By Madison Duong and Mary Cortez

With prices on the rise, Sacramento residents are continuing to feel the pressure of inflation as it forces them to reshape budgets and lifestyles in profound ways.

The pandemic caused a disruption in global supply chains, which led to shortages of essential goods, which contributed to inflation. This prompted governments to implement stimulus funding into their economies, increasing the money supply and driving up prices. The long-term impact is still being felt, but there are local programs available to help Sacramentans deal with personal finances and the effects of inflation.

The Financial Empowerment Center is an initiative of the City of Sacramento to implement free financial coaching services, according to Amy Williamson, one of the program’s managers.

“We contract with the Sacramento Office of International Rescue Committee to implement this free service to the community,” Williamson said. “Anyone 18 and over in Sacramento can work with one of our coaches.”

Williamson added that during coaching sessions, clients primarily work on establishing credit, reducing debt, building savings and making sure they have access to safe financial accounts.

Maureen Paley, who heads up the city’s Financial Empowerment Center, noted that inflation is still outpacing wage growth.

“With no one really experiencing enough wage growth to meet inflation, the natural result is that people are struggling with maintaining their lifestyles,” Paley explained.

Paley pointed out that inflation is what causes the dollars in people’s checking accounts to not go as far as they used to.

“With gas, I don’t even know where it’s at now, maybe around six bucks,” she said. “Or even a carton of eggs is getting high in price.”

According to AAA, regular unleaded gas in Sacramento reached an all-time high on June 13 this year at $6.44. In 2018, the average price for regular unleaded gas in Sacramento was around $3.60.

A dozen eggs in 2018 cost about $2 in Sacramento, according to Ballotpedia. In 2023, the average price for a dozen eggs is $5.53, according to Expatistan.

Julie Lee, a special education teacher at Martin Luther King Jr. High Technology Academy, has felt the brunt of these price increases for essential goods.

“Everything is so expensive these days,” Lee said. “My family has had to make some changes; we dine out less, make more meals at home and try not to drive too often on the weekends to save on gas.”

Lee added that she has also noticed a significant change in the cost of education-related expenses.

“School supplies have gotten very expensive,” she observed. “Many teachers look to parents for support with these items being donated to their classes.”

At the city’s FEC, mangers keep seeing clients who are noticing they don’t have as much money to go around as they used to.

“So, what we do to help is we itemize all the income and expenses, understand what they have left to work with and help them strategize ways to ease that experience,” Paley said.

The FEC uses specific metrics to measure effectiveness of their financial services and programs, which Williamson thinks is helpful.

“On a monthly basis, we look into things like building savings, reducing debt and more,” Williamson reflected. “These metrics are very outcome focused.”

The FEC also does a quarterly webinar in partnership with the City of Sacramento to find a financial topic that clients are currently struggling with.

“We have done an inflation webinar before,” Paley recalled.

So far, there are bright spots to report: The FEC has client stories that highlight the success of its work in helping them with issues.

Separately, the Financial Wellness Program at Sacramento State is another resource that is available not only to Sacramento State students but to the whole Sacramento community.

“In the last school year, we have expanded to also providing our services to off-campus entities i.e. after school programs, high schools, elementary schools, non-profit organizations, etc.” said Gwen Adao, the Campus Coordinator of the college’s program.

The program was created to help students to better manage their money. It helps students with saving, budgeting, and shows them how credit works. It is meant to spread awareness and show the importance of understanding finance. The program also demonstrates ways on how to fund college expenses. Some of their upcoming events include topics of passive income, investing 101, and gift giving on a budget.

“Definitely, our team doesn’t only look for financial struggles and financial challenges,” Adao mentioned. “We definitely look for cues”.

Some ways the program helps the students holistically include hosting workshops that show them different ways of saving money. A workshop on students making their lattes at home instead of buying them was even part of the action.

Brooke Rios, a fourth year at Sacramento State, stressed, “It’s getting harder out here for college student to be able to focus on their studies and have to worry about school and work”

Rios detailed how it’s hard to maintain a work-and-school balance. She emphasized her grades are not where she wants them to be due to her trying to find the balance.

While struggling to find the equilibrium, Rios said, “It doesn’t feel like you can have that fun young twenties college life. You can’t go out and spend money on food with friends and going partying. You just have to keep working on work and work and work.”

Chase Bowker faces similar challenges. In order to get his homework done, he would have to sacrifice his sleep. Bowker’s work-and-school balance has been suffering.  “About 20 hours of in-person schooling a week, about 20 hours of work, and about 10-20 hours of homework,” is how he puts it.

