Shopping at home sometimes can be better. Those big box stores (you know which ones) people fill their carts till they are overflowing! I have friends in their 70's that have no business buy a big A** pie to 1. eat between the two of them or B. a large portion of it gets thrown away. I walked into one and bought ONE bottle of olive oil and I received so many comments on THATS ALL? Yup that was on my list and within my budget !
The diminishing value of the dollar. As global demand for dollars decreases -- BRICS countries are developing alternatives even if not a single currency -- the value of the dollar decreases. You can't just print money endlessly and expect it to hold its value relative to other currencies.
@@plappin but raising the minimum wage to a living wage should be a basic human right and it is good for the economy because people will spend that money. If big companies had profit caps (as they should, no-one needs a billion dollars) prices should not need to increase. As you can probably tell I am not an economist (😂) so I would love to hear your insight on this.
Austin, you say "Most people do not carry around cash, anymore." You may be correct with that assumption but I wonder...have you considered the ultimate repercussion of losing the right to use cash? The more people are led like sheep into using plastic the more government entities, banking institutions and private corporations control every aspect of our spending. If a cashless society comes to fruition then there will be no freedom of private monetary transactions. Those entities will have complete and utter say on how you spend (plastic) money, when you spend (plastic) money and if you are able to spend (plastic) money at all. Not only will we lose the freedom of private and discretionary spending we will be at the mercy of how (and if) we can purchase anything. Please! Start using cash...all of you! We are all in this together. I carry and use cash for every purchase I make unless I *have* to use a credit card for internet purchases.
@stevenliang3213 Yeah that dude above is why so many people are anxious and depressed nowadays. Coming up with all sorts of sh1t in their heads that will never happen
I live in the Midwest and I don't need a car. We have grocery delivery from a store that's about a mile and a half from me but I'm also about four blocks from two more grocery stores that are within walking distance. Every place I need to go is basically within walking distance. Our city also has public transportation which I use occasionally. Not having a car has saved me a lot of money
As someone who has always been frugal and lived a debt-free, cash basis life, it is good to see more people like you pointing out how we have normalized so many wants that many people are unable to distinguish between wants and needs. Hopefully, more people will seriously work to distinguish between wants and needs because it's really essential for survival right now.
My foster dad was born in 1923...lived through the great depression...had 11 siblings...dirt poor, but knew the value of everything...unfortunately his biological children would roll their eyes and dismiss him as a kook, but I listened...today his way probably appears more odd but I am thankful he taught me these things, I understand true wealth.
I can’t thank you enough for your videos. I lived frugally for three years but the past 8months I’ve really been spending lots of money every single day. Constantly buying things I don’t need to instantly gratify myself. I discovered your channel a bit over a week ago and it’s really been helping me return to my old self. Your videos have helped remind myself why I should be frugal and cut out the consumer mindset. Frugality doesn’t feel good in the moment but it provides a nice cushion for our future selfs to relax on.
Having car dependency was designed by the automobile, tire and oil industries backin the 50's. Trains and trollies in Los Angeles was quite efficient but taken away by the big three laughing all the way to the bank.
You are absolutely correct about online shopping. We buy so much crap we simply wouldn't if we had to go to a physical shop. You are more likely to double or triple think before you buy it and there are also social deterrents as well like, "Oh, I'll be judged if I buy this 5 lbs tub of cheese puffs." Online, though? "I'll order 10"
Very solid video Austin. I just paid off my credit cards and I'm going to keep off of the credit cards as much as possible to see how things go with my spending.
I've realized shipping is always included somehow because I spent hours and days researching one single item before I buy it and when I find the same item cheaper usually shipping is not included, if I find that same item at a higher price, shipping is included so either way we're paying for it😅
Very informative. You forgot to add sales tax to that $1,000 television plus the wall mount to hang the tv. Full size truck prices are insane now partly due to all the extra technology put into them. You cannot find a new full size truck now under $59,000. Winco doesn’t accept credit cards and they pass savings onto the customer. Thats where I shop and i have no problem paying debit or cash.
I like seeing that someone your age is thinking what I am thinking in my fifties. Things have dramatically changed and the cost of everything is much higher than it was even a year ago. Thank you for the thoughtful videos, El Augustin. I subscribed and will continue to watch your videos.
You are correct about cars for transportation. I decided many years ago to buy a brand new car from a company with good reliability and take very good care of it. I paid it off early and own it. 11 years later it is still running great and plan to keep it for as long as possible, hopefully 20 more years.
$10,000/year on a car? Yow. I paid $2000 for my 20 yr old car, and annual costs including maintenance, registration and insurance and fuel comes in at less than $3000 ($1200 of that is registration).
When our kids were in school the teachers assumed we had a computer, the internet and a color printer at home. And based their assignments on that. Even overnight assignments. So even if we wanted to go to the library, their bus didn't bring them home until about four. The library closed at five. We got a computer and the internet.....
The price creep hasn't gone away, it's just slower and more stealthy now. I read that here in the UK prices are likely to increase incrementally for the next 6 months.
