Slower hiring, rising prices, wary consumers: Fed's beige book points to sluggish economy

[Buddyzbuddy]

19. My coffee of choice (not gourmet) is up 58%.

Pork sausage up 100%, ground beef is up 20%. I do all of the cooking and all of the grocery shopping, every week. Prices are definitely up and customers are down.

Up to a month ago we ate dinner out 3-4 times a week, now maybe once per week.
It's not that we can't afford it, I just hate feeling like I'm getting my pockets picked.

Everyday is starting to feel like a Vegas stay. A different fee or charge tacked on. For every egg included in a meal, our local diner is adding $1.00 to the menu price. Lower quality beef is working it's way in to steak dinners. Any extra sauce is an upcharge. Have you noticed a packaged pound of bacon is now 12 ounces.

American consumers won't have to boycott, there won't be a choice. Unemployment numbers will climb. They'll just not tell us about it. Price increases, nope, we couldn't find any. Product shortages, it's all in your mind. No COLA increase this year because there's no inflation. 30% Reduction in Social Security checks, their response will be, you're lucky we didn't reduce it by 50%.

Today the Felon said the money spent on Ukrainian military was a stupid Biden decision. Remind me how much was spent on the Felon's parade or the use of military planes to deliver detainees to far off detention facilities. How much to keep the National Guard cleaning (literally) the streets and parks of D.C.?

Wall Street industrial fan, meet huge pile of sh.t.