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StitcherGoing out used to feel enjoyable. Now it feels expensive and disappointing. From smaller portions to worse service, we’ve noticed a pattern and we know we’re not the only ones. In this episode, we call out six things we’re still paying for that no longer give us what they promise.
Do something different or a little bit weird that will save you money and just see what happens.
Check out some relevant episodes
Pay More, Get Less
Jen and Jill reveal how restaurants have become the blueprint for the growing quality crisis. Prices keep going up while menus shrink, portions get smaller, staff is cut, and service feels more toned-down. Then there’s tip fatigue where “add tip” screens popping up everywhere, even when you’re ordering from a kiosk.
Not only that, but it has been apparent that major brands started to shrink while prices either remain the same or even higher. Now, companies are leaning even harder into subscriptions, turning one-time purchases into ongoing charges. As research shows, subscriptions aren’t just a business model anymore, they’re a cultural shift that keeps you paying long after the value fades.
Convenience Is Getting Expensive
Jen and Jill unpack how convenience premiums quietly add up whether it’s food delivery instead of cooking, Uber over public transit, or paying extra for faster shipping and subscriptions like Amazon Prime. What feels like a small trade-off for saved time often turns into a big, recurring cost.
They also dive into stricter return policies and dynamic pricing, where prices change based on demand, timing, or behavior. From return fees at major retailers to surge pricing on rides, flights, and even restaurant apps, these shifts make everyday spending less predictable and more expensive.
When's the last time you got money trapped?
Jen had dinner out with the mom group at school and had to pay $3 for downgrading from fancy lettuce to cheap lettuce?! Jill’s flight got cancelled and the next available flight was too late so they had to just rent a car to fly to another state.
Bill of The Week
Thanks Kelly from new zealand thanks for sharing your bill about saving $5 / week for your son
Thanks so Much for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening. We love love love reading your kind reviews of our book Buy What You Love Without Going Broke and we especially loved this one from:
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Filled with Easter eggs
I am deep in chapter 8 - Curate Your Community. I am friend-adverse. People always want something that I cannot always give. But this chapter is a wake up call. After the passing of my hero/my husband, God has clearly reminded me of the importance of community. After two years, I sold our farm and moved to San Antonio. And God provided the perfect neighborhood. Not only do have a beautiful park for a back yard and my sanity, but I have never lived in a community so welcoming. What does that have to do with money? Jen and Jill explain about friendship currency - how it fills our emotional bucket while giving us someplace to share and to borrow. It’s a place with those able and willing to help in an emergency or who need to borrow your vacuum. We save money with sharing and keep items out of the landfill by giving freely to our neighbors. This book is full of Easter eggs. I will be rereading it after I finish this first time through. Thanks, Jen and Jill, for being vulnerable and providing such a great resource.
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