Gas, Grass, and Math… The Economics of Driving to Michigan for Marijuana

For the last couple of years, there’s been one piece of advice floating around Ohio:

“Just drive to Michigan. It’s way cheaper.”

At first glance, they’re not wrong. Especially if you live in the Toledo area or within an hour of Michigan.

Michigan’s recreational marijuana market has become one of the least expensive in the country. Competition between hundreds of dispensaries has driven flower prices to record lows, while Ohio’s newer recreational market still carries noticeably higher prices. (Weedmaps) $85 to $91, compared to $180 to $250 in Ohio for an ounce of flower.

But here’s the question almost nobody asks…

How much does it actually cost to chase those savings?

For many people around the Ohio Valley, that “quick trip” is about 4½ hours each way.

That’s roughly:

9 hours on the road
Around 450-500 miles
A full tank (or more) of gas
Wear and tear on your vehicle
Lunch because nobody drives nine hours on beef jerky and hope.

With gasoline averaging around the mid-$4 per-gallon range nationally this summer, fuel alone can easily cost well over $100 depending on your vehicle. (Investopedia)

Now let’s do the math.

Say you save:

$20 on flower
$15 on a vape
$10 on gummies

Congratulations.

You just saved about $45.

Unfortunately, your road trip probably burned twice that in fuel before you even crossed back into Ohio.

And we haven’t even put a value on nine hours of your life.

If you’re making one massive purchase with several friends, sure, the numbers can swing back in Michigan’s favor.

But if you’re making the trip every few weeks for a handful of products? You’re probably not saving nearly as much as you think.

Sometimes we’re so focused on the sticker price that we completely ignore the hidden costs.

Gas. Time. Vehicle maintenance. Meals. Lost time with family and friends.

That’s real money too.

Ohio’s prices will almost certainly continue to fall as competition increases and more dispensaries open their doors. That’s exactly what happened in Michigan after their market matured.

Until then? Before planning an all-day road trip chasing bargain cannabis, grab a calculator before you grab your keys.

Sometimes the cheapest product isn’t actually the cheapest purchase.

Maybe the best deal… is the dispensary ten minutes from your house.

Unless your car runs on hopes, dreams, and free gasoline… that ‘cheap weed’ road trip might not be the bargain you think it is.

The American Dream, Hijacked:

You’re Not Renting Space, You’re Financing Someone Else’s Wealth

Let’s get something straight: rent hikes without reason aren’t economics, they’re exploitation.

When did renting a space to live or run a business turn into a twisted version of Monopoly, where landlords don’t pass Go but sure as hell collect way more than $200?

Renters, especially the good ones who pay on time and don’t wreck the place, should be prized. You’d think landlords would roll out the red carpet for them. But nah. Instead, they get surprise rent increases, shady “maintenance” fees, and let’s not forget the triple net lease madness.

Triple Net. Let’s talk about that circus act. Under this model, tenants are paying rent…. AND property taxes, insurance, common area maintenance, wages of building staff, and sometimes even the landlord’s second mortgage and midlife crisis boat payment.

That’s not a lease. That’s a full-blown sponsorship of someone else’s investment. It’s like buying a car, paying for gas, insurance, repairs… and then mailing the title to someone else.

Here’s the truth bomb: If you’re a landlord, your rent income is supposed to cover your damn bills. You’re not supposed to pass the financial buck to your tenants like it’s a hot potato.

And sure, some landlords are golden. They fix things on time, keep rents fair, and actually want to keep good tenants. But let’s not pretend they’re the norm. The bad ones? They’re multiplying like pop-up ads. Jacking up rent because “market rate,” ignoring busted ACs in July, and charging “administrative fees” like they’re running a VIP club.

You know what else isn’t easy to come by these days? Affordable property. Tenants don’t have a buffet of options, and some landlords know it. So instead of working with people, they slap on premium pricing like their space is Buckingham Palace. (Spoiler alert: it’s not.)

It’s greed. Plain and simple. And while some say, “compassion doesn’t pay the bills,” I say this: if your investment property is so stretched that you can’t pay taxes or maintenance without squeezing your tenants like lemons at a lemonade stand, you shouldn’t be in the rental business.

