I like Saturdays. They are my break away from the world, and also my financial challenge to see what I can do in terms coming up with good deals when doing some errands and grocery shopping. Unfortunately, these days, my grocery runs are much more of an ongoing loss than a win.

The two greatest expenses a typical household has aside from the mortgage or rent involves vehicle fuel and groceries. A lot of folks would argue with that but, in reality, food is expensive. And it's even more costly when you're feeding a family versus just yourself. Now, usually, I do a big run once a month to what we in the U.S. call a "big box" store. The local Costco is essentially a big block warehouse stuffed with both food and durable goods that most households will use at one time or another. That makes it an ideal place most of the time for the majority of daily or monthly needs. Not to mention, you can get vehicle fuel at most Costcos, so it makes even more sense.

Now, you might be asking, why go through all that trouble if the regular grocery store is just down the road? Again, this is the monthly shopping run. Daily runs for small things on the way home from work or a quick grab for a special dinner are perfectly fine at the local store. However, when it comes to bulk buying to cover food needs for two weeks or so, the big box stores win hands down. It's all about price and what you pay for the same goods. How different is this? Here are some comparisons:

• A large can of Folger's coffee, classic roast, $12.50 at Costco. At the grocery store, $18.
• A large flat of 32 cans of Diet Coke at Costco, $15.70, at the local store, 24 cans for $14.
• A 6 pack of chicken at Costco, $11, at the local store, $16.
• A pork loin that can feed 8 people in one dinner, $14 at Costco, probably $25 at the local store.

You get the point. There's serious savings here.

However, inflation keeps eating away everyday at even these savings. Prior to this year's financial erosion, I would walk out of Costco with all the typical groceries with a price of probably $290. Again, I'm feeding a household of four. This would cover most needs for two weeks, and a few odds and ends I would pick up as needed afterwards. Today, I dropped $355, and bought less than I normally would, refusing to pay even Costco prices for some of the food offered. What was more disturbing was what I was seeing, even at these venues:

• The chicken section was practically emptied. While there was still plenty of pork and beef, chicken is now the go-to protein for meat-eaters. It is simply 50% less than beef and 75% cheaper than pork. No surprise, families are bulking up. Only the premium chicken was left for selection. I got lucky and found a drumstick jumbo pack for a fair price of 6 3-packs for $8. Good size too for BBQ.
• Beef is plenty but the pricing is through the roof. $45 to 50 for a pair of tri-tips. I remember when expensive was $18 for a single cut.
• Eggs are a budget person's win. While at the local store you might now pay $4-5 a dozen, at the big box store you can get a two-layer full flat for $11. That's 4 dozen for the price of a bit more than 2. Definitely an inflation-buster.

Gas is another wallet-eater. While the prices are now finally coming down again, $5 a gallon in the U.S. is still highway robbery. Especially when the refinery that provides all the region's gas is just down the road. Nonetheless, we pay it because we need our cars. U.S. towns and cities are notoriously bad at planning public transit. Only in the large cities does a somewhat reliable schedule system exist, and many times you're taking your life in your hands using it, train or bus. I'm no elitist. I've been a regular bus and train rider for decades. But I'm convinced I'm done with these poor attempts at public transit, especially when going to Europe I know how it could run properly if someone gave a damn. So I pay at the pump. And I'm not a gas-guzzler, I mainly just use my truck for work transit, and we use the minivan for getting the kids to school. That's about it for travel aside from the weekend errand run. Yet we're still dropping at least $100 to $150 in gas a week right now.

However, the most insulting thing about inflation is just how little your income goes being hammered by prices and taxes. None of my "obligations" to the government have gone down. I just got a little cost of living adjustment that comes around every 2 or 4 years, depending, adding up to about $280 a month. Unfortunately, after taxes, that really translates to $159. I'll still take it, since now I can offset the increases in all my utility bills for the same time window since the last increase, but it is demoralizing.

We've been spoiled in the U.S. not having to deal with substantial inflation since probably the 1970s. And, yes, I know it's a lot more expensive in other countries. I just laugh at how people still try to argue the old capitalist mantra of work smarter and harder, and you'll earn you way out of inflation. This is the nonsense of fiat finance logic. In reality, you're just a gopher on a treadmill. You want to tread enough to keep your food pellets being provided, but unless you're willing to get out of your hamster cage entirely, then all you'll do is spin on that wage wheel.

Yeah, I still believe in crypto as a result. I'm really getting sick of the hamster wheel getting rusty and not spinning well.