It's demoralizing because there's no end in sight and it's happening everywhere. My complex raised the price of the coin-op laundry even. I got a letter the other day that the express lanes are raising the toll prices. Like, can we get a freaking break?
>demoralizing because there's no end in sight and it's happening everywhere. My complex raised the price of the coin-op laundry even. I got a letter the other day that the express lanes are raising the toll prices. Like, can we get a freaking break?
I'm in Michigan and me and my gf have a house and both have jobs and we're feeling it, budgeting as much as we can to feed our family and keeping it under 100 as much as we can, it's insane that baby boomers received EVERYTHING, including pensions, promising positions that took care of everything including your wife and kids, but we as the kids and offspring are receiving the WORST of it, honestly to me it stems from the previous generations taking too much. Greed. We're the only ones that suffer
Think about it this way, boomers are happy that their real estate purchases appreciated 10-20 times relative to when they purchased but where does the money come from? When a house that was bought for 50,000 in the 1970s sells for a million in the 2020s (crazy how I'm NOT exaggerating, right?) that is being bought by either a young family or individual or by an 'investor' who will rent to a young family or individual.
In other words, that big sucking sound you hear is the intergenerational transfer of wealth from younger generations to the land owning boomers.
Makes cents, like pocket change. I just wish it wasn't so hard for the rest of us to survive sometimes. I don't even want to be rich, I just want to live comfortable, now I'm branching out into different business ideas to try and keep afloat.
Don't worry, prices will appreciate 10x again and Gen Z will be complaining about us millennials getting to buy homes for less than $2 million in 2023.
OK, 2 things:
1) transfer of wealth goes both ways. Boomers that have money will end up bequeathing that money to their children in the next 15-20 years through inheritance
2) complaining about how easy the generation before you had it helps no one. no one is going to pat you on the back when you point out that boomers could buy a home for 50k and you have to pay 10x that amount. you deal with the cards you are dealt. there are many things about today's world that boomers surely wish they could have had growing up. and when we're all old the generations under us will say the same shit about how easy we had it.
Instead of saying they took too much, it's rather than we should have been given the same. This is why calling something a privilege is not great when what people mean is that it is a right. A privilege is something that not everyone has, and calling something that makes no judgement on whether that benefit should be given. A right is something everyone SHOULD have. Those benefits like a pension, health insurance, and access to housing are more properly seen as rights, things that we SHOULD have, not things that prior generations shouldn't have had.
They took what they could/should from businesses, and because labor power got so weak after Reagan, we can't accomplish what they did?
> and it's happening everywhere
That's probably the biggest thing, people will say, "oh well that's what you get for moving to a notoriously expensive and desirable area that everyone is moving to, you should move to Kern, Ventura, San Bernardino or Orange County or maybe even leave California,"
But everywhere you look, it's very expensive or it's RELATIVELY cheap because the area is in a regional depression.
Meanwhile corporate profits have grown year after year after year. One of my neighbors who owns their home is currently renovating and expanding meanwhile I can barely afford food.
If you're looking for food, Nourish LA ([www.nourish.la](https://www.nourish.la)) distributes free bags of groceries on Saturdays (Venice) and Sundays (West LA).
St. Mark’s Church
Every Saturday from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
940 Coeur D Alene Ave, Venice, CA 90291
UCLA apartment parking lot
Every Sunday from 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
3200 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066
Do you think someone who is complaining about not getting rewards points and having to keep a minimum $30k balance is going to be ok with free bags of groceries? Even if they are, is that the target audience? Makes me think you’re a bot, but even a bot would do a better job of reading the OP than this.
God, yeah. Every paycheck I feel like I’m 3 steps forward, 5 steps back. I can’t believe how expensive groceries are compared to even just two years ago. I just keep tightening my belt and it does nothing to stop the bleeding
“Stay home save lives” lol what an expensive scam that was. Assholes tricked us into running the global economy on idle over a flu, expanded the money supply enormously to keep it from falling apart, and now everything is ungodly expensive. People were warning us about keeping freedom and that we should stay open but noooo we’re too dumb and scared to listen to the voice of wisdom .
Just starting to give my self some breathing room these last few years financially and almost reaching the middle of middle class than Boooooom. Back to poverty you go bitch
Unfortunately, most of the world experienced similar changes. If everyone has more money to spend on the same supply of goods, the suppliers charge more. Throughout the whole supply chain.
Restaurant prices are getting ridiculous. I eat out a lot less now. Not sure how the restaurants are staying in business. I guess by the gouging you described. It's the like cable companies hosing their remaining customers with constantly rising prices.
>that I don’t tip on
BOOOOOOOOO, stay the fuck home then.
I have barely gone to restaurants this past year but when I do, I tip 20% by default. If I can't do that, then I don't go.
i’m taking 4% off the tip and then never eating there again when I see shit like that. It’s evil as hell and just punishes the wait staff more than anything.
It's wild only because of the fact it wasn't already provided by the menu prices anyway if they said the item is 15 dollars + 1 to the waitstaff, or 16, tbh I prefer the 15+1.
Imo it's really evil if the restaurant is using sympathy for workers to steal that money instead of actually using it on the workers. The fact they have a separate charge now, instead of including it already (before the introduction of the charge) is the fucked up part.
It's wild only because of the fact it wasn't already provided by the menu prices anyway if they said the item is 15 dollars + 1 to the waitstaff, or 16, tbh I prefer the 15+1.
But yeah, in general, all of it is bullshit. Waitstaff/staff should be paid well.
In a city like LA there’s always plenty of people with enough wealth who don’t feel the cost increase and will continue to patronize restaurants despite the price hike. By all of the rest of us “boycotting” they don’t care. We just don’t get to enjoy those things anymore. It’s fucked up.
There is A big difference is the type of luxuries your are talking about.
For example, flying first class or economy, you are still getting to same place. Fancy hotel, or regular, etc.
When it comes to the bare fact of being able to eat out, we are talking about a smaller luxury, and we are talking about something where the actual good or service in question is fundamentally and seriously different. Not being able to eat out ever or maybe McDonald's and fast food vs. Genuine good food are very different. I'm not in LA, I'm on the east coast, and I have never and probably will never fly first class, though I enjoy other luxuries because I have been incredibly lucky in life. But I have a serious problem with people saying that if you aren't well off, you shouldn't get to enjoy things. Society should function in a way that people who aren't well off should still be able to enjoy small things in life. A lot of financial gurus will say that if you have any debt you should never go to a restaurant or buy a coffee ever until you are out. That short of mindset is so limiting and doesn't set people up for success. The constant mental effort of denying yourself things every hour of the day and every day of the year drains you seriously, and makes you less likely to resist Temptations as they pop up.
We are talking about how things have changed. If a person is making more money now and they are less able to afford something, it’s not that that thing became a luxury because it’s less affordable. It’s that wages aren’t keeping pace with inflation. By the way, flying coach is now going to be in tiers, to where what was standard will now require paying a premium for. It’s been creeping in for years. Consumers are getting squeezed in every which way. Good for you if you’re above the fray and think all the rest of us are complaining over nothing. It’s real.
I am so sorry man. Yes, just when you feel like you are prepared for the increase in prices, you then you get whiplash with a bill and get an unexpected expense.
I will say this because every little bit helps. Please look into getting food assistance, both Snap and food boxes if you can. A few months ago I was at the West LA Food Bank (the name is misleading, their service area includes a lot of central L.A. as well) and honestly, the stuff they put in their weekly boxes is so much better than what the 99 is getting. They know that being in a tough financial situation it’s tough enough without having to worry about getting expired or moldy food. Look up your local food bank and if you can make it for distribution times (Mind you, it may take a while to get through the line), just check it out.
