Groceries. Rent. Utilities.
I was talking about groceries with a friend over in England a few nights ago. Apparently my pasta prices are 4x hers. And that’s just the store brand dry noodles. If I found the cheapest deal I used to see from various places, it’d still be 2x. I’d need a pound of noodles for $0.49 to even be in the ballpark.
If a simple item like that is casually 4x more expensive, I’m sure everything else is also up there. I’ve been lucky that my income allows me to be a single family income provider and have money left over to throw around wherever I want, but just finding this out the other day really left a deep impression of just how sorry of a state things are in over here.
Yeah it’s always surprising when I hear Americans say that eating healthy is more expensive that eating fast food / eating unhealthy.
When I was veggie and just eating vegetables I could buy a week’s worth of food for about £10 a Kilogram of carrots was about 50p potatoes were 60p/kg brocoli and salad item were a little bit under £1/kg
Then as you said basic things like pasta is pretty cheap, I used to get 1kg of pasta for 30p and then a jar of tomato pasta sauce for 60p and that could last me 3 meals.
Some folks don’t have access to fresh groceries like that. Food deserts are a major issue in the states.
“10 pounds a kilogram” is a funny phrase out of context
Additionally, going out to eat has many hidden costs, like liquor tax in some cities on an already overpriced drink. Soda or Iced tea is $2.50 or more. Now add tax and tip and your $7 cheeseburger & coke is $25.
It’s not for everyone, but my family has been enrolling in CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) produce. It’s cheaper and local. Granted, I’ll get 3 eggplants in a box one week and I need to get creative to be able to use it, but that’s part of the fun. I’ve expanded my produce repertoire 5-fold and now know how to cook fennel.
- Quarter the fennel lengthwise
- Spread olive oil, coarse salt and pepper
- Roast in the oven until the edges starts to brown
- Devour
I’m assuming that’s the bulb. What about the stalk?
Put them in a salad maybe? I usually buy just the bulbs…
devour indeed. I also had a recipe for fennel lemonade that I made with the tops.
Cars are a huge one. I know Lemmy is very radically against cars, but they are basically necessary for many (most?) Americans.
What is not necessary is the average price of a new car nearly doubling in 10 years. A $50k car should be a big luxury, not the fucking national average.
In order to afford a car that pricey, most people will have to severely compromise their savings, and/or get a loan that will last as long or longer than the car.
Cars have also ballooned in size since the 90s. In the 90s, sedans were the most common type of car. Now, it’s SUVs and light trucks, which use tons more materials.
True, but materials used did not double within 10 years, and materials are not the entirety of the cost of the car.
I’m not surprised they’re more expensive, I’m surprised that they’re so transparently being gouged. Like housing. And food. And gas.
Nevermind, I’m not surprised anymore.
Agreed. I think both are part of the picture. Consumers are buying the wrong kind of car (or manufacturers are selling the wrong type of car), too big and too inefficient, and there is price gouging, especially during the pandemic shortage. It’s telling that car prices were the fastest to come back down of almost any consumer category last year. Shows how much they could come down.
I have been thinking of getting a new car, but didn’t want to use the dealers finance system, so I went to the bank. Turns out, banks will only give auto loans if you’re buying a car that’s only 3 years old.
yeah right, since I can barely afford a new car, lemme just buy a BRAND fuckin NEW one. Nah, gimme that 2012 for 30k less thank you.
Some banks will probably loan you money for a used car, but you won’t be able to use an old car as collateral (as easily). And it may be more expensive.
Hmm, rapid price increases are consistent with inelastic demand, whereby sales remain high even in the face of rising prices. Why wouldn’t car manufacturers raise prices, if it doesn’t affect sales numbers? It’d be breach of fiduciary duty to the shareholders to do otherwise!
What could cause inelastic demand for cars? Making them basically necessary for most Americans, perhaps.
OP using word ‘convinced’ is relevant here because whilst most people in USA ‘need’ a car (because there is no practical alternative to driving), they are being convinced every day that a private car is the only viable solution to transport in general…
… and then of course you get everyone freaking out when someone has the audacity to suggest that installing a dedicated bike / bus lane would mean less people need a car, and that would save everyone time and money.
Also while I’m ranting, I’m so over people harping on about how they can’t rely on public transit and that’s why they need a car. Like reliable and affordable public transport is some magical and unobtainable goal.
