My grocery budget hasnt changed. The prices have gone up, but I buy less since I don't buy tp. We have a bidet. Paper towels were replaced by rags. Cleaning products were replaced by homemade cleaning products. Eating out was replaced by eating at home. Buying in bulk means my groceries cost less overall. Gas prices arent that high. It's still less than $4/gallon. My car is 10 years old. Saving money allows us to pay cash for everything. Decluttering reduced time I take for cleaning. I compare us to no one. Others have no clue as to what is going on behind the scenes. Thank you for your input.
I started buying groceries in bulk at my local Aldi. It has saved us at least $200 a month. My car is also 10 years old and it has given me no reason to trade it in. I can't justify spending money frivolously in these times.
These are the tips that are the best because you dont really lose anything, you just change how they work. Like another one would be limiting streaming services. Because cable used to be 50 or more back in the day. But now you can limit it to 0-20 and still get good variety and less cost.
I grocery shop in bulk and have an extra freezer to store things. Costs have gone up but maintaining your car by yourself and cooking at home saves a bundle. I also collect rain water and grow a little container garden with tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries and some herbs. Which I plan to continuously expand as my daughter grows up and we can eventually remove her trampoline from the space where I’ll expand the garden.
My father who was a young man during the great depression, said to me back in the early 80's, I think it is worse today than during the depression because back then there wasn't anything to buy. Just think about the stuff today as even compared to the 80's. People think they need all this stuff. Living simply is the key.
It is absurd how much it costs just for the basic necessities. Our household income is in the lower six figures, living in southern California. We are barely getting by. This is mind-boggling considering these things: we have no kids, our mortgage/property taxes are less than if we rented our house, we drive older cars that are paid for, we never take any real vacations, we very rarely eat out except for the casual work lunch, we very rarely go out and do anything that requires money like seeing a show or going to bars. Is that even a middle class lifestyle?
You basically described my life. Me and my wife were thriving for like 6 years. In California also. But now it’s like we don’t live the lifestyle we had just a few years ago, now we basically don’t do anything. We work, we pay the bills. And we aren’t saving like we were, before all these inflations and high costs we were averaging a saving of 1000 a month. Now that has turned to bills money. We have zero dept, no car dept, no credit card dept. and still we’re living check to check, my wife makes in the high 70s and I make in the low 50s and all a sudden it’s like we’re broke. I don’t get it.
@@TRAVIESO_NA Just filled up my mid-sized sedan at Costco the other day and it was $85. There was one time during the Trump presidency that it was less than $40 with the same car.
@@TRAVIESO_NABetween the extremely nightmarish frightening horrible horrific high cost of living and your paychecks getting taxed, feed, etc.... not much left to spend. Taxes, insurance, food drink groceries, bills, rents, mortgage, credit card bills, and car home repairs etc.... on and on and on, your actual take home salary is reduced by 50 to 80% depending on where you live in USA TITANIC. Gasoline, food drink groceries, rents etc..will continue to spike up and skyrocket slowly but surely now and will get even more pricey and unaffordable as the months years go by. No help for you by your own country, but plenty of 10's of billions of income taxes for illegals, Ukraine Israel Taiwan and the rest of the welfare cases countries around the world.
Only 10 years ago, I was making like $15/hr and my husband was making like $12/hr, and groceries were only $50-60/week. I had a car payment. We went on trips to Disney World often. Now, I make $25/hr and my husband makes $15/hr... our living cost since then has gone from $500/month to $1400/month. Groceries went from $50/wk to $200/wk. My healthcare costs have gone up significantly. And I don't even have a car payment anymore (I couldn't afford one). And somehow, we are struggling to get by. We live paycheck to paycheck. And we don't have any kids. I'm not even sure how this money is leaving our hands so quickly even after I've been tracking our budget.
@@raziel1687 That says it all. A great example of how it all has become living in USA TITANIC! Worst ever. This corrupt crooks criminals traitors cheats liers politicians bums welfare cases government sold us out decades ago. They are running the American dream into the ground. A vicious cycle of greed all around. Capitalism as we once knew it is dead and gone. Replaced by crony greedy capitalism. Don't work for most any more. Meanwhile good luck all with the extremely nightmarish frightening horrible horrific high cost of living in USA TITANIC now and will get even more pricey and unaffordable as the months years go by. Only the rich elite oligarchs millionaires and billionaires and well off financially affluent society will be able to afford it all soon.
Very astute observations, Austin. One of the things that really borhers me is how cheaply everything is made. We used to have appliance and shoe repair shops, and now we just buy new once the old wears out (which is quickly!) We recently had to replace our refrigerator and the tech told us they only expect them to last 5 to 7 years. Wow, my parents had appliances that ran well for 40 years! Its very sad.
my fridge is 20 years old. Would I like a new style change? Yes but no way I am replacing if its not broken dont fix it 😊. Everything is built to break now a days to keep revenues going.
12 years in my home. My first new fridge has been replaced about 3 years ago. My 2nd washing machine just went out. Single person household and electric/natural gas cost so high., I'm going to utilize the local laundromat while continuing to hang dry...I'm thinking it will be the least expensive choice.
@@tbarc1it’s the computer panel on the washer. Humidity fries them, which is hard to avoid in a laundry room! If you can find an electro-mechanical washer, they last longer. Almost impossible to find nowadays.
@@evelynsaungikar3553 actually not the computer panel in my case. I don't buy the ones with all bells and whistles. I get as close to a standard manual operation as possible...just knobs to turn and set. I used to build washers in a Maytag factory and quickly learned it was much more expense to replace the computer panels than it was to replace the timer, belts and pumps on the non computer ones. I'll eventually inspect this one as time allows to see if it's an issue I can fix myself but I most definitely will not pay a repairman nor will I purchase a new one again. If 5 years is the limit for a new one now....I'll purchase used if I purchase at all.
And the saddest part of all was mentioned at the very end: “And there’s just no going back”. Great video Austin. I’m 56 years old, and how I wish that we could indeed go back. But we can’t. ☹
This is the same conclusions I've been coming to lately. I am slowly spending less and less at corporations and looking for more local options. Corporations only care about shareholders and that is unsustainable for the rest of us.
I think a lot of people also don’t know how to do things even if we had the time. Nobody knows even basic repairs, don’t know how to sew, don’t know how to cook, and therefore even if we did have time to do those things, we still need specialists to do it for us.
This is what I have been saying. People go out to restaurants all the time now when years ago it was considered a special occasion opportunity. We need to get back to basics--at the very least cooking for ourselves when we can. Relying on expensive food delivery apps and restaurants to cook the very same things we can make at home is just silly.
The amount of guys iv spoken to who only know how to chuck a pizza in the oven or use a microwave, is absolutely ridiculous! Honestly it's not that hard to cook and majority of items have instructions on the back of the packet. It's crazy!
