Life in the Chicagoland area has changed drastically over the past few years. Inflation has ruined Portillo’s Italian Beef Sandwiches, ketchupless hotdogs, and mom-and-pop restaurants.
Maya Sanchez, a senior at Elmhurst University and Chicagoland native, is just one of many struggling with inflation. Growing up in the area, Sanchez has very fond memories of going to Simon’s Restaurant and Baker Hill with her family. But local prices for groceries and restaurants have increased by 20.2% over the past four years.
New college graduates, the working class, and small business owners are the backbone of Chicago and of America, yet they are the ones bearing the brunt of inflation. These underdogs are fighting to make their way in the world. Inflation is starting to ramp up because of exponential increases in government spending. Our national debt has increased by trillions in the past four years and our underdogs in Illinois, hardworking everyday Americans, are the ones hurt the most.
Sanchez has worked hard to get where she is now, and she is ready to go out into the world. But unfortunately, it is not that simple. Sanchez has expressed her concerns about life after school, saying, “It shouldn’t be so difficult to be able to afford basic living necessities and getting entry-level jobs … we are stuck barely making it by to pay our bills.”
Sanchez’s commute to Elmhurst has gone up 35.7% since January 2021. Tuition and student loans are one thing, but she also worries about the rising cost of rent, utilities, and other expenses which may very well double after she graduates and goes to live on her own.
Since January 2021, a Chicago family of four now pays 19.3% more on groceries and 20.9% more on rent. Many of these families own local businesses. Families work and run these businesses that give us amazing local goods, yet how does the government support them? By tripling the money supply, causing inflation and racking up our national debt. The Heritage Foundation has created a Personal Inflation Calculator so the everyday American can see just how high prices have gotten.
The young workers of Chicago have seen inflation of 20.7% in just four years. A $436 grocery bill from 2021 is now $520. Average housing expenses used to be about $1,650, now, it’s crept over $2,000. Sanchez says that she is “starting to understand the stress and struggle of college graduates and young families. We can’t find jobs, afford groceries, or even get housing.”
Unfortunately, that is not the only thing she has to worry about. There has been a $266 increase in monthly car expenses, with car insurance increasing by 54.9% and gasoline prices increasing by 57.7%.
The cost of living has increased an abhorrent amount in only a few short years. Inflation is on the rise. Everyday essentials are suddenly breaking the bank and Americans are reeling.
“It’s a never-ending cycle. Americans are struggling to live, and it’s time for a change,” Sanchez says. Don’t let people like Sanchez suffer because of the government’s overspending.
While we all claim to love the underdog and support the little guy, the way our country is going, it seems the little guy may just fall through the cracks. Inflation is hurting our everyday lives, so it is up to the everyday American to make it known.