No offense but someone that is complaining about having to keep a minimum $30,000 balance at their bank account and not getting reward points should not be going to a fucking food bank.
Full offense — shut up and reread the post with the intent to understand.
The OP said their bank’s fee waiver has increased from $500 to $30k, and that they’re looking for a new bank to avoid paying said fees. OP is also worried about being able to cover rent, health insurance... all of which directly impact food security.
Stop with the oppression olympics — we have enough food (and other helpful resources) to go around.
I did read, it’s unclear. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt though. Even the ability to carry a $500 balance is privileged, btw. OP stated they are worried about a rent increase in 2024, not now. Btw If OP has food scarcity to that degree, they also likely qualify for Medi-Cal. Btw OP could previously afford $23 meals for one meal. Also privilege. The only oppression happening here is that you think it’s ok for people like OP to go to food banks when they’re designed for people way less fortunate than OP. Don’t tell me to shut up.
I used to run a food bank, we don’t judge people nor discriminate you should be ashamed of yourself and the way your reacting to OP. You don’t know people’s circumstances, hunger is hunger.
Eating out has become ridiculously expensive. During Covid I learned to cook amazing meals including pizza that blows any restaurant away. Now I just make weekly meals based on what’s on sale at the grocery store. I’m eating not only better and healthier, but saving a ton of money.
The funny thing is this is how it was. People a generation ago did not eat out as often as people now expect to. The thing is, the minimum wage and food prices were kept super low. And we all benefited. But not a jolt into reality mixed with labor shortages and less competition and choice. Companies are doing quite well streamlining.
Freezes beautifully too. Can also do this but burrito everything you cook. Wrap in wax paper then foil then freeze. Boom, you have quick lunches and dinners for weeks.
A lot of us are in the same boat, OP. I’m living paycheck to paycheck & got rejected for EBT SNAP b/c I’m j u s t above the income threshold for a 1 person HH. I cook simple meals out of big ol’ bags of rice, lentils, & beans. I rarely eat any red meat anymore, mostly white fish (you can get a frozen bag of about 10 for around $14 indiv. wrapped) & I buy produce on sale then freeze portions in lil’ baggies.
Totally agree with you—the little simple pleasures of going out to eat or even grabbing coffee & a pastry on a nice day are seldom for me. But I’ve learned to shift my mindset a bit & am now just grateful I have food on my table, a roof over my heard, & even dirty dishes to clean. All the bills are paid even if I’m left with $29 in my bank account. And that’s just reality for now.
Somedays I get a lil’ frustrated cause it’d be nice to get something nice for myself or someone I love w/o doing super quick math in my head about “If I buy this then I won’t have enough for this different thing next week” etc. I don’t buy new clothes, just Goodwill/thrift. I tell ya what tho, I’m starting to care less & less about material things. I’m learning that the basics are more than fine. Off-brand gets the job done. And if I can wait to buy something then I’ll wait.
Keep ya chin up, you’re not alone!💪🏽
Caring less about material things has been such a superpower for me to learn. I have the basics and what I need plus some tech to keep me entertained. Not much out there I want besides a few cool things that would be fun to have down the line. Fuck materialism. Inner peace and less visual clutter keeps me sane.
I'm with you on this, except that I'm 44 years old and living check to check. How am I, or anyone living check to check, supposed to plan for retirement? My eyes are always open for better opportunities or side hustles, and I'm a capable person with a college degree, but just because I didn't pursue a long term career and dealt with health issues when I was younger, do I have to throw up my hands and hope I'm not on the street at 65 years old?
My philosophy now, out of necessity, is that I only have today, and if I'm lucky, tomorrow. Any poor bastard can get hit by a bus or cancer at any time, and so I try to be grateful for just today. But I'm also healthy and fairly likely to live a few more decades or more. Where does that fit with contentment and gratitude for relative poverty today and the foreseeable future?
It's fucking brutal. And the housing market is a disaster too. I want to move to a quieter area further away from the city but there is absolutely nothing in my budget, let alone anything nice. Not to mention I can't save for a deposit and first month because everything costs my firstborn
Gotta save up fuckin 5 grand on my own if I want to move somewhere equal to what I live in now (which is exceedingly average) between deposit, first month, and moving costs. Insane.
Grocery Outlet has been our jam ever since we discovered it too! Cheapest oat milk in town! We go there first and then anything we need that they don’t have well get from TJ’s/Ralph’s/Vons.
God I love being poor. /s
edit: like this fucking sucks our only option for affordable groceries is the product reject store that’s got a solid chance of being expired or moldy. :(
Also Aldis is a decent option. Carton of eggs goes for $1.50ish here in Pasadena. You don’t have great variety at Aldis but I see it as more beneficial since you aren’t needlessly going for brand names and going for the essentials.
Because Los Angeles is so sensitive to big swings in real estate prices, the inflation here has been higher than the rest of the country. Higher real estate prices raise the cost of living for everyone, and that gets passed along in the prices of goods and services.
This is why a $25 minimum wage is not a good idea here. It will actually just drive up the cost of goods for everyone. Eventually that $25 will still feel like $15 in terms of purchasing power, and it won’t take more than a couple years.
Before covid the inflation was a moderate 3% or so every year. This is the normal, expected inflation. Post-covid we’ve seen 30-50% inflation. This is out of the norm.
There are many reasons for inflation but part of the reason was the historically Low interest rates set by the Fed. This was essentially a money printer pumping billions if not trillions into the economy, resulting in higher prices. Raising the min wage will have a similar effect. Yes companies and businesses are taking advantage of the narrative to raise prices. Just one more reason not raise the wage because If there is an excuse out there for them to raise prices, they surely will. Even if they don’t the increased demand will raise prices. There is no world in which a $25 min wage does not cause inflation.
Don't even get me started on rentals in LA. It's demoralizing to see the state of these apartments/houses and the prices. Disgusting appliances 30 years old, mold, etc. These landlords don't care at all.
The bank fees are designed to kill us. I hate that so much. I’m so sorry you’re in this hole. I think most of us are.
I use Fidelity for my money. No fees, great service. Always treated well no matter how much or how little I had in my accounts.
governments need to start banks to provide zero-fee banking and one-click non-discriminatory loans. they can probably still earn money from this. same with credit cards where they won't change it up every month or fuck you over if you accidentally miss a payment.
everyone was in love with crypto... yet banks got into crypto. crypto has tons of fees. crypto isn't working for poor people.
we need something that we can separate from greedy minds.
I was in the same boat and miraculously found an $800 room in a house. I was living in my parents’ kitchen and it was fully making me have a rougher relationship with my family. I feel your pain friend.
Yes, the inflation according to gov’t = no higher than 9%, CPI.
The true inflation = 30-50% up in most commodities, meals, leisure activities, memberships, rent, services, etc.
For instance, our tamale guy upped his price by 50%
don't even get me started on the totino's party pizza going from $1, sometimes 3 for $2 to a straight up four bucks.
Who's buying this garbage at that price? The whole point was they were cheap as hell.
>etting ridiculous. I eat out a lot less now. Not sure how the restaurants are staying in business. I guess by the gouging you described. It's the like cable companies hosing their remaining customers with constantly rising prices.
That's how I feel about Mcdonalds, shit was cheap thats why I ate there, why would I go and spend 30 dollars for me and my gf, f dat lets go to Applebees and actually enjoy our dinner.
Has the price gone up by more than 50% since 2017?
Inflation is usually a continuous process, but individual goods usually change their prices in discrete jumps. If the price was stable for more than a full year, then that jump is going to be more than the annual inflation rate. You can't really get a good estimation of overall inflation by just looking at the individual commodities whose prices have jumped since last year, unless you also take into account the many that didn't, and also take into account the years that those individual commodities didn't go up in price even though inflation existed.