I once heard someone say,

“Millionaires become millionaires by having others pay their bills.”

And damn if that doesn’t hit harder now that I’ve seen it in real time.

Take a look around town…. strip plazas and commercial centers owned by millionaires who haven’t flipped a burger or mopped a floor in decades. And yet, the rent they charge? You’d think each storefront came with a golden ticket and a back massage from Willy Wonka himself.

They own the property. You pay the mortgage, the taxes, the insurance, the maintenance… and their vacation home in the Keys. When all you should be paying is the monthly rent!

It’s not passive income.

It’s active exploitation with a golf swing and a fake smile.

Rant over. For now. But landlords: if you’re not going to be fair, at least be honest. Stop pretending it’s about inflation when it’s really just about padding your bottom line.

The Labor Shortage After Covid: Where Have All the Workers Gone

What Happened to the Labor Force After the Covid-19 Pandemic?

There are definitely fewer people working now than before the Covid-19 pandemic. Whether you’re traveling locally or nationally, just take a drive and pay attention to the businesses around you. You’ll notice “Help Wanted” and “We’re Hiring” signs everywhere. But where are all the workers? Hardly anyone is applying, and the few who do are often not up to the task.

It’s a tough reality for business owners. Sure, your business is short-staffed and in desperate need of employees, but at what cost? Too often, applicants come in with polished resumes and the right words—promising to do whatever it takes to learn and grow. But once hired? The situation often falls apart. Many workers just stand around, doing nothing despite being trained, shown what’s expected, and given the tools they need. Yet they refuse to follow through.

So where are all the good employees hiding? When will someone actually show up, ready to do the job? As a business owner, I have to admit, I’m starting to think it may never happen again. I realize I sound a little pessimistic here, but in my experience since the end of pandemic restrictions, very few employees have stepped up to the plate.

The Struggles of Small Business Owners

As a small business owner, where do we go from here? There’s plenty of work to be done, but only a few of us are actually doing it. How are we supposed to handle everything when there aren’t enough reliable workers? The most common advice I hear is to “hire more people.” But how do you hire when no one is even applying for jobs?

It’s a double-edged sword. We all started our businesses because we were passionate about them. It’s what we love doing. But as the business grows, the need for help increases. It becomes essential to rely on others to pick up the slack. And this is often where businesses fail: relying on others means putting the future of your dream into someone else’s hands. All your hard work, time, energy, and money are invested, while a few employees stand by, not pulling their weight, leaving you to push harder than ever to keep the business afloat.

The labor shortage post-Covid has created a real crisis for small businesses. As we struggle to find the right workers and manage the workload, it’s clear that simply hiring more people isn’t a solution if the work ethic and dedication aren’t there. For many of us, it’s become a matter of survival, and the road ahead seems uncertain. As much as we want to keep our businesses thriving, it’s getting harder to do so without a reliable team to back us up.

Does Anyone Really Know

Are we in a recession or not? Well, unfortunately that all depends on your political views vs real life views! Are you a democrat or Republican? If you listen to our current president, he’ll have you hearing how jobs are soaring and the economy is the best it’s ever been.

I don’t speak for anyone else and I don’t speak for other cities or states. What I can tell you is my town is dying!

We are a steel mill town. Cleveland Cliffs, the former Weirton Steel, company is set to close the plant. This will eliminate over 900 jobs. A lot of families in the small town community are facing troubling times.

Other businesses, are closing up and considering closing up. With a majority of people in our town loosing their jobs, it sure does make it hard to have other businesses continue to grow.

Seems like a recession to me. A definite decline in economic activity had plagued our community. Restaurants are seeing less customers and small mom & pop stores are closing.

Is there an answer? As for our steel mill, that answer is above all our pay grades! My home town and the residents country will continue to suffer when politicians put their wealth before the wealth of the citizens!

Only time will tell, but it seems the population has decreased over the last several years, more and more kids are leaving and families moving away. The attraction to small towns just isn’t there anymore.

I own a small business, the town shrinking and jobs being eliminated has affected my business greatly. Fingers crossed and wishing for some good news in the upcoming future, that not only my business but all the businesses in our community can get back to being successful and profitable…