this post was submitted on 09 May 2024
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A Boring Dystopia

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[โ€“] [email protected] 48 points 6 months ago

I wouldn't say it's the biggest strain for me, that's rent. But it might be the biggest increase in price lately.

[โ€“] [email protected] 29 points 6 months ago (1 children)

According to these comments there exists some fairy lands untouched by inflation and food deserts don't exist, it's just those damn millennials and their avocados again... ๐Ÿ™„๐Ÿคฆโ€โ™€๏ธ

The kind of privilege that enables for that level of detachment (within the working class) is already obscene, but then using it to literally claim other peoples' reality simply doesn't exist is just so fucking gross..

Maybe people should just be thankful they've magically managed to escape the global inflation and all the rest of the bullshit companies are pulling to charge more for less, instead of calling people less fortunate than them, liars.

[โ€“] [email protected] -4 points 6 months ago (1 children)

some people are less fortunate.

some of them are just idiots who can't budget. when my friend who makes 50% of what I do, and spends twice what I do on groceries, complains about groceries prices and COL. he's just kind of a cunt. his habit of 20/lb cheese that is now 30/lb is nobody's problem but his own.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago

Being an idiot in that situation is true, but in your example is also true that the item he was buying has gone up 50% in price. It doesn't matter that the item is extravagant, it still has gone up significantly. That's pretty much across the board with food.

[โ€“] [email protected] 20 points 6 months ago

My monthly grocery bill doubled between 2020 and 2024. As you're all aware, wages haven't changed much at all for most of the country, so the massive increases in rent and grocery bills are going to be a huge problem for the incumbents this election season.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago (3 children)

My food is only about $150-200 a month, and thats when i'm eating 3600 calories a day, instead of my current 2400. I live in chicago land, so it's not like my cost of living is cheap, and i buy good ingredients (ie San Marzano tomatoes and De Cecco pasta). Is there something i'm missing?

This article's source material was focused on where inflation has been the worst, but outside of bread and tortillas, i don't think any of my staple foods have gone up in price in years? I guess tofu has gone up $1 a pound, actually.

But broccoli is still $1 a pound here, beans are still $1 a pound dry, which is 50ยข a pound cooked. Rice is $1.50 dry, which is 33ยข a pound cooked. I guess fresh fruit prices have gone up a bit? But the sale prices are just as cheap as ever, and frozen fruit has only gone up $1 for 4lb since 2020, from $8.99 for strawberries to $9.99.

All of this is to say inflation has barely affected my grocery shopping at all in the last 4-5 years, and that is with me specifically looking for it since my dad promised me it would

[โ€“] [email protected] 10 points 6 months ago (3 children)

You didn't mention meat. In Australia good beef has gone from about $30/kg up to anywhere from $45 to $60 and higher.

Chicken used to be cheap. Not anymore.

Lamb is now basically a rich person's food. Good luck buying quality lamb.

Our supermarkets now have rfid chips on expensive cuts of meat, as they're so expensive. $18 a steak. RFID that thing.

[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

they're talking about broccoli and tofu. I doubt they care much about meat.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I'm in Canada, we grow beef locally and I'm paying that price for good steak. The other week I was grabbing protein for dinner, and beef was not much more than chicken which blew my mind.

[โ€“] [email protected] -3 points 6 months ago

bird flu was the reason for chicken prices rising so rapidly

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

I don't eat meat as a part of my diet, so I don't bother keeping track of those prices, nor is it relevant to my food budget per month. My comment was just to detail my experience.

[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I live in the chicago area and prices have doubled at least. Even on the cheapest stuff. Many things are 3-5 times higher. I don't know where you are shopping?

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Most of my shopping is at Meijer, though the $5 5lb bag of beans and $15 15 lb bag of brown rice are at smaller, local store I go to. I also get my spices there, though i replenish them so little i haven't been able to keep track of their prices.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

I don't even know of any in the chicago area anymore. our meijer closed up before the pandemic hit. I actually have sorta the same issue. I am pretty aware of the increase in most items but rice and beans keep for long and so I don't buy them often. Im not sure of the price of them back when I was not fretting over my grocery bill. I only really buy lentils though as they are easy to make in the rice cooker.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

The things you listed are not only staples, but also pretty basic and essentially the foods when trying to eat on a budget. What about beef, chicken, eggs, etc?

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago

Those aren't included because they're not part of my diet. Therefore not part of my food budget or anything i pay attention to the price of.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

If food is inalienable right, it would have been included in the Constitution. /s

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

The biggest strain on my finances is healthcare at 58% of my income. Then food at 28%. I'm fortunate enough to not have to pay rent, but if I did it would cost me about 35% for 1 bedroom apt 30 minutes out of the city. 80% if I wanted to be able to walk to work.