I'm part of the weird generational slice that people with too much time on their hands named "Xennials."

My husband and I bought our first home in the normally-overpriced NYC during the '08 crisis, refinanced in around '11 when rates were even lower, and when we had dual incomes, we poured extra cash into paying off our principal, and threw every gift from parents or bonuses from work at it. We paid off about 3 years ago, and last year sold it at a roughly 45% profit to get out of the progressive dumpster fire that NYC will be for the foreseeable future. We bought a lot more house in a cheaper rural market that was still, compared to usual, moving lightning fast (houses were going off the market within hours).

Despite not having a mortgage- a fact we're extremely grateful for, in our early 40s- we are keenly feeling the increase costs in fuel, energy, and food as much as anyone. If my husband hadn't found a new job this year, our energy and gas bills alone would probably wipe out our savings within a year.

And now we're being told this is A) a figment of our imagination, B) for our own good, and C) a sacrifice we're called on to make to benefit... someone.

I'm not going to say we're poor. But pretty much my entire life as an independent adult, I've been pretty sure I could be financially destroyed in the blink of an eye by politicians deciding to annihilate the economy that year.

If we lived in a mansion, I'd probably still be stocking a shelter with dented soup cans for $0.20 like I am now.