Back in Việt Nam I could pick the ripe ones in the market, but since I moved to South Korea, they are hard as rocks. I often have to buy tomatoes a week or two in advance and wonder about your situation. Some are too green and refuse to ripen even after a month.
Cherry tomatoes are still good, though not suitable for finer sauces that require peeling.
I think this is mainly an issue of the tomato variety that is bred to withstand transport abuse and still look nice in the supermarket. If you wait for them to become soft, you are basically waiting for them to be half rotten.
Understandable, although I doubt they half rotten (I mean a few do but it’s a price I’m willing to pay) since I often slice them for breakfast’s sandwich. I wait til’ they’re a bit bouncy, otherwise they’re tasteless rubber like @RoadkillUgly@lemmy.world described.