But then when gas prices inevitably get crazy high, or they get in a wreck, or traffic is a mess then that’s just The Way It Is and in no way an indication that maybe everyone driving a personal car for every single trip isn’t the most reliable or sustainable way to run a city.
That last paragraph is the big thing I face most often. We got Amtrak service in my city and I hype that shit. I’ve talked to a bunch of people who are firmly anti-Amtrak because they caught one delay, but they’ll sit in daily interstate gridlock to go to work without batting a fuckin eye.
Cars have also become extremely reliable (in the EU at least) over the last ten years. Car companies have slowly convinced millions of people that leasing is the way to go, and nobody realised they were being sold a car on subscription lol
Then they have to give back a perfectly fine car with at least a decade of life left in it, and get hooked into another subscription
Fucking mugs tbh
See, that’s interesting because in America they seem to have gotten worse over the last decade or so. Domestic manufacturers have started designing things in an explicitly maintenance-hostile manner, even if they aren’t exactly less reliable.
I’m super interested if European cars are finally pulling it together. They’ve been an upkeep trap here for years due to the cost of maintenance and likelihood of problems.
I wouldn’t say that. In my experience even domestic cars are on average more reliable. BUT when they do break, it’s a fuck ton more expensive to repair anything. There is a genuine feeling of dread in newer-older vehicles because one part might require dismantling half the vehicle to get at, or that part is only available as part of a larger assembly.
They’re being sold to in terms of dollars per month, which makes a very oversized purchase sound reasonable if no one spells out the end results. We tend to value having the thing now more than being totally broke later.
Also, peoples means keep staying the same or shrinking while everyday purchases get more expensive.
Phone upgrades even though there’s barely any change from the last model.
I think that’s the hidden cause of increasing phone pricing. I’m still using my note 9. The battery is starting to give so maybe this time next year I finally upgrade.
Smartphone sales are at their lowest since 2013. Everyone has figured this out now.
Since 2018, the trend seemed to be going toward removing features instead… sd card slot, headphone jack, physical buttons, intrusions of screen space…
consumers have noticed, since sales of smartphones have plateaued
Foldable are pretty neat, but still too expensive for most
Been eyeing that (still on a 6 year old phone), actual compactness is one of the few things I’d be willing to sacrifice most of the smartphone things I like for.
I have the fold and I wouldn’t call it compact, the flip style phones seem better for that aspect, I just enjoy the large screen when I use it for gaming or watching videos, it’s certainly more compact then if I had a tablet instead I suppose.
Might be better to wait and let it mature a bit if size is your main concern.
I was going to go with the Z Flip over the Fold, I’d want that half size phone.
The flip is pretty great, you can close the pockets on the front of your shirt now if you wear those type. First phone I’ve managed to not smash or send up a grain auger.
Dishwasher pods are convenient and cost 5x as much as the powder.
Laundry detergent pods are another one
And fabric softener ruins your clothes over time
Get that hypoallergenic laundry soap with no additives, it’s usually better for your clothes as they keep the extras to a minimum
I just buy the giant free and clear liquid detergent from Costco. I’ve got a thing of scent beads, too, but I only use that on my towels and sheets because I like them to smell nice.
It’s important to note that when you buy liquid detergent (or liquid anything in most cases) you’re paying for both product and water. In most cases buying powder instead can lead to a lower ‘cost per load’. At Costco I have to admit the difference is only ~$0.01-$0.02 per load, so it equates to $8 over a few months anyway.
That small value delta could ostensibly be argued as convenience fee but I still order powder on principal.
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🤔
Snack tips 😂
They really ain’t even that much more convenient, and a box of powder lasts forever
And the pods notoriously have way too much soap in them which often leaves a film on the dishes
In case someone hasn’t seen it and might, I’ll mention that Technology Connections has a few great videos on dishwashers and detergent on (your friendly ethical alternative to) Youtube.
Just a persistent culture of materialism. That things will bring you happiness in some deeply rooted way that can’t be matched. Add in an unhealthy dose of capitalistic mentality and there’s also the push that if something costs more, it must be better.
So you get trapped in a cycle of buying things that have no real purpose, or can be better served by something cheaper, and feeling unfulfilled. So you look for something new to fill that emptiness that persists throughout the cycle.
I will never be happy until I have my own private train, I guess ;)
Just pretend you own the metro but let everyone else use it out of the goodness of your heart.
