<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:googleplay="http://www.google.com/schemas/play-podcasts/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[H Severe]]></title><description><![CDATA[Founder of Consumer Power, a bold platform giving voice to everyday consumers. We investigate unfair policies, highlight corporate abuses, and organize actions that remind businesses who really holds the power.]]></description><link>https://www.consumerpowermag.com</link><image><url>https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3J_3!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F03390c5e-17b2-4b35-a048-b347e369cda2_291x291.png</url><title>H Severe</title><link>https://www.consumerpowermag.com</link></image><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 17:09:26 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.consumerpowermag.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><copyright><![CDATA[Herbie Severe]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[consumerpowermag@substack.com]]></webMaster><itunes:owner><itunes:email><![CDATA[consumerpowermag@substack.com]]></itunes:email><itunes:name><![CDATA[H Severe]]></itunes:name></itunes:owner><itunes:author><![CDATA[H Severe]]></itunes:author><googleplay:owner><![CDATA[consumerpowermag@substack.com]]></googleplay:owner><googleplay:email><![CDATA[consumerpowermag@substack.com]]></googleplay:email><googleplay:author><![CDATA[H Severe]]></googleplay:author><itunes:block><![CDATA[Yes]]></itunes:block><item><title><![CDATA[Consumer Power Mag — Issue #1 We’re Not Broke — We’re Being Played ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Let&#8217;s be real for a second.]]></description><link>https://www.consumerpowermag.com/p/consumer-power-mag-issue-1-were-not</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.consumerpowermag.com/p/consumer-power-mag-issue-1-were-not</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[H Severe]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:21:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3J_3!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F03390c5e-17b2-4b35-a048-b347e369cda2_291x291.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Let&#8217;s be real for a second.</p><p>Everything is getting more expensive.<br>Flights. Groceries. Concert tickets. Subscriptions. Basic everyday life.</p><p>And yet&#8230;<br>The companies charging us more are making <em>more money than ever.</em></p><p>So what&#8217;s really going on?</p><p>We&#8217;ve been told this story:</p><blockquote><p>&#8220;Costs are rising, so prices have to go up.&#8221;</p></blockquote><p>But somehow, those &#8220;rising costs&#8221; keep turning into record-breaking profits.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>The Airline Example (Because We All Feel It)</strong></h3><p>Flying used to be simple.</p><p>Now?</p><ul><li><p>You pay for your seat</p></li><li><p>You pay for your carry-on</p></li><li><p>You pay for your checked bag</p></li><li><p>You pay just to sit next to the person you booked with</p></li></ul><p>And ticket prices? Still high.</p><p>So let&#8217;s break that down.</p><p>When fuel prices go up &#8594; ticket prices go up<br>When fuel prices go down &#8594; prices <em>don&#8217;t really come down</em></p><p>Why?</p><p>Because we keep paying.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>We&#8217;re Funding the System That&#8217;s Draining Us</strong></h3><p>This isn&#8217;t just airlines.</p><p>It&#8217;s everywhere:</p><ul><li><p>Streaming platforms raising prices every year</p></li><li><p>Concert tickets becoming luxury items</p></li><li><p>Athletes, artists, and celebrities charging more while giving less</p></li><li><p>Companies cutting quality but charging premium prices</p></li></ul><p>And the wildest part?</p><p>Some of these same people and companies:</p><ul><li><p>Don&#8217;t respect their customers</p></li><li><p>Don&#8217;t give back</p></li><li><p>Don&#8217;t engage with the very people funding their success</p></li></ul><p>Without consumers&#8230; none of them exist.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>So Why Aren&#8217;t We Doing Anything About It?</strong></h3><p>Because we&#8217;ve been conditioned not to.</p><p>We&#8217;ve normalized:</p><ul><li><p>&#8220;It is what it is&#8221;</p></li><li><p>&#8220;Everything is expensive now&#8221;</p></li><li><p>&#8220;What choice do we have?&#8221;</p></li></ul><p>But that&#8217;s not true.</p><p>We have <em>the</em> choice.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>What Happens If We Actually Push Back?</strong></h3><p>Let&#8217;s say this:</p><p>What if thousands of people decided:</p><blockquote><p>&#8220;For the next 30 days, we are NOT flying with Airline X.&#8221;</p></blockquote><p>No boycott forever.<br>No chaos.<br>Just 30 days.</p><p>Do you know what that would do?</p><p>It would get their attention <em>immediately.</em></p><p>Because for the first time:</p><ul><li><p>Demand drops</p></li><li><p>Revenue drops</p></li><li><p>Shareholders notice</p></li></ul><p>That&#8217;s power.</p><p><strong>Our power.</strong></p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Consumer Power Is Real &#8212; We Just Haven&#8217;t Used It Yet</strong></h3><p>Every dollar you spend is a vote.</p><p>Right now, we&#8217;re voting for:</p><ul><li><p>Higher prices</p></li><li><p>More fees</p></li><li><p>Less value</p></li></ul><p>Not because we want to&#8230;<br>But because we haven&#8217;t organized.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>What This Platform Is About</strong></h3><p><strong>Consumer Power Mag</strong> is about changing that.</p><p>This is where we:</p><ul><li><p>Call out unfair pricing</p></li><li><p>Share real experiences</p></li><li><p>Expose patterns</p></li><li><p>Highlight companies doing it right</p></li><li><p>And most importantly &#8212; organize action</p></li></ul><p>Because awareness without action changes nothing.</p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>This Is Just the Beginning</strong></h3><p>If you&#8217;ve ever:</p><ul><li><p>Felt like prices make no sense</p></li><li><p>Been nickel-and-dimed by companies</p></li><li><p>Wondered why no one is pushing back</p></li></ul><p>You&#8217;re not alone.</p><p>And you&#8217;re not powerless.</p><p>We&#8217;ve just never moved <em>together.</em></p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Next Step</strong></h3><p>If this resonates with you:</p><ul><li><p>Subscribe</p></li><li><p>Share this with someone who complains about prices (we all know one)</p></li><li><p>And stay tuned</p></li></ul><p>Because the next step isn&#8217;t just talking about the problem&#8230;</p><p><strong>It&#8217;s choosing our first target.</strong></p><div><hr></div><p><strong>We don&#8217;t need permission.<br>We don&#8217;t need approval.<br>We just need coordination.</strong></p><p><strong>We have the power. Let&#8217;s take it back.</strong></p>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>