I don't think this impacts cards much.
First, it's an odd economic time. Inflation is growing at an alarming rate that is horrifying me, but there are also tons of jobs open and they are generally paying quite a bit more too (I'm sure some roles aren't, but wages have been rising quickly). Everything cots more, but most of us are making more than we made in 2019 too.
Second, people who are barely scraping by don't really purchase vintage cards. It's just reality. I was poor and broke ten years ago in college trying to score a $10 card once a month, but this is a very, very tiny segment of the hobby. Even most low grade collectors on the cheaper end of the spectrum (I'm one of them) are not living paycheck to paycheck where a tank of gas doubling alters their card budget. Just as rising prices on household goods and astounding inflation the last year have not reduced card prices, neither will this. People who were overspending irresponsibly will continue doing so and those who can responsibly afford to do so will continue to do so, which together constitutes almost all vintage collectors.
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