What's weird to me is that economist are observing the official numbers and concluding that things aren't that bad and the public is suffering some kind of mass psychosis, when the reality is just worse than reflected in their numbers completely escapes them.

I live in rural northern Japan so... not great? Everything keeps concentrating to Tokyo. We were promised "work from anywhere in Japan" and "remote-first", but the company tried to revoke that. A couple of us joined a union and are fighting it, but most people just rolled over and took it. Still don't know what things will look like come next year.

There are very few remote backend software engineering jobs in Japan now. The situation is pretty dire. No US or Canadian company wants me in this time zone (even if it allowed them to have people available around the clock). No one wants to sponsor a visa in another country.

I have a small farm, but it's not profitable. Most of the other jobs around here are forestry, fishery, and factory and pay less than half of what I make now which my family cannot survive on. Things are rusty and falling apart all over in the countryside.

Booming in Taiwan. GDP growth over 10%, construction cranes everywhere you look, shops and restaurants going gangbusters. And it’s all because of the world’s insatiable appetite for AI chips. So, yah. What could go wrong?

Scotland. Fucked. The terrifying thing I realised recently is how I can see the sharp decline in living standards pre-and-post covid. If we dont get a grip of it we're backsliding toward Dickensian levels of poverty and deprivation.

Other thing I noticed recently - how most of our short-term problems can be linked to that cunt Trump. Iran war, tariffs, Ukraine etc. I say this to highlight to the Americans in the room that your political choices have implications far beyond your own borders. Theres fuck all I can do about him, but plenty you can do.

U.S. There’s no jobs. I’m willing to bet it’s 95% ghost listings that keep getting reposted until covid loans get waived.

My spouse’s health insurance plan is actually pretty good with coverage and relatively lower in cost, but it’s still way too expensive and gets more expensive and worse every year. If it wasn’t for the (decreasingly) decent coverage, we’d be rationing meds and care, let alone meals.

But yeah, every single paycheck completely evaporates. There’s nothing left to cut back on. There’s nothing left to save. It’s a fucking delight.

I guess we're doing OK in Sweden. We're used to high grocery and fuel prices. I'm driving a diesel and filling up at almost $10 per gallon.

Energy prices are hurting. Mostly because we're on the same shared market as Germany.. and Germany has dismantled their nuclear energy. Wind and solar is great when it's windy or sunny. But it leaves us wanting on cold still nights.

The state has been subsidizing both fuel and electricity, but it's not really going to the right pockets.

I'm in Canada but the situation isn't much different. We are still feeling the effects of the pandemic economic bubble bursting as the cost of essentials were steadily raised through early COVID and have not dropped, still dealing with the homelessness issue, I'm not being political but Trump has caused a lot of economic strain on the entire world, people who got low interest mortgages during COVID aren't willing to let go of their house which causes further housing scarcity, there's so many factors. At least weed is legal though.

Good news! The Wall Street types have started using this brand new, never-been-used-before thing called a credit default swap to hedge their bets against AI companies. Good thing none of those words have ever been used before in the financial industry or associated with any financial collapses.

I grew up somewhat privileged. We weren't rich, but my family never really wanted for anything growing up. And then I was able to live at home until 25 and pay off my student loans and get a good career with no debt. So the economy doesn't really affect me. I don't live paycheck to paycheck but I'm extremely frugal and I do notice grocery prices increases. That being said I'm 100% progressive and do have sympathy for others and we need to fix this system.

I'll tell you after tonight. Last year's Halloween was more subdued than previous 2 years under Biden. Lots of candy left on shelves, not as many lights in our area. I don't expect as many trick-or-treaters but we'll see. Of course this isn't the only recession indicator.

As for where I'm from originally and which has voted Trump loyally every election cycle, they are just increasingly going down the shitter. Rust, bible belt, etc. The pain a lot of these people feel is genuine -- they're just too "poorly educated" to know who's screwing them over the most.

Not sure if I should write this, but here is a summary from Russia:

Everything is fine overall. There are some cuts (I work in a telecom company). Nevertheless, there are enough vacancies, and the only downside is the merging of positions from different departments in some places. At my last test interview sprint, I got a job in 3 days.

Fuel prices have almost doubled, so I've started driving less for non-essential matters. Small businesses have closed down in some places, so now there are only 3 snack bars in the neighborhood instead of 5. Inflation is felt unpleasantly; prices are slowly rising.

Nevertheless, I eat whatever I want, drink whatever I want, and buy electronics. Maybe I'm just lucky and things are worse for blue-collar workers.

I am skipping meals, and a lot of my clients’ budgets have gone down the drain.

