MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) - As the United States debt approaches $39 trillion, business owners in Bay View are seeing less people come through their doors. 

"We've slowed tremendously, we have this big space that used to be filled up on a regular basis,” Cafe LuLu co-owner Sarah Jonas said. “Now the economy with the way it is and the cost of goods being so expensive, it’s really difficult.”

Jonas says the restaurant is dealing with high product costs while trying to balance the decreased business. 

“It’s the whole gamut of things that are just more expensive and then gasoline and everything, people just don’t have the money to spend,” Jonas said. 

Across the street is the Tease Salon, where there is a similar situation, with customers coming in less for their hair appointments. 

“Spring, Summer of last year we started seeing clients definitely stretching out their appointments,” Tease owner Daniel Olkives said. “If they were normally coming in every three months, now, we’re seeing them push it to six months.”

Olkives says the salon is also dealing with high product prices, this forcing higher prices for appointments and haircuts. 

“As long as they understand why we’re doing it and it’s not just that we’re just trying to take all their money, I think people get it,” Olkives said. 

The hope is that customers will keep coming in, because whether it’s hair or food, some things are necessities.  

“People will give up on maybe a couple extra lattes a week knowing I’d rather get my hair done, people spend money as long as the value is there and I think customer service is where it needs to be,” Olkives said.