All People Want for Black Friday

a reply to: JAGStorm

This really hits home with me. My wife has unusual and severe dietary restrictions, so all her food needs to be gluten-, dairy, and sugar-free, and she chooses to buy a lot of organic. Many of these foods can cost two and three times as much as what me and our girls eat. Of course, like a dumbass, I act like everything's just perfectly hunky-dory. All I have to do is keep mum about all my plasma donation runs and we're golden.

a reply to: dothedew

I'd be warry of anyone trying to tell you that prices are coming down right now...... Odds are they are just a realtor/finance company wanting to make money. This is coming from someone working in Real Estate and Foreclosures/finance.

My opinion. Buying a house right now is a huge mistake and don’t think you’ll be able to refinance, because you’ll probably be underwater.

Which is better a 70K house with a 10% interest rate
Or a 600K house with a 3% interest rate.

Yea..

a reply to: BingoMcGoof

Black Friday was at first just a couple of sales to get people out of the house the day after Thanksgiving. It soon became a bell weather for how Xmas sales would go though the rest of the season. Then it became and ''thing'' to make masses of people come out. And then it became a holiday in and of itself. Now of coarse it's a weeks long splurge of over-indulgent materialism. What we need is a Black Friday Rebellion. No sales. Stay away from all stores that day. Yeah, I know, it's been tried. The Boycott Black Friday has been a movement for decades and decades but it has never helped to slow down the creeping mindlessness pushed by those powers that be.

I sooo agree with this. I do think there will be a rebellion, not out of spite but because people just can’t afford it and they already have 7 tvs, and all the other crap that is a “must buy”.

Look at Amazon Prime and prime days, nothing is that exciting. The stores that are going to get feet in the door are the ones that are actually giving crap away for “free”.
Those will be the places that have people camping out.

a reply to: JAGStorm

We stopped restaurant dining and ordering takeout. We buy in bulk, cook some, portion out the rest and freeze it for later. These prices, and the shoplifting, are creating food deserts as stores close in depressed areas. People cant afford the product, and theft makes the store unsustainable. Self-checkout is not the answer. Its much bigger than that.

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: MoreCoyoteAngels
a reply to: JAGStorm

I went to brunch yesterday to a place I havent been in a long while because its always so hard to get in and a long wait.

It was nearly empty.

People aren't spending on non-necessities.

We are only seeing the beginning.

I heard a radio ad that said go ahead and buy your house now, as prices are coming down, and you can refinance at a better rate later. That is exactly what I did 30+ years ago and it worked well for me. This time I'm waiting for a good cash price. Im starting to look in the areas I might want to be, outside CA.

Son and I went to brunch, two plates, two coffees, total over $40.
That’s not sustainable for most. That’s not even an option for others.

21 bucks for water and a club sandwich with a small bowl of melon and 2 grapes.... are you kidding me! I think I am going to be like that person who wants to look like barbie and live off air and water lol . I'm joking. I cannot justify this cost for a meal at a local diner. Cutting corners for everything these days!

originally posted by: BingoMcGoof

originally posted by: TzarChasm
a reply to: JAGStorm

I'd gladly take a discount on utilities, rent, fuel instead of a discount on Nintendo/Samsung/Apple toys. Alas, never seen a promo to that effect.

Yeahbut, you know as well as I do Tzar, that those items are part of the control mechanism to keep people numbed so as to not think too much about the plight we all face. Gimme more entertainment.

ok, you got it....strikes over and back to the meat grinder.

www.latimes.com...

Just filled up the PU...$2.50 a gal, gettin better....I know optimist are "No se quiere" around here.

originally posted by: ScarletDarkness

originally posted by: nerbot

originally posted by: JAGStorm
Son and I went to brunch, two plates, two coffees, total over $40.
That’s not sustainable for most. That’s not even an option for others.

Aren't you fortunate to have such little luxuries?

Tell that to the 1% who control every disregulation, every war, every price hike, every planned event (maui fires etc) etc while they enjoy champagne and caviar served by a waiter while on one of their massive yahts

I know you were probably being sarcastic , can't tell for sure, but get real if not. We are not here to work and exist, though it's sure starting to feel more and more like slavery every day work harder and harder for less and less reward

Maybe a lot of us are just getting slightly annoyed with the constant same content threads by OP all while she usually ends up humble bragging that she’s very fortunate and these things don’t affect her.

Someone was asking where they could find a turkey dinner for their family with small kids, obviously they couldn’t afford a turkey. people jumped in and gave them a turkey and all the fixings. There’s still a lot of good people out there.

originally posted by: 38181
Someone was asking where they could find a turkey dinner for their family with small kids, obviously they couldn’t afford a turkey. people jumped in and gave them a turkey and all the fixings. There’s still a lot of good people out there.

That's awesome! There is some good out the there! I think I would do a turkey breast or a chicken if I had to.

a reply to: cocnutcrab883

Maybe a lot of us are just getting slightly annoyed with the constant same content threads by OP all while she usually ends up humble bragging that she’s very fortunate and these things don’t affect her.

