Gas food and bills? Lol

Transit, buy cheaper groceries, cut out Netflix, TV service etc.

Obviously not ideal but better than losing your home

For sure. I’d say there’s really no way for a lot of people to eat cheaper at this point. We are going to move to the American health model soon at that point where everyone has to live off of 1.99 nuggets at BK.
Food has been the thing that’s fucked up my life the most financially as of late. I can’t see a way to eat healthy and spend much less than $50 a day for a couple if you want to eat meat and vegetables as opposed to lots of pasta, soups and packaged stuff. I realize that I spend a fair bit on food, but considering it’s such a massive part of health that definitely isn’t something people should have to skimp on in a developed nation and just say “well that’s what it takes”

Food is the one I notice the most for sure, the cost of groceries especially meat and produce is so much more than it was per-pandemic. I make conscious choices when it comes to buying meat, before I was more of don't even look at the prices if I want it buy it.

Food costs hit hard for sure, but $50/day for a couple seems a little over the top. I'm sure it's not wagyu steak every night but that's definitely more than what my family eats per day.

For me one of the things that stick out is making soup. I'm super Asian in that I try to make a pot of soup every week to 2 weeks. A pot of chicken soup is almost $40 now (big pot) whereas before covid I could get away with around $25. I shop at Crystal because it is cheaper most of the time and the cash in wallet drains so quickly now.

Cutting down on eating out definitely helps on the cost of living. Even a basic meal for two, now easily run you out $50. Say you eat out twice a week. That's easy $400-500 per month just eating out meals.

As a family, we've cut down on eating out as well. Partly due to COVID and partly cost. Aside from restaurants raising prices, the expectations for tips seems to have also rose. These compounding effects are going to drive people to either self-serve restaurants or take out orders. At least it has for me.

I walked by Santouka today and a bowl of ramen is almost $20. :heckno:

Met a realtor friend today and I asked him what his thoughts were about no more blind bidding and having offers open to everyone.

He said look at Australia's housing prices, he noted that they have open bidding and their housing market has only been rising.

He did note that he sold a place recently and the top bidder was $150k higher than the second-place bidder, so he said imagine if they saw all the bids, they would have saved a lot of money. In that situation, that was great for the seller, not so much the buyer.

I went to Kokoro Mazesoba yesterday with my wife and 3 year old and ended up spending $80(!!!) on a couple noodle bowls, a couple appetizers and an ice cream cone.

re: tipping, I've noticed a definite increase in tipping expectations on the machines - I've seen places that default to 18% minimum and that's not even on the pre-tax amount. Kinda obscene IMO.

People have to make money to live and everything else has gone up. The person serving your food to you deserves it just as much as you do.
Again. I’m super anti tipping, it’s unfortunate that we are stuck in that cycle. Everything at restaurants should cost 20% more and people should be paid appropriately like every other business on the planet. Unfortunately as so many people are too hit by the sticker shock to understand the math, or believe they shouldn’t have to pay the full amount if they don’t like their service, that we can’t implement it. If I think my service advisor was a prick I don’t get to pay less on my oil change. I’ll just go somewhere else.
As for switching to take out, you aren’t getting good food for take out or delivery unless it’s something specific. So many foods don’t travel well. You’re better off cooking, or buying meal kits that restaurants offer than most takeout.

Custom amount > enter > 0$ > enter

Obscenity fixed

I don't disagree with that but I'd rather they just be upfront and raise prices instead. Tipping is a bit an anachronism - it's really an American thing that got into Canada as a way to pay wait staff super low wages ($2.13/hr). We, at least, pay our wait staff minimum wage and build from there so we shouldn't be tipping at the same rates that Americans tip at. Just charge me the real price.

Yeah places that have those low wages though also have 45k condos and $600/month rent. Never good to compare the pro poverty system that America loves. Most state regulated minimum wages are comparable with ours in states that have even close to Canadian levels of cost of living.
Again though, I agree. Put it in the cost on the menu. I don’t want to subsidize the wages of a business. I want to pay the business what it costs to operate and for the employees to be paid appropriately for the quality (or lack thereof) that they offer.