You can learn by watching UA-cam videos. I learned to set up and adjust my smart tv by watching UA-cam. Our iPhone 7 are still working fine because of UA-cam. 😂
Exactly. For example, nowadays you can get almost exclusively those completely ridiculously designed and made of shoddy material can openers that have to be screwed. I don't understand who the fool is who invented them, I don't understand how they could have spread, why people use them, I think it's much more difficult to open cans with them... Additionally, they break down ridiculously quickly, after two or three cans. The last time I got upset, I ordered a can opener from Ukraine on EBAY... Which was already used, and it was made maybe 50 years ago... Not the type that needs to be screwed, but the ordinary, primitive, "military" style.. . but it is also certain, it is made of such thick material that it will never break! If it has lasted the last 50 years, it will surely be good for me until I die... And besides, it's even easier to open cans with it! And although it is thick and therefore durable, it is still not heavier than today's modern can openers, because it consists of fewer parts! The truth is that, on the one hand, I am an extreme minimalist, and on the other hand, when I do buy something very rarely, I specifically look for "vintage" tools and gadgets... Because they are much more durable... And I don't buy or even pay attention to things made in China, of course...
So what I got from your video confirms what I’ve long believed and it’s that the USA is a Corporation. Now that we know what it is, we can decide if we’re going to go along in it as is or we find ways to opt out as much as possible to find find peace and true quality of life 👏
A British you tuber RICHARD VOBES has done videos,with input from people with the legal knowledge on how a lot of institutions we thought were free public,don't know the right word,but they have all with no publicity or telling us been transformed into Corporations. And thats by actual legal process. They are registered and there is a paper trail if you're law educated to follow it. Our British Government is now a Corporation -and so is our Monarchy!
in the UK we’re finding out we are a corporation too. We the people are treated like assets who they think they own!! It’s a friggin joke!! I didn’t sign up for this. Apparently your birth certificate is the contract that they think they own you by. Which is why your surname is in Capitals on it!!
The problem is that you have to pay for all parts of existence now. Thus, it is expensive even to opt out. Would love to just have a small house at the country side and be rather self sufficient, but even that is extremely expensive - at least here in Scandinavia.
I’m in my 30’s and growing up i had uncles and aunts house next door. And did lots of things together, without ever really going out to places and spending money.
I don’t care about keeping up with the Jones at all. I’m watching Selling Beverly Hills on Netflix at the moment where real estate agents get million dollar commission. I don’t care, I’m happy with my humble frugal debt free life as a flight attendant!
I swear people here in Norcal seems to live in this stereotype of Keeping up with Elon Musk, Keeping up with Mark Zuckerberg type stereotypes here and some of us has to point out the escalation of income inequality.
You're one wise young man! Totally agree. I may humbly add one more aspect, the lower quality of people's "inside quality". Call it what you want, virtues, spiritual, faith. It's like personal tools in dark times.
Everything you say is true. Here in the UK I grew up in such a community, with family, friends and local independent local shops and services all close by. I yearn so much for this again. We don't drive or have major outgoings. I try to grow fruit and veg, buy in bulk, and take pleasure in doing simple things. The town we live in is being slowly decimated by the economic downturn, and people don't seem to care or even notice that everything is closing down! I pay cash and visit independent businesses as much as possible. Luckily I've made a number of friends that feel the same and we all try to do our bit to use as many local services as possible, and not go online for everything.
If our money ever goes digital you've got a great basis for an informal,our of the system,barter network. Keep it in mind. They'll make it illegal of course and they might kill you for it but I think it's the only way forward
my fridge is 2004......BUT I had to replace my 1946 Tappan gas range last year & the new 2023 GE stove is a piece of cheap tin.......made in mexico & cost $795+ and cheapest model stove I could find!!!!!! Appliances today are garbage. My car is a 2006 Saturn.still running great
and if they didn't they could build one with the help of the community for little money and small prices for land and taxes. Modern world don't like us to be independent, they only want slaves again like in feudal times
The older generation saved money, didn't throw things away, used their imagination to create what they needed or wanted, didn't exist on overexpensive coffee or fast food, didn't spend money on tech gadgets, didn't buy new cars every 2 years and bought the smallest not the biggest house. The mindset and values were different back then.
@@annterrywilliams2304this is such an ignorant comment. There are so many families now living frugally, both parents working exhausted and stressed out and they are barely getting by despite not buying luxuries.
I fortunately live in a sort of small town/community, in Hyattsville, MD. It's known as a "walkable community"...I can walk/bike to many places...a number of grocery stores, post offices, bicycle store, hardware, pharmacies, restaurants, parks, bike paths, a mall, pet food store, banks, libraries, doctors, dentist, medical care, bus stops, and subway. I bicycle to work (7.5 miles each way). I try to live my life simply, with down time to relax, read, write letters, watch free movies from the library, get together with friends, cook and bake my meals, and grow vegetables in containers. Every bit of these things help reduce stress in my life.
Many people: When I come home from work I shouldn't have to do anything else!!! Including cooking, simple repairs or anything else that requires mental or physical exertion.
Excellent video as always. The loss of community has so many costs that are actually not related to money. As you probably saw when you were in Ecuador, being part of a close-knit community and extended family is a buffer against everything life can throw at you. After the pandemic, I have worked hard at recreating and engaging with my community and the reward of connection is priceless.
This is by far one of my favorite videos you e done. You are spot on. I’m 55yo and we live in a smaller town in N Calif. My MIL lives 1 minute away and my parents live 3 minutes away. We have locally owned restaurants, 1 hardware store, 2 local markets and 2 regular supermarkets. I love it here and we can still live as though it’s an older time. The Walmarts, Home Depots and Costcos are about 20 min away. So it’s a good blend. Everything you said about comparing ourselves to the unattainable lives of celebs is 100% correct. I’ve tried to raise my sons more like I was raised in the 70s. I feel like more people want to live simpler lives. About 5 years ago I really made an effort to make some changes to the way I live/spend money, in order to achieve that. Great job! 🎉
Great video! So true and so sad 😞 I have been longing for a simpler life but it’s definitely a challenge figuring out where and how to make that happen. Living in Miami I spend 3-4 hours a day commuting to and from work and that commute is a huge source of stress… but our housing market makes it so that homes close to the good jobs are unaffordable to most people, I do cook, exercise etc… but with so little time I am burned out and constantly feeling overwhelmed trying to do it all. When I was growing up my mom chose to stay with my sister and I until we were both old enough to go to school and then she only worked part time. Families don’t have that choice anymore. If our society stopped putting all the emphasis on maximizing profits and instead focused on quality, livable wages and family values our world would be a better place. Thank you for reminding us that we can make changes to improve our quality of life.
Austin, excellent summarization of societal elements that have changed. At age 70, I have seen this happen but hadn’t quite put it all together in my mind, as you have in this video. Woe is us, that way of life is over for most people.
Greedy corporations and the rental market have fragmented communities and fractured peoples relationships with each other. All in the name of profit margins. It's so depressing.
I disagree that we are “too busy”. I think TikTok and video shorts eat the time. I could sit after work and just scroll for hours. Then, I was like, “help! I have no time.” I am much more conscientious of that now.
You can still buy high quality items that last a very long time, but they cost more. The problem is a lot of people buy the cheap items that don't last and then complain when they break. Also people used to look after things better and fix them when they broke instead of just replacing them.
@sct4040 True. But you have the Internet now, and there's virtually a how-to-fix video for nearly everything. My 70 year old father-in-law will fix anything. He watches a video, orders any broken parts online, and before you know it, it's working again. I've seen him do this with TVs, coffee machines, cars, washing machines, dishwashers, etc.
