The pandemic was unprecedented and changed things in ways we have never seen before. There was high spending on goods during the pandemic, but then supply-chain snarls complicated things, and there were production problems that persist to this day. To expect everything to return to the way it was a couple years ago with the wave of a wand is just naive. And we have to look at the global perspective. The war on Ukraine has pushed up gas and food prices all over the globe, although we have seen a decrease in gas prices here in the US since last summer. However there are positives. The unemployment rate is the lowest its been in 50 years. And this has given laborers the leverage to demand raises. The Fed is working hard to keep inflation down. The deficit has fallen by $1.7 trillion.

Inflation Rate
 

Unfortunately, that 3% is on top of a higher cost of living.

"So - here's how it works" Really? Using your example: "Last year, you needed a widget. Last year, widgets cost $9 each.

This year, the same widget is $3."

The most recent June year-over-year inflation rate was 3%. So a widget costing $9 last June would have cost 3% more this June or $9.27...not $3.00.

It depends on how much competition there is.

I've given up all hope that either party is concerned about doing what's right for the country. When they keep putting up the same old failed choices year after year the system is definitely broken. The last two elections in a row I didn't even want to vote the choices were so noxious and I'm not feeling optimistic for 2024.

GasBuddy app is your friend. .

Your math is wrong. The widget cost $1. Last year the widget was $1.09. This year the widget is $1.12. Plus, the govt. plays around with how inflation is calculated (which is why the WSJ little calculator is so handy). Often food and gas is excluded. Package shrinkage is not accounted for in any of the percentages. Any administration doesn’t want bad numbers; I don’t care which party is in power.

And Sams M/C gives a 5% rebate on gas purchases

Inefficient
 

I would rather deal with the inefficiencies of a gas driven vehicle with good mileage than the more serious inefficiencies of using the electrical to battery middle man system that adds more co2 to our atmosphere.

I've never spent $150 at the grocery store. If I could afford to spend $150 a week at the supermarket, I'd never NEED to spend $300/week at a supermarket. We spend around $70/week on groceries. It's around $6 more than we spent two years ago on the same groceries.

If you can afford to spend $150 on groceries every week, you're doing just fine.

Wow, thank you for the correction! I never would've known this if you hadn't been the one to tell me. Never mind the almost-two-pages of people who offered the same correction over the past couple of days. Your post is the one that convinced me for sure.

Great job at being correct!

Glad I could help. I always like helping those who lack basic math skills.

Wow, thank you for the correction! I never would've known this if you hadn't been the one to tell me. Never mind the almost-two-pages of people who offered the same correction over the past couple of days. Your post is the one that convinced me for sure.

Great job at being correct!

CPI under Biden is up 15% and wages are up 11%. You have lost 4% of you purchasing power under Biden policies. Inflation was less than 2% throughout the previous administration. You might want to fill up your car today because oil is now at $77 a barrel up from under $70 just a few weeks ago.?

REALLY?!! I couldn’t get lobster rolls anywhere near that price in Maine last week! Maybe 28.99 for one!