ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Right now, many Floridians say they're having a tough time with costs of needs.
That's despite reports from the Federal Reserve suggesting inflation is steadily falling through its own measure.
About 41.8% in Florida said they're having "difficulty paying for usual household expenses" in the last seven days, according to a survey from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The results from the Household Pulse Survey puts Florida at seventh among all states, ahead of New York, Hawaii, and Texas.
Born and raised in St. Pete, Torri Nelson said it's become more difficult to make ends meet post-pandemic and the area is starting to feel less like home due to the costs.
"It's still stressful when you live in this community and it's not it doesn't feel like home anymore," Nelson said. "It doesn't feel like we can afford to live in a place that we were born and raised, and that is the biggest issue that I have."
Nelson, a mother of six and the owner of Tasty Tingz Gourmet Treats Inc., a family-owned bakery, said housing, utility bills and necessities from the store for her and her family make it difficult to save up.
"All of the money is going to bills," she said. "It's a lot."
The survey found on average, 37% of Americans said they're having difficulties with paying household needs.
That's despite recent numbers from the Federal Reserve suggesting inflation is steadily falling.
An inflation measure closely tracked by the Federal Reserve remained low last month, extending a trend of cooling price increases that clears the way for the Fed to start cutting its key interest rate next month for the first time in four and a half years.
10 Tampa Bay reached out to Tasha Cohen-Glynn of Achieva Credit Union for advice.
"We're all feeling a pinch right now. Whether you're single, a retired couple, or raising a family, there are lots of things that we could do to trim our budget, but we're all going through it, so don't ever be ashamed," Cohen-Glynn said.
She said cutting expenses from dining out or avoiding beverages like coffee to-go, along with mindfulness of energy usage, could help save some amount in the long run.
In addition, financing or debt consolidation could help those juggling high-interest loans or credit card debt.
Something as obvious but tedious as budgeting can help long-term, but more importantly, she reminds people that help is available. For instance, Achieva Credit Union offers free budgeting classes to help people of different backgrounds as a support.
"Get to that magic number that you could spend every month to make sure that you stay kind of on task," she said.
10 Tampa Bay spoke with people over recent years from the high cost of gas prices to the initial effects of inflation post-pandemic.
Nelson, who is also a member of Florida Rising, said something needs to change.
"It is stressful and a lot of people that I know are also going through the same exact things," she said.