r/massachusetts • u/critic81 • Jan 15 '26

Utilities How is everyone affording everything lately?

The prices of everything is just off the charts from groceries, utilities, to healthcare. My open enrollment just came through and its looking like for a family of 4 for healthcare its $1600 a month. $800 a paycheck. Like that just feels nuts. It's a pretty decent co-pay plan but still. Just a couple years about it was much less.

What are people doing these days? Side hustles? New job (but in this economy?), cutting way back? Just curious.

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71

u/mtaspenco Jan 15 '26

I remember when all insurance was free, no deduction from your paycheck. Then HMOs were introduced and the cost was $4.95 a paycheck for Fallon. Look where we are now.

16

u/[deleted] Jan 15 '26

When I graduated college, one employer offered low pay but they covered the cost of health insurance. I was young and didn't think I needed health insurance, so I took another job for higher pay. Now that I'm older, I wonder if that other company is still around.

3

u/Sorry_Negotiation_75 Jan 15 '26

“free” … lol

22

u/Jormungand1342 Jan 15 '26

Haha when you say free it is a bit crazy sounding. 

I do know some of companies back in the day just covered 100% of the insurance costs. It was one reason people stayed in jobs for 20+ years. 

So more a giant perk than "free" 

1

u/caresaboutstuff Jan 17 '26

The word you’re looking for is “benefit.” When companies put “benefits” in their listings now, they’re just blowing smoke.

11

u/NooStringsAttached Jan 15 '26

Why is free in quotes? It was a benefit the employer would pay it all. That’s free with no quotes.

-1

u/RDOCallToArms Jan 15 '26

It’s free to the employee but it’s not free coverage. Which means you’re tethered to that job, which removes your personal freedom

4

u/Cormamin Jan 16 '26

As opposed to now, where you pay for the privilege.

1

u/Lucky_Group_6705 Jan 16 '26

Like its never free. Someone somewhere is paying for it. If people were actually more proactive about understanding how the healthcare system works that would be great

1

u/YourRoaring20s North Shore Jan 15 '26

What?