Consumerism Chaos: Car Prices, Fast Food Inflation, and Tipping Culture | MHFI 232

Doug and Carl chat about various aspects of consumerism including recent trends, rising costs, and the evolving culture of tipping.  They discuss the rising cost of vehicle prices & financing, increasing cost of car insurance, the future of autonomous cars, and compare fast food & grocery costs over the last decade.  They also delve into the confusing culture of tipping to debate proper etiquette and question when & how much to tip. Be sure to check out the new GhostBed Massage Topper.  Save 50% site-wide on your new mattress, pillow, and bedding over at GhostBed (coupon code: MILEHIGHFI) Similar to autonomous vehicles, we believe the future of podcasting should be autonomous as well.  Help us transition this show to AI & robots by supporting us at Buy Me A Coffee. Links Tony Seba KBB, “When Will New Car Prices Drop?” LendingTree, “Average Car Payment and Auto Loan Statistics 2024” Statista, “Share of used and new vehicles with financing in the United States from 2017 to 2023” Bankrate, “The true cost of auto insurance in 2024” FinanceBuzz, “Is Fast Food Affordable Anymore? Here’s How Menu Prices Have Changed Over the Years [2024]” Pete Adeney/Mr. Money Mustache Brad Barrett/ChooseFI Mile High FI Facebook Group Doug’s site Carl’s blog: 1500 Days — Join the Mile High FI Club – It’s our email list! Get MHFi Merch – It helps support the show. Get t-shirts & more **Disclaimer: The podcast is for informational purposes. Maybe entertainment but we won’t even make such a claim. You shouldn’t take the info as financial, legal, or tax advice. We aren’t certified financial planners or advisors. We’re not qualified for much. So get advice from professionals.** Brought To You By: The Doug Show, aka Affiliate Marketing & Side Hustles 1500 Days, Carl’s Blog about Early Retirement Email us here: [email protected] or [email protected] 0:00 Introduction 2:35 Car prices & payments 8:07 The future of autonomous cars 12:46 Increasing cost of car insurance 17:04 Rising fast food costs 23:38 Impact of inflation on food & grocery purchases 26:45 Tipping culture: confusion & controversy 31:21 Expansion of tipping into more & more locations 39:28 Soundcheck – Mini fitness updates