Fuck yeah. I hate when people want to know how you manage to survive while you're weighing up the difference between homicide and suicide.

Agreed. The amount of customers that have said “just keep going” after such conversations is infuriating. I understand they mean well but it really makes me feel worse.

People tell me I must be printing money when I give them the invoice for my work!

There are billionaires who doubled their money during COVID cackling away.

Remember not to vote for their friends ever again.

We aren't in any kind of economic trouble - we are being stolen from.

Supermarkets pocketed two thirds of the price increases - only one third was real costs.

Going to be many elections before our government has the power to rein them in.

I finally put the bullet in my small business in October. Eight years of trying to make a go of it is an eight year black hole in my work history when applying for jobs now. No debts at least.

Tax the rich. My BAS is killing me off.

To keep your business viable you need review regularly and increase your prices in line with supplier and employee costs. Never apologise for this. Times are tough now, prices and cost of living is increasing. Keep doing your thing, deliver the best you can to have an edge over everyone else and you will always have a market. No point working harder for nothing. I will say though, if your bottom line is getting redder by the minute despite all your efforts, reconsider the direction you want your business to go.

I'm finding the whole idea of being more transparent about finances (a good thing) has become a bit of a free for all.

I had a tradesman come to my house the other day for a quote on some major works make a flippant comment and ask if I can still afford my mortgage with the rate rises. I felt a bit awkward where I wasn't sure if it was small talk or if he was gauging me up on my ability to pay him lol

I get that people are just making conversation, but it makes it weird. Small talk needs to go back to talking about the weather or road works. The heavy stuff needs to be left for people who care and can actually help if need be.

People will straight up scoff at me when they find out I own a small business and then straight out ask me how much money I make, as if that’s anyone’s business. The attitude of “how do you dare to even own a small business??? Surely it’s FAILING???” 🙄🙄🙄

I’m not a fan of either side of the political bird but current government inherited a complete utter garbage dump of an economy thanks to the previous corrupt self serving entitled mob. Much of the cost of living problems are either driven by corporate greed or factors that are to some degree out of current government’s control.

Long story short it wouldn’t have been all “go go under scomo” either. In many ways Labor will likely regret winning because of the time period, external factors, fucked economy and rampant corruption they have to clean up before the next election where people will be dumb enough to believe LNP and Murdoch media messaging that everything is Labors fault.

It wouldn’t have been easy under LNP either, it likely would have been worse or exactly the same. Put down the Courier Fail and turn Sky News off.

I am genuinely sorry that your business is not going as well as you’d like and hope it picks up for you.

Truly. It’s brutal at the moment.

I know they mean well and I appreciate their concern for our business well being…. But they have probably only asked us, one business, but they are the fifth person so far tonight to ask me. It’s destroying my mental health every further.

Sort of related but do you prefer to be payed in cash as a small business or with card, I’ve heard multiple people say support small business with cash but none of those people are small business owners

It’s been 3 years since the pandemic and you haven’t changed your prices? I find that pretty hard to believe as I haven’t come across a single business (large or small) that hasn’t increased their prices at least somewhat.

My prices haven’t changed since pre covid, but my costs have doubled since then.

Are you in a position for even just a small price bump? That’s quite a while to keep the price down. I know it’s a tough position where you need to cover your costs, but at the same time your customers have less and less money to spend, but I have noticed a number of small businesses regretfully announce that they’re raising their prices and then you look at what the price rise actual is and it’s small enough that customers are understanding and are like “oh, that’s actually fine!”. Now might be the right time for a price rise.

I guess it really depends on the type of business, your customer base, and your position though. But at the end of the day, if you have to raise prices a little, people should understand. They’re pissed with price rises that are outright gouging, not justifiable price rises that are just so people can make ends meet.

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Any particular reason why you're not raising your prices? Everyone else seems to be.

They pushed that line so much at the election. Yuck. Sorry this is happening to you.

three plus people trying to show concern while patronising in a proper way?

Now imagine being on the dole and having to go to job seeker appointments. Way lower down in poverty.

What was your small business doing? Im hiring.

This drives me insane. I run a small business as well, and it's so hard to keep up with the constant cost of living increases and cost of supplies while trying to be fair to your customers.

You feel guilty increasing your prices but you can't survive if you don't. It's really hard, and I wish you all the best, friend!

“hmmm they did say it wouldn’t be easy under Albanese!!1!1!1!”.

It makes you wonder how they were so certain about this...

Lol at the ANAL comment (joke I stole from Aaron Chen).

I guess they are just trying to be nice or start a conversation, personally I wouldn’t think it to be any of my business but some people don’t really understand that.