The Inflation & Cost of Living Complaints Thread

[Warhippy]

A continuation of the thread from CDC.

Shrinkflation is not being discussed enough.  Nor are the insanely consistent increases in automation and digital employment at the cost of real world employees.

One thing not mentioned either are the increase of or introduction of fees for digital purchasing.  These are fees that exist and are pure profit for many corporations.

Banks are the number one, US banks made over $17 billion alone on bank fees last year.

Here, we now have this.  An addition of $1.50 for non members or $1.00 for members at landmark for movie tickets purchased online.

These fees will be excess profit and nothing more because the implementation of this is not going to cost a cent for them but they'll absolutely rake in every dollar in profit at your expense.  But that movies were affordable anymore to begin with

 

Edited September 18, 2023 by Warhippy

[Shift-4]

I will be dusting off resume soon. 
Then I can start complaining about cost of living lol

[Shift-4]

1 hour ago, Warhippy said:

 

These fees will be excess profit and nothing more because the implementation of this is not going to cost a cent for them but they'll absolutely rake in every dollar in profit at your expense.

 

 

No offense Hip but I doubt this statement is accurate. My company is in the midst of deploying a digital channel for financial transactions. It's running at a deficit with no expectation to be profitable. A lot goes on behind the scenes to make sure these transactions run smoothly. I have no doubt landmark are recouping costs to deploy the service. If they are smart they will have margin on those fees, but it won't be pure profit.

Sidenote: movies generally suck nowadays. Easy solution to save the $1.50

[Barnstorm]

Costs across the board seem to be escalating almost exponentially. 
 

The only resolution I have and it doesn’t work for everyone, is to minimize purchases of anything that isn’t a necessity. If I don’t buy their product or use their service they can’t gouge me. I lean towards a minimalist lifestyle, grow and store much of my food and avoid the typical consumer traps. 
 

Seniors can avoid many bank fees based on their age. You have to enquire about these things because they sure as hell aren’t volunteering the information to save a few dollars.

[Shift-4]

10 minutes ago, Barnstorm said:

 

The only resolution I have and it doesn’t work for everyone, is to minimize purchases of anything that isn’t a necessity. If I don’t buy their product or use their service they can’t gouge me. I lean towards a minimalist lifestyle, grow and store much of my food and avoid the typical consumer traps. 
 

 

  Cheers to a fellow cheap SOB

[ronthecivil]

2 hours ago, Warhippy said:

A continuation of the thread from CDC.

Shrinkflation is not being discussed enough.  Nor are the insanely consistent increases in automation and digital employment at the cost of real world employees.

One thing not mentioned either are the increase of or introduction of fees for digital purchasing.  These are fees that exist and are pure profit for many corporations.

Banks are the number one, US banks made over $17 billion alone on bank fees last year.

Here, we now have this.  An addition of $1.50 for non members or $1.00 for members at landmark for movie tickets purchased online.

These fees will be excess profit and nothing more because the implementation of this is not going to cost a cent for them but they'll absolutely rake in every dollar in profit at your expense.  But that movies were affordable anymore to begin with

 

I noticed during the pandemic, that payment in cash was not allowed in a lot of places (like Roger's Arena for example!).

I have always thought that it should be illegal to not accept cash. Sure, maybe amounts over 10k for money laundering reasons. But to avoid fees, being tracked on everything you do (not for crime avoidance, spam and other advertising avoidance), and shocker, when you have to take cash out of the bank every time  you want to spend it, you spend less. 

Cash should always be an option to avoid all those fees.....

[ronthecivil]

As for the reduction in jobs, the issue has been lately, and doesn't seem to be going away any time soon, is the lack of people that actually want to work.

[Barnstorm]

1 minute ago, ronthecivil said:

As for the reduction in jobs, the issue has been lately, and doesn't seem to be going away any time soon, is the lack of people that actually want to work.

I hear this everywhere. Business’s cannot find employees and the few they can are not exactly stellar. I’d like to know how all these people that dropped out of the workforce are paying the bills?

[Jess]

Pretty painful for someone like me who's hoping to get into the housing market here in Langley. My salary increased by almost 50% with my recent job change and it'll still take years for me to approach a down payment. Interest rates plus housing prices. If I didn't have family and friends here in BC, I'd move to Alberta.

If the opportunity arises, I could see myself moving out to Chilliwack to get cheaper properties. Still would be close to family and immensely cheaper.

[Barnstorm]

5 minutes ago, ronthecivil said:

I noticed during the pandemic, that payment in cash was not allowed in a lot of places (like Roger's Arena for example!).