@@JBLegal09 I lived in Australia for a while. But most of the land is useless unlike the United States when we travel for hours we do see people and different types of culture.
The rising cost of living is a pressing concern for many, impacting financial planning and investment strategies. Factors triggering this increase, such as inflation and changing economic conditions, require careful consideration.
Indeed, inflation can erode purchasing power over time, affecting the affordability of goods and services. It's crucial to adjust financial plans accordingly to mitigate its impact.
I've noticed my expenses creeping up steadily due to factors like rising housing costs and healthcare expenses. It's becoming challenging to maintain a comfortable standard of living while trying to save for the future.
Back in the day, managing expenses seemed simpler, but with the evolving economy, it's essential to stay proactive. Those who adapt their financial strategies tend to fare better in navigating the increasing cost of living.
Adapting to these changes can be daunting, especially when it comes to investment decisions. Have any of you considered how to adjust investment portfolios to counteract the effects of the rising cost of living?
My late grandfather used to sit on the back porch of his country home and whittle. He would often whistle at the same time. Let’s slow down and enjoy the flowers. Excellent video Austin!
I live in Australia 🇦🇺. Your videos, in particular this one, make a great deal of sense. I am trying to live a more frugal life, while still staying healthy.
Check out the carnivore diet. I stumbled over it looking for a fix for arthritis and now both hubby and I eat this way entirely. It is both awesome for your heath but also SO simple and cheap as you avoid so much stuff you just don't need and buy in bulk with no wastage. And by getting off all meds as many, many have eating this way and avoiding the common health problems you save big time. I'm in Australia too and when it comes to buying meat, buying directly off a farmer is the way to go if you can so its local and grass fed. Farmer to Fridge has a website that you just punch in your postcode to see whats available in your area of Australia. Loads of info on youtube, just search carnivore diet.
That was such an insightful discussion. I totally agree. It can be beat impossible for some people because of circumstances to go back to the old way. But, I'm making small changes wherever I can and it's really starting to help and I'm less stressed! Thanks for what you do. 🙏🏼☺️
Also …Its important to recognize powers ABOVE the corporate machine systematically ushered us in this direction Yes we willingly went astray But to reclaim sovereignty We must first acknowledge this was very intentionally crafted It’s time to ask not WHO but WHY and with that make new choices.
Thank you Austin for putting this so simply yet eloquently and easy to understand. You are speaking what I can’t put into words or explain or get across to people. When I ask myself the question what do I want it’s always the same answer. A simple kind of life the way it used to be in yester year. The memories of it is what I strive for and it’s my goal to take small steps forward towards it. So Gracias Chico y bendiciones Thank for bringing this to us. Much love😊 very much appreciated 😊
@@chelseagirl278The sizes of European countries are irrelevant. It's the design of European cities and their excellent public transport that makes them such great places to live in.
I am a very frugal / anti-consumerist person and i'm treated like I have some kind of a bad mental disorder by those around me. their attitudes will change in the upcoming decades as the quality of life in America decays.
Very true.. simple truths but deeply studied.. like you said, there’s no going back - as much as we mourn the loss of simplicity, the arrival of corporations mean more of us can invest in their success and increase our net worth - and the availability of cheaper items means more competition and ultimately the consumers benefit unlike the single grocer in town - take it or leave it situation.. Ofcourse it has destroyed small businesses but then UA-cam and internet has opened up.. newer business opportunities have come.. change is the only constant.. yes but it’s important to live as simple as we can in this era as well.. muchas gracias El Agustin.. ❤🙏
Wow that was deep. Not all of it true in Europe where I live. We rarely use car, walk and bike most of the time. But everything else so sad. I don’t think younger generations will agree to it, they already question this way of living. Great singing in the end!
Life "can" be more complex, but only if you let it get that way - used properly, life can be, as they say, a dream (in a Good Way)! Too many items are cheaply made, but, I've learned a lot about repairing things, and have been able to use the cheapness to my advantage (some call it a "second-hand life", but I think it's great (and a way to be frugal and comfortable))!
I agree!! My husband and I try to repair as many things as possible. I love shopping second hand and getting nice quality items. I think we do have some control over how we live through our everyday choices. More people I know have chickens in their backyards for eggs and make their own bread. There is hope!
How do you like Georgia? Our daughter with husband and 3 kids moved their 3 years ago but are moving back home to California next year. 🎉🎉They realized they were way too far from home and want to raise their small kids near us and all the family that live close. Thankfully they can afford to move back , husband’s wfh job is based here and she’s a nurse. They also hated the weather and how remote they are to everything.Housing is way cheaper but she said not worth it to be away from family. Will gladly live smaller to be in community and have amazing weather. Your video is spot on!
Excelente video Austin, muy claro todo y me llamo la atencion el punto 6, ya que actualmente todas las cosas son facilmente reemplazables y poco duraderas, hay demasiadas opciones y un "gran" riesgo de obsolescencia que nos hacen creer para todo. saludos desde Honduras
You are so absolutely right. I couldn't agree with you more. Family is the foundation and we need a good foundation to live and strive. Yes, quality and simplicity is better than the modern trendy junk of today
You look young and yet seem to know so much about life, how did you get to be so smart. Saldly you are so right about life changing, and continue been all about money and not so much about people. People don’t realize when we all die we r taking nothing..
great video! I am like you....less is best! At 68 yrs old, I don't have anything that has to be fed, watered or let out to go to the bathroom, life is GREAT...travel, golf and best of all time with my family.
The main issue with more international focused businesses is that profits are flowing away out of the local or national economy towards shareholders somewhere across the globe. National economies are "leaking" money that way.
I love your videos. You are right about all these things. My daughter's job wants her to move to a different city and I told her to think about it because she will not have us to watch her dog or future kids. My young neighbors across the street moved to be near their family because they have 2 young kids. Everything is harder, scarier (who can you trust) and more expensive if you have no one to help.
I am a history nerd, and I am always on the US Census for various reasons...the entire family did NOT all live together in the same city or country. People actually moved around quite a lot at least once the industrial revolution got underway from the 1860s/70s on. True you saw more adult kiddos living with mom and dad still even as educated professionals if they were single until they wed, and you saw widowed women with their kids living with their brother, or mother in law...but it is not like the entire extended family was in one state or city. They moved around for economic reasons a ton like we do today. All of us in the USA came from ballsy immigrants that left everything they knew and everyone they knew to come to a new place after all. The bigger deal that changed this dynamic was women going to work. When women stayed at home they gathered up the community together more and planned more social and other events. People also divorced much less, and having almost all two parent homes makes a massive difference for the well being of the kids, the parents, and the broader community at large. So I would say divorce and women working had more of an impact by far. Oh, and elderly support wasn't such a big deal...the elderly person was either mostly able still physically/mentally, and if they were not, they died very soon after becoming invalids as there were no antibiotics and modern medical treatments to keep seriously messed up bodies alive. Now you can have a seriously disabled old person living 10-20yrs in awful condition with around the clock, advanced medical care needed. Back then there was no advanced care, so once you weren't functional you passed away within days to maybe a couple of years at most. They also tended to institutionalize people more too...so mentally ill or mentally infirm folks would be placed for life in facilities out of the public's eye. The idea that we throw people into institutions now and we didn't in the past is not true. The only reason we notice this more now with elderly nursing homes is the elderly live more in poor condition instead of pass away. Even epileptics were put into state mental asylums as it was considered not okay to have someone in society seizing all the time...so don't get these idealistic notions that we all took amazing care of others in the past. Many docs back in the day would "cull" premature babies even if they were alive, because they saw them as "weakling and generally unfit to thrive ultimately". Yeah, humans were more stringent in the past than now as resources were more limited basically.