Jesus 80 bucks? Maybe try taking it down one notch and have a ramen meal at Kintaro?

2 ramen bowls without modifications and a couple of appys would probably run $45 bucks before tax and tips.

Ice cream cone you could probably hit up McDonald's

$80 and $45 ramen for two??? wtf guys...:heckno:

i gotta stop coming to this thread, my peasantry just get reinforced more and more...FeelsBadMan

$13 for a bowl is my cap man

If any of you live or work in the Downtown/Kits/Mt Pleasant area download the Ritual App. Lots of good deals there for take out - no tipping if you don't want to. No delivery fees UberEats/Skip markup either.

Though I've noticed everything's gone from $12 to $15 in the past year or so.

I used this example before but it kind of outlines my feelings on the cost of things + tipping. I’m generally a great tipper 18% plus if the service is “good” I feel like I can so I do.

But then I go to Big Star Sandwhich, getting a sando for take out. The sandwiches are already quite expensive, $14-$16 plus tax. Then I get asked for a tip on the machine starting at 15%

By the time I walk out with a Sandwhich I’m looking at $18-$19. They seem to use great ingredients and I really like their sandwiches but fuckkkk..$20 for a Sandwhich? I can go sit down at my sushi spot in new west and have a super filling, great meal served to me with tea etc. for $22 or so with a tip.

At some point you’re even pricing out frivolous idiots like myself lol

Holy Fuck! But of course it's Kokoro coming to River District. I love ramen but christ that shit just keeps getting more and more expensive. I'd rather just open me a package of Nissin/megoreng noods.

Shit adds up fast - $45 pre tax and tip is $60-65 after.

I just looked up my favourite noodle place, Fat Mao, and it's $20 for their Hot and Sour noodle (it's so good, the best bowl in town). You're in for $25 after tax and tip right there. Add their delicious roti for $5 and you're in for $32.

OTOH, I do really enjoy a McDouble combo with some lettuce. $6 and it hits the spot real good.

I think you're one of the very few people that also eat around $25/day worth of food.

Recently I've been averaging close to $20 - 25/day on 3 home-cooked meals if I want to avoid fast food, processed food, frozen. My current diet consists of fresh fruits, veggies, rice/noodles/bread and a variety of cheaper proteins to hit around 170 - 200 grams of protein for weightlifting.

It baffles me that I spend around $8.5K/year on food alone to maintain a reasonable size for a taller folk. My weight can fluctuate from 180 - 240lbs depending on what I eat and how much I eat. It's cool how much this varies from all my friends, I have some who solely rely on microwavable foods, McDonalds and noodles. While others are ordering food delivery 3x meals every day lol.

On average for dining out, I'd say the average per person after tip is close to $30 - 40 tip-in, for a decent meal with an appy. The asian in me never gets the drink or dessert. Cheap meals start like like $13 - 16 before tip and the food sucks so much that it's worth spending double for a good meal and eating out half as much imo. No idea how some guys afford to date and pay for their SO's $80 - 100 meals 2 - 3x a week.

I started seeing tipping options pop up on the debit machines at a couple my local private liquor stores. Like seriously? What am I tipping for?
You scanning my merchandise so that I can pay for it?

That's one's a hard no for me.

My $45 dollar price point is broken down as follows using Kintaro Ramen

Miso Ramen $13.15 but with two bowls that's $26.30

Maybe cut out an appetizer, so one plate of Gyoza for $6.55

Total cost $32.85 before tax and tips, but you also have to factor in parking costs and the time to get to Kintaro Ramen.

Then go to McDonald's for desert.

Everything said and done probably a hair under $45

They just haven't raised their prices yet. Once they do, you'll sing a different tune. I've seen anywhere from 20-40% increases. Did anyone's pay checks go up by that much?

Even if Kintaro raise their prices, it will still undercut the more expensive ramen joints around downtown.

But you're right, just a matter of time until they increase their prices.

anyone remember ~20 years ago after 7pm in east van at Kishu River "ramen noodles" for like $3.50 a bowl?

$5 out the door - the good old days :lol