Burnt my first attempt at sous vide steak... and some thoughts on food prices

I just had to share my latest kitchen fail. I've been eyeing those fancy sous vide machines for a while now, and I finally decided to give it a shot. I mean, how hard could it be, right? I set it up, placed the steak inside, and waited... but somehow I managed to mess up the timing and ended up with a piece of leather. Not exactly the tender, pink delight I was hoping for. As I was sitting there, staring at the burnt offering, I started thinking about the state of food prices lately. Have you guys noticed how much it's costing to eat out or even just buy decent ingredients these days? It's like the economy is playing a cruel joke on us. I swear, I remember when a decent steak used to be affordable. Now it's like they're charging us per Instagram-worthy plate. Anyone else feeling the pinch? What are your favorite cost-effective cooking methods? Share your tips, and maybe we can all learn to cook like pros without breaking the bank...