Around 39% of all families in Florida have relied on Buy Now, Pay Later services to pay for groceries in the past year. This reality alarmed Florida residents, who criticized Governor Ron DeSantis and the Republican Party for allowing the cost of living to increase so much that people had to rely on these services.
The data comes from a recent survey commissioned by No Kid Hungry, which also highlighted that half of Florida families with a minor have skipped meals to pay their bills. Families in the Sunshine State spend over $1,500 on food, and many struggle to balance that cost with rent, transportation, and other expenses.
The report also showed that 49% of the Florida families surveyed had increased their debt in the last year, and that non-white families have been more affected by these issues than white families.
Floridians Are Angry With Republicans
The data made Floridians on Reddit’s r/Florida angry with the local government, which has been dominated by the Republican Party since the 1990s. Some people were appalled by the findings: “What kind of society do we live in where people have to take loans out for food?”
Other users agreed: “I’ve seen lots of economic statistics about debt and household spending in my life. But this one hit me like a truck. People choosing to pay for groceries in installments is an absolutely dismal sign.”
Some people criticized the leading party in the state for the current economic woes: “Our incompetent and unaccountable republican leadership told us it’s all Biden’s fault, or Obama’s, or ‘The Left.’ Are you saying that decades of republican ‘leadership’ have left the state poorer, with worse infrastructure, worse job prospects, more government surveillance, and less freedom?”
A few users focused their anger on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, saying sarcastically: “Don’t worry, DeSantis will fix everything.” Someone else chimed in to complain about some recent policies promoted by the GOP, saying, “But hey, DeSantis just signed legislation that renamed streets for Trump and Charlie Kirk. That’s gonna help feed hungry families, right?”
Some users were not convinced that the worst was over. They told others to be wary of Republican promises to lower property taxes: “Just wait until the taxes go up for food and electricity. This will happen if anyone votes for the ridiculous proposal that the Republicans are floating around regarding property taxes. They will raise the sales tax.”
Unfortunately, the rising cost of living shows few signs of easing. For many Floridians, balancing the costs of food, housing, and other essentials remains an ongoing challenge.