It's going to be much worse than 2008 when the AI bubble pops. Most of the economy is in a recession that's getting worse every day. But spending on AI is propping up the rest of the economy. Once that house of cards crashes down we're going to be in a world of shit.

am in south korea.. samsung/hynix semiconductors are selling like crazy and that heavily lifts the numbers like GDP, but actual economy feels terrible overall. living prices are rising heavily while wages are stagnant.

Fucking 2008 bad. Tourism's been on the decline since 2020, and the only other industry is servicing gentrification.

I'm on the look out for jobs for 4 people right now but not seeing anything good so far despite their talents.

Everyone is stuck housing wise where prices are so high plus inflation most I know can't get into buying a house and those that want to sell are holding off.

Every retired person I know is on active look out to reduce expenses drastically because the fixed income just enough.

I only paid $200 of my rent today and have to backpay the rest. been eating white rice with random stuff mixed in to sustain. sometimes vegetables, sometimes beans, sometimes absurdly random shit like mustard or pickles lmao. gotta do whatcha gotta do I guess. I live not far in the central valley

I can't tell. I've always been dirt poor.

Grocery prices are up about %15. And discounts are stingier.

In the last 10 years the costs of houses in the area for sale have tripled, so that's something, but that is expected to come down soon. Renting is pretty overpriced.

It's slower than usual at work but not by a terrible amount. The company renting some of our warehouse space just laid off their entire staff and halted operations. They were kind of jank, though, so no big surprise.

Other than that things seem to be sluggishly grinding along. Nobody seems particularly happy about anything, as if there's a malaise drifting in the air, but nobody I know is skipping meals or getting evicted.

I barely have enough money to make a trip into town, much less buy anything. I squat in the woods eating fish and potatoes and tinkering with the scavenged infrastructure that supports me. It's actually pretty dope lol

No money. Living in a camper on my parents' property while going back to school to become a massage therapist, because AI can't squeeze people.

So not so great, I guess. But hopefully the license turns the money spigot back on, cuz Uber driving is becoming slavery and is barely profitable.

Recently moved 700 miles from everything I ever knew and loved because there was no work to be found... I still can't find work. Couple interviews but no luck. My only consolation is that I'm saving my buddy a fortune on child care by being a free sitter.

Send good vibes and luck pls.

Good. I'm in a mining town, so the demand for minerals is moving things along. House prices are comparatively low. Northern Canada

Vancouver, Canada: People are of course worried about the US having returned to it trying to conquer and subjugate us again, and global warming casts an increasingly looming shadow. But the US utterly failed to split off Alberta, Quebec is showing no interest in it either and Carney is mostly doing a good job so there is still increasing hope.

Gas prices are still punitive in Vancouver, but that has been the case since we stood up for ourselves against having a pipeline to nowhere shoved up our ass, so we're used to that now. We havent seen the crazy increase other places have other than in diesel because China is buying it all to keep their prices down.

Food prices are only bad if you shop at the big supermarkets. If you shop at farmers markets or small locals, prices have stayed relatively steady.

Job wise market is looking very strong. A few years back, most of the posts I saw were international or fraud reposts, but more and more in the last 18 months have been local growth, with larger compensation as well for the most part.

Rural north-eastern Brazil.

I'm unemployed, living with my mom and sibling and we're neck-deep in debts while living on less than $400 a month. I can't afford to go to university and there are little to no jobs that I can do nearby (I'm autistic and have a shitload of sensitivities). I've a couple more places to apply to, and my dad is studying the possibility of bringing me to live with him somewhere else.

Scandinavia. Not too bad. I live in a town heavily in the mining sector. Our very local economy follows the global metal prices.

It's ok not great I guess? There is a growing disconnect between prices of goods, and wages. Rents and house prices being the biggest example but also electricity, food, gas (I don't drive much but the gas price shows up in other things like food)

Researcher here who taught graduate level research skills: I’m walking dogs.

Because of the belief that the economy is bad, employers are taking advantage of working class people by removing their niceties like remote work and easy work days. We’re being told to work harder and produce +50% to make up for a 10% shortfall which feels like a fucking scam.

NOT GREAT!

Sketchy, UK, Southern, think below London and on the Sea.

I'm a carpenter and have someone with a masters in environmental science working for me as a labourer.

Many of my construction friends are being called by there office friends for jobs.

My company had another layoff about a month ago. But it didn’t get me

I am in Melbourne, Australia, things are still ticking along fine enough BUT we can see the wave coming.

There was a book from 1957 called 'On the beach', it was about Melbourne being last city on Earth that has survived a nuclear war and how we would surcumb to the same fate as everyone else. It is starting to feel like that but in economic terms.

In the provinces of the Philippines, electricity and diesel prices are hitting hard. Add to that a bad rice harvest and an expected drought which will make the next one worse, and things get bad. For me personally I am working a remote position from the us, so I am earning dollars which are worth more an more pesos each week. We try to take care of people where we can but too many people struggling will lead to instability and safety issues

Northeastern US. Things are okay. Worse than I would have predicted 5 years ago but not terrible.