Re: packaging, I'm actually seeing the opposite in many cases. My store brand coffee that used to come in a tin with a measuring utensil included now comes in a cardboard package, no measuring utensil. I suppose it's being marketed as "greener" packaging, but it's also cheaper. Notice how there used to always be a tag on your clothing with info about fiber content, washing instructions, etc? Now it's just stamped on the inside, back neck area on many items.♥️🇨🇦
Thank you! Packaging…I dislike it. I literally have started making everything I can from scratch. If it is in a box or a bag or a can….i can probably make it myself. It is costly and wasteful.
We live in the country, so unfortunately,we need a car. However, my husband and I share one car. Its inconvenient,maybe, 5 percent of the time. So we'll stick with it.
My mortgage is gone, but the taxes keep rising. I put $150/week aside for them and the insurance. The rent goes up for that reason. I hate unboxing stuff. Amazon prime covers the books I download, movies, and shipping. It will go up. I believe I pay $15/month for it. My husband and I go to Arby's for dinner and spend about $30. We get our senior discount. It is a drop in the bucket. Please read The Creature From Jekyll Island. My husband takes the train to work. When we move to western PA shopping will be different from eastern PA. I'll be getting our milk, eggs, meat, and produce from us, not from a seller. I'll be buying everything else in bulk from Costco as I do now once a month. UPS showed up in my neighborhood when I was a kid in the 1970's.
Inflation is a lot higher than the government reports. 10% to 50% in the last year for groceries alone. Example the big WM raised the price of the little pies from 50 cents to 75 cents, then a month later "rolled back" the price to 74 cents and has been there for almost a year now. What savings huh??? :o) I don't have or need a car. I don't have debt. When I get my retirement check I draw it all out in cash. The % of my income needed to survive is lower than when I was working, mainly to getting rid of things i don't really need or want. Life is a lot less stressfull.
@@ElAgustin ha ha ha!! I've learned that in 47 states it's legal for insurance companies to charge you based on your credit score. How can you get out of debt when you have to pay extra for so many things because of your score. That $$ I'm saving gives me breathing room and is enabling me to make payments on my biggest debt.
The value of the US dollar was watered down about 35 percent over the last 3 years. I guess it temporarily benefitted the lazy and broke and permanently damaged the saver.
Time for "Just Stop Inflation" protests? I think you are off on the ambiance part. Food is going up regardless of the restaurant, so it is not the ambiance driving prices up. Now, at any time in our history, the more fancy the restaurant the higher the price; this is more do to classism than inflation. I don't eat out just to fill a hole, if that was the case I could just eat in a concrete block, instead I want a warm inviting place that doesn't have a 20 min time limit.
I think we are too obsessed about the economy crashing. In the right sense, the economy never crashes. It just undergoes cycles, and almost always recovers. So I really don't care what the predictions are. I just want to grow my portfolio. I read that people are pulling in massive profits despite the downturn. Any tips on how they do it?
I think it's the professionals and those who use their services that are really pulling in the big money right now. There are really advisors that can help you achieve very consistent growth. I have a friend who pulled in more than $194k profit within three months. So you just have to make some research and get one who fits your fin-goal.
The market will always recover. The goal is to find quality stocks with long term potential. It's hard for the average Joe to do this, because it involves following a lot of industry news, following up with earnings, etc. It's easier to invest through an advisor who knows how stuff works, and make rocket returns.
Investing in quality stocks with long-term potential is a good strategy, but it can be challenging for the average person to do this on their own. Keeping up with industry news and earnings can be time-consuming and difficult. That's why it's easier to work with an advisor who can help you make informed decisions and potentially achieve high returns.
It’s a She actually, Vivian Carol Gioia I initially came across her on a CNBC news report then on smartadvisors and I decided to hit her up. Best decision I made to stay afloat 2020.
Cash is the best way to stay out of financial trouble. Cash doesn't bounce nor carry late fees. And when cash is gone you will learn a valuable lesson in budgeting your money.
This is why we need to keep cash going because when there's no cash the card company's can make business pay what they want for the use of the machine, there you go another tax with out us realising it!! Another brilliant vid!! 💕
..also, more awareness when actually handing over cash... which means less inclination to buy what we don't need. Much more awareness of how much we "spend"... or not.!
At the very least, I now grasp the concept of leverage. Creating wealth and financial freedom isn't as tough as many people believe. Building wealth and remaining financially stable indefinitely is a lot easier with the appropriate information. Participating in financial programs and products is the only true approach to make a high income and remain affluent indefinitely.
The best way to get ahead and build wealth is to start early, with investing as a top priority. Learning from my experience last year, I've been able to create a better life by investing early this time.
Indeed, currently I'm managing my finances wisely and being frugal. I always indulge a financial guide before investing. In the last 19 months, my investments grew by 43%, adding over $550K in profits. I used their strategies to minimize risks and maximize profits because their entire philosophy is centered around using a high-profit oriented blueprint while simultaneously going long and short, as well as reducing risk exposure as a hedge against inevitable downtrends.
If you own a house, get ready for increased real estate taxes. My house was just assessed at a 45% higher value. Property owners who rent will have to pass this on to the rentee. When your rent goes up significantly in 2024 or 2025, you'll know why.
