I know this isn’t really a universal indicator, but for me it’s been watching the price of simple things like chips, candy, and soda ($3 for a 20 oz bottle?!?). All things that i enjoy occasionally but as the price of all these things continues to rise it becomes easier to say no. I was shocked to see the bagel place in town charging $15 for a sandwich on a bagel. Nobody seems to bat an eye though. I think I’m probably just getting gradually priced out of my town ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Of course I’m aware i don’t have to buy any of that stuff and i can cook and make food at home, and that’s what I’ve started doing. I may treat myself on occasion but i just can’t justify spending that much on stuff that didn’t used to cost half that. I’m probably just getting old and remember “back in my day” all too well, lol
Compensating for relative lower income with low cost of consumer products is a bit like pissing your pants to get warm. The underlying issue is declining wages, caused by the loss of labor power. If people had decent wages a rise in prices would not be a problem. But while scraping by a rise in prices is a huge problem.
Facts. But the other side of that is the massively unequal tax burden. Tax corporations and wealthy proportionally to their reported net worth and use that to fund substantial public services (healthcare, transportation, education, childcare) so that rising wages aren’t just funneled back into the same pockets.
Same here - ive even started buying rice and dried beans in bulk And taken to canning and growing veg. I’m not giving up my recreational funds for a Mc Crapwich
I know this isn’t really a universal indicator, but for me it’s been watching the price of simple things like chips, candy, and soda ($3 for a 20 oz bottle?!?). All things that i enjoy occasionally but as the price of all these things continues to rise it becomes easier to say no. I was shocked to see the bagel place in town charging $15 for a sandwich on a bagel. Nobody seems to bat an eye though. I think I’m probably just getting gradually priced out of my town ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Of course I’m aware i don’t have to buy any of that stuff and i can cook and make food at home, and that’s what I’ve started doing. I may treat myself on occasion but i just can’t justify spending that much on stuff that didn’t used to cost half that. I’m probably just getting old and remember “back in my day” all too well, lol
Compensating for relative lower income with low cost of consumer products is a bit like pissing your pants to get warm. The underlying issue is declining wages, caused by the loss of labor power. If people had decent wages a rise in prices would not be a problem. But while scraping by a rise in prices is a huge problem.
Facts. But the other side of that is the massively unequal tax burden. Tax corporations and wealthy proportionally to their reported net worth and use that to fund substantial public services (healthcare, transportation, education, childcare) so that rising wages aren’t just funneled back into the same pockets.
Same here - ive even started buying rice and dried beans in bulk And taken to canning and growing veg. I’m not giving up my recreational funds for a Mc Crapwich