Everyday expenses have become a growing concern for many Americans. The all-items CPI (Consumer Price Index) for March 2024 indicates a 0.6% increase from February, marking a 3.5% rise compared to March 2023.
This economic shift has led people to reconsider spending habits on items that have become too expensive. They are cutting back on streaming services, fast food, and primary personal care. This list shows how rising costs force people to give up certain goods and services.
We will explore which items are being dropped and how this affects consumer behavior.
Streaming Service Subscriptions
Currently, Americans are in pursuit of canceling their streaming service subscriptions at a higher rate. It is mainly because the sign-up cost for services such as Hulu, Max, and Netflix is now soaring to $120/month.
As Americans now take responsibility for reducing living expenses, cutting off streaming subscriptions seems a good choice.
Another study found that customer defections across the top streaming platforms increased to 6.3% in November 2023, an increase from 5.1% in 2022.
Fast Food Items
Fast food isn’t cheap anymore. In addition to the pricing, the flavor and healthiness of such food items are also questionable.
As a report by FinanceBuzz, the average prices of fast food items have increased between 39% to 100% in the past decade. Brands like McDonald’s, Popeyes, Starbucks, and Subway are among the chains that have adopted price hikes on their in-demand items from the menu.
Besides that, with increased health consciousness, people in the US are refraining from consuming fast food more often.
Concert Tickets
No matter whose concert you plan to attend, today’s ticket pricing can be a big discouragement.
In reality, the ticket price is based on production, venue, and marketing costs. The organizers will reimburse the artist’s fees beyond these expenses. Therefore, they tend to charge more for the tickets.
The average price of a concert ticket in 2018 was $90, which rose to $120 in 2023. For some concerts, the price goes beyond $200 or $250.
Appliance Repairs
As per a report by Forbes, the hourly labor expenses for repairing an appliance are between $50 and $150. Then comes the expense of replacement parts and other added costs.
In many cases, the repair cost of an appliance exceeds 50% of its buying value. When this occurs, people find buying a new appliance more cost-effective than repairing the old one.
Regular Haircuts
Men or women who prefer haircuts at frequent intervals are now stepping back from such habits. It’s because the hair styling industry is also experiencing inflation at a rate of 2.71% every year.
As of 2023, the average price for a man’s haircut was about $43, and for women it was $69.
Theme Park Tickets
Amusement or theme parks in the US are among the priciest. To give you a perspective, a 2022 report by Disney highlighted a 40% per-visitor price hike compared to the ticket costs in 2019. Not only that, Universal also recorded around 50% revenue growth in 2022 compared to 2021.
Thus, people are now dropping their options to visit popular amusement parks and utilize the money they have saved for productive purposes.
Drinks At Pubs or Bars
Bars need to handle certain operating expenses and pay off excise duties or taxes for the drinks they sell. They also provide convenience and variety, further adding to their pricing model.
With the rise in inflation, drink prices at bars and pubs have also increased. As a result, many Americans are reconsidering whether to spend money at a bar or party at home with friends.
Live Sport Event Tickets
As per an article by CNN, the ticket costs to LIVE sports events were 15% higher by the end of 2023 than the rates in 2022.
To give you a perspective, an average ticket for an NFL event costs $120 in 2023, which was 8.6% higher than in 2022. Similarly, it was $37 for an MLB ticket in 2023, which was 3.5% higher than in 2022.
Therefore, Americans are showcasing a decline in interest in LIVE sports events.
Movie Tickets
As the inflation rate grows consistently, the overall maintenance costs for a theater also gradually increase. Theater owners tend to recover that money from the customers, which ends up increasing the ticket costs.
In 2024, so far, the average movie ticket price is around $10.78, which is fairly higher than the average of past years.
Soft Drinks
As per a comparison report, a 12-ounce can cost 34 cents in 2018, which turned out to be 56 cents in 2023. The price hike has convinced regular soft drink consumers to reduce consumption or shift to cheaper alternatives.
Boxed Cereal
Boxed cereals might not be the most expensive grocery item you add to your cart. However, the consistently increasing price tag of the cereal boxes is a worrisome concern for consumers. As per a 2023 report, around 70% of Americans rely on cereal as their breakfast. However, the increasing price tag is convincing them to switch their meal.