Here's a not-so-theoretical question.

What do you do when the same things cost more?

Sure, you can look for budget trims, cut back on eating out,

maybe turn that planned road trip into a stagation?

But the thing is, the costs that are dominating headlines right now,

the ones keeping inflation at a painful 8.3% in April,

those costs aren't really negotiable.

Another day, another record high for gas prices,

the upward trend has drivers making some serious adjustments to their budget.

Even at $4.42 a gallon,

you might still have to fill up your car to get to work.

Many areas of the economy are being impacted by inflation,

including items you put in your grocery cart.

Grocery prices may be up nearly 11%, but you have to eat.

And as high as rent goes...

Prices have been rising throughout the pandemic,

and it doesn't look like they'll be changing anytime soon.

You still need a roof over your head.

And all of those ballooning prices,

the ones you can't cut out of your budget,

in all kinds of ways, they hit people with low incomes the hardest.

Let's look a little closer at housing.

...