Sacramento State’s financial wellness program was tailored with students like Bowker in mind – designed to help them in their everyday lives. Adao said the program partners with other services on campus in order to give students the resources they need.

“Especially now students are really struggling with finances because some folks are still trying to recover from the COVID situation,” Adao acknowledged. “You know, being laid off and not having work.”

is an initiative of the City of Sacramento to implement free financial coaching services, according to Amy Williamson, one of the programs managers.

“We contract with the Sacramento Office of International Rescue Committee to implement this free service to the community,” Williamson said. “Anyone 18 and over in Sacramento can work with one of our coaches.”

Williamson added that during coaching sessions, clients primarily work on establishing credit, reducing debt, building savings and making sure they have access to safe financial accounts.

Maureen Paley, who heads up the city’s Financial Empowerment Center, noted that inflation is still outpacing wage growth.

“With no one really experiencing enough wage growth to meet inflation, the natural result is that people are struggling with maintaining their lifestyles,” Paley explained.

Paley pointed out that inflation is what causes the dollars in people’s checking accounts to not go as far as they used to.

“With gas, I don’t even know where it’s at now, maybe around six bucks,” she said. “Or even a carton of eggs is getting high in price.”

According to AAA, regular unleaded gas in Sacramento reached an all-time high on June 13 this year at $6.44. In 2018, the average price for regular unleaded gas in Sacramento was around $3.60.

A dozen eggs in 2018 cost about $2 in Sacramento, according to Ballotpedia. In 2023, the average price for a dozen eggs is $5.53, according to Expatistan.

Julie Lee, a special education teacher at Martin Luther King Jr. High Technology Academy, has felt the brunt of these price increases for essential goods.

“Everything is so expensive these days,” Lee said. “My family has had to make some changes; we dine out less, make more meals at home and try not to drive too often on the weekends to save on gas.”

Lee added that she has also noticed a significant change in the cost of education-related expenses.

“School supplies have gotten very expensive,” she observed. “Many teachers look to parents for support with these items being donated to their classes.”

At the city’s FEC, mangers keep seeing clients who are noticing they don’t have as much money to go around as they used to.

“So, what we do to help is we itemize all the income and expenses, understand what they have left to work with and help them strategize ways to ease that experience,” Paley said.

The FEC uses specific metrics to measure effectiveness of their financial services and programs, which Williamson thinks is helpful.

“On a monthly basis, we look into things like building savings, reducing debt and more,” Williamson reflected. “These metrics are very outcome focused.”

The FEC also does a quarterly webinar in partnership with the City of Sacramento to find a financial topic that clients are currently struggling with.

“We have done an inflation webinar before,” Paley recalled.

So far, there are bright spots to report: The FEC has client stories that highlight the success of its work in helping them with issues.

Separately, the Financial Wellness Program at Sacramento State is another resource that is available not only to Sacramento State students but to the whole Sacramento community.

“In the last school year, we have expanded to also providing our services to off-campus entities i.e. after school programs, high schools, elementary schools, non-profit organizations, etc.” said Gwen Adao, the Campus Coordinator of the college’s program.

The program was created to help students to better manage their money. It helps students with saving, budgeting, and shows them how credit works. It is meant to spread awareness and show the importance of understanding finance. The program also demonstrates ways on how to fund college expenses. Some of their upcoming events include topics of passive income, investing 101, and gift giving on a budget.

“Definitely, our team doesn’t only look for financial struggles and financial challenges,” Adao mentioned. “We definitely look for cues”.

Some ways the program helps the students holistically include hosting workshops that show them different ways of saving money. A workshop on students making their lattes at home instead of buying them was even part of the action.

Brooke Rios, a fourth year at Sacramento State, stressed, “It’s getting harder out here for college student to be able to focus on their studies and have to worry about school and work”

Rios detailed how it’s hard to maintain a work-and-school balance. She emphasized her grades are not where she wants them to be due to her trying to find the balance.

While struggling to find the equilibrium, Rios said, “It doesn’t feel like you can have that fun young twenties college life. You can’t go out and spend money on food with friends and going partying. You just have to keep working on work and work and work.”

Chase Bowker faces similar challenges. In order to get his homework done, he would have to sacrifice his sleep. Bowker’s work-and-school balance has been suffering.  “About 20 hours of in-person schooling a week, about 20 hours of work, and about 10-20 hours of homework,” is how he puts it.

Sacramento State’s financial wellness program was tailored with students like Bowker in mind – designed to help them in their everyday lives. Adao said the program partners with other services on campus in order to give students the resources they need.

“Especially now students are really struggling with finances because some folks are still trying to recover from the COVID situation,” Adao acknowledged. “You know, being laid off and not having work.”