Photo by Gina T . Reilly |
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Friends and families used to say that those of us who have access to commissaries were lucky to have the privilege of shopping on base . The Defense Commissary Agency boasts of having lower prices for groceries at the Navy Exchange and Air Force Commissary than their off-base competitors . Some mistakenly assume that we are immune to the mounting inflation . Well , not at all .
Lately , military families have been feeling the same pain experienced by civilian households . The difference in gas prices is not that much . The price of regular gas on base was $ 5.15 per gallon as of the last week of June , compared to $ 6.30 per gallon at the local pumps .
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Hidden surcharges continue to creep in , making prices of basic commodities spiral out of control . The price of rotisserie chicken , for example , went up from $ 6 to $ 13 .
On top of tripled prices , commissaries on Guam are not immune to supply chain disruptions . Compared to other defense installations , they have it worse given that the island is at the end of the supply chain for U . S . distributors . Delayed shipments result in empty shelves .
I used to take it for granted . I used to not mind the shortage of baby formula and certain brands of pet food for my four dogs . I bought a different brand that ended in the garbage because my furry brats were not touching it .
I check the commissary shelves at
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least three times a week for their latest restocking . Most of the time , we end up being frustrated when no one at the stores could tell when the next shipment would arrive .
To avoid hoarding , the commissaries have imposed purchase limits on certain items , specifically basic commodities . We can buy only a maximum of five per rationed item every shopping trip .
Because consumer prices have ballooned , we have cut back on grocery shopping and given up our indulgences . We started buying cheaper cuts of meat . We have become prudent shoppers by comparing prices at different stores and using coupons if they are available . We try to drive less by carpooling .
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , the annual inflation rate in the U . S . accelerated to 8.6 percent in May , the highest since December of 1981 . Energy prices rose 34.6 percent . Economists attribute the surge in energy prices to several factors , one of which is the increase in the cost of
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crude oil resulting in large part from the war in Ukraine .
As if we ’ re not hurting enough , the Guam Power Authority advised us to brace for another power rate increase this year . Effective July 1 , the levelized energy adjustment clause on LEAC increased from 20.9 cents to 25 cents per kWh . For residential customers , this represents an average increase of 13.72 percent or $ 42.12 on their total power bill .
Then , effective Sept . 1 , the LEAC will increase again to 29.6 cents per kWh , an additional 12.72 percent increase , or $ 44.41 , to the average residential power bill .
“ Our island is certainly not alone in experiencing the financial strain from the rising cost of fuel - the country and the world share this struggle . And it is true that the cost of fuel is anticipated to rise further in the coming months ," Gov . Lou Leon Guerrero recently said .
We don ’ t know when this is going to end , if at all . In the meantime , we are all compelled to tighten our belts .
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