durhamregion.com | This Week | Thursday, October 27, 2022 | 10 seven per cent. "It seems no matter how much budgeting and cutting costs we do, it's not enough," said says. "It's very nerve-racking." More Canadians are buying frozen or canned vegetables to save money, says Ashfakuddin Rubel, an associate teaching professor of economics at Ontario Tech University. And those living on a fixed income have to take more drastic measures. "They don't have any choice other than to cut back even on meals," he said, adding actions such as this will have an impact on the health-care system as well. Parents are poring over coupons and deals in an attempt to save money but keep life as normal as they can for their children. "The sales dictate what you will buy that day," Rubel said. North Oshawa resident Sara Johnson can attest to this. "Our grocery bill is the most noticeable and close second is our transportation," Johnson said of the impact of inflation. She and her partner buy meat from a butcher and bulk buy and freeze food items that are on sale, and try to limit added snack items if they can. "I tend to buy no-name brands or multi-items to save what we can costwise," she said. Except for necessities such as diapers and milk, if deVries can't price match an item, she sees if there is an alternative she can buy. "Price matching has become my part-time job," she said. Johnson stocks up on diapers when they're on sale, and tries to only purchase on-sale items, but costs pop up constantly with her kids and they add up. "We almost never order food and we never go out to eat," she said. DeVries had to cut the cable bill, in an attempt to save money each month. "We used to get takeout often enough, where now we need to really think if it can fit into the budget," she said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently addressed the issue at an Oct. 12 media event at Memon Supermarket in Pickering, stating, "the rising cost of living has been hitting hard." Measures currently up for debate in the House of Commons include doubling the GST credit for six months, delivering an additional $457 to a family with two kids this fall. As well, 1.8 million low-income renters will benefit from a $500 one-time top up to the Canada Housing Benefit. Also, he said families with kids under 12 who don't have dental coverage could get up to $1,300 per child over the next two years. Johnson, who reduced her planned maternity leave of 18 months to 12 to help pay the bills, says she and her partner can't afford to live near Toronto, but they both work downtown. "Since ending mat leave early, my gas cost to work and back has tripled and I don't have the option to work from home," she said. DeVries and her husband have had to park their second vehicle temporarily. And Rubel says the high cost of gas doesn't only impact those who have to fill up their tank. "Everyone is being impacted," he said. It costs more to transport items, for example, causing the prices of necessities such as groceries to go up. Price increases even affected Johnson and her family when they had to find a rental. The cost of a space for her family had increased so significantly that their options were very limited. "We were also being put into bidding wars for a rental place instead of accepting the cost at face value," she said. Those with a full-time job find it's not enough to live on. "They're also looking for a side hustle," Rubel said. Wages are going up but they're not matching with the inflation rate. "Both members have to work," he said. "If (one) stays at home, they'll need a part-time job." Johnson's partner took on a side job to make up more income, but due to COVID, the work is few and far between and usually doesn't pay enough to justify time away from home. Rubel expects the rate of inflation will go back to its target rate of two per cent in 2024, but there's a price to pay first. "In order to come out of inflation, we have to endure some type of recession," he said. "It comes with a price tag. You cannot achieve both at the same time." Economists say the recession could happen in the first or second quarter of next year, Rubel said. He suggests families save money where they can before the recession. SOME TIPS FROM LOCAL MOMS • Browse all the flyers, price match whenever and wherever you can, and if possible shop at stores that give points back, says deVries. "You might as well get something back if you're going to be spending the money anyways," she said. • Find gently used items on either Marketplace or Facebook groups, Johnson says. "It's been the biggest support not just for myself, but to also help other families out," Johnson said. STORY BEHIND THE STORY: Families on all income levels are feeling the impacts of the high inflation rate and Durhamregion.com wanted to learn how they are coping. NEWS Continued from page 1 'WE ALMOST NEVER ORDER FOOD AND WE NEVER GO OUT TO EAT' "It seems no matter how much budgeting and cutting costs we do, it's not enough. It's very nerve wracking." - Anastasia deVries, Ajax resident Ashfakuddin Rubel, an Ontario Tech University associate teaching professor in economics, says families are feeling the pinch when it comes to high inflation in Durham Region. Ontario Tech University photo SCAN THE CODE to read more Durham news online. VISIT DURHAMREGION.COM TO READ CURRENT AND PAST INVESTIGATIONS