Damn communist freeloaders
Aw, I like that idea!
Can you give me an example?
For me, if I am buying a tool (e.g. pliers) I will always look for an item that will last longer and be of better quality. But I will probably not go for the most expensive ones.
In contrast, I don’t give a fuck about many car features. So, I would always prefer to buy a small city car.
Be selling them the idea the end of the world is nigh. Who cares about the 30 year mortgage if everything’s going to be gone in 10 years?
That sort of thing. By selling the idea that our existence is short, they encourage near-term thinking.
Trucks (In the USA)
I’m in this FB group that does financial advice with a little sarcasm and jokes mixed in. Suggest that someone should downsize to a car or get rid of their gas guzzling truck they have no real utility for and it’s like you’ve insulted their religion. Never seen such a group of grown adults throwing temper tantrums like that in my life.
thats just an average facebook group, for anything
Monthly payments. Not just entertainment subscription devices but all kinds of stuff. Almost every product online now has a monthly cost option, a buy now pay later scheme. Another one I see a lot at the grocery store is organic/non GMO foods. They are always way more expensive but are usually the same food, and if they aren’t organic will contain more pesticides without the “natural” immunity/resistance of GMOs. They aren’t healthier, they don’t taste any better, are worse for the environment and are much more expensive.
Second is expensive and humane meat. Most metrics these meats/eggs are graded by are so loose that they are still extremely inhumane. Unless they are from a local farm, that you can confirm are humane/free roam, just buy the cheapest meat and best marbling.
Computers. I’m a tech guy and the vast majority of people are still buying computers far more powerful than they need. Unless it’s cad, programming or gaming you can use almost any computer. If you want it to be really fast install, or ask your local shit to install an SSD. Plus most reputable refurbishers will install SSDs on all laptops for sale. I recommend PC server and parts, good quality refurbishment and customer support. There may be a few dings/scratches but never severe or noticeable.
Premade/processed food. Either it’s frozen meals or fast food these get expensive fast. Depending on where you live quality home cooked meals can be had for 1-3$ (based on the US). Ditch even storebought pasta sauce, it’s not hard to make at home.
Wifi. Most ISPs will try to upsell you on everything but for most people an families the most you would ever need is 150-300 MBps. Also the max speed can only be reached with a hardwired Ethernet connection, WiFi speed is barely affected. If you have slow wifi use an old phone or laptop as a wifi amplifier, storebought solutions are criminally expensive.
That’s enough for now but if you have more questions feel free to ask.
Seen some people harp about not forgetting frozen vegetables can be cheaper than fresh depending on the season and close in nutrition and cooking results. That’s one thing about getting good deals, in groceries and in other things is you’re going to have to swap ease of buying for better deals at times and need to keep yourself aware of when that trade off stops being beneficial. My grandfather used to go to three or four stores depending on what the sales were. That sometimes meant riproaring savings from cherry-picked loss leaders, but I think most of the time it was something to do during the day with his grandson
In your experience, would you say premade/processed food has gone up in price faster than staples or at roughly the same rate?
In Canada, milk is one of the few things that have stayed the same-ish level due to supply-management setting the price. Everything else went up in price and I’m having a hard time keeping track.
How do people handle having to pay off things over 6 months to 2 years? (Or is the answer they don’t?) I don’t enjoy having that over my head for that long, I’d rather just take the hit, which is why BNPL hasn’t worked on me…
This ranks low in the scam scale, and it’s been around for decades, which leads me to believe it works well enough to keep around. At (some) supermarkets whenever an item is on sale the bright attention grabbing tag will say something like 3/$6 or 10/$10 leading you to believe you have to buy 3 or 10 or whatever at the same time to get the deal, when really the sale price is just $2 or $1 for the items in these examples, and you can buy however little you want.
Maybe adults don’t fall for it, but it sure worked on me when I was a dumb kid spending my few dollars I had on candy or whatever.
Notable exceptions include sale prices by Target and Circle K/Holiday, which typically do require you to buy the posted quantity to get the deal
Learned that one the hard way at Target one day
Edit: In the US
This varies. There are some stores where it really is 10 for $10 and individual items will ring up at $1.19 or whatever. It can pay to ask.
That’s a hell of a lot better than needing to buy all of them to get the sale price.
True. That’s usually the case with 12 packs of soda. Gotta buy 3 or 5 or whatever or you get nothin’
Yeah they do that at convenience stores with the single bottles. Like you’re not already paying more for one bottle than you would for a 12pack/2liter already.