Bravo to you Austin. No one ever talks about this reality and how it relates to inflation. This perspective is 💯. Please keep talking about this. Thank you for sharing.😊
@BrianAlbert-hh3pi That's where experts like Wendy Joyce Woods comes in,Her insights and guidance have been benevolent for many investors during these turbulent times.
I follow several channels like this and yours is the first to address the financial consequences of being without a community. There's a russian proverb, "better a 100 friends than 100 dollars"
Its a ratrace we're in. I don't do this anymore. Payed off almost all debt. Old car from 2007 cheap to run. Invest my saving each month. Living a simple life and can afford now to work less days as a result.
Living simply is the best way. We've been conditioned to believe we need the stuff we waste our money on. This video is spot on. Self-imposed austerity is preferable to that imposed by curcumstances created by lack of time and human and material resources. It"s no fun being broke. Better to be frugal.
Everything is fake! The last piece of furniture I bought I decided to buy a reclaimed wood desk with metal legs. I wanted something that will last a lifetime or more and can be refinished. Yes it cost a lot upfront, but way more affordable than buying a cheap desk every 5-10 years.
Most of my furniture my parents owned since before I was born. I refinished it and I'm not planning on "upgrading" any of it. I'm so happy to sit at my dad's desk every day. It's all so well made and simple that it doesn't even look vintage.
Lots of facts and much of it by design, can't forget globalism creating competition for all these assets and jobs. Really wish we developed more like the Europeans with walkable cities in America, I'm in Houston and if you don't have a GIANT vehicle it literally feels unsafe on the highways and of course giant vehicles cost more $$$$
@@ellennoble2134 Oh my god yea those tiny cars would get squished like a coke can if anything bad happened, especially on Southside of Houston where the roads are chalk full of 18 wheelers! Better to pay a bit more $$$ and have safety...
This video has captures both why we have difficulty in keeping up economically. An underlying cause is that we value growth in the GDP, and all of these things tend to make the GDP number grow. 1. Neighborhood services have been replaced by commercial services. 2. Formerly strong and local family structure has been dispersed, requiring we buy services such as daycare or elder car 3. Spreading out community requires that we have cars and drive almost everywhere 4. Our lives are more complex, leading to less free time, so we outsource more work 5. We compare ourselves to a larger group instead of our local neighbors, leading to debt financed lifestyle creep 6. Modern products often have short lifetimes, for example cheap furniture and fast fashion. 7. We live more more complex lives, leading to less free time, stress and poor financial decision making and more convenience purchases
Excellent video! Couldnt agree more with the lose of community and all the crappy products. My house was built in 1950 and an extention was put on, that old section is built to withstand a cat 5 hurricane, the newer part is not as well built. You would think with advancements, things would last longer but they are made to break. Paying for quality really does save money. I would also like to mention the decline in the stay at home mom, it increased the work supply thus suppressed wages to where you need 2 incomes now.
Yes i agree groceries and other vital items for everyday living have increased but they are plenty of people who still seem to afford non vital items such holidays and Taylor Swift concert tickets.
The seven things you site have been happening for many decades. The cost of living crisis is very, very recent. Like 2020 recent. The recent run up is due to the government shut down, then the stimulus, loans, mortgage/rent moratoriums, years long pause on student loan repayments etc. Both parties participated in this which caused unprecedented money printing. More money chasing less goods.
This has got to be your best video yet. However, I do have to say that some of your points are more nuanced. While I agree that corporations don't care about the community, if you have a limited budget and need tools, why would you buy from the local hardware, when the tools are much cheaper at Home Depot? Same thing goes for General Store versus Walmart. Regarding the strong family structure, many of us have moved away from our families because they were in actuality a net loss, or negative for us. However, I will say that staying in the same neighborhood and getting to know your neighbors is just as important. Yes, we went from keeping up with the Jones's to keeping up with the Kardashians.
My grocery budget hasnt changed. The prices have gone up, but I buy less since I don't buy tp. We have a bidet. Paper towels were replaced by rags. Cleaning products were replaced by homemade cleaning products. Eating out was replaced by eating at home. Buying in bulk means my groceries cost less overall. Gas prices arent that high. It's still less than $4/gallon. My car is 10 years old. Saving money allows us to pay cash for everything. Decluttering reduced time I take for cleaning. I compare us to no one. Others have no clue as to what is going on behind the scenes. Thank you for your input.
I started buying groceries in bulk at my local Aldi. It has saved us at least $200 a month. My car is also 10 years old and it has given me no reason to trade it in. I can't justify spending money frivolously in these times.
I'm working my costs down as well but groceries still have gone up for me. I cope by not eating out much anymore.
These are the tips that are the best because you dont really lose anything, you just change how they work.
Like another one would be limiting streaming services. Because cable used to be 50 or more back in the day. But now you can limit it to 0-20 and still get good variety and less cost.
I don’t want to buy less. I want to buy the same. Your way of life sounds like self castrating to me. No offense.
I grocery shop in bulk and have an extra freezer to store things. Costs have gone up but maintaining your car by yourself and cooking at home saves a bundle. I also collect rain water and grow a little container garden with tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries and some herbs. Which I plan to continuously expand as my daughter grows up and we can eventually remove her trampoline from the space where I’ll expand the garden.
My father who was a young man during the great depression, said to me back in the early 80's, I think it is worse today than during the depression because back then there wasn't anything to buy. Just think about the stuff today as even compared to the 80's. People think they need all this stuff. Living simply is the key.
It is absurd how much it costs just for the basic necessities. Our household income is in the lower six figures, living in southern California. We are barely getting by. This is mind-boggling considering these things: we have no kids, our mortgage/property taxes are less than if we rented our house, we drive older cars that are paid for, we never take any real vacations, we very rarely eat out except for the casual work lunch, we very rarely go out and do anything that requires money like seeing a show or going to bars. Is that even a middle class lifestyle?
You basically described my life. Me and my wife were thriving for like 6 years. In California also.
But now it’s like we don’t live the lifestyle we had just a few years ago, now we basically don’t do anything. We work, we pay the bills. And we aren’t saving like we were, before all these inflations and high costs we were averaging a saving of 1000 a month. Now that has turned to bills money.
We have zero dept, no car dept, no credit card dept. and still we’re living check to check, my wife makes in the high 70s and I make in the low 50s and all a sudden it’s like we’re broke.
I don’t get it.
@@TRAVIESO_NA Just filled up my mid-sized sedan at Costco the other day and it was $85. There was one time during the Trump presidency that it was less than $40 with the same car.
@@TRAVIESO_NABetween the extremely nightmarish frightening horrible horrific high cost of living and your paychecks getting taxed, feed, etc.... not much left to spend. Taxes, insurance, food drink groceries, bills, rents, mortgage, credit card bills, and car home repairs etc.... on and on and on, your actual take home salary is reduced by 50 to 80% depending on where you live in USA TITANIC. Gasoline, food drink groceries, rents etc..will continue to spike up and skyrocket slowly but surely now and will get even more pricey and unaffordable as the months years go by. No help for you by your own country, but plenty of 10's of billions of income taxes for illegals, Ukraine Israel Taiwan and the rest of the welfare cases countries around the world.