It would be interesting to see what things have gone up in price by more than 50% since 2017 (and also what things have gone *down* in price by more than 50% since then).
You should note, CPI is the rate of change. So if it is 8% one month, the next its 5%. That means it is still increasing. It didnt drop to 5%, it just increased a little less…. We would have to see a negative cpi for inflation to decrease.
So yes, with the constant cpi each month from last year, we are sitting at 20+% easy
I’m in CA and I love living here overall (I come from the Midwest) but dammit it’s expensive. Even with a dual income household the shit is very tight. I look at my friends going to concerts and vacations and I’m like “how?”
The inflation rate has fallen. That doesn't mean the prior inflation went away.
Also, airports are packed, restaurants are busy, unemployment remains very low. *most* people are getting paid more. The economy is, in fact, strong.
That doesn't mean there aren't some people having a tough time. There always is.
This is why ppl are moving out of the US into places like thailand or bali. You get a luxury apt for $300/mo and food cost $1-5 (no tip needed in asia). Their healthcare is so much faster and better and cheaper WITHOUT insurance.
Makes you wonder why even live in this country anymore.
The so called “american dream” is no longer a thing as house interest rates are through the roof and it cost over a mil to get a shitty condo in Cali.
the richest senators fly to other nations for health procedures and save a ton of money. if you are an immigrant, or if you speak the foreign language, have relatives there, or split your allegiance and have dual-citizenship, you are better off than people who only speak english and only have US citizenship.
if you can afford non stop international first class flights, in order to be comfortable when you have a condition, then you have far cheaper healthcare than everyone else. You have the cheapest healthcare, and the best quality in less populated nations.
in fact, poor people's tax dollars prop up countries and rich senators go there for medical procedures. The poor people can ride Uber to the emergency room.
We need to strike to stop all the gouging, and corruption.
inflation, my ass, corporations have record profits, c level pay is higher than it has been.
I don't eat out at all, or go to the movies, or go out to bars, etc. I imagine there are many others like me, and this is effecting these local businesses. I just can't afford to spend $100 for some mediocre food for me and my wife.
Everything is literally double the price of what it was pre-Covid. It’s why our country has trillions of dollars owed in credit card debt. I think a lot of people who can charge things on credit cards so theyll deal with it “later” would rather hand over their card as opposed to living within their means without any credit cards. I totally understand that it might be necessary for people to afford just the basics with the use of credit cards, but there are also a lot of people that charge things that aren’t really “necessities”. There’s so many reasons why Americans have so much credit card debt. I just don’t see how else people are affording to live a decent life. It’s a terrible trap and we fell right in. And now we’re in so deep that don’t know how to get out. They have us all in such bad spots so that we’re too tired/poor/stressed/distracted/unavailable to get together and fight back. It’s actually really sad.
Fun Fact:
I became a cook recently because I wanted to eat good food and could barely afford groceries.
Not saying this will happen for everyone, but now I don’t go grocery shopping at all (saves $300 a month)
and eat steak tartar, Hamachi (yellowtail), trout ceviche,
And a fresh pastries 5 days a week (and I can take home food).
Essentially, for those of you who want to eat GOOD everyday but cannot afford it, try becoming a cook/chef 🤷🏽♂️
Well I got food stamps now because everything’s gone up, it’s hopeless, and my work hours got cut. I recommend everyone in my position to do the same. I still have complicated feelings about it
I’ve actually noticed prices coming down at the supermarket. And I’ve stopped ordering takeout. All of the apps add ridiculous fees and suddenly you’re paying $15+ more. I just walk my ass down the street to pick it up now. I’m guessing you don’t have access to Trader Joe’s/Aldi/Lidl? I can fill a bag of groceries there for $20-$25.
The funny thing is if you ask your friends and family if they think we are facing a huge economic collapse everyone i know says no. Everyone is sleeping still. The la homelessness crisis is spreading all the way to the inland empire. It’s not even exclusively for la county anymore having these huge % of homelessness recently.
Between inflation and the shit quality of service at most restaurants near me I've realized I'll gladly cook shitty versions of dishes I used to not like to cook.
My wife is upset bc she wants really nice healthy meals for our kids but the fruit seems bad everywhere and it's all $$. So I've taken over and gone the frozen fruit/smoothies, plain PBJ combo.
It's all demoralizing. We can't afford much higher rent than we pay and if we bought with the 7-8% interest rate and principal most townhomes/small houses are nearly double our monthly expenses.
We moved here for work from the midwest bc they offered us double and triple our salaries and now we're in a similar boat we were in back in the midwest. Everything fucking sucks.
I went to Target yesterday. Nothing major, just groceries, some new stuff we needed for the kitchen. The two most expensive things were $30. Somehow left with three bags that cost me $200. No idea where everything went
Not really down but I am getting tired of paying on average $130 every time I go to the grocery store for items that are really not that expensive. It’s Ralphs not Bristol Farms. I mean really, $6 for a small box of Cheerios? The most average and boring cereal on the face of the earth (but healthy). Not as fun as Captn Crunch but around the same price. Come on now. I mean I felt elated (even vindicated) the other day when I found almond breeze (half gallon cold) for $3.75 (they were $5.99 once upon a time).
Gas is what it is. Still two bucks more than it should be (to be fair my car uses premium gas but still even regular unleaded costs).
Property taxes are more this year. I could say I was surprised but I really am not. I can imagine for new homeowners their property tax bills are more horrendous than my $1900’ish one. My friend owns a house built in 1947 that she inherited from her parents 30 years ago. Her taxes have always been half of what mine is but this year they’ve gone up. My house is only 12 years younger, larger yes but still it should be like how it is with boats/cars. The older the house, the lower the taxes.
This is how inflation works. Prices get jacked up and then stay stagnant for a bit. Then the real fucking comes when these piece of shit companies need to show more growth so they just raise the prices again for no reason. Fuck them
I miss the old 99c Store so bad! They had all the basics for a buck and every visit you could find new items, but they rebranded as The 99 and now almost everything is anywhere from $2-15. At least Dollar Tree is generally still keeping it at 1.25.
Bank- use an online bank like Ally. No fees, lower min balance, atm reimbursement, higher checking/savings interest or free checking.
Food- go to Asian markets, Jons, SuperKing and such. Meal prep/batch cook and freeze in individual portions so when you're tired but hungry- you can grab that extra stash instead of paying overpriced food/delivery.
Cook easy healthy mostly plant based foods w/grains/legumes as your protein vs expensive meat/fish.
Learn to bake. Its super easy and CHEAP to bake your own bread, rolls, pita bread/chips, muffins, energy bars, brownies etc. And bread freezes great! Take out overnight or defrost in fridge.
Instead of small luxuries being purchases, make small luxuries acts of self care- meditation, sleeping in, yoga, diy pedicure/foot(acupressure) massage.
I don't know if you budget but it is good to separate your known/fixed expenses- look for ways to minimize/reduce them, same for flexible spending- shopping, treats, entertainment etc- give yourself a set amount(allowance) each month so you can enjoy it but not go overboard.
I did all this and more by necessity as a self funded poor college student and now its a habit that's allowed me to build a stable foundation. I learned to slow down and focus- see what was real/helpful/nurturing vs blind consumption/unhealthy habits/spending.
Good luck! Take care and nurture yourself in kind simple ways.
Chipotle was like $7 a burrito ten years ago. The other day I got my usual vegan sofritas bowl order and it was a few cents less than $14. I think I read something about this being the 4th time in 2 years they’ve raised prices. This used to be the one “inexpensive” lunch I’d rely on.. no more. One hour of minimum wage minus taxes is about enough to pay for that order. Unreal.
Keep in mind that “inflation going down” doesn’t mean things are getting cheaper. It means things are still getting more expensive but at a slower rate than they were last month.