Guidelines in Ontario for retail were that “unless you list the price for 1, you must honour the unit price for combo deal”…
Grocery stores in Canada are much more commonly now “3/$7 or $2.99 each for less than 3.”
Shop like a billionaire
Look buddy, I got a great deal on that mega yacht, so don’t go criticizing my spending habits… Did not realize I’d need to hire a staff and pay docking fees, though…
Please send money I am in a bananas amount of yacht debt.
Iphones being some sort of standard
Peer pressure on behalf for corporations is such a silly thing in my opinion…
My preferences only extend to what I want, I don’t really care what others use unless they are looking for suggestions/advice.
Subscriptions everywhere. Video, credit, energy bills (subscription for repairs/maintenance), music, news sites, YouTubers, CARS, etc. I can’t fucking escape this hell!
Other than energy bills, you’ll just have to dodge the rest of the subscriptions as best you can.
I am doing my okayest.
Energy bills aren’t really subscriptions like the others though. You pay for the energy you use.
Whereas with the others, you’re paying the same price every month regardless of how much you use.
I have seen plans where you pay a fixed price/kWh; almost seemed like a decent deal, until I read the fine print - the regular fees & transportation/kWh is on top of the fixed cost.
The maintenance plan is in addition to the gas usage
Yours doesn’t come with a delivery fee that you’d have to pay every month regardless of any usage?
Oh yeah. Does that count as a subscription too?
I’ve done pretty well so far. Only subscription I have is for Spotify and 1Password.
Why 1password when you can use bitwarden, its free for most features, and 10 bucks a year for features I don’t need
Is it a password manager? I’ve been wondering if there’s a good alternative to Keeper, which is what I use. I like that I can access my passwords on different devices, and it tells me if a password has been compromised or is weak. But, I’ve also been trying to save money. I think the one I’m using now is $30 a year so free or $10 a year for similar features would be an improvement.
Yes, bitwarden is a password manager, and A very good one at that
I like the convenience of the 2 factor being included with the paid version, and password autofill with TOTP seems to work much more often than Bitwarden (S23 Ultra, latest version of Android) So with that being said, I really like Bitwarden, but prefer 1Password for the convenience.
2fa is included in bitwarden, just not in the free version
Buying giant SUVs no one needs with huge loans. Paying through the nose for corporate chain coffee.
I work with a guy who recently bought a 100k truck
We make a bit over 50k, this dude’s interest rate is 12% and he got an 8 year loan
He’s never going to pull himself out of that rut
The cost of a gallon of gas? $3.25
The cost for yearly maintenance? $2,750
The cost of interest paid each month? $585
The joy of bringing a smile to children under the age of 10 pointing and saying “that’s a cool truck!”? $100k
S/tank/gallon
You can’t see children under the age of 10 in that truck. I guarantee you the nose on that thing is at least 5 feet high. “Kinderplow”
It’s got a 50 gallon tank and runs on diesel
It cost over $200 to fill the tank
He commutes 40 miles per day in that monster
If were more reasonably priced, a 40mi commute sounds like a decent reason to get a vehicle you love.
A 40 mile commute is a reason to get a cheap, fuel-efficient vehicle. Save money on gas, insurance and maintenance.
Stop ruining my devil’s advocate with your logic and reasoning.
And he’ll never use it as intended, will he? Most that thing will ever haul is a cooler full of Keystone or a few random pieces of wood.
He uses it as his daily commuter vehicle
40 miles per day at 15mpg
50 gallon diesel tank for hauling his ego around
This vehicle will bankrupt him for sure
8 years! That’s insane to me.
When I talked to him today I found out his payments were $1600 per month!
I don’t know how the hell he affords it
It’s literally more than my rent
Good god, that is absolutely hilarious.
That’s more than my mortgage. Crazy.
Cries in Vancouver. Entry level mortgages here wind up around $5700 which is somehow more expensive than my rent on a 2 bedroom 1990s era decor apartment sitting at a market average 3850/month.
We’re not super wealthy, and manage our expenses well but holy shit we’re never gonna get ahead in life if this is what’s in store.
Yikes, and I thought house prices were out of control in Minneapolis!
Holy geez, I knew that medical costs were out of control, but that’s a stupid amount of money to treat fragile masculinity!
