In the short but telling video, Vanessa is seen checking out at Whole Foods after purchasing a single prepacked meal—just enough for one adult. Yet, the price tag was shockingly high. As she reacts in disbelief, the audio of her clip plays the now-iconic phrase: “Oh my God. I am never going to financially recover from this.” Her exasperation struck a chord with viewers, many of whom feel the same way about the rising cost of essential goods. The video serves as a stark reminder of the financial pressures people face daily, even when just trying to put food on the table.
Woman visiting the US is shocked by the high cost of living: 'How does anyone survive'
There are cons to being a superpower, especially when the economy is not getting better.
The cost of living has skyrocketed in recent years, making it increasingly difficult for many people to afford even the basics. Inflation and economic instability have widened the gap between the wealthy and those struggling to get by. A recent TikTok video by Vanessa, who goes by @wanderonwards on the platform, perfectly captures this frustration. Her clip highlights just how challenging it is to survive in the U.S. with soaring prices.
In the video, the overlay text asks us how people even manage to live in the United States of America, given the high cost of living. One meal at Whole Foods, consisting of two pieces of chicken and a box of vegetables, cost her over $22. The text reads, "How does anyone survive in America? This is $22.60 for a box of vegetables and two chicken pieces."
According to a survey article by Forbes in August 2023, we see that one of the top problems in America, as per Americans themselves, is inflation. As we all know, irrespective of where one lives, inflation erodes your power to purchase. One would need to be spending $98,000 today for the same things that would have cost $75,000 a decade ago, back in 2013. While your location in the US will also affect your cost of living and purchasing power, the data by the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the salary of an average American is about $61,900.
The comment section was full of people either empathizing with Vanessa or asking her to choose an alternative grocery store instead of Whole Foods. @katsuspamusubi said, "Next time, hit a salad bad (no taxes) and choose a bigger container (tare weight deducted). Takes off a couple of bucks." @jjax83 gave a reality check and suggested, "If you're struggling, the whole paycheck isn't the place to go."
@hairlineszn mentioned, "I don't know about you but Whole Foods is not necessarily known as a cheap store." @poopedinurshoe2 said, "There are no Whole Foods where us lower class live. That is $10 here." @zygotr also gave a morally gray life hack that said, "Buy 10, take a little from each, return all 10. The excuse is that the meeting was canceled. Free food, yum." @roseducharme747 reminisced about better times and said, "No! I used to have lunches and/or dinners at Whole Foods. They used to have chef plates for $12! Was one protein and two sides!"
@wanderonwards I will never recover financially from this trip ☠️ #america #budgeting #costofliving ♬ follow me if u think carole killed her husband - emily
You can follow Vanessa (@wanderonwards) on TikTok for more lifestyle content.
This article originally appeared 1 year ago.
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