I have always thought that it should be illegal to not accept cash. Sure, maybe amounts over 10k for money laundering reasons. But to avoid fees, being tracked on everything you do (not for crime avoidance, spam and other advertising avoidance), and shocker, when you have to take cash out of the bank every time  you want to spend it, you spend less. 

Cash should always be an option to avoid all those fees.....

Any sense of sanity and logic was out the door during that period. 

[Barnstorm]

1 minute ago, -AJ- said:

Pretty painful for someone like me who's hoping to get into the housing market here in Langley. My salary increased by almost 50% with my recent job change and it'll still take years for me to approach a down payment. Interest rates plus housing prices. If I didn't have family and friends here in BC, I'd move to Alberta.

If the opportunity arises, I could see myself moving out to Chilliwack to get cheaper properties. Still would be close to family and immensely cheaper.

I feel badly for youth in a position such as you. 
My understanding is it makes little difference where you go in that RE  prices are over the top everywhere. 
 

Fuel, maintenance and commuting time become a negative factor for many that try to distance themselves. The cost of an extra 50 miles each day over 30 years is nothing to sneeze at. 
 

Hope you find your way AJ. I believe the solid and the motivated youth will be ok.

[Jess]

3 minutes ago, Barnstorm said:

I feel badly for youth in a position such as you. 
My understanding is it makes little difference where you go in that RE  prices are over the top everywhere. 
 

Fuel, maintenance and commuting time become a negative factor for many that try to distance themselves. The cost of an extra 50 miles each day over 30 years is nothing to sneeze at. 
 

Hope you find your way AJ. I believe the solid and the motivated youth will be ok.

Yeah, a long commute is a deal-killer for me. If I were to move to a cheaper area, it would be if I had a job there too. No way am I doing a 50+ min communte twice a day. Heck, I even get annoyed when it takes me 20 minutes to get to work now. Time is very valuable to me.

Crazy thing for me to think about is others who are less fortunate that I am. I make a decent living, especially for a single guy. I know people with families who make the same or maybe even less than I do. As an accountant, I have prospects to make a high income in the future, so I can realistically aim to own property in the future, but for others in careers less likely to make good money? I can't imagine how defeating it is to just know that you'll never own your own home for your entire life unless you move away.

[ronthecivil]

12 minutes ago, -AJ- said:

Pretty painful for someone like me who's hoping to get into the housing market here in Langley. My salary increased by almost 50% with my recent job change and it'll still take years for me to approach a down payment. Interest rates plus housing prices. If I didn't have family and friends here in BC, I'd move to Alberta.

If the opportunity arises, I could see myself moving out to Chilliwack to get cheaper properties. Still would be close to family and immensely cheaper.

Well, even with the political will to keep prices high (even if they don't admit it, having prices drop would anger 70% of Canadians, at least the ones that can't selfishly look beyond their own balance sheet), and even with intervention like extending mortgages amortizations to infinity and beyond, well, that's all the signs of a bubble.

Will the bubble blow, even with the feds trying to keep it together, eventually? Well history shows it happened not that long ago, in every country on the planet, starting in the states, and spreading around the world, completely screwing some countries like Iceland and Ireland.  Did it hit Canada? Nope, because we were the one country that was sticking to financial prudence at the time, with a strong banking sector and balanced budget.

Since then Canada has abandoned all of that, and even piled on, to our own now massive housing bubbles. When houses are out of range of new Canucks players, you know it's probably a better idea to keep on building a nice financial position, ready to pounce when the floor falls out.

Unfortunately for you, it might be a long, LONG wait, because the forces of "I already got mine" are going to fight tooth and nail for anything that stops that. Plus many of them have massive financial commitments to their real estate position, and a housing crash will have the double whammy of a severe recession if that happens.

On the plus side, there would be workers for the ferries etc. again as people wouldn't just be able to retire early based on their RE wealth....

[Ghostsof1915]

Growing up in the Lower Mainland.

Real Estate prices are a joke.

No matter how I move up the ladder, I'm still 20 rungs behind.

Even 20+ years ago, the cost of real estate was higher here than in California.

Basically we're Hawaii without the tropics. The only way I see people are affording this is from overseas,  or just rich.

Or they have income that's off the books. Or they are just flipping homes and hoping they stay ahead of any downturns.

I'm worried about my nieces children. I don't know how the hell they are going to afford anything. Unless it's from their grandparents.