We pay our bills, contribute to the 401k and HSA, and have still been saving every month. Our electric + natural gas bills fluctuate as we switch from electric cooling to gas heating, but their combined monthly average has doubled in less than 5 years. I'm eyeing up solar systems for some relief. We don't drive much so the direct price of gas hasn't been huge. Groceries are a bit more expensive, but usually not as crazy as I see on the news. Clothing has gotten wildly expensive, with thrift and outlet stores selling stuff for prices I would have paid at regular retail 5 years ago.

We're holding on. I wish we ate out, and especially drank out, less. I was always a homebody, but nowadays its $15-$20 for a cocktail, $10 for a domestic draft, plus tip.

UK, depends who you talk to. Russian bots would have you believe everything is falling apart. London is also really expensive.

I live on the south coast, even on minimum wage I have never struggled. As long as you can find stable employment you will have enough money to be comfortable. Honestly, I don't even know what to spend my money on.

Approx monthly bills, 900 mortgage (fuck you Liz truss), 175 council tax, 80 electricity, 120 food, 22 internet. Water is on a 6 month cycle and costs some mid 2 figure number each time so that is barely anything.

So about 1300/month. That is for 2 of us, £650/month each, or £7800/year. Minimum wage is about £25k.

Too many data centers.

Rural US South with no chance of escaping.

Every day I curse the fact I didn't die in my sleep.

US, central, it's okay out here. I have to travel to 3 different towns for work and gas just hit $5 a gallon, so the margins are getting slimmer. There's jobs available but you gotta know people, and they don't pay great. Food security isn't a huge issue as I live near many farms, it feels like 2022 but instead of any ups, it's only going down

Supermarkets are struggling because there aren't enough people buying groceries.

well to put it nicely in egypt we are doing bad and probably failing because the President Dictator is just not wanting democracy and is just bad at his job

Belgium. Personally, I have a job now so I feel fine, has a good bit of leftover money despite being on single salary. Salaries here are indexed against cost of living (not too many countries do this anymore), so anyone who is not living in the capitol can survive even on minimum salary; and in the capitol, yes with cohousing. People without a job are somewhat fucked though... yes the unemployment benefits are quite generous, but there simply aren't many jobs out there. Belgium has a competitive strength in pharmaceuticals but then last year there was a pretty notable company shutting down, and recently GSK let go of a large chunk of their R&D team. Things are not looking very bright

I guess this isn't what the topic is about but... macro-economics numbers seem functional? The fiscally conservative leading party implemented some budget cuts that were supposed to help, I'm not an economist so I can't say whether they helped but there certainly were lots of protests. GDP is slowly growing, not as fast as NL but the numbers are going up

Edit: Just saw the news that the PM (Bart De Wever) submitted an official request to the king to resign. I take it back, we ball I guess 😂

Pretty decent in Switzerland. The cost of living has always been very high here, but so have the wages and inflation hasn't been as bad here as in other places over the past few years.

Edit: Also, the fuel prices don't really affect me at all, or at least only very indirectly. Now, more than ever, I am grateful for the awesome trains we have.

Live in rural northern Nevada. Everything is pretty expensive now. Especially because of being so rural everything has to be bought in by truck. And 90% of the people here are insanely conservative and are all preparing for WW3 or civil war 2. This up coming week is gonna be crazy and interesting.

Most folks here in Vietnam seem pretty happy.

Australian here. Financially things are okay for me and most the people I know, but the general stress is getting to us all. I always feel so worn down. A weekend is enough time to not want to die but not enough time to get actually rested.

I had to get a mouthguard because I'm grinding my teeth at night and the dentist said they've seen a spike in the number of people with the same problem. The stress is real and measurable.

moreso

more so

Live in CA, everyone I know that wants to work has decent jobs, houses, families. Pretty good times in our little part of CA

Exactly how Habeck and every smart person foretold it if we dont innovatd: going down the gutter

• germany

I limit my food intake to stay skinny & petite & cute & energetic, but skipping meals also saves a lot of money. How's the economy where I live? I can answer that in two words: Los Angeles.

I personally live in survival mode.

I hope these people will stop believe narratives of oligarchs backend politicians and stop to blindly trust politicians. Israel annually receive at least 3.5 billion dollar of aid from the USA ever year, while millions of american doesnt have proper life standard and basic healthcare insurance.

While oligarchs and upper-classes get more rich, middle class is eliminating, but if you listen their narratives, they will say GDP and economy is growing. Yes, it grows but only for the oligarchs and rich class.

Not giving a shit is what it is. Third? Fourth? time around, I think I'm getting kinky.