cost-of-living

What would you do with an extra $5,000? Well, given our current economic straits, many of us might respond with "Pay a few bills off and buy a six-pack." If inflation continues its current upward tilt, the person who wins the billion-dollar lottery might even say that.

As anyone who lives here in the Rockford area can attest, our city is not without its challenges. However, trying to make ends meet in one of the world's priciest metropolitan areas is not one of them.