SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
Here on ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, we talk a lot about the economy. The U.S. war in Iran has caused gas prices to skyrocket. Inflation is at a three-year high of 4.2%, and wages aren't keeping up. Today, we want to get some of the real stories behind all of those numbers. NPR has reached out to people from all over the country to understand how they are coping. And we are joined by three of the people we've been in touch with - Jennifer Browning in Gulfport, Mississippi. Hey, Jennifer.
JENNIFER BROWNING: Hi.
DETROW: Alex Garcia in Seattle, Washington. Alex, thanks for joining us.
ALEX GARCIA: No problem.
DETROW: And Chuck Lockhart in Whitefield, New Hampshire. Hey, Chuck.
CHUCK LOCKHART: Hello.
DETROW: I want to start with introductions from all of you. Just we heard your name. Just tell us a little bit about your circumstances - your age, what you do. Jennifer, why don't you start us off?
BROWNING: OK. I am Jennifer Browning. I'm 44. I do a lot of things. I'm a substitute teacher during the school year. I do DoorDash, Instacart and recently just started pet sitting as well.
DETROW: Oh, man. That's a lot of stuff.
BROWNING: (Laughter).
DETROW: We're going to get back to all of the stuff you're doing in a moment, for sure. Alex, how about you next?
GARCIA: Yeah, hi. I'm Alex Garcia. I own a local sports pub that's been in Seattle since, like, the '40s. And I have to keep the business going 'cause I have a bunch of starving bartenders who work for me (laughter).
DETROW: Chuck, how about you?
LOCKHART: Well, I'm retired. I'm 66. I'm an Iraqi veteran. I used to be in law enforcement and corrections. What's happening currently right now in my life is we're selling a house to move into a more retirement-friendly type of dwelling. So we're consolidating.
DETROW: Yeah. Yeah. You know, like I said, we talk so much about the numbers and the stats, but I think so many people, the economy is a gut feeling - you know? - if it feels good or doesn't feel good, it feels secure, if it doesn't feel secure. Tell me how you're feeling right now. Jennifer, how are you feeling? You mentioned all the different jobs you're working.
BROWNING: Oh, I actually did forget one. During open enrollment season, I am also a licensed health insurance agent.
DETROW: So that's four or five you just mentioned, then?
BROWNING: Yes. Basically, I'm doing anything I can just to keep a roof over my head. I don't have that sense of security, even though I own my mobile home. So yeah, there's a lot of fear all the time of just trying to stay on top of the bills.
DETROW: Yeah, that makes sense. Chuck, what about you? Do you feel secure, insecure?
LOCKHART: I feel like I have to be very diligent because I'm on a fixed income. It's requiring me to make sometimes some difficult choices. And obviously, with the gas prices, it's caused a couple of robbing Peter to pay Paul situations.
DETROW: And Alex, what about you?
GARCIA: It sometimes feels like we're running in a marathon, and no matter how hard you work, like, you can't ever get to the finish line. The weird thing about owning a local neighborhood pub is you really feel it within your customers. 'Cause I see customers that lose their job. They're on unemployment - used to come in and have, you know, three beers. Now they come in and have one just so they can, you know, get some sanity. They'll show up and just socialize. But you feel it. You feel the tension. It's really weird being at a pub where you can really tell that people are worried.
DETROW: Yeah. And at the same time, I have to imagine just the food industry, given what it is, you have been seeing the increased cost for everything day to day, minute to minute, huh?
GARCIA: We're losing money on everything, and we know where we should put, like, our prices, but we also know that our customers are in the same spot as us. And so we just hope we make it up with alcohol. Because if we were to raise the price of our food, you know, I feel like people wouldn't be able to afford it. And so it's this really weird balancing act you have to do.
DETROW: Yeah. Jennifer, where do you, in your life, feel the squeeze specifically the most? What's a thing you have to pay for or plan for that you feel like the cost is just top of mind at every moment?
BROWNING: I would say in matters of health because I currently don't have health insurance. So if I, you know, if I am sick or, you know, need just a regular monthly prescription, that's a bit difficult. And then also, you know, sometimes I have to decide between paying a bill, like the power bill, or buying groceries.
DETROW: What do you do when you have to make that decision?
BROWNING: I will ask family for help. My mom helps sometimes. Or I will do, you know, DoorDash or whatever I have to do.
DETROW: Chuck, you said before that you feel like everything has to be really meticulously planned. You have to think through everything you're going to do. I'm wondering where you feel in this economy right now, what you're thinking about the most as you make those decisions.
LOCKHART: I'd have to say gas prices and transportation. I live in a very rural area - no public transportation. You got to travel at least 10 miles to a grocery store. So when prices started to spike, you started to have to think, you know, is this trip necessary or what can I double up? Where I used to make two trips, can I fit it all into one trip?
DETROW: Chuck, you're the - I say this with respect - you're the senior member of the conversation here. You've got about 20 years on everybody else. But I know you mentioned when you talked to NPR before that you had been thinking about the oil crisis, the inflation crisis, you know, earlier on in your life.
LOCKHART: Yeah. Yeah, I lived through all of that, and it was difficult because it was a shock and - you know, especially the first one in '73. But the thing that strikes me the most about back then is television was free. Your phone was in your house and you didn't use it a ton. There was just a lot less things that felt necessary, and you could eke by a lot easier, it felt, than it does now.
DETROW: You know, you're all sharing a lot about your economic situation, and I'm hearing some clear themes from all of you. But let me put this to you. If you could have a listener just understand one thing about your economic situation right now, to better understand what we're seeing across the country, what would it be? Alex, I'll start with you.
GARCIA: Just based off this conversation alone, like, it doesn't matter where you live in the United States, like, I think we're all kind of feeling the same pain. We're kind of all in it together. Times are tough, and everyone's just doing their best to get by.
DETROW: Chuck, what about you?
LOCKHART: Life's a struggle, and it doesn't need to be as difficult as it is. And I don't care what the numbers say coming out of Wall Street or Washington. Most of America's struggling.
DETROW: Jennifer?
BROWNING: Being someone who has not had stable employment in the past couple of years, there's a lot of shame heaped on people who are looking for jobs. Like, it's in social media comments. It is sometimes said by friends or even family - you know, well-meaning. You know, well, you should just do this, or you should have done this. But I would definitely say just be kind. Because people need grace in those moments of their life.
DETROW: That is Jennifer Browning in Gulfport, Mississippi, Chuck Lockhart in Whitefield, New Hampshire, and Alex Garcia in Seattle, Washington. Thank you so much to all of you for talking with us.
GARCIA: Thanks for having us.
BROWNING: Absolutely.
LOCKHART: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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