I look around and see people who just can’t seem to say no to purchases…it almost feels impossible for them. Do we understate this dynamic when we talk about inflation and economics? Do we have more power than we realize?
To what extent do you think consumers’ inability, or unwillingness, to say no is driving prices upward?
byu/Call_It_ ineconomy
Posted by Call_It_
9 Comments
How do you get around buying necessities including groceries, gas etc. People are cutting back or looking for cheaper alternatives. This is all they can do under the current situation aside from getting rid of corrupt politicians by voting for others; By and large politicians only think of themselves and cater to those who are responsible for increase in prices.
None of it because people don’t actually want to spend money to begin with, they just need a lot of stuff. I don’t think most people can even afford to make most of their decisions even if they wanted to. The fact is that most people don’t care enough about money to base their lives around it and I think that’s a really. Cheap/expensive/whatever live your life. I don’t want to buy overpriced office furniture at all but at the same time this will make working in my office and keeping it organized much less of a pain in the ass. I think most purchases have a similar dynamic to where the money becomes irrelevant when you can spend it for tangible benefit in your life.
I think it’s a tail of 2 economies.
Those who are in the ‘working class’ are having a slow death by thousand cuts scenario. These people really only have some money in an IRA/401k; they aren’t really investing. They aren’t paycheck to paycheck but they also aren’t rolling in cash. They were able to survive initial inflation without raised but then tarrifs and now has kept hitting them. With no end in sight they remove wants and settle for only needs but even that’s not enough.
Then you have the “investor class” (I guess this is me). This class has more disposable income. While we/I certainly feel inflation, my paycheck isn’t my only income stream. I have a large pile of wealth in the stock market (401k, IRA and investing portfolio). While my salary keeps me above water and enough for extras it’s not building my wealth really. I can still begrudgingly but my wants as long as my portfolio does it’s heavy lifting from a runaway bull (fale bull I don’t even know what to call it) stock market. So I will still pay the more expensive prices which shows companies people are will to pay; however the working class is being slowly smothered due to it
We have been soooo ‘brainwashed’( old term) to thinking we need these products to survive we don’t even have to think about buying stuff. Finally broke the curse when I retired and went on a limited income. Looked around at all the shit in my place and thought – what the fuk!!!? Stopped cold turkey, got rid of storage unit and gave a lotta stuff to Goodwill. Same with food and going out to eat. Now once a month for lunch as opposed to every week 50-70$ for eating dinner in good restaurant. Now I cook everyday, watch for sales and buy only what I need not what I want. It was a hard detox but I didn’t do it by being encouraged by anyone especially commercial stores, internet etc. when you have only a choice btwn mounting debt and the anxiety that comes with it or resisting the sirens call to buy buy buy….. it’s time to plug up your ears and take care of YOU. That’s my story hope it helps someone stay outta debt
i like burgers, idk if burger is 6-7 a pound , im making burgers.
Marketing has been perfected. We have all been successfully brainwashed into believing that the most important aspects of ourselves is what we own.
It is happening. Frito-Lay is now saying that they have to lower prices due to missing profit projections for the last 2 years. They know these prices aren’t sustainable, but are going to push them as far as they can to try to get every last penny out of us.
Yeah, I’d say the car market is a prime example of what you’re talking about.
The price reflects what the market will bear, except for necessities like prescription drugs, healthcare etc, where they gouge people into bankruptcy for it.