Which of the following best describes the current financial situation in your area?

Cost of living is the worst I can ever remember (67%) — "My salary for the past 25 years has not matched inflation. Typical raises are below 3% for “perfect” rated employees like me, and less or none as performance review scores go down. Cost of housing, insurance, auto expenses, medical costs, education, and groceries are all at record highs. We have always been solidly middle clss but are rapidly sliding backwards. Mine is the first generation not to have a better wage ratio than any previously in my family."

• "Everything is going up faster than we can keep up. Housing, gas, electricity, eating out, heating, groceries… it’s all very scary. Increases far outpace a 2% wage increase."

"Not only are prices on core items high, staying high, and continuing to rise, but the definition of what’s considered core has also expanded. Not only are the prices of traditional needs and necessary goods/services higher and headed up, but now there are far more things that really aren’t discretionary for the average family/couple/individual, but also aren’t captured in cost-of-living indexes: streaming services, internet, kids’ activities, services, pet food and supplies, etc. PLUS, add in the stark decline in quality of most goods - they break, wear out, expire, etc., more often, which requires more frequent replacement purchases; OR, the quantity or size is so much smaller for the same amount that you’re buying more to equal past purchases - and we’re definitely spending more just to maintain a lifestyle or preferred standard of living."

• "Maybe it’s my age, but I don’t recall the economy skewing to the wealthiest before. Most politicians knew that the middle classes should be able to afford the basics but that’s no longer the case."

"I’ve started paying my own bills for 5 years and I have noticed how much more everything has gotten. My rent has sky rocketed, food seems to have doubled my dog food over the past year has nearly doubled. My electric bill is almost double as well. I have gotten a new job that pays more but if I kept my old job I wouldn’t be able to afford to live off my one paycheck."

• "As your article points out, the money just isn't covering what it used to. I find myself buying and keeping absolute necessities, and letting go of a lot of things i used to be able to afford. It's a scary way to live knowing it will only get worse!"

"Groceries are higher than they’ve ever been. I would say most of the things I buy have increased prices incrementally or shrinkflation has occurred. The price is the same, but the size of the product is not. Shredded cheese was being sold in smaller bag; there was a period of time that it was a 1 1/2 cup bag of cheese which most recipes typically call for 1 or 2 cups. I think consumer complaints have brought the 8 oz bags back, but I’m still occasionally seeing 6 or 7 oz bags priced the same."

Cost of living is bad, but I can remember worse (21%) — "Fuel prices are down, food and utility prices are up, wages are steady but the ability to work remotely has increased them for some workers. I remember the economy of the late 70s. We aren't there yet but wouldn't take much to push us there."

• "The '08 crash and the oil crisis when gas was over $3 a gallon everywhere was worse than it is now. The difference is that the cost of living being bad now is due to several factors, and if one of those factors goes like the '08 crash or the oil crisis, then it will be worse than it ever has been. We're just not quite there yet."

Cost of living isn’t bad (12%) — "I don't have much of a reference point as I'm a young working professional who hasn't had to support myself for very long, but I feel like I'm being paid a slightly above average income for my age and experience and I'm able to save significantly more than most people my age after bills and a small amount of discretionary spending."