MadAsAHatter
Well-known member
This is mainly a question to all those who are continually bitching about price increases from tariffs. So, what exactly are you buying where tariffs are destroying your finances?
I don't want some generic "the price of refrigerators went up" unless you're buying one on a weekly basis. And don't give me some obscure item like purple stripe panda eggs that no everyday person would ever buy. I want to know what specifically you are buying on a regular basis where you're getting ass raped on costs by tariffs.
I can recognize my personal experience may be atypical. Could be due to my spending habits or possibly the region I live in. I've always shopped local and bought Made in USA as much as I can. Even if I need to save up for a big purchase, I'm a believer in paying for quality and things that last for the long haul; buy once cry once. But I haven't noticed any major change in my finances since tariffs have been enacted. My spending habits have remained relatively constant. Actually, any changes in my finances have been a net positive.
I keep track of my monthly spending, and also spending from year to year. My basic utilities have either remained the same as they have been for the last several years or gone down. Water, sewer, phone, internet have been the same. Power and natural gas have been slowly creeping down in cost. Even fuel for my car has gone down a decent bit since the beginning of the year; and not just due to seasonal flux.
I notice some fluctuations in groceries. Some prices have gone up; like beef, and others down. Then again beef is constantly going up even without tariffs. I've noticed the price on ultra processed foods and prepared meals have gone up some. Not near as much like when we had runaway inflation, but a noticeable price increase none the less. I also don't buy that kind of crap food either. As mentioned some items up, others down. With my normal grocery buying habits my net costs have gone down on average a few hundred dollars per month. Prior years I was going over budget on food by at least $100-$200. Since about March I've been consistently under budget by $50-$100.
The only thing that has significantly increased in price have been the streaming services; which I consider discretionary spending. My wife and I want a couple of choice ones, but it's nothing we must have. I highly doubt streaming price increases have anything to do with tariffs.
The one thing I've noticed where tariffs affected my cost is the last time I made a mouser order. I ordered a few hundred dollars in components to build a couple project amps and tariffs tacked on a whopping $6.37 of extra costs. Not exactly breaking the bank there.
For about the last 6-7 months my overall net spending has been down. I haven't changed my spending habits. I'm still paying the same bills, still buying the same type of groceries, etc. Before hand I was breaking even or going slightly over budget. Now I'm having at least a few hundred dollars left over in cash every month. Technically I have more left over than that, but I've bumped up my monthly savings and investment amounts due to net spending being down.
So me personally, I have not noticed and negative effects since the beginning of tariffs being enacted. But I see people bitching about them like they're so devastating to the point the family pet is scared about being sold off.
Seriously, What are you personally spending your money on where tariffs have utterly destroyed your budget?
Rhetorically, Or is this just a case of people bitching because orange man bad even if it doesn't directly affect them?
I don't want some generic "the price of refrigerators went up" unless you're buying one on a weekly basis. And don't give me some obscure item like purple stripe panda eggs that no everyday person would ever buy. I want to know what specifically you are buying on a regular basis where you're getting ass raped on costs by tariffs.
I can recognize my personal experience may be atypical. Could be due to my spending habits or possibly the region I live in. I've always shopped local and bought Made in USA as much as I can. Even if I need to save up for a big purchase, I'm a believer in paying for quality and things that last for the long haul; buy once cry once. But I haven't noticed any major change in my finances since tariffs have been enacted. My spending habits have remained relatively constant. Actually, any changes in my finances have been a net positive.
I keep track of my monthly spending, and also spending from year to year. My basic utilities have either remained the same as they have been for the last several years or gone down. Water, sewer, phone, internet have been the same. Power and natural gas have been slowly creeping down in cost. Even fuel for my car has gone down a decent bit since the beginning of the year; and not just due to seasonal flux.
I notice some fluctuations in groceries. Some prices have gone up; like beef, and others down. Then again beef is constantly going up even without tariffs. I've noticed the price on ultra processed foods and prepared meals have gone up some. Not near as much like when we had runaway inflation, but a noticeable price increase none the less. I also don't buy that kind of crap food either. As mentioned some items up, others down. With my normal grocery buying habits my net costs have gone down on average a few hundred dollars per month. Prior years I was going over budget on food by at least $100-$200. Since about March I've been consistently under budget by $50-$100.
The only thing that has significantly increased in price have been the streaming services; which I consider discretionary spending. My wife and I want a couple of choice ones, but it's nothing we must have. I highly doubt streaming price increases have anything to do with tariffs.
The one thing I've noticed where tariffs affected my cost is the last time I made a mouser order. I ordered a few hundred dollars in components to build a couple project amps and tariffs tacked on a whopping $6.37 of extra costs. Not exactly breaking the bank there.
For about the last 6-7 months my overall net spending has been down. I haven't changed my spending habits. I'm still paying the same bills, still buying the same type of groceries, etc. Before hand I was breaking even or going slightly over budget. Now I'm having at least a few hundred dollars left over in cash every month. Technically I have more left over than that, but I've bumped up my monthly savings and investment amounts due to net spending being down.
So me personally, I have not noticed and negative effects since the beginning of tariffs being enacted. But I see people bitching about them like they're so devastating to the point the family pet is scared about being sold off.
Seriously, What are you personally spending your money on where tariffs have utterly destroyed your budget?
Rhetorically, Or is this just a case of people bitching because orange man bad even if it doesn't directly affect them?
