.

These were compromising times.

Armed with a warm cup of coffee, I donned my favorite chunky sweater and plopped on the couch. Although frayed and full of holes, it had pockets for glasses, chapstick, and whatnots and a heaviness that felt like a warm hug.

I switched on the TV and began flipping through channels, grateful I could still catch the daily news. Back in the day, if you didn’t have cable, you were lucky to get two or three channels. Now, at least, the streaming apps offer free live news options.

“Why do I do this to myself?” I said out loud.

“I know better!”

I was thrown into a rage as I watched NBC News play video footage of President Trump speaking about the War with Iran.

The gas will go down as soon as the war is over. It will drop like a rock. There’s so much of it. It’s all over the place, sitting all over the oceans of the world, and it’ll go down.

“He’s such an ass!” I began yelling at the TV. “He’s been lying since day one of the war. According to him, it should have been over by now. He has no idea how this war, inflation, the tariffs, and everything he’s done are affecting my life!”

Nobody was listening. There was nobody to hear my cries. The TV couldn’t respond. I was yelling into the void as my frustrations boiled over. I’ve always seen the glass as half full, but these days, my glass is literally empty. That truth is getting harder to ignore.

80% of older adults face financial insecurity

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) reports that about one-in-four older adults is economically insecure and struggling to meet their basic needs despite living above or near the federal poverty level.

You might know someone who fits this description. I worry about how my older friends, who are also on fixed incomes, are affected by the choices the administration is making with little thought of the real-life outcomes. And we’re only one year in.

Since retiring from teaching many years ago, I’ve watched grocery prices rise dramatically since President Trump came into office. Online grocery shopping really opens your eyes to food costs. It gives you real insight into prices and what things used to cost compared to what they cost now.

I honestly don’t know how families with two or more kids can afford to eat. My only dependent is my dog, and even his care (food, veterinary bills, pet insurance, and dog sitters) has become expensive.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, food prices rose more than 20% between 2021 and 2023, and electricity costs climbed nearly 25% in the same period. For someone living on a fixed monthly check, those increases hit hard.

In 2025, food prices rose about 3.1%, and electricity prices rose about 6.7%. Some categories of food, such as coffee and tea, rose 11.8%. This may be smaller than the rise between 2021 and 2023, but prices remain elevated as they continue to rise into 2026.

Seniors are still paying about 20% more for groceries than they did in 2021, and roughly 25% more for electricity than before the pandemic-era spikes. And now, with medical care rising again in 2026, the cost of prescriptions and doctor visits is rising along with everything else.

Those on fixed incomes are struggling more than ever in this economy. They’re caught between rising prices and cost-of-living increases that fail to keep pace. The cost to live presses in like a pressure cooker, leaving little room for comfort, much less security.

A few hours later, after several episodes of Law & Order, I opted for a walk. Despite the weather, there’s nothing that compares to fresh air and movement to improve my mood. I’d been dealing with a bout of coughing & thick mucus, but wasn’t about to make a trip to the doctor.

My best option was to take care of my own health, and a walk was just the prescription I needed. Lemon water, sleep, and movement should do the trick.

I sure wish I had some grapes. I couldn’t always afford fresh fruit or vegetables, but I did have plenty of canned peaches. That would have to do. Fruit is fruit, right?

Maybe a trip to Lidl? They have the cheapest produce, but there wasn’t one anywhere near me. I started plotting my errands, so I wouldn’t waste gas. At $4.95 a gallon, every mile was painful. The last time I filled up my tank, a task that once cost $35, was now upward of $80.

Luckily, I had plenty of cucumbers, tomatoes, and squash growing in a raised garden on my deck. Watching them sprout and grow was so fulfilling. That little garden brought me so much joy. I just had to make sure the critters didn’t get to them before me.

In spite of the cold, the walk cleared my head. Freezing air stung my cheeks, but reminded me to be grateful. I’m still capable of taking care of myself in the ways I can.

Even though everything feels harder now, the electric bill, groceries, gas, and even the simple act of staying warm, I’m making it! I never imagined survival would become a daily math test, having to constantly weigh needs against wants. But I’m figuring it out.

I’m slowly learning how to cut things out and stretch what I have without feeling defeated. My little garden on the deck was originally a hobby, but now it’s a lifeline.

These days, survival is about getting creative. It’s not always enjoyable, but I’m learning to live with less while still finding small pockets of joy where I can.

Resources to help lighten the load

When money gets tight and the world feels heavier than it used to, there’s help for anyone living on a fixed income. Sometimes just knowing where to turn can feel like a lifeline.

• BenefitsCheckUp (NCOA) — a free tool that helps older adults find hidden benefits they qualify for, from food assistance to help with utilities: https://www.benefitscheckup.org
• SNAP (Food Assistance) — monthly help with groceries, even for seniors who think they won’t qualify: https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap
• LIHEAP (Energy Assistance) — support for heating, cooling, and emergency utility bills: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/low-income-home-energy-assistance-program-liheap
• Meals on Wheels — warm meals delivered with a friendly knock at the door: https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org
• Medicare Savings Programs — help paying Medicare premiums and copays: https://www.medicare.gov/your-medicare-costs/get-help-paying-costs
• GoodRx — discounts that make prescriptions a little less painful: https://www.goodrx.com
• Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program — coupons for fresh fruits and vegetables: https://www.fns.usda.gov/sfmnp
• 211 (United Way) — one number to call for food, housing, utility help, and crisis support: https://www.211.org
• Area Agency on Aging — local help with meals, transportation, benefits counseling, and more: https://eldercare.acl.gov

These aren’t magic fixes. They don’t erase the rising prices or the fear of running out before the month ends. But they offer a hand and remind us that even in hard times, no one has to face everything alone.

*Edrika Gutierrez is a coffee lover and fitness enthusiast who explores a wide range of themes through health & fitness blogs, personal reflections drawn from her own life, and whatever interests her. Stay in Touch!*