 

 

[Warhippy]

1 hour ago, Shift-4 said:

No offense Hip but I doubt this statement is accurate. My company is in the midst of deploying a digital channel for financial transactions. It's running at a deficit with no expectation to be profitable. A lot goes on behind the scenes to make sure these transactions run smoothly. I have no doubt landmark are recouping costs to deploy the service. If they are smart they will have margin on those fees, but it won't be pure profit.

Sidenote: movies generally suck nowadays. Easy solution to save the $1.50

When you automate services and charge online fees for zero contact.

You're not paying any employee wage.  Building fees.  Any of the associated overhead for the transaction.

If it's $1.00 the company is losing maybe 8 cents

[Coconuts]

1 hour ago, Barnstorm said:

I hear this everywhere. Business’s cannot find employees and the few they can are not exactly stellar. I’d like to know how all these people that dropped out of the workforce are paying the bills?

I think a lot of folks went back to school during the Covid era, or simply switched industries. Retail, serving work, customer service gigs, they're important but they're low paying and thankless. I've done plenty of retail and customer service. 

I was working in social services last year, the industry is screaming for people. They can't find or keep casuals, or regulars. And people aren't paid nearly enough. I made roughly $21.60 to work in a low barrier, supportive housing context. A wet side where active use took place, engaging with a primarily street entrenched population. The budgets were never big enough, the resources are always strained because the demand outweighs the supply. I worked almost exclusively graveyards, I took shifts others didn't want, I was very flexible and it was getting me nowhere.

Problem is you still need people in those roles but people should be able to work those jobs and do more than just get by. Working full time I was probably still pretty close to the poverty line at the end of the day.

I'm a fourth year social work student, human services in general are screaming for people. I went back to school in part because of economic realities, I'm just another person not doing the jobs I used to do. Canada is the most educated country in the world per capita, pursuing a career, or at least education, is the norm.

It may never matter what I do, I may never "get ahead", things like housing aren't accessible anymore. I'll never have the economic opportunities of my parents generation. 

If companies want to retain or attract employees they need to attract them but they also need to give them incentive to stay. It doesn't pay to be loyal, lot of folks will earn more by jumping jobs every few years. What you'll get by joining a new company will frequently be more than you'll get via raises. I can't tell you how many times across numerous jobs newbies have stepped in to make the same money as me or more.

When so many industries are screaming for people one can afford to be more picky, why work a shit job if you can quit and go find another one that pays similarly but offers less of a headache? 

People can't afford to live, or to live well, or to live how they want. The economic driver is legit, but if you can't get ahead why not at least look for a lower stress job or one you enjoy more? 

I think the working class is growing increasingly less interested in accepting what they're offered or resigning themselves to jobs or careers they don't like. If the economy is a joke why not at least try to find happiness where you can? I don't think this shift is unique to millenials and Gen Z either

Edited September 18, 2023 by Coconuts

[Shift-4]

13 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

When you automate services and charge online fees for zero contact.

You're not paying any employee wage.  Building fees.  Any of the associated overhead for the transaction.

If it's $1.00 the company is losing maybe 8 cents

I'm inside this type of thing. Trust me, it's not 8 cents. Automation is expensive. If you want to gripe complain about markup on popcorn and cola.

[Taxi]

A lot of these issues are tied together. It's difficult to find people to work, because those working people don't have affordable housing in the areas where we need workers. Also, lots of people have looked at the benefits of working and said: "why should I slave away to end up poor and without a home to own". A lot of those people just decide to live their own lives. It's better to be poor and free than poor and work everyday. 200 people a month die of overdoses. Formerly, many of these people would have been productive members of society. Now, they poison themselves to death. 

You can raise wages and give out free money, but a lot of the time that merely drives inflation up further. The only people who profit there are the ones who already own the capital.  

[ronthecivil]

6 minutes ago, Taxi said:

A lot of these issues are tied together. It's difficult to find people to work, because those working people don't have affordable housing in the areas where we need workers. Also, lots of people have looked at the benefits of working and said: "why should I slave away to end up poor and without a home to own". A lot of those people just decide to live their own lives. It's better to be poor and free than poor and work everyday. 200 people a month die of overdoses. Formerly, many of these people would have been productive members of society. Now, they poison themselves to death. 

You can raise wages and give out free money, but a lot of the time that merely drives inflation up further. The only people who profit there are the ones who already own the capital.  

You got it. You can raise wages and give out free money, but it doesn't solve the problem of high prices (especially for housing), it contributes to it.