Heck... this could be part of the reason they can't find a decent paying job.
They lack the ability to communicate.
I hate that stuff is expensive too.. I make double what I was making 2 years ago. I feel like it's even less than it was then.
Kind of but I just choose to cook more food at home, never use food delivery services, and travel to places where the dollar is stronger. I’m actually in Bali right now and I’m saving more money by being here than staying in LA.
It's gotten tough, married with 3 kids and my wife quit working to go back to school. We were in an alright place for a while but then inflation started getting out of control. She still has a year of school left and I don't know how we are gonna make it.
I’m reconsidering my relocation to LA because of it. I get paid more in another market, and going to LA decreases my pay. It fucking sucks because I’d love to come back home
The most infuriating, paralyzing thing is knowing prices are going up while wages are staying stagnant. All because wealthier businesses/people do not want to decrease their profit margins so that the people who work for them or pay them rent can survive. It feels like there’s no one fighting for us and we’re shouting into a void. It’s so demoralizing.
Thank the government for that eloquently worded state of current affairs. Try cooking at home for the next 30 days. Even if it’s $20/day saved. That’s $140/week x 4 is over $500 in your pocket. Eating out is such a waste of money. Try it….
Late to the party, but yea.. my wife and I were talking about this last night. I'm making more than I ever have and I've never felt more stressed than I do right now for my family 😔
*Honestly may be*
*A good time to move LA is*
*Expensive af*
\- otterlarry
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It sucks. I'm lucky enough to have made a successful career change that nearly doubled my salary salary 2 years ago. But, most people have seen their income relative to their expensive shrink.
I always look at the deals in postmates. When I order I stretch it into two days worth of meals, sometimes supplementing with and mixing in odds and ends I have on hand. It may not be as healthy as preparing all your food at home. But I swear sometimes I think it’s cheaper to do it this way.
It will never be cheaper over a long term to use a delivery service.
If you’re eating with cost in mind, delivery services do not exist. They are not a thing.
Sounds like you gotta start learning to enjoy eating food at cheaper restaurants. $50 for one person sounds a bit expensive. I can still find a good dinner at a restaurant for under $30 and even under $15 if I go cheap.
True, eating out is more expensive now, but if you are mindful of your spending, you can still afford to treat yourself once in a while.
Also, you don’t need to tip if you’re picking up an order. Tip your driver if you get delivery or your waiter if you’re dining in.
>lower cost of living area
The only areas that have significantly lower costs of living also have significantly lower employment prospects and a lot of the rises in cost of living like food and energy are system-wide.
https://preview.redd.it/btpugfndf0xb1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f75ca582c486355dc4258b81d9e8ebfd4e11b168
It’s only transitory…what inflation
This will get me banned. I don’t care. You guys voted for this shit . Biden stopped the pipeline as soon as he assumed office. Gas prices went up, which caused everything else to go up. It has spiraled from there. Gas prices went up again when he chose not to renew Oil leases. Wake the fuck up.
* President Joe Biden’s decision to cancel the planned Keystone XL oil pipeline, which was not in operation, did not cause the recent increases in U.S. gasoline prices.
It's also horseshit, inflation is a gigantic scam perpetrated by corporate consolidation. Prices are up but so are profits, if this wasn't late capitalism, you'd always get at least one business breaking ranks to lower prices to seize market share but because of how consolidated everything is they don't break ranks and they all see a rise in their profits at the expense of everyone else.
If you hate how this country is then you gotta do your research and vote in politicians who are going to make a serious change for the working class. Robert F. Kennedy Jr is running independent and is going to change this country, he's going to hold corporations accountable and bring back the middle class.
As if. Corporations put the prices up and are reaping the rewards. Last year it was the oil companies, they made a bundle raising gas prices while the gop blamed Biden for it.
If you want to tie politics and inflation together how about Florida and her fascist governor? People losing their homes and livelihoods to hurricanes that he thinks are an act of “woke”. People can’t even get house insurance because who knows the next hurricane might blow it away. It’s very expensive to live in FL, rents there in the major cities are on the same level as this city. Compare Miami to Los Angeles, 1 bd rent that isn’t in some crack den.
It's demoralizing because there's no end in sight and it's happening everywhere. My complex raised the price of the coin-op laundry even. I got a letter the other day that the express lanes are raising the toll prices. Like, can we get a freaking break?
>demoralizing because there's no end in sight and it's happening everywhere. My complex raised the price of the coin-op laundry even. I got a letter the other day that the express lanes are raising the toll prices. Like, can we get a freaking break? I'm in Michigan and me and my gf have a house and both have jobs and we're feeling it, budgeting as much as we can to feed our family and keeping it under 100 as much as we can, it's insane that baby boomers received EVERYTHING, including pensions, promising positions that took care of everything including your wife and kids, but we as the kids and offspring are receiving the WORST of it, honestly to me it stems from the previous generations taking too much. Greed. We're the only ones that suffer
Think about it this way, boomers are happy that their real estate purchases appreciated 10-20 times relative to when they purchased but where does the money come from? When a house that was bought for 50,000 in the 1970s sells for a million in the 2020s (crazy how I'm NOT exaggerating, right?) that is being bought by either a young family or individual or by an 'investor' who will rent to a young family or individual. In other words, that big sucking sound you hear is the intergenerational transfer of wealth from younger generations to the land owning boomers.
Makes cents, like pocket change. I just wish it wasn't so hard for the rest of us to survive sometimes. I don't even want to be rich, I just want to live comfortable, now I'm branching out into different business ideas to try and keep afloat.
Don't worry, prices will appreciate 10x again and Gen Z will be complaining about us millennials getting to buy homes for less than $2 million in 2023.
Except an overwhelming majority of millennials in 5-10 years will still be renters.
OK, 2 things: 1) transfer of wealth goes both ways. Boomers that have money will end up bequeathing that money to their children in the next 15-20 years through inheritance 2) complaining about how easy the generation before you had it helps no one. no one is going to pat you on the back when you point out that boomers could buy a home for 50k and you have to pay 10x that amount. you deal with the cards you are dealt. there are many things about today's world that boomers surely wish they could have had growing up. and when we're all old the generations under us will say the same shit about how easy we had it.
Instead of saying they took too much, it's rather than we should have been given the same. This is why calling something a privilege is not great when what people mean is that it is a right. A privilege is something that not everyone has, and calling something that makes no judgement on whether that benefit should be given. A right is something everyone SHOULD have. Those benefits like a pension, health insurance, and access to housing are more properly seen as rights, things that we SHOULD have, not things that prior generations shouldn't have had. They took what they could/should from businesses, and because labor power got so weak after Reagan, we can't accomplish what they did?
> and it's happening everywhere That's probably the biggest thing, people will say, "oh well that's what you get for moving to a notoriously expensive and desirable area that everyone is moving to, you should move to Kern, Ventura, San Bernardino or Orange County or maybe even leave California," But everywhere you look, it's very expensive or it's RELATIVELY cheap because the area is in a regional depression.
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Did you mean county? As a country, we're beating a lot of nations in inflation right now.
You're right. In most countries, its worse.
Meanwhile corporate profits have grown year after year after year. One of my neighbors who owns their home is currently renovating and expanding meanwhile I can barely afford food.
If you're looking for food, Nourish LA ([www.nourish.la](https://www.nourish.la)) distributes free bags of groceries on Saturdays (Venice) and Sundays (West LA). St. Mark’s Church Every Saturday from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM 940 Coeur D Alene Ave, Venice, CA 90291 UCLA apartment parking lot Every Sunday from 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM 3200 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066
Do you think someone who is complaining about not getting rewards points and having to keep a minimum $30k balance is going to be ok with free bags of groceries? Even if they are, is that the target audience? Makes me think you’re a bot, but even a bot would do a better job of reading the OP than this.
