51 Things People Noticed That Indicate To Them The Economy Is Not Heading Towards A Positive Direction

When you’re driving home, feeling like you’re really bad with money lately, but in reality, you just bought groceries for the week, again.

I’m sure my comment is gonna get buried, but I work at a tire shop for context. Within the past handful of months I’ve noticed people buying cheaper tires, or hardly being able to afford them more frequently.

Constant whining by talking heads about declining birth rates.

When instead of perfume and flowers for mother's day, she asks you for a grocery store gift card. Raise up people, community is key, no one is watching out for you besides the people next to you on this Titanic.

Canceling streaming services and going back sailing the seven seas.

Just the fact that I can’t do something fun for myself AND buy groceries in the same week. It’s one or the other.

I purchase myself a specific chocolate whenever I achieve something ( I've pavloved myself into extra dopamine when i eat it ). I passed my masters in 2022 it was 1€, i bought it last week it was 6€.

"come over for a drink" replacing "let's go out for one" in my friend group. nobody says it's about money. everybody knows.

Thinking "oh good, we've not had any big spends recently, I'll save some money on payday", and then bank balance staying exactly. The. Same.

Lotta kids at my kids’ daycare have stopped showing up lately. My oldest asking where her friends are.

While driving to and from work, I'm actually noticing a lot of older, smaller vehicles being driven and more with unrepaired damage.

Gambling EVERYWHERE. The line between desperation and hope is getting mighty fuzzy.

Small towns in the UK are full of boarded up shops and restaurants that closed years ago and never found another entrepreneur keen to use the space. Most of the country is visibly poorer than it was 20 years ago.

Chaperoned a high school prom recently. No limos. Most girls did their own hair and were bragging about thrifting dresses/dress deals. Boys in suits, not tuxes.

Billboards are wildly out of date on major interstates near tourist destinations. Some still up for Christmas events, Halloween, and other events several months past.

Meaning no business has paid to replace the advertisements recently. Not even generic law firms, or fast food chains that often buy “space available “ bill boards at a discount.

I started walking to work at the hospital just before the fuel crisis became a thing, I live in the regions so doing that was kind of an anomaly. I never saw anyone else walking on my way to work. After the fuel crisis, I gradually saw more and more people walking to work. The self centered part of me likes to think I started a trend though, who knows.

The bakery near my office had a sandwich at $8.50 in March. Today it's $12.75, smaller portion. Owner told me no one applies for $14/hr anymore — minimum is $19. Half the lunchtime regulars are gone. His exact words: running it down before I sell.

Used car that’s almost 20 years old had an asking price over $5,000… hell over $2,000 is absurd.

Lots of peanut butter sandwiches and “we have food at home” statements.

Shrinkflation hit hard. Same price, half the product. Classic recession stealth mode.