Weird nexus with this thread - if you want to see some lol-inducing shrinkflation, go to DD and see what they're calling a long john these days.

I saw an item on another site last year about them supposedly raising the bottom in their coffee cups to shrinkflate them too. Can't vouch for it, but fiendishly clever if true.

https://i.imgur.com/TqmrNkw.png

For the past few years, we have cut our eating out to around once a month when going to town, if we even do that. Sometimes I will take a healthy sandwich with me to avoid a 1000 to 1500 calorie overpriced offerings available.

The proliferation of fast food has long been something I have noticed adjacent to the increased belt lines of the American people for many years. What used to be an occasional treat is now the norm for many.

The prices vs. value is absurd. $40 for a sit down lunch!?

The 15% vet discount at Freddie's and their excellent service/quality is always tempting when going to Branson though. The California burger is a pretty good knock off of In-n-out.

That is what I have been giving them for years. Usually $15 for a senior haircut, give them a $20 and we are both happy.

In the last couple of weeks, I've noticed many of the prices at the grocery store starting to trend down. Eggs, for example, are plentiful and down to $3.19 a dozen. Still high, but nearly half of what they were a month ago.

JFC that is insane.

The average US family spends about $438 per month on food. Not individual, family...

There were a couple of months after covid, where for my family in particular, rising grocery store prices vs eating out were about comparable although both budget breaking compared to where we were. Now, although grocery prices are still up and seem to be rising, it's finally getting back to us "saving" money by just cooking at home.

There's no way that holds true any more. What size family? For one adult male, one toddler, one teenage girl and a pregnant woman, while couponing and going to different stores for sales, we're spending about 200 a week(on the low end).

Yeah right. Prove it.

The short answer is that they aren't staying open.

Seen tons of them close in recent weeks, mostly because they can't find enough help.

I would never shortchange the Propane Man.

My dad used to cut my hair as well. Then, one day, he was just like "I'm not cutting your hair anymore. Figure it out."

Worked out well because I did figure it out and it's saved me thousands over my lifetime.

Prove I'm lying, dummy.

We live out in the country too. We've taken to using those boxed home delivery services (Home Chef, etc.) and we're finding that with the prices at the grocery store lately, it isn't all that more expensive. Plus it's all properly portioned so we never have waste or anything. So in the end, it might actually be a wash.

That seems way too low. If you price out your grocery meals it's hard to get below 3 dollars, which would be 270 per month per person. I think normal is between 300-400 per person.

Really? I haven’t seen any close in Des Moines.

Yeah Des Moines is a larger market with a larger employee base. It's not as prevalent there as it is in the smaller towns outside of Des Moines.

Around here, if the stores haven't closed down completely they're opening later and closing earlier because they just don't have enough staff.