Don’t affect me? Of course it affects me. Thing cost the same for me as they do for others.
Yes I might be in a different stage in my life than someone in their 20’s but I also see the seriousness of what is happening in our economy. If you consider a rare lunch date with my son a humble brag, then that is even more proof that our economy is in ever more dire condition than I assumed.

YES I do post a lot about the economy, if that doesn’t interest you, nothing I can do about that. Some people are into talking about UFO’s, or the government. I like to talk about the pulse of the economy. I’ve seen some pretty striking patterns happen over the years and am seeing them again. I also have my thoughts on why what is happening is happening. I seriously think they are trying to force more people in the office and get the wheels going again after covid.

a reply to: JAGStorm

As a regular ATS'er for over 13 years I'm well acquainted with your threads. The lunch itself is not a humble brag, but the fact that you humblebrag while complaining about the most mundane things. "The housing market is bad, and I feel sorry for everyone else. But thank God I am in the position I'm in and can afford everything". And yes, I am paraphrasing but that is how you come off 99.9 percent of the time. That's the entirety of your threads for the last 5 years minimum, but housing can be interchanged with food costs, retail, immigrants etc. You complain about these things as if you are affected but then always work in a way to show you are in fact not. Like it's some sort of virtue. Sure, while you are affected by rising costs like everyone else as you do pay the same prices, I highly doubt you are truly suffering like the rest of us serfs out here.

a reply to: lilzazz

The octopus grows another tentacle.

a reply to: cocnutcrab883

I highly doubt you are truly suffering like the rest of us serfs out here.

Is everyone suffering? Can we lump everyone in one bucket? I think there are many different levels.
Some of us suffer directly, some of us worry about our children, or grandchildren. Some of us worry about the state of our nation.

Have I suffered financially in my life, ha, absolutely.I keep abreast of the pulse of things before they go full blown and recognize patterns now.
When I say I lived in real poverty at one point, that is no exaggeration. Then after getting back on my feet, I was completely and totally devastated by 2008.
Job loss, house loss, serious illness, 401K disaster…. Everything you can think of happening did.

Maybe some of my examples rub people the wrong way, I can’t help that. I share my experiences. I’m not going to tone myself down. Do I have empathy for those in a different position than myself, absolutely but I also won’t vilify what I’ve rightly earned in my life through hard work.

I’ve had so many people reach out to me saying how much they enjoy reading my posts. If you don’t, they aren’t for you.

a reply to: MoreCoyoteAngels

And Im seeing shortages in the grocery again. I was standing there at the eggs, where they are down to 2.99 again instead of 8.99 But the cheese section was empty. A young fellow was kindly waiting for me to get my eggs. I commented about the low price but empty cheese. He said 'mam, things arent right. Buy yourself a 4x4 truck and learn to drive to get out of town if you need to'. I told him I have a 4x4 truck already and learning to drive in the desert. He gave me the thumbs up.

No shortages here, and that’s a bit concerning about getting out of town comment..

originally posted by: nerbot

originally posted by: JAGStorm
Son and I went to brunch, two plates, two coffees, total over $40.
That’s not sustainable for most. That’s not even an option for others.

Aren't you fortunate to have such little luxuries?

Yes she is, guess what, she worked her ass off to get them.

why the snark?

originally posted by: lilzazz

originally posted by: nerbot

originally posted by: JAGStorm
Son and I went to brunch, two plates, two coffees, total over $40.
That’s not sustainable for most. That’s not even an option for others.

Aren't you fortunate to have such little luxuries?

Yes she is, guess what, she worked her ass off to get them.

why the snark?

YEP I did, I started working at 15, several times through my life I had 2 and even one point 3 jobs. Yes 3 jobs in one day.
Server in a restaurant, then in a call center, then a holiday job. I worked 8am to 1am every day for a good while. Exhausting!
My husband is the same way.

a reply to: JAGStorm

I understand people are suffering now but my favorite way to relieve the suffering was to get a damn job and a side hack if that wasn't enough. I see "help wanted" signs everywhere.

I suppose ATS is a needed pressure release valve for some; thus the spiteful and abrasive responses.

I'm guilty too....

Thanks for the post, S&F. I used to go out to eat often. It is very rare for me to do so anymore. I just can't afford it anymore. Living in a condo, and had to have roof replaced in my building due to summer storm damage. Our monthly maintenance fee is going up another $20/month, after a $25/month increase about a year ago. Property taxes too. I'm just doing everything I can do to keep my head above water. I was grocery shopping today, and bought two boxes of cereal among other things. The two boxes of cereal alone cost over $10.00. I don't want to even think about my electric bills for the winter. I have electric baseboard heat, and it's damn expensive. I may have to cut back on food to pay my electric bill. Inflation is out of control. Thankfully I don't have any Christmas shopping to do. None of our family gets together for the holidays anymore.

There are those who have it way worse. I'm grateful to have a roof over my head, heat, food, and clothes. As much as I miss my husband, part of me is glad he doesn't have to see how bad things have gotten.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Son and I went to brunch, two plates, two coffees, total over $40. for others.

Oh, I'm just paying for my own salad.