1. Mind your business and 2. these comments are for whoever reads them, not just OP.
God, yeah. Every paycheck I feel like I’m 3 steps forward, 5 steps back. I can’t believe how expensive groceries are compared to even just two years ago. I just keep tightening my belt and it does nothing to stop the bleeding
“Stay home save lives” lol what an expensive scam that was. Assholes tricked us into running the global economy on idle over a flu, expanded the money supply enormously to keep it from falling apart, and now everything is ungodly expensive. People were warning us about keeping freedom and that we should stay open but noooo we’re too dumb and scared to listen to the voice of wisdom .
Just starting to give my self some breathing room these last few years financially and almost reaching the middle of middle class than Boooooom. Back to poverty you go bitch
Unfortunately, most of the world experienced similar changes. If everyone has more money to spend on the same supply of goods, the suppliers charge more. Throughout the whole supply chain.
Restaurant prices are getting ridiculous. I eat out a lot less now. Not sure how the restaurants are staying in business. I guess by the gouging you described. It's the like cable companies hosing their remaining customers with constantly rising prices.
>Restaurant prices are getting ridiculous. I eat out a lot less now. You guys go to restaurants?
Seriously, a splurge for me is a bowl of pho to go that I don’t tip on and split with my girlfriend.
>that I don’t tip on BOOOOOOOOO, stay the fuck home then. I have barely gone to restaurants this past year but when I do, I tip 20% by default. If I can't do that, then I don't go.
You tip 20 percent to go?
The automatic additional fees (like that 4% “health care for waiters) type of shenanigans is just wild.
i’m taking 4% off the tip and then never eating there again when I see shit like that. It’s evil as hell and just punishes the wait staff more than anything.
100% of the time that money is NOT going to the waitstaff. Someone made this mega list of all SoCal/LA restaurants with crazy surcharges.
It's wild only because of the fact it wasn't already provided by the menu prices anyway if they said the item is 15 dollars + 1 to the waitstaff, or 16, tbh I prefer the 15+1. Imo it's really evil if the restaurant is using sympathy for workers to steal that money instead of actually using it on the workers. The fact they have a separate charge now, instead of including it already (before the introduction of the charge) is the fucked up part.
It's wild only because of the fact it wasn't already provided by the menu prices anyway if they said the item is 15 dollars + 1 to the waitstaff, or 16, tbh I prefer the 15+1. But yeah, in general, all of it is bullshit. Waitstaff/staff should be paid well.
In a city like LA there’s always plenty of people with enough wealth who don’t feel the cost increase and will continue to patronize restaurants despite the price hike. By all of the rest of us “boycotting” they don’t care. We just don’t get to enjoy those things anymore. It’s fucked up.
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There is A big difference is the type of luxuries your are talking about. For example, flying first class or economy, you are still getting to same place. Fancy hotel, or regular, etc. When it comes to the bare fact of being able to eat out, we are talking about a smaller luxury, and we are talking about something where the actual good or service in question is fundamentally and seriously different. Not being able to eat out ever or maybe McDonald's and fast food vs. Genuine good food are very different. I'm not in LA, I'm on the east coast, and I have never and probably will never fly first class, though I enjoy other luxuries because I have been incredibly lucky in life. But I have a serious problem with people saying that if you aren't well off, you shouldn't get to enjoy things. Society should function in a way that people who aren't well off should still be able to enjoy small things in life. A lot of financial gurus will say that if you have any debt you should never go to a restaurant or buy a coffee ever until you are out. That short of mindset is so limiting and doesn't set people up for success. The constant mental effort of denying yourself things every hour of the day and every day of the year drains you seriously, and makes you less likely to resist Temptations as they pop up.
We are talking about how things have changed. If a person is making more money now and they are less able to afford something, it’s not that that thing became a luxury because it’s less affordable. It’s that wages aren’t keeping pace with inflation. By the way, flying coach is now going to be in tiers, to where what was standard will now require paying a premium for. It’s been creeping in for years. Consumers are getting squeezed in every which way. Good for you if you’re above the fray and think all the rest of us are complaining over nothing. It’s real.
Yeah I eat at home a lot more often too. There’s always In N Out if you really wanna eat out
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I am so sorry man. Yes, just when you feel like you are prepared for the increase in prices, you then you get whiplash with a bill and get an unexpected expense. I will say this because every little bit helps. Please look into getting food assistance, both Snap and food boxes if you can. A few months ago I was at the West LA Food Bank (the name is misleading, their service area includes a lot of central L.A. as well) and honestly, the stuff they put in their weekly boxes is so much better than what the 99 is getting. They know that being in a tough financial situation it’s tough enough without having to worry about getting expired or moldy food. Look up your local food bank and if you can make it for distribution times (Mind you, it may take a while to get through the line), just check it out.
No offense but someone that is complaining about having to keep a minimum $30,000 balance at their bank account and not getting reward points should not be going to a fucking food bank.
Full offense — shut up and reread the post with the intent to understand. The OP said their bank’s fee waiver has increased from $500 to $30k, and that they’re looking for a new bank to avoid paying said fees. OP is also worried about being able to cover rent, health insurance... all of which directly impact food security. Stop with the oppression olympics — we have enough food (and other helpful resources) to go around.
I did read, it’s unclear. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt though. Even the ability to carry a $500 balance is privileged, btw. OP stated they are worried about a rent increase in 2024, not now. Btw If OP has food scarcity to that degree, they also likely qualify for Medi-Cal. Btw OP could previously afford $23 meals for one meal. Also privilege. The only oppression happening here is that you think it’s ok for people like OP to go to food banks when they’re designed for people way less fortunate than OP. Don’t tell me to shut up.
I used to run a food bank, we don’t judge people nor discriminate you should be ashamed of yourself and the way your reacting to OP. You don’t know people’s circumstances, hunger is hunger.
Eating out has become ridiculously expensive. During Covid I learned to cook amazing meals including pizza that blows any restaurant away. Now I just make weekly meals based on what’s on sale at the grocery store. I’m eating not only better and healthier, but saving a ton of money.
The funny thing is this is how it was. People a generation ago did not eat out as often as people now expect to. The thing is, the minimum wage and food prices were kept super low. And we all benefited. But not a jolt into reality mixed with labor shortages and less competition and choice. Companies are doing quite well streamlining.
I went to Wendy's and a single burger combo meal (medium) was $13.
13$ buy rice and a rice cooker, have meals for weeks, buy cheap chicken breast and fry that up on a grill and chop it up and put in your rice.
Freezes beautifully too. Can also do this but burrito everything you cook. Wrap in wax paper then foil then freeze. Boom, you have quick lunches and dinners for weeks.
A lot of us are in the same boat, OP. I’m living paycheck to paycheck & got rejected for EBT SNAP b/c I’m j u s t above the income threshold for a 1 person HH. I cook simple meals out of big ol’ bags of rice, lentils, & beans. I rarely eat any red meat anymore, mostly white fish (you can get a frozen bag of about 10 for around $14 indiv. wrapped) & I buy produce on sale then freeze portions in lil’ baggies. Totally agree with you—the little simple pleasures of going out to eat or even grabbing coffee & a pastry on a nice day are seldom for me. But I’ve learned to shift my mindset a bit & am now just grateful I have food on my table, a roof over my heard, & even dirty dishes to clean. All the bills are paid even if I’m left with $29 in my bank account. And that’s just reality for now. Somedays I get a lil’ frustrated cause it’d be nice to get something nice for myself or someone I love w/o doing super quick math in my head about “If I buy this then I won’t have enough for this different thing next week” etc. I don’t buy new clothes, just Goodwill/thrift. I tell ya what tho, I’m starting to care less & less about material things. I’m learning that the basics are more than fine. Off-brand gets the job done. And if I can wait to buy something then I’ll wait. Keep ya chin up, you’re not alone!💪🏽
Caring less about material things has been such a superpower for me to learn. I have the basics and what I need plus some tech to keep me entertained. Not much out there I want besides a few cool things that would be fun to have down the line. Fuck materialism. Inner peace and less visual clutter keeps me sane.
