The first step on the descent into shoplifting pet food in your old age is losing your cost-of-living allowance.
http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/6587/coming_soon_to_america_big_push_for_austerity/
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/10-reasons-why-ordinary-hard-working-americans-are-about-to-really-start-feeling-the-squeeze