Only 10 years ago, I was making like $15/hr and my husband was making like $12/hr, and groceries were only $50-60/week. I had a car payment. We went on trips to Disney World often. Now, I make $25/hr and my husband makes $15/hr... our living cost since then has gone from $500/month to $1400/month. Groceries went from $50/wk to $200/wk. My healthcare costs have gone up significantly. And I don't even have a car payment anymore (I couldn't afford one). And somehow, we are struggling to get by. We live paycheck to paycheck. And we don't have any kids. I'm not even sure how this money is leaving our hands so quickly even after I've been tracking our budget.
@@raziel1687 That says it all. A great example of how it all has become living in USA TITANIC! Worst ever. This corrupt crooks criminals traitors cheats liers politicians bums welfare cases government sold us out decades ago. They are running the American dream into the ground. A vicious cycle of greed all around. Capitalism as we once knew it is dead and gone. Replaced by crony greedy capitalism. Don't work for most any more. Meanwhile good luck all with the extremely nightmarish frightening horrible horrific high cost of living in USA TITANIC now and will get even more pricey and unaffordable as the months years go by. Only the rich elite oligarchs millionaires and billionaires and well off financially affluent society will be able to afford it all soon.
Very astute observations, Austin. One of the things that really borhers me is how cheaply everything is made. We used to have appliance and shoe repair shops, and now we just buy new once the old wears out (which is quickly!) We recently had to replace our refrigerator and the tech told us they only expect them to last 5 to 7 years. Wow, my parents had appliances that ran well for 40 years! Its very sad.
my fridge is 20 years old. Would I like a new style change? Yes but no way I am replacing if its not broken dont fix it 😊. Everything is built to break now a days to keep revenues going.
12 years in my home. My first new fridge has been replaced about 3 years ago. My 2nd washing machine just went out. Single person household and electric/natural gas cost so high., I'm going to utilize the local laundromat while continuing to hang dry...I'm thinking it will be the least expensive choice.
My parents had a little refrigerator, probably made in the early 40s, that ran great well into the late 70's and beyond.
@@tbarc1it’s the computer panel on the washer. Humidity fries them, which is hard to avoid in a laundry room! If you can find an electro-mechanical washer, they last longer. Almost impossible to find nowadays.
@@evelynsaungikar3553 actually not the computer panel in my case. I don't buy the ones with all bells and whistles. I get as close to a standard manual operation as possible...just knobs to turn and set. I used to build washers in a Maytag factory and quickly learned it was much more expense to replace the computer panels than it was to replace the timer, belts and pumps on the non computer ones. I'll eventually inspect this one as time allows to see if it's an issue I can fix myself but I most definitely will not pay a repairman nor will I purchase a new one again. If 5 years is the limit for a new one now....I'll purchase used if I purchase at all.
And the saddest part of all was mentioned at the very end: “And there’s just no going back”. Great video Austin. I’m 56 years old, and how I wish that we could indeed go back. But we can’t. ☹
Me too, I wish I could go back to the 80s and 90s. I am the same age as you. I wish I valued those days more
Same 😢
@@chelseagirl278 I would rather go back to the 1950's
would love that too!! everyone had such style
she must have her reasons and does not have to justify it to anyone
This is the same conclusions I've been coming to lately. I am slowly spending less and less at corporations and looking for more local options. Corporations only care about shareholders and that is unsustainable for the rest of us.
Same. I cancelled my Amazon Prime account at the beginning of the year and I'm looking for what I need locally instead...if I even really need it.
I think a lot of people also don’t know how to do things even if we had the time. Nobody knows even basic repairs, don’t know how to sew, don’t know how to cook, and therefore even if we did have time to do those things, we still need specialists to do it for us.
This is what I have been saying. People go out to restaurants all the time now when years ago it was considered a special occasion opportunity. We need to get back to basics--at the very least cooking for ourselves when we can. Relying on expensive food delivery apps and restaurants to cook the very same things we can make at home is just silly.
The amount of guys iv spoken to who only know how to chuck a pizza in the oven or use a microwave, is absolutely ridiculous! Honestly it's not that hard to cook and majority of items have instructions on the back of the packet.
It's crazy!
There's a UA-cam for everything!! My husband and I do our own hair and repair as many things as we can ourselves.
You can learn by watching UA-cam videos. I learned to set up and adjust my smart tv by watching UA-cam. Our iPhone 7 are still working fine because of UA-cam. 😂
@@susanf4857 We have learned many things from UA-cam - all for free since we already had home internet.
The low quality of new appliances and fast fashion drive me nuts ! Not only financially but environmentally as well!
Check out the podcast bob's appliances and you'll be shocked.
All True.
Check podcast "Bob's appliances: exposes.junk new appliances
New iPhone
Exactly. For example, nowadays you can get almost exclusively those completely ridiculously designed and made of shoddy material can openers that have to be screwed. I don't understand who the fool is who invented them, I don't understand how they could have spread, why people use them, I think it's much more difficult to open cans with them... Additionally, they break down ridiculously quickly, after two or three cans. The last time I got upset, I ordered a can opener from Ukraine on EBAY... Which was already used, and it was made maybe 50 years ago... Not the type that needs to be screwed, but the ordinary, primitive, "military" style.. . but it is also certain, it is made of such thick material that it will never break! If it has lasted the last 50 years, it will surely be good for me until I die... And besides, it's even easier to open cans with it! And although it is thick and therefore durable, it is still not heavier than today's modern can openers, because it consists of fewer parts!
The truth is that, on the one hand, I am an extreme minimalist, and on the other hand, when I do buy something very rarely, I specifically look for "vintage" tools and gadgets... Because they are much more durable... And I don't buy or even pay attention to things made in China, of course...
Families also used to teach life skills, like home maintenance, cooking, gardening, appliance repair.
So what I got from your video confirms what I’ve long believed and it’s that the USA is a Corporation. Now that we know what it is, we can decide if we’re going to go along in it as is or we find ways to opt out as much as possible to find find peace and true quality of life 👏
It is. Look at the healthcare system. The personal care is mixed with business like decisions.
On a large scale, the decision has been made. As for individuals, few folks under 50-55 are choosing to "opt out".
A British you tuber RICHARD VOBES has done videos,with input from people with the legal knowledge on how a lot of institutions we thought were free public,don't know the right word,but they have all with no publicity or telling us been transformed into Corporations. And thats by actual legal process. They are registered and there is a paper trail if you're law educated to follow it. Our British Government is now a Corporation -and so is our Monarchy!
in the UK we’re finding out we are a corporation too. We the people are treated like assets who they think they own!! It’s a friggin joke!! I didn’t sign up for this. Apparently your birth certificate is the contract that they think they own you by. Which is why your surname is in Capitals on it!!
The problem is that you have to pay for all parts of existence now. Thus, it is expensive even to opt out. Would love to just have a small house at the country side and be rather self sufficient, but even that is extremely expensive - at least here in Scandinavia.
