Heard a kid at the grocery store tell his mom 'why do we need a cart for just food' and it hit me

I was standing in the checkout line and this little guy looked at the cart like it was absurd. Made me think about how I used to budget $40 a week for groceries back in 2018 in Austin and now I'm lucky if $75 covers two days. Has anyone else noticed their shopping habits changing without really realizing it?

3 comments

3 Comments

casey_wood21mo ago

$40 in 2018 Austin got you a LOT more than a taco and a beer, @shanelee. I remember getting HEB tortillas, black beans, rice, eggs, salsa, and some chicken for under $30 back then. That was a full week of meals, not a single night out. Inflation is REAL but that's a bit of a stretch.

faithcampbell1mo ago

Yeah $40 used to get me way more than it does now, but I think you might be remembering wrong - 2018 Austin wasn't that cheap unless you were living off rice and beans every single week.

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shanelee1mo ago

Rice and beans every week? Man, that's some gourmet stuff right there. I remember 2018 Austin, $40 got me a decent taco and maybe one beer if I skipped the guac. Now that same $40 barely covers the tip and the side-eye from the server when I ask for extra chips. Inflation hit my wallet harder than a hangover after a sixth street crawl.