The problem is the high prices themselves. And if you fixed them, by saying letting people who over extended themselves end up being poor themselves for the next seven years by being forced to declare bankruptcy, and letting a housing bubble pop with most Canadians getting stung, many of them will go bankrupt too. Let's just say whoever is in opposition while this happens, as much as Poilievre was criticizing Trudeau for being on watch while prices doubled (true), it's not like he would fix it. And if Poilievre wins the election, if he "succeeds" in having prices drop in half, he will just be shooting himself in the foot. Also no politician is going to do it on purpose. Until that is that nothing will stop it.

Funny thing about putting all your eggs in one (real estate) basket is that as soon as that asset goes down so does everything.

[Sharpshooter]

[Bounce000]

I wish a bought a house in 2007 instead of being in grade 10. 

[Truefan99]

Instead of complaining put your experiences and expertise together to come up with a plan to propose to the provincial and federal government. 
 

When people organize for a cause that’s when change happens. 

[Barnstorm]

1 hour ago, Taxi said:

A lot of these issues are tied together. It's difficult to find people to work, because those working people don't have affordable housing in the areas where we need workers. Also, lots of people have looked at the benefits of working and said: "why should I slave away to end up poor and without a home to own". A lot of those people just decide to live their own lives. It's better to be poor and free than poor and work everyday. 200 people a month die of overdoses. Formerly, many of these people would have been productive members of society. Now, they poison themselves to death. 

You can raise wages and give out free money, but a lot of the time that merely drives inflation up further. The only people who profit there are the ones who already own the capital.  

I agree. ^^^
It’s a sad state of affairs we are in. 

[Barnstorm]

2 hours ago, Coconuts said:

I think a lot of folks went back to school during the Covid era, or simply switched industries. Retail, serving work, customer service gigs, they're important but they're low paying and thankless. I've done plenty of retail and customer service. 

I was working in social services last year, the industry is screaming for people. They can't find or keep casuals, or regulars. And people aren't paid nearly enough. I made roughly $21.60 to work in a low barrier, supportive housing context. A wet side where active use took place, engaging with a primarily street entrenched population. The budgets were never big enough, the resources are always strained because the demand outweighs the supply. I worked almost exclusively graveyards, I took shifts others didn't want, I was very flexible and it was getting me nowhere.

Problem is you still need people in those roles but people should be able to work those jobs and do more than just get by. Working full time I was probably still pretty close to the poverty line at the end of the day.

I'm a fourth year social work student, human services in general are screaming for people. I went back to school in part because of economic realities, I'm just another person not doing the jobs I used to do. Canada is the most educated country in the world per capita, pursuing a career, or at least education, is the norm.

It may never matter what I do, I may never "get ahead", things like housing aren't accessible anymore. I'll never have the economic opportunities of my parents generation. 

If companies want to retain or attract employees they need to attract them but they also need to give them incentive to stay. It doesn't pay to be loyal, lot of folks will earn more by jumping jobs every few years. What you'll get by joining a new company will frequently be more than you'll get via raises. I can't tell you how many times across numerous jobs newbies have stepped in to make the same money as me or more.

When so many industries are screaming for people one can afford to be more picky, why work a shit job if you can quit and go find another one that pays similarly but offers less of a headache? 

People can't afford to live, or to live well, or to live how they want. The economic driver is legit, but if you can't get ahead why not at least look for a lower stress job or one you enjoy more? 

I think the working class is growing increasingly less interested in accepting what they're offered or resigning themselves to jobs or careers they don't like. If the economy is a joke why not at least try to find happiness where you can? I don't think this shift is unique to millenials and Gen Z either

I can’t fathom working in any service or health related industry. Hard to imagine what you were doing for $21.60 hourly. Graveyards are almost tolerable when you’re young and even have a few benefits however not good as one ages . 
Trades are a good way to go: less schooling, steady pay increases, work available outside the big cities and lots of ot just to name a few plus points. 

[Hogs and Podz]

I read some of the posts here... I feel for everyone going through a very tough period in Canada and many parts of the world.  Personally... The covid pandemic was the final straw for me.  I was so disappointed with our government and a lot of our citizens through that time.

I decided to sell my house and move to Central America.  To be completely honest.... It was the best choice I could have made.  Simple way to live.  Way less stress.  Money goes so much further and the people here know how to stay together in a crisis.  It's far from perfect... There are many challenges here too... Just different.  Anyway, I'm much happier now.  But I made some sacrifices in order to get here... Namely, I'm further away from my kids and best buds... However, they're coming down this way cause it's bleeping beautiful!!!!.... Something to think about.

Edited September 19, 2023 by Hogs and Podz