I’m in my 30’s and growing up i had uncles and aunts house next door. And did lots of things together, without ever really going out to places and spending money.
I don’t care about keeping up with the Jones at all. I’m watching Selling Beverly Hills on Netflix at the moment where real estate agents get million dollar commission. I don’t care, I’m happy with my humble frugal debt free life as a flight attendant!
I swear people here in Norcal seems to live in this stereotype of Keeping up with Elon Musk, Keeping up with Mark Zuckerberg type stereotypes here and some of us has to point out the escalation of income inequality.
You're one wise young man! Totally agree. I may humbly add one more aspect, the lower quality of people's "inside quality". Call it what you want, virtues, spiritual, faith. It's like personal tools in dark times.
Great point! So true.
Everything you say is true. Here in the UK I grew up in such a community, with family, friends and local independent local shops and services all close by. I yearn so much for this again. We don't drive or have major outgoings. I try to grow fruit and veg, buy in bulk, and take pleasure in doing simple things. The town we live in is being slowly decimated by the economic downturn, and people don't seem to care or even notice that everything is closing down! I pay cash and visit independent businesses as much as possible. Luckily I've made a number of friends that feel the same and we all try to do our bit to use as many local services as possible, and not go online for everything.
If our money ever goes digital you've got a great basis for an informal,our of the system,barter network. Keep it in mind. They'll make it illegal of course and they might kill you for it but I think it's the only way forward
My refrigerator is from 2003, works great 21 years later. Everything is so cheap now. Sad😢
Congrats!
Mine is a 2006 Kenmore that cost $600. 😂 still working.
my fridge is 2004......BUT I had to replace my 1946 Tappan gas range last year & the new 2023 GE stove is a piece of cheap tin.......made in mexico & cost $795+ and cheapest model stove I could find!!!!!! Appliances today are garbage. My car is a 2006 Saturn.still running great
Everything is so cheap, but the price!
The difference between me and my grandparents is they always had a home. They always had a place to live. They had a home.
and if they didn't they could build one with the help of the community for little money and small prices for land and taxes. Modern world don't like us to be independent, they only want slaves again like in feudal times
The older generation saved money, didn't throw things away, used their imagination to create what they needed or wanted, didn't exist on overexpensive coffee or fast food, didn't spend money on tech gadgets, didn't buy new cars every 2 years and bought the smallest not the biggest house. The mindset and values were different back then.
@@annterrywilliams2304this is such an ignorant comment. There are so many families now living frugally, both parents working exhausted and stressed out and they are barely getting by despite not buying luxuries.
I fortunately live in a sort of small town/community, in Hyattsville, MD. It's known as a "walkable community"...I can walk/bike to many places...a number of grocery stores, post offices, bicycle store, hardware, pharmacies, restaurants, parks, bike paths, a mall, pet food store, banks, libraries, doctors, dentist, medical care, bus stops, and subway. I bicycle to work (7.5 miles each way). I try to live my life simply, with down time to relax, read, write letters, watch free movies from the library, get together with friends, cook and bake my meals, and grow vegetables in containers. Every bit of these things help reduce stress in my life.
Usually i'm not a fan of the edited videos but you are so talented and spot on these subjects, that everything else becomes secondary.
The rise in prices everywhere has gotten ridiculous. It's getting scary.
Many people: When I come home from work I shouldn't have to do anything else!!!
Including cooking, simple repairs or anything else that requires mental or physical exertion.
So your partner or other half,that's what they are for. Putting the bins out. Lol.
We had it so good before smart phones and we didn't even know it.
Excellent video as always. The loss of community has so many costs that are actually not related to money. As you probably saw when you were in Ecuador, being part of a close-knit community and extended family is a buffer against everything life can throw at you. After the pandemic, I have worked hard at recreating and engaging with my community and the reward of connection is priceless.
This is by far one of my favorite videos you e done. You are spot on. I’m 55yo and we live in a smaller town in N Calif. My MIL lives 1 minute away and my parents live 3 minutes away. We have locally owned restaurants, 1 hardware store, 2 local markets and 2 regular supermarkets. I love it here and we can still live as though it’s an older time. The Walmarts, Home Depots and Costcos are about 20 min away. So it’s a good blend. Everything you said about comparing ourselves to the unattainable lives of celebs is 100% correct. I’ve tried to raise my sons more like I was raised in the 70s. I feel like more people want to live simpler lives. About 5 years ago I really made an effort to make some changes to the way I live/spend money, in order to achieve that. Great job! 🎉
Great video! So true and so sad 😞 I have been longing for a simpler life but it’s definitely a challenge figuring out where and how to make that happen. Living in Miami I spend 3-4 hours a day commuting to and from work and that commute is a huge source of stress… but our housing market makes it so that homes close to the good jobs are unaffordable to most people, I do cook, exercise etc… but with so little time I am burned out and constantly feeling overwhelmed trying to do it all.
When I was growing up my mom chose to stay with my sister and I until we were both old enough to go to school and then she only worked part time. Families don’t have that choice anymore. If our society stopped putting all the emphasis on maximizing profits and instead focused on quality, livable wages and family values our world would be a better place. Thank you for reminding us that we can make changes to improve our quality of life.
I think you are a very intelligent young man!
I love your original, insightful take on things.
I LOVE your content! This is probably one of the best videos I've seen. Thank you.
Austin, excellent summarization of societal elements that have changed. At age 70, I have seen this happen but hadn’t quite put it all together in my mind, as you have in this video. Woe is us, that way of life is over for most people.
Greedy corporations and the rental market have fragmented communities and fractured peoples relationships with each other. All in the name of profit margins. It's so depressing.
Blame corps all you want. A look in the mirror will help more. I need that reminder all of the time. Be the change you want to see
I know - if housing were cheaper it would solve so many issues.
That was excellent!!! That’ was definitely a TED Talk right there
Austin, this is one of your very best videos. Thank you.
I disagree that we are “too busy”. I think TikTok and video shorts eat the time. I could sit after work and just scroll for hours. Then, I was like, “help! I have no time.” I am much more conscientious of that now.
You can still buy high quality items that last a very long time, but they cost more. The problem is a lot of people buy the cheap items that don't last and then complain when they break. Also people used to look after things better and fix them when they broke instead of just replacing them.
Appliances are mini computers now, and are more complicated to fix. Like new cars.
@sct4040 True. But you have the Internet now, and there's virtually a how-to-fix video for nearly everything. My 70 year old father-in-law will fix anything. He watches a video, orders any broken parts online, and before you know it, it's working again. I've seen him do this with TVs, coffee machines, cars, washing machines, dishwashers, etc.
they cost 4X more!!
@maddscientist3170 Any data to back that up?
Very true
Im Australia we drive for days and we are still in the same state!
Same as California and Texas.
Same in Russia😅
same in Canada!
@lindsay3793 mate, the state of Western Australia is 4x the size of Texas, let alone California - you have no idea 🤦♀️
@@JBLegal09 I lived in Australia for a while. But most of the land is useless unlike the United States when we travel for hours we do see people and different types of culture.
The rising cost of living is a pressing concern for many, impacting financial planning and investment strategies. Factors triggering this increase, such as inflation and changing economic conditions, require careful consideration.
Indeed, inflation can erode purchasing power over time, affecting the affordability of goods and services. It's crucial to adjust financial plans accordingly to mitigate its impact.