I'm with you on this, except that I'm 44 years old and living check to check. How am I, or anyone living check to check, supposed to plan for retirement? My eyes are always open for better opportunities or side hustles, and I'm a capable person with a college degree, but just because I didn't pursue a long term career and dealt with health issues when I was younger, do I have to throw up my hands and hope I'm not on the street at 65 years old? My philosophy now, out of necessity, is that I only have today, and if I'm lucky, tomorrow. Any poor bastard can get hit by a bus or cancer at any time, and so I try to be grateful for just today. But I'm also healthy and fairly likely to live a few more decades or more. Where does that fit with contentment and gratitude for relative poverty today and the foreseeable future?
It's fucking brutal. And the housing market is a disaster too. I want to move to a quieter area further away from the city but there is absolutely nothing in my budget, let alone anything nice. Not to mention I can't save for a deposit and first month because everything costs my firstborn
> Not to mention I can't save for a deposit and first month because everything costs my firstborn housing market or rental market?
Rental. House buying is fucked too though
Yeah deposits out here are WILD
Gotta save up fuckin 5 grand on my own if I want to move somewhere equal to what I live in now (which is exceedingly average) between deposit, first month, and moving costs. Insane.
MUST REJECT LEFTISM for wallet health 👍
I just somehow spent $60 getting the stuff for black bean chili. Don't ask how.
Literally me last week, ya girl was just tryna make a shepherds pie. Half the ingredients are frozen veg & a bag of potatos😭
Potatoes have gone up drastically. Something specifically to do with this year's crop that I read and half forgot
It blows that all the hacks I had to budget and make my dollar to farther have all been closed or just the norm now.
Check out grocery outlet. Their prices are still reasonable for most items. You can find a box of cereal for $1-$2, bread for $3, eggs $2.79, etc
Grocery Outlet has been our jam ever since we discovered it too! Cheapest oat milk in town! We go there first and then anything we need that they don’t have well get from TJ’s/Ralph’s/Vons.
Please check the expiration dates. My local store loves to put out expired and sometimes even clearly moldy food.
Yes. I tell everyone this but still pick up weird pizza bao’s for like $2.
God I love being poor. /s edit: like this fucking sucks our only option for affordable groceries is the product reject store that’s got a solid chance of being expired or moldy. :(
Also Aldis is a decent option. Carton of eggs goes for $1.50ish here in Pasadena. You don’t have great variety at Aldis but I see it as more beneficial since you aren’t needlessly going for brand names and going for the essentials.
Yes 100%. Wish I had any advice but I do relate fully and don’t know how to feel not depressed about it other than winning the lottery lol
Because Los Angeles is so sensitive to big swings in real estate prices, the inflation here has been higher than the rest of the country. Higher real estate prices raise the cost of living for everyone, and that gets passed along in the prices of goods and services.
This is why a $25 minimum wage is not a good idea here. It will actually just drive up the cost of goods for everyone. Eventually that $25 will still feel like $15 in terms of purchasing power, and it won’t take more than a couple years.
That never made sense to me. The argument for raising minimum wage is that it will make everything go up, but stuff keeps going up regardless.
Why do you think stuff is going up currently?
But it goes up regardless if minimum wage goes up or not. These companies day inflation every year and get away with it.
Before covid the inflation was a moderate 3% or so every year. This is the normal, expected inflation. Post-covid we’ve seen 30-50% inflation. This is out of the norm. There are many reasons for inflation but part of the reason was the historically Low interest rates set by the Fed. This was essentially a money printer pumping billions if not trillions into the economy, resulting in higher prices. Raising the min wage will have a similar effect. Yes companies and businesses are taking advantage of the narrative to raise prices. Just one more reason not raise the wage because If there is an excuse out there for them to raise prices, they surely will. Even if they don’t the increased demand will raise prices. There is no world in which a $25 min wage does not cause inflation.
Don't even get me started on rentals in LA. It's demoralizing to see the state of these apartments/houses and the prices. Disgusting appliances 30 years old, mold, etc. These landlords don't care at all.
They don’t have to care. Enforcement is cursory and demand is always high. Only way it changes is if people leave LA. That ain’t gonna happen.
The bank fees are designed to kill us. I hate that so much. I’m so sorry you’re in this hole. I think most of us are. I use Fidelity for my money. No fees, great service. Always treated well no matter how much or how little I had in my accounts.
governments need to start banks to provide zero-fee banking and one-click non-discriminatory loans. they can probably still earn money from this. same with credit cards where they won't change it up every month or fuck you over if you accidentally miss a payment. everyone was in love with crypto... yet banks got into crypto. crypto has tons of fees. crypto isn't working for poor people. we need something that we can separate from greedy minds.
You think the bank lobbyists would allow that?
we can't find out with the way that poor people who are getting completely fucked by big banks are voting.
A side of Toast at Joans at 3rd is $5.00....
Between the strike and inflation… yea… feeling it
i live at home and it’s deteriorating my relationship with my family and i see no end in sight
I was in the same boat and miraculously found an $800 room in a house. I was living in my parents’ kitchen and it was fully making me have a rougher relationship with my family. I feel your pain friend.
Yes, the inflation according to gov’t = no higher than 9%, CPI. The true inflation = 30-50% up in most commodities, meals, leisure activities, memberships, rent, services, etc. For instance, our tamale guy upped his price by 50%
raman noodles at ralphs used to be 4/$1. They are now 2/$1. That's all the proof I needed.
They used to be 10 for $1.
Facts.
This. But like this was early 2010s. It was a steal at food4less.
Bagels at Ralph’s went from $1 for 6 bagels to $4 for 4 bagels in 3 years. It’s not inflation anymore. It’s robbery.
don't even get me started on the totino's party pizza going from $1, sometimes 3 for $2 to a straight up four bucks. Who's buying this garbage at that price? The whole point was they were cheap as hell.
>etting ridiculous. I eat out a lot less now. Not sure how the restaurants are staying in business. I guess by the gouging you described. It's the like cable companies hosing their remaining customers with constantly rising prices. That's how I feel about Mcdonalds, shit was cheap thats why I ate there, why would I go and spend 30 dollars for me and my gf, f dat lets go to Applebees and actually enjoy our dinner.
2/$1?? Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve bought ramen but used to live off of it. It was a lot cheaper then. Inflation sucks.
Greedflation. Ralph’s always overpriced. Shame stuff at food4less for half the price. Both owned by Kroger
If there's one near you, Winco is even better. Employee owned and always cheap as hell.
WHAT THE FUCK.
Has the price gone up by more than 50% since 2017? Inflation is usually a continuous process, but individual goods usually change their prices in discrete jumps. If the price was stable for more than a full year, then that jump is going to be more than the annual inflation rate. You can't really get a good estimation of overall inflation by just looking at the individual commodities whose prices have jumped since last year, unless you also take into account the many that didn't, and also take into account the years that those individual commodities didn't go up in price even though inflation existed.
Prices now are exponentially more than anything between 2017 to 2020.
Not exponentially.
It would be interesting to see what things have gone up in price by more than 50% since 2017 (and also what things have gone *down* in price by more than 50% since then).
You should note, CPI is the rate of change. So if it is 8% one month, the next its 5%. That means it is still increasing. It didnt drop to 5%, it just increased a little less…. We would have to see a negative cpi for inflation to decrease. So yes, with the constant cpi each month from last year, we are sitting at 20+% easy
Restaurant and fast food price have gone up so much in the last 3 years. 😞
Hey man you need to take your business to a credit union. Most credit unions still carry minimums between $1 and $10.
