>

That wage translates to about $37k a year.  Not rich obviously, but Netflix comprises roughly half of 1% of what you make -- that's not your main issue.  
Also, basing your perception of a nation's "economic success" on what resolution (720P!? dear God, might as well be homeless) of streaming you can get for 20 bucks is bizarre.
Republicans are going to be dead-set on their messaging: "You don't feel the success and we'll make sure of it. You're in a recession." >

my $18 an hour 40 hour week paycheck is largely spent before I get it. This economy is SHIT. I don't need to have conservative ideals to see it. I just have to look at my bank account come the weekend. >

It's housing, we are all getting squeezed by greedy af landlords. >

Actually, I still live at home with my folks and STILL feel it. Not denying it, but it's more than just energy and housing here. When I'm able to spend almost $5 for a bottle of water for work there is a problem and I'm unwilling to call that an economic success. >

If you get a free place to stay and still manage to blow through $2500/mo., the problem is you. All of my bills combined outside of rent/utilities are below $1000/mo. 
Why tf would you pay $5 for a bottle of water when you can bring water from home for free? That's why it's $5 - because you are wiling to pay that. >

Well to call it free is a bit of a misnomer. I do pay my mom rent to help out with finances in the house, and pay her my cell line. All in all, I'm still throwing her over $200 a week, a third of what I take home every week. The rest kind of dries up as time goes on-Spotify, Netflix, YouTube Premium, other general expenses like meals on break, so on. Yeah, sure, you could argue some of that I could drop, and you'd be right, in fact I just canceled my Netflix because $20 a month is egregious.
But that's the point. That's what I'm making. Not that I'm buying that $5 bottle of water. The fact that inflation has been so out of hand, that I'm being asked to pay $20 a month just to watch Netflix in anything that isn't 720p with ads or that I'm being asked to spend $5 for water. You can't look at me in the eye and tell me that translates to economic success.