I've noticed my expenses creeping up steadily due to factors like rising housing costs and healthcare expenses. It's becoming challenging to maintain a comfortable standard of living while trying to save for the future.
Back in the day, managing expenses seemed simpler, but with the evolving economy, it's essential to stay proactive. Those who adapt their financial strategies tend to fare better in navigating the increasing cost of living.
Adapting to these changes can be daunting, especially when it comes to investment decisions. Have any of you considered how to adjust investment portfolios to counteract the effects of the rising cost of living?
I've been exploring investment options that offer inflation protection, such as real estate and commodities.
F0LMAR ADVIS0RY has been helpful
My late grandfather used to sit on the back porch of his country home and whittle. He would often whistle at the same time.
Let’s slow down and enjoy the flowers.
Excellent video Austin!
Relaxing and decompressing is so important to our decision making for sure
I live in Australia 🇦🇺. Your videos, in particular this one, make a great deal of sense. I am trying to live a more frugal life, while still staying healthy.
Check out the carnivore diet. I stumbled over it looking for a fix for arthritis and now both hubby and I eat this way entirely. It is both awesome for your heath but also SO simple and cheap as you avoid so much stuff you just don't need and buy in bulk with no wastage. And by getting off all meds as many, many have eating this way and avoiding the common health problems you save big time. I'm in Australia too and when it comes to buying meat, buying directly off a farmer is the way to go if you can so its local and grass fed. Farmer to Fridge has a website that you just punch in your postcode to see whats available in your area of Australia. Loads of info on youtube, just search carnivore diet.
That was such an insightful discussion. I totally agree. It can be beat impossible for some people because of circumstances to go back to the old way. But, I'm making small changes wherever I can and it's really starting to help and I'm less stressed! Thanks for what you do. 🙏🏼☺️
Also …Its important to recognize
powers ABOVE the corporate machine systematically ushered us in this direction
Yes we willingly went astray
But to reclaim sovereignty
We must first acknowledge this was very intentionally crafted
It’s time to ask not WHO but WHY
and with that make new choices.
So true.
True. The mom and pop shops have personal flair and built relationships.
Best video you’ve ever made! Keep up the good work! 😊
Thanks!!!!!!!! You're too kind!
Very well stated! You are correct on all points!
Thank you Austin for putting this so simply yet eloquently and easy to understand. You are speaking what I can’t put into words or explain or get across to people.
When I ask myself the question what do I want it’s always the same answer.
A simple kind of life the way it used to be in yester year.
The memories of it is what I strive for and it’s my goal to take small steps forward towards it.
So Gracias Chico y bendiciones
Thank for bringing this to us.
Much love😊 very much appreciated 😊
The cities in the US aren’t catered to walkers. It’s geared towards cars. Where I live I need to drive because the transportation system is terrible.
You can live pretty much anywhere in Europe and not need a car.
@@princessdumbarton9877 Yes, but European countries are smaller
@@chelseagirl278The sizes of European countries are irrelevant. It's the design of European cities and their excellent public transport that makes them such great places to live in.
I am a very frugal / anti-consumerist person and i'm treated like I have some kind of a bad mental disorder by those around me.
their attitudes will change in the upcoming decades as the quality of life in America decays.
This is why my family in the “3rd” world don’t move away from eachother in fact they buy houses in the same street as the rest of their family.
Well said. You absolutely hit the nail on the head with this one.
Very true.. simple truths but deeply studied.. like you said, there’s no going back - as much as we mourn the loss of simplicity, the arrival of corporations mean more of us can invest in their success and increase our net worth - and the availability of cheaper items means more competition and ultimately the consumers benefit unlike the single grocer in town - take it or leave it situation.. Ofcourse it has destroyed small businesses but then UA-cam and internet has opened up.. newer business opportunities have come.. change is the only constant.. yes but it’s important to live as simple as we can in this era as well.. muchas gracias El Agustin.. ❤🙏
Muchas gracias!! Very valuable video, showing it to my kids when they get home.
Wow that was deep. Not all of it true in Europe where I live. We rarely use car, walk and bike most of the time. But everything else so sad. I don’t think younger generations will agree to it, they already question this way of living.
Great singing in the end!
Life "can" be more complex, but only if you let it get that way - used properly, life can be, as they say, a dream (in a Good Way)! Too many items are cheaply made, but, I've learned a lot about repairing things, and have been able to use the cheapness to my advantage (some call it a "second-hand life", but I think it's great (and a way to be frugal and comfortable))!
I agree!! My husband and I try to repair as many things as possible. I love shopping second hand and getting nice quality items. I think we do have some control over how we live through our everyday choices. More people I know have chickens in their backyards for eggs and make their own bread. There is hope!
@@susanf4857There is indeed!
How do you like Georgia? Our daughter with husband and 3 kids moved their 3 years ago but are moving back home to California next year. 🎉🎉They realized they were way too far from home and want to raise their small kids near us and all the family that live close. Thankfully they can afford to move back , husband’s wfh job is based here and she’s a nurse. They also hated the weather and how remote they are to everything.Housing is way cheaper but she said not worth it to be away from family. Will gladly live smaller to be in community and have amazing weather. Your video is spot on!
Excelente video Austin, muy claro todo y me llamo la atencion el punto 6, ya que actualmente todas las cosas son facilmente reemplazables y poco duraderas, hay demasiadas opciones y un "gran" riesgo de obsolescencia que nos hacen creer para todo.
saludos desde Honduras
L💜ved that, thank you from the UK - where it's all going in the wrong direction too 😐😳😂
You are so absolutely right. I couldn't agree with you more. Family is the foundation and we need a good foundation to live and strive. Yes, quality and simplicity is better than the modern trendy junk of today
You look young and yet seem to know so much about life, how did you get to be so smart. Saldly you are so right about life changing, and continue been all about money and not so much about people. People don’t realize when we all die we r taking nothing..
great video! I am like you....less is best! At 68 yrs old, I don't have anything that has to be fed, watered or let out to go to the bathroom, life is GREAT...travel, golf and best of all time with my family.
Austin-the full house reference! 😂😂😂. Made my day!! Thank you!!
Spot on Austin, 100% agree, excellent video
You exactly right on all your points specially number 2 about the family breakout , keep up the great you tube work you are doing
Love your singing and your calm way to present this.
you are 100% correct. i wish more people would understand these truths.
Very interesting points!!!
The main issue with more international focused businesses is that profits are flowing away out of the local or national economy towards shareholders somewhere across the globe.
National economies are "leaking" money that way.
My friends are buying 70k vehicles with high interest, but I an buying bank CD which are paying me 6%.
I love your videos. You are right about all these things. My daughter's job wants her to move to a different city and I told her to think about it because she will not have us to watch her dog or future kids. My young neighbors across the street moved to be near their family because they have 2 young kids. Everything is harder, scarier (who can you trust) and more expensive if you have no one to help.
Excellent points, thank you! I fully concur.
I'd say you hit the nail on its head with this one.