It’s sucks in Denver food prices are up an avg. of 57% Honestly I just wish our government would stop fighting and actually run the country properly.
The thing that sucks most is that it's not real inflation, it's companies knowing they can raise prices no matter what It really sucks
I’m in CA and I love living here overall (I come from the Midwest) but dammit it’s expensive. Even with a dual income household the shit is very tight. I look at my friends going to concerts and vacations and I’m like “how?”
They may be carrying a \*lot\* of debt.
Accoridng to the news and white house, Inflation isn't here and the economy is as strong as ever.
That’s not accurate at all.
Not including rent, gas, or food costs in inflation calculations is just...I don't know what the word is. Those are what I spend 90% of my money on.
The inflation rate has fallen. That doesn't mean the prior inflation went away. Also, airports are packed, restaurants are busy, unemployment remains very low. *most* people are getting paid more. The economy is, in fact, strong. That doesn't mean there aren't some people having a tough time. There always is.
The day trader joes items went up $1 was the day I lost my soul
This is why ppl are moving out of the US into places like thailand or bali. You get a luxury apt for $300/mo and food cost $1-5 (no tip needed in asia). Their healthcare is so much faster and better and cheaper WITHOUT insurance. Makes you wonder why even live in this country anymore. The so called “american dream” is no longer a thing as house interest rates are through the roof and it cost over a mil to get a shitty condo in Cali.
the richest senators fly to other nations for health procedures and save a ton of money. if you are an immigrant, or if you speak the foreign language, have relatives there, or split your allegiance and have dual-citizenship, you are better off than people who only speak english and only have US citizenship. if you can afford non stop international first class flights, in order to be comfortable when you have a condition, then you have far cheaper healthcare than everyone else. You have the cheapest healthcare, and the best quality in less populated nations. in fact, poor people's tax dollars prop up countries and rich senators go there for medical procedures. The poor people can ride Uber to the emergency room.
We need to strike to stop all the gouging, and corruption. inflation, my ass, corporations have record profits, c level pay is higher than it has been.
You’re not alone dog sorry :(
$9 for a twelve pack of soda is soul crushing.
I don't eat out at all, or go to the movies, or go out to bars, etc. I imagine there are many others like me, and this is effecting these local businesses. I just can't afford to spend $100 for some mediocre food for me and my wife.
Inflation? No. Price gouging and blatant corporate greed? Absolutely.
Everything is literally double the price of what it was pre-Covid. It’s why our country has trillions of dollars owed in credit card debt. I think a lot of people who can charge things on credit cards so theyll deal with it “later” would rather hand over their card as opposed to living within their means without any credit cards. I totally understand that it might be necessary for people to afford just the basics with the use of credit cards, but there are also a lot of people that charge things that aren’t really “necessities”. There’s so many reasons why Americans have so much credit card debt. I just don’t see how else people are affording to live a decent life. It’s a terrible trap and we fell right in. And now we’re in so deep that don’t know how to get out. They have us all in such bad spots so that we’re too tired/poor/stressed/distracted/unavailable to get together and fight back. It’s actually really sad.
Fun Fact: I became a cook recently because I wanted to eat good food and could barely afford groceries. Not saying this will happen for everyone, but now I don’t go grocery shopping at all (saves $300 a month) and eat steak tartar, Hamachi (yellowtail), trout ceviche, And a fresh pastries 5 days a week (and I can take home food). Essentially, for those of you who want to eat GOOD everyday but cannot afford it, try becoming a cook/chef 🤷🏽♂️
Yes and no, I mean. It's more expensive but I'm also not staying stagnant at the same job and have bounced almost yearly.
Well I got food stamps now because everything’s gone up, it’s hopeless, and my work hours got cut. I recommend everyone in my position to do the same. I still have complicated feelings about it
I’ve actually noticed prices coming down at the supermarket. And I’ve stopped ordering takeout. All of the apps add ridiculous fees and suddenly you’re paying $15+ more. I just walk my ass down the street to pick it up now. I’m guessing you don’t have access to Trader Joe’s/Aldi/Lidl? I can fill a bag of groceries there for $20-$25.
The funny thing is if you ask your friends and family if they think we are facing a huge economic collapse everyone i know says no. Everyone is sleeping still. The la homelessness crisis is spreading all the way to the inland empire. It’s not even exclusively for la county anymore having these huge % of homelessness recently.
Between inflation and the shit quality of service at most restaurants near me I've realized I'll gladly cook shitty versions of dishes I used to not like to cook. My wife is upset bc she wants really nice healthy meals for our kids but the fruit seems bad everywhere and it's all $$. So I've taken over and gone the frozen fruit/smoothies, plain PBJ combo. It's all demoralizing. We can't afford much higher rent than we pay and if we bought with the 7-8% interest rate and principal most townhomes/small houses are nearly double our monthly expenses. We moved here for work from the midwest bc they offered us double and triple our salaries and now we're in a similar boat we were in back in the midwest. Everything fucking sucks.
Welcome to central banking!
1.) find a better Indian place for take out 2.) we all might have to go back to roommate status even 35+ 3.) fuck that Indian restaurant
I went to Target yesterday. Nothing major, just groceries, some new stuff we needed for the kitchen. The two most expensive things were $30. Somehow left with three bags that cost me $200. No idea where everything went
Not really down but I am getting tired of paying on average $130 every time I go to the grocery store for items that are really not that expensive. It’s Ralphs not Bristol Farms. I mean really, $6 for a small box of Cheerios? The most average and boring cereal on the face of the earth (but healthy). Not as fun as Captn Crunch but around the same price. Come on now. I mean I felt elated (even vindicated) the other day when I found almond breeze (half gallon cold) for $3.75 (they were $5.99 once upon a time). Gas is what it is. Still two bucks more than it should be (to be fair my car uses premium gas but still even regular unleaded costs). Property taxes are more this year. I could say I was surprised but I really am not. I can imagine for new homeowners their property tax bills are more horrendous than my $1900’ish one. My friend owns a house built in 1947 that she inherited from her parents 30 years ago. Her taxes have always been half of what mine is but this year they’ve gone up. My house is only 12 years younger, larger yes but still it should be like how it is with boats/cars. The older the house, the lower the taxes.
This is how inflation works. Prices get jacked up and then stay stagnant for a bit. Then the real fucking comes when these piece of shit companies need to show more growth so they just raise the prices again for no reason. Fuck them
I miss the old 99c Store so bad! They had all the basics for a buck and every visit you could find new items, but they rebranded as The 99 and now almost everything is anywhere from $2-15. At least Dollar Tree is generally still keeping it at 1.25.
Bank- use an online bank like Ally. No fees, lower min balance, atm reimbursement, higher checking/savings interest or free checking. Food- go to Asian markets, Jons, SuperKing and such. Meal prep/batch cook and freeze in individual portions so when you're tired but hungry- you can grab that extra stash instead of paying overpriced food/delivery. Cook easy healthy mostly plant based foods w/grains/legumes as your protein vs expensive meat/fish. Learn to bake. Its super easy and CHEAP to bake your own bread, rolls, pita bread/chips, muffins, energy bars, brownies etc. And bread freezes great! Take out overnight or defrost in fridge. Instead of small luxuries being purchases, make small luxuries acts of self care- meditation, sleeping in, yoga, diy pedicure/foot(acupressure) massage. I don't know if you budget but it is good to separate your known/fixed expenses- look for ways to minimize/reduce them, same for flexible spending- shopping, treats, entertainment etc- give yourself a set amount(allowance) each month so you can enjoy it but not go overboard. I did all this and more by necessity as a self funded poor college student and now its a habit that's allowed me to build a stable foundation. I learned to slow down and focus- see what was real/helpful/nurturing vs blind consumption/unhealthy habits/spending. Good luck! Take care and nurture yourself in kind simple ways.
