A good year

[SAJ-99]

I'm bracing for impact while everyone else is spending like they are getting money from a freaking money tree out back.

The only way prices come down (deflation) is if people change their spending habits. The only way people materially change their spending habits is when they lose their job.

Interesting how peoples politics skew their views. I bet I can guess who is a dem and who is a repub from this thread just based off their stated view.

Politics typically skew the views on blame and “solutions”, but i think how people “feel” is pretty broad based and crosses lines. That said, people perceive things from their own personal lens. In these cases, statistics are malleable. Both can be true. 2023 was a good year and recent inflation is painful.

the cost of pretty much all materials in my business have increased by at least 100%

What is your business? And where? 100% seems a little high. Ok a lot high.

 

[woods89]

My brother and I own a small construction business, and for us 2023 was by far our best year yet. We've been in business since late 2015. Demand was high, as well as profitability.

On the personal front, we are absolutely feeling the effects of inflation. My wife is a stay at home mom, and we have 4 children, and we are going through a lot more money per month than 2-3 years ago. I guess I'm glad one cancels the other out!

I'm curious to see what 2024 holds. I anticipate a softening in construction demand (it's kind of already here), however, by now we've been in business long enough to have a customer base established well enough that I'm not highly worried about lead flow. Life is full of surprises, though.

 

[Nickman123]

I'm in Cali and I do swimming pool remodel, service, and repair. Cost of pretty much everything in my business is at least double what is was in early 2020. Initially, they blamed it mostly on Covid but that's been over for a long time.

 

[Brandon270]

I'm in central CA, I fueled up today at $4.50/gal, consumables for my welding business doubled in the last year and a half. Grocery bill is significantly higher. I'm happy about my returns on my ira this year, but I won't be seeing any of that money for at least another 30 years.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Interesting how peoples politics skew their views. I bet I can guess who is a dem and who is a repub from this thread just based off their stated view.

I am an Independent who has voted Republican and Democrat in the past depending on the quality of the candidates.
From my personal perspective 2023 was a very good year....my retirement portfolio far outpaced inflation, my mom is still alive at 101 years,
I am enjoying every day, living the dream (and gas is less than $3 a gallon).

 

[Irrelevant]

It was another great year where I ended up higher on the hog than I ever dreamed of. I'm literally living one of the best existences on the planet. I have more money and more disposable income than any previous generation in my family. I'll get to retire earlier and I'll likely live longer. All the while working less hours as a significantly less physically demanding job. This has been true every... single... year that I've been in the workforce despite who was elected.

I typically keep myself honest and post my EOY performances. I have two retirements accounts (top two) and two f-around with accounts. They're listed by size

Account #1: +36.1%
Account #2: +24.7% (with one stinker really pulling me down)
Account #3: +22.8% (still down HUGE overall, thanks to dumbass me in 2022)
Account #4: +1,087% (tiny RH account, still down since inception, but apparently made some decent moves last year... that'll never offset my poor choice in QS back in the day)

S&P 500: 24.23%

SO yeah, apparently 2023 was a good year.

 

[Bob-WY]

For us, retires July of 2022, stopped getting paid in Oct 2022. Since then living off savings and part time "fun" jobs

Investment accounts have done well. However we have had to up our monthly budget by 20% over that time. NOTHING in our lifestyle has changed, just the costs. We upped our monthly savings pull summer of 2023. Things are costing more.