I'm self employed and a high earner. Regardless...my self-paid health insurance was $1100 two years ago, $1300/mo in 2023 and come 2024 I will be paying $1577 a month with a $7,050 deductible. 20% increases per year!
Also rising interest rates: when it costs more to borrow money, whether for a person or for a business, life becomes more expensive as the costs of paying interest are passed on to us individuals, directly or indirectly. I think rising interest rates increase our cost of living more dramatically than say, packaging costs, though those are no doubt rising as well. Very thought-provoking video as always, Austin!
San Diego area has a pretty good public transit system. It isn't perfect, but if you can be flexible you can get around without a car. It also helps to live near the transit stations.
I live in a city in the Netherlands, so no car needed. I do almost all my shopping at our local shops and pay cash and only buy what I need, but costs increase anyways. People working at those shops earn more money than they did a few years ago (only logical), the cars bringing everything to those shops need more money for their gas and also the drivers got more salary, cars that need repairs and the people repairing them got more salary etc. We all need to pay these costs so life gets more expansive anyway. The only thing we can do about it is to live more thoughtful and only buy what we really need and when we really need it.
@@anthonynorris1016 I buy rice in 5kg bags and I've just discovered my local Asian supermarket sells 10kg bags which is great. I'm still on the lookout for bulk oats.
Buy Bulk Toilet Paper. Press roll FLAT.. Not "rolling " will annoy immensely 😊 #1 take 2 squares and fold into 4 STRATEGICALLY used works great! I bought 30 rolls on sale over a year ago... still have some left😊
Austin! Congratulations on 70K Subscribers!!! What a huge accomplishment. Your videos are offering true value, obviously. I’ve been following you since before you had even 20K Subscribers. I look forward to new insights from you every week! Thank you so much 👏💙
For being such a large country: It's a shame that public transportation is not more widespread, but practically limited to NYC and to the cities peripheral to it.
@@ElAgustin I am happy that you put the travel magnets away. I agree, I thought they were very distracting and I hate clutter. (Hmm, or maybe what’s really going on here is that they made me feel jealous and insecure about my lack of worldly travels. Hmm…). 😉
I would say car expense increasing is not silent. Car insurance has gotten out of control inceasing at least 40% not to mention the 50% increase in fuel since this administation took over.
I used to be able to make cookies for a kid’s birthday party. now, schools in the area require that the items be store bought with a label that has ingredients “to protect” children who might have allergies. What used to cost $6 for ingredients, now costs $26 for cookies from the grocery store bakery.
@@RickMartinRU-vid Yes, really. Economics 101. Law of Supply and Demand. The millions of illegals increase demand for goods, services, tuition, and housing.
My dentist pays 5% on all payments by cards. thanks for this great vid. I shared it with all (9- I have nine friends) my friends. (you can lead the horse to water, but you can't make them youtube) Best wishes! I am happy to be 65 and able to learn from a 30 yo. My Thanks.
Austin, I think your videos should be required watching for high school classes. You impart so much information in a very friendly and open way. Hello from the Canadian Prairies😊
not investing, you got it right there, there is also something you didn't mentioned, the govrnment printed so much money that USD has lost massive value and there is no easy way to change that
Austin, your point about investing in low cost funds is particularly relevant, and something that could be helpful for many people. Thanks for your most informative videos!
I agree with most of what you say if you're a middle class shopper (or above), but packaging and shipping to your doorstep are somehow much cheaper than the costs involved in buying at a brick and mortar store. Plus you get more variety. Plus they know on line shoppers can easily compare prices so they're more careful when setting prices. We get to cut on physical stores expenses, fuel to visit the stores, time spent going there and finding the items (if available, as they love to run out of good deals to bait and switch us) etc. It is great if you're busy making money. It's the only reason that justify paying a premium to save time (besides already being very wealthy). Normalized abundance comes from technology and it mostly applies to manufactured items. Housing, health care and other essentials aren't getting cheaper, sadly. Investing is tricky and you know it. Markets pay you for 2 things. Liquidity (almost worthless these days) and risk. You can't escape from this rule. I don't know why nobody talks about it. Ever.
another great video! Since you brought up coffee...If you don't mind cooking your own beans and putting in a little bit of work, I order green coffee beans from "coffee bean coral". Including shipping, the cost of 3 lbs is around $33. You can order from around the world. It tastes better because after experimenting, you can roast to your own taste. I would suggest you research (RU-vid) to see how to cook/roast the beans. I use my oven and have played around with temperatures and time. I have it down to where my coffee is much better than any coffee shop. I would also suggest to buy coffee that uses the natural process, but, to each his/her own.
This sounds very interesting I suffer from stomach issues snd have to order a low acid coffee which is very expensive do you think there is a way yo buy low acid beans and cook them
I actually like a slightly higher acid flavor. Having said that, the longer you cook the beans, the more alkaline, or, less acidic it becomes. It's the reason that higher acidity equates with more caffeine. So, the good news is that you can cook/roast your beans to have the low acid content that you like! I would suggest researching this...there is a lot of easy to read information about this. @@ChiFlow-pe2tw
