I don’t know how some families do it? How do they manage the inflation of prices we’ve had? My wife and I both make good salaries, and while we feel the crunch of significant increases in the price of groceries, we can manage. But a single income family with a job that is financially less rewarding than our double salary household has to be struggling right now.

Add to that the increase in interest rates over the last few years and looking at how much monthly that has gone be up, and there have to be families in financial trouble. We’ve reached a point in Canada where many conveniences have become luxuries. Foods and meals that used to be staples are becoming special treats. I saw a video clip from a European country where inviting friends over for dinner now routinely comes with a bill, their equivalent of a direct deposit request or Venmo. ‘We are happy to have you over, this is what it cost us and this is your share’.

I could never see myself wanting to do that, but if I was in a community of young adults who liked to party and not everyone could host regularly, I could see this as a thing… friends understanding that the hosts are put out more than anyone and so helping them out. While it makes financial sense, I see it as an undermining of the friendship relationship. It puts a price on friendship. Imagine going to party and getting a different bill depending on if you drank more or went for seconds and ate more. That would feel very awkward to me on either end of the transaction.

But it seems that’s how some young people are coping with the inflation of everything around them. They want to be social but don’t have the financial means to do so regularly without splitting the bill. To me, this is an example where high prices are not just affecting our finances, but also our sense of community. It’s a sign that our greater society are coping and not thriving.

At least people are still trying to get together… and sharing the cost is much better than being isolated. It’s just sad that this is, for a growing number of people, necessary.