Thanks to a union contract (one which is about as good as can be expected), I have averaged a 3% increase per year for almost 30 years.

BUT (you KNEW this was coming, right?) . . .

My wife can't get interviews for the full-time jobs she's applied for. Three of my kids still live off my income. Among these four, there is one part-time job (which at least has some benefits) and three incidental random workers. Without my income, they would barely make a go of starving slowly - and they all have college degrees. I am doing the heavy earning on the equivalent of an AA.

Due to the expense of carrying my relatives, I can tell how much ground I've lost over the years. When one of our antique vehicles needs work, I end up doing as much of it as I can since I can't pay for the pros to do it very often. We don't eat fancy, and the entertainment budget doesn't allow for Broadway shows without a great deal of planning. I cannot plan on retiring, for there won't be enough in my so-called pension to live on (especially if Paul Ryan and Hillary gut Social Security), and rather than have a 401k I paid off my house so that I'd only have to worry about paying the property taxes if I lost my job for some reason.

Even ten years ago, I could have made some plans. But those days (and dollars) are long gone. I have to hope that my hypertension doesn't grow to be more of a problem than it now is, for the deductables and co-pays strain my budget now.

I don't have it as bad as many in my town. but I have felt the decline even as I get through it. I sympathize with those who don't have what I still have.