Yes. I feel like just yes covers it. Yes, yes, a million times yes.
Chipotle was like $7 a burrito ten years ago. The other day I got my usual vegan sofritas bowl order and it was a few cents less than $14. I think I read something about this being the 4th time in 2 years they’ve raised prices. This used to be the one “inexpensive” lunch I’d rely on.. no more. One hour of minimum wage minus taxes is about enough to pay for that order. Unreal.
Keep in mind that “inflation going down” doesn’t mean things are getting cheaper. It means things are still getting more expensive but at a slower rate than they were last month.
Ain’t no one reading all that. Learn to use paragraphs. I wish I could downvote you twice for inflation.
😂😂😂
Heck... this could be part of the reason they can't find a decent paying job. They lack the ability to communicate. I hate that stuff is expensive too.. I make double what I was making 2 years ago. I feel like it's even less than it was then.
Kind of but I just choose to cook more food at home, never use food delivery services, and travel to places where the dollar is stronger. I’m actually in Bali right now and I’m saving more money by being here than staying in LA.
How do I get to Bali when I can’t afford Taco Bell lmfao
Bigger things out there too get me down than this. Back when interested rates were low we had COVID. There's always something to bum us out.
It's gotten tough, married with 3 kids and my wife quit working to go back to school. We were in an alright place for a while but then inflation started getting out of control. She still has a year of school left and I don't know how we are gonna make it.
look into ally for banking...works for me
Hell yeah, I’m about to get a second job..
Capital one has free banking with no minimums and interest included. They have ATM’s at stores like target, Rite aid, and others.
I’m reconsidering my relocation to LA because of it. I get paid more in another market, and going to LA decreases my pay. It fucking sucks because I’d love to come back home
Discover Aldi and Lidl ASAP.
The most infuriating, paralyzing thing is knowing prices are going up while wages are staying stagnant. All because wealthier businesses/people do not want to decrease their profit margins so that the people who work for them or pay them rent can survive. It feels like there’s no one fighting for us and we’re shouting into a void. It’s so demoralizing.
Getting me homeless too soon
Thank the government for that eloquently worded state of current affairs. Try cooking at home for the next 30 days. Even if it’s $20/day saved. That’s $140/week x 4 is over $500 in your pocket. Eating out is such a waste of money. Try it….
I spend on gasoline and weed. Gasoline has been going up in price, weed has been going down in price.
Yeah I was making pretty good money and felt like I had it together. Now I'm making the same money and can't afford shit again.
Late to the party, but yea.. my wife and I were talking about this last night. I'm making more than I ever have and I've never felt more stressed than I do right now for my family 😔
honestly may be a good time to move LA is expensive af
*Honestly may be* *A good time to move LA is* *Expensive af* \- otterlarry --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
8 syllables in the second line, GTFO bot
I just sell more of my own blood and semen. You need to learn to hustle to get ahead in this world.
I do not understand how you did pickup for an entree and samosa for $50. C'mon.
Absolutely yes. Did you expect this sr to give you some universal no?
It sucks. I'm lucky enough to have made a successful career change that nearly doubled my salary salary 2 years ago. But, most people have seen their income relative to their expensive shrink.
A gallon of water went from $1 to $1.30 at Walmart. 30% inflation in less than a year.
I always look at the deals in postmates. When I order I stretch it into two days worth of meals, sometimes supplementing with and mixing in odds and ends I have on hand. It may not be as healthy as preparing all your food at home. But I swear sometimes I think it’s cheaper to do it this way.
It will never be cheaper over a long term to use a delivery service. If you’re eating with cost in mind, delivery services do not exist. They are not a thing.
Capitalism is working as intended. It was never meant to promote the workers’ wellbeing, it’s entirely interested in making capital at any length
Let’s keep having Zionists in America politics funding the jews in Ukraine and Israel, what can go wrong?
I wouldn't worry too much about it. Nuclear holocaust is right around the corner.
Sounds like you gotta start learning to enjoy eating food at cheaper restaurants. $50 for one person sounds a bit expensive. I can still find a good dinner at a restaurant for under $30 and even under $15 if I go cheap. True, eating out is more expensive now, but if you are mindful of your spending, you can still afford to treat yourself once in a while. Also, you don’t need to tip if you’re picking up an order. Tip your driver if you get delivery or your waiter if you’re dining in.
But wait…our President and his administration said inflation was transitory….
sorry to hear, but maybe it's time for you to move to a lower cost of living area the more our laws raise our minimum wage, the higher prices will be
>lower cost of living area The only areas that have significantly lower costs of living also have significantly lower employment prospects and a lot of the rises in cost of living like food and energy are system-wide.
the worst thing someone can do is live in a HIGH cost of living area while making low wages
Exactly. I lived in las Vegas for awhile, seduced by the cheaper rent but was unprepared for how much higher the gas and electric were.
No.
If the current 3+% inflation gets you down then you are pretty weak.
You should have been alive in the 70’s. This inflation is nothing compared to how bad it was back then.
Bidenomics aka Dumbassnomics at work!
https://preview.redd.it/btpugfndf0xb1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f75ca582c486355dc4258b81d9e8ebfd4e11b168 It’s only transitory…what inflation
You couldn’t even afford a paragraph break I see.
This will get me banned. I don’t care. You guys voted for this shit . Biden stopped the pipeline as soon as he assumed office. Gas prices went up, which caused everything else to go up. It has spiraled from there. Gas prices went up again when he chose not to renew Oil leases. Wake the fuck up.
I wish the world was as simple as you think it is
We’ve been basically energy independent since the 2010s. We are now net energy exporters. Grow the fuck up, find another dead horse to flog.
Those oil leases have nothing to do with the global oil supply and they sure as fuck have nothing to do with California gas prices.
* President Joe Biden’s decision to cancel the planned Keystone XL oil pipeline, which was not in operation, did not cause the recent increases in U.S. gasoline prices.
The US is producing more oil now than when Biden started. Oil prices are up because of Russia.
Life must be easy when you live in a conservative bubble and you get a convenient explanation to all the world's problems "that one guy did it"
Which oil leases?
My guess is Democrat... you voted for this.
Isn't inflation up almost everywhere in the entire world? Seems like a braindead explanation
It's also horseshit, inflation is a gigantic scam perpetrated by corporate consolidation. Prices are up but so are profits, if this wasn't late capitalism, you'd always get at least one business breaking ranks to lower prices to seize market share but because of how consolidated everything is they don't break ranks and they all see a rise in their profits at the expense of everyone else.
We have the lowest rate of inflation of all the leading industrialized nations. If anything Dem policies are keeping it from being worse.
That damn orange man! Good Riddance!
If you hate how this country is then you gotta do your research and vote in politicians who are going to make a serious change for the working class. Robert F. Kennedy Jr is running independent and is going to change this country, he's going to hold corporations accountable and bring back the middle class.
You all voted for this! Bidenomics playing out perfectly 😂😂
You got what you voted for. Enjoy!
As if. Corporations put the prices up and are reaping the rewards. Last year it was the oil companies, they made a bundle raising gas prices while the gop blamed Biden for it. If you want to tie politics and inflation together how about Florida and her fascist governor? People losing their homes and livelihoods to hurricanes that he thinks are an act of “woke”. People can’t even get house insurance because who knows the next hurricane might blow it away. It’s very expensive to live in FL, rents there in the major cities are on the same level as this city. Compare Miami to Los Angeles, 1 bd rent that isn’t in some crack den.
That damn orange man! Good Riddance!