PALLET TOWN—Despite his unwavering dedication to becoming the very best, local Pokémon trainer Jake Callahan, 25, was reportedly crushed to discover that having a full party of six Pokémon also meant having six mouths to feed—and he simply could not afford it.

“I thought catching them all was the hard part,” said Callahan, who now realizes the true challenge is the rising cost of PokéChow. “But the moment I got that sixth Pokémon, I went from ‘aspiring Champion’ to ‘financially ruined pet owner.’”

Sources confirm that Callahan, who recently filled out his party with a Snorlax, is struggling to cover even the basics, with his team consuming food at an alarming rate. “I should’ve just stuck with Pikachu,” he lamented, watching in horror as his Snorlax devoured an entire bag of premium protein kibble in a single gulp. “This is unsustainable.”

Callahan’s latest capture is known to be a luxury pet which consumes copious amounts of food. Despite being aware of this fact, Callahan tossed out a Pokéball. This flagrant disregard for financial planning, as experts point out, is typical of millennials.

The situation worsened when Callahan took his Pokémon to the Pokémon Center, expecting a free check-up but instead being informed by Nurse Joy that he was legally responsible for their well-being. “Pokémon Centers may offer free healing, but they’re not handing out groceries,” Joy explained. “You can’t just hoard creatures like a dragon and expect the government to foot the bill.”

Desperate for a solution, Callahan turned to battles in hopes of earning prize money, but he quickly learned that low-level trainers were only offering a measly 200 PokéDollars per fight. “That barely covers a single day of food for Machamp,” he groaned. “And don’t even get me started on Gyarados.”

Experts warn that Callahan is not alone in his crisis, with many trainers across Kanto struggling under the economic weight of full teams. “It’s a cautionary tale,” said Professor Oak. “Too many young trainers leap into this lifestyle without considering the long-term financial burden. Maybe start with a Bulbasaur and work your way up.”

At press time, Callahan was seen eyeing his Pokéballs nervously, considering which team member to release back into the wild before it completely drained his savings. “Look, I love them all, but at this rate, I’m gonna have to eat the Berries myself,” he admitted, sighing. “I just hope Snorlax doesn’t take it personally.”