I am a history nerd, and I am always on the US Census for various reasons...the entire family did NOT all live together in the same city or country. People actually moved around quite a lot at least once the industrial revolution got underway from the 1860s/70s on. True you saw more adult kiddos living with mom and dad still even as educated professionals if they were single until they wed, and you saw widowed women with their kids living with their brother, or mother in law...but it is not like the entire extended family was in one state or city. They moved around for economic reasons a ton like we do today. All of us in the USA came from ballsy immigrants that left everything they knew and everyone they knew to come to a new place after all.
The bigger deal that changed this dynamic was women going to work. When women stayed at home they gathered up the community together more and planned more social and other events. People also divorced much less, and having almost all two parent homes makes a massive difference for the well being of the kids, the parents, and the broader community at large. So I would say divorce and women working had more of an impact by far.
Oh, and elderly support wasn't such a big deal...the elderly person was either mostly able still physically/mentally, and if they were not, they died very soon after becoming invalids as there were no antibiotics and modern medical treatments to keep seriously messed up bodies alive. Now you can have a seriously disabled old person living 10-20yrs in awful condition with around the clock, advanced medical care needed. Back then there was no advanced care, so once you weren't functional you passed away within days to maybe a couple of years at most.
They also tended to institutionalize people more too...so mentally ill or mentally infirm folks would be placed for life in facilities out of the public's eye. The idea that we throw people into institutions now and we didn't in the past is not true. The only reason we notice this more now with elderly nursing homes is the elderly live more in poor condition instead of pass away. Even epileptics were put into state mental asylums as it was considered not okay to have someone in society seizing all the time...so don't get these idealistic notions that we all took amazing care of others in the past. Many docs back in the day would "cull" premature babies even if they were alive, because they saw them as "weakling and generally unfit to thrive ultimately". Yeah, humans were more stringent in the past than now as resources were more limited basically.
That singing is spot on,,😊
Very well put together Agustin you couldn’t put it any other way how blinded do they have us all 😢
Bravo to you Austin. No one ever talks about this reality and how it relates to inflation. This perspective is 💯. Please keep talking about this. Thank you for sharing.😊
The cost of living seems to be increasing every year, making it harder to keep up.
Indeed, it's becoming quite challenging to manage expenses.
@@MelissaHobbs-qm8wi I've actually managed to stay ahead of the curve. I'm even contemplating early retirement.
@BrianAlbert-hh3pi That's where experts like Wendy Joyce Woods comes in,Her insights and guidance have been benevolent for many investors during these turbulent times.
Wendy Joyce Woods? I've heard her insight and calls across forex, stocks, and crypto have been the best in the last five years.
@@LeahLewis-ny9iu Really? How did you get in touch with her?
Interesting perspective on this. Thanks for posting!
I follow several channels like this and yours is the first to address the financial consequences of being without a community. There's a russian proverb, "better a 100 friends than 100 dollars"
Price gouging and obscene profits by mega corporations....
Amen brother! Right on! You are so right.
Its a ratrace we're in. I don't do this anymore. Payed off almost all debt. Old car from 2007 cheap to run. Invest my saving each month. Living a simple life and can afford now to work less days as a result.
Great observations!!
I write down all my expenses for the month & budget better now, still saving money but a lot less now.
It’s getting bad
Cars do cost money, but they also provide great freedom to travel and explore the world around us without being limited by our own two feet.
dude your channel is fire
There are only 2 causes. Inflation and greed of the ones who use inflation to justify over inflating prices.
Great video, thank you
I am keeping my Toyota RAV4 2010, happy with it.
Living simply is the best way. We've been conditioned to believe we need the stuff we waste our money on.
This video is spot on.
Self-imposed austerity is preferable to that imposed by curcumstances created by lack of time and human and material resources. It"s no fun being broke. Better to be frugal.
Everything is fake! The last piece of furniture I bought I decided to buy a reclaimed wood desk with metal legs. I wanted something that will last a lifetime or more and can be refinished. Yes it cost a lot upfront, but way more affordable than buying a cheap desk every 5-10 years.
Most of my furniture my parents owned since before I was born. I refinished it and I'm not planning on "upgrading" any of it. I'm so happy to sit at my dad's desk every day. It's all so well made and simple that it doesn't even look vintage.
Lots of facts and much of it by design, can't forget globalism creating competition for all these assets and jobs. Really wish we developed more like the Europeans with walkable cities in America, I'm in Houston and if you don't have a GIANT vehicle it literally feels unsafe on the highways and of course giant vehicles cost more $$$$
I'm in Houston as well and everytime I see a smart car on I-45, I think they are nuts!!
@@ellennoble2134 Oh my god yea those tiny cars would get squished like a coke can if anything bad happened, especially on Southside of Houston where the roads are chalk full of 18 wheelers! Better to pay a bit more $$$ and have safety...
My father had that RCA Victor Strato-World Radio shown at 7:45. We could listen to jiggy music from the Caribbean in our Alabama den.
This video has captures both why we have difficulty in keeping up economically. An underlying cause is that we
value growth in the GDP, and all of these things tend to make the GDP number grow.
1. Neighborhood services have been replaced by commercial services.
2. Formerly strong and local family structure has been dispersed, requiring we buy services such as daycare or elder car
3. Spreading out community requires that we have cars and drive almost everywhere
4. Our lives are more complex, leading to less free time, so we outsource more work
5. We compare ourselves to a larger group instead of our local neighbors, leading to debt financed lifestyle creep
6. Modern products often have short lifetimes, for example cheap furniture and fast fashion.
7. We live more more complex lives, leading to less free time, stress and poor financial decision making and more convenience purchases
Very good vidéo. You are right my grand parents lived a very simple life
We still do:)
Excellent video! Couldnt agree more with the lose of community and all the crappy products. My house was built in 1950 and an extention was put on, that old section is built to withstand a cat 5 hurricane, the newer part is not as well built. You would think with advancements, things would last longer but they are made to break. Paying for quality really does save money. I would also like to mention the decline in the stay at home mom, it increased the work supply thus suppressed wages to where you need 2 incomes now.
1)Governmemt spending
2)Government spending,
3)Governments spending,
4)Government spending,
5)Government spending,
6)Government/corprate partnerships =fascism
7)Pushing the "America 2050" agenda 😊(project 2050).
Yes i agree groceries and other vital items for everyday living have increased but they are plenty of people who still seem to afford non vital items such holidays and Taylor Swift concert tickets.
Probably charging them
Love your videos and your accent
Greed has taken over the world.
Late stage capitalism is impacting everything
Very good analysis. There was a big shift of work (e.g. care work) to wage work. Means you are now in the money system and more vulnerable.
Great video as always
The seven things you site have been happening for many decades. The cost of living crisis is very, very recent. Like 2020 recent. The recent run up is due to the government shut down, then the stimulus, loans, mortgage/rent moratoriums, years long pause on student loan repayments etc. Both parties participated in this which caused unprecedented money printing. More money chasing less goods.
Also the Ukraine war and sanctions on Russia.
This has got to be your best video yet. However, I do have to say that some of your points are more nuanced. While I agree that corporations don't care about the community, if you have a limited budget and need tools, why would you buy from the local hardware, when the tools are much cheaper at Home Depot? Same thing goes for General Store versus Walmart. Regarding the strong family structure, many of us have moved away from our families because they were in actuality a net loss, or negative for us. However, I will say that staying in the same neighborhood and getting to know your neighbors is just as important. Yes, we went from keeping up with the Jones's to keeping up with the Kardashians.