30 percent of my paycheck is take by the federal government, the stat of Michigan, and the local governments therein before I even see it. I could almost buy a new car in the lower price range with what is taken out of my check at the end of the year. That is before inflation eats up money I’d normally try to put into savings each month. The federal government spies on its own citizens, and calls veterans (among many others) domestic terrorists in waiting. We have unchecked invasion ongoing at the southern border. We have unelected billionaires trying to influence government and destroy our economy, our food supply, our supply chains under the guide of some contrived climate emergency. So, yeah, totally concerned about what’s going on elsewhere in the world.
>>That is before inflation eats up money I’d normally try to put into savings each month.
A substantial part of the inflation you are experiencing is due to foreign policy regarding Russia and China disrupting energy and other natural resource supplies, as well as supply chains for other goods.