The Bureau of Labor and Statistics released the January consumer price index today [DATA HERE] reflecting what you already know. The overall inflation rate stands at 6.4%, after the anniversaries of the first two waves of price increases have now tolled.
Inflation is the measure of price increases over time. Following two years of massive jumps in price, we are now cycling through and comparing current prices to the previous period when prices had already skyrocketed.
This gives a false impression of price moderation (hindsight inflation); however, the price of goods and services is significantly higher, and those prices will not drop. The higher prices are now embedded in the economy.
After a brief respite, a plateau, in energy price increases over Nov (0.5%) and December (0.4%), the January energy prices began climbing again (0.6%). This is what we have all noticed in the past three months.
Additionally, “shelter” costs, rent and housing, continue to increase in price (0.8%, January). Overall shelter costs now +7.9% for the 12 months preceding January, 2023, with rents up 8.6% for the period [Table-1].
We have also cycled through the anniversary of the first two waves of massive food price increases, ending January 2022. Despite that cycle, food prices still show an increase of 10.1% for the preceding 12 months. Cereals +15.6%, dairy +14.0%. These food price increases are on top of similar jumps in the period that preceded January ’22. Most of these volatile food price increases are attributable to the overall scale of energy and transportation costs. These prices will never reverse.
The issue is compounded because the inflation rate is still far exceeding the rate of wage growth. This means workers and working families are going backwards and spending more than they earn for the exact same housing, food and energy products they were purchasing a year ago.
This wage squeeze means little to no disposable income, which then applies to the rest of the household checkbook economics. With less disposable income, fewer non-essential products and/or services are purchased by working families. This situation creates the snowball effect of lessened overall economic activity.
(Via CNBC) – […] Rising shelter costs accounted for about half the monthly increase, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said in the report. The component accounts for more than one-third of the index and rose 0.7% on the month and was up 7.9% from a year ago. The CPI had risen 0.1% in December.
Energy also was a significant contributor, up 2% and 8.7%, respectively, while food costs rose 0.5% and 10.1%, respectively.
Rising prices meant a loss in real pay for workers. Average hourly earnings fell 0.2% for the month and were down 1.8% from a year ago, according to a separate BLS report that adjusts wages for inflation.
While price increases had been abating in recent months, January’s data shows inflation is still a force in a U.S. economy in danger of slipping into recession this year. (read more)
According to the wage report: “from January 2022 to January 2023. The change in real average hourly earnings combined with an increase of 0.3 percent in the average workweek resulted in a 1.5-percent decrease in real average weekly earnings over this period.” Workers are working longer hours, making slightly more pay, but the rate of inflation means their actual “real wages” are still dropping.
The way to break out of this cycle is to first unleash the U.S. energy sector and drive down the costs of oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, home heating oil, natural gas and electricity rates. However, the entrenched nature of the climate change ideology, blocks the professional political class from providing the energy sector relief. Both Democrats and Republicans want the Joe Biden “green new deal” energy policy.
FUBAR!
now triple those figures and you will be close to right.
It seems to me that you are closer to correct than the statistics. For instance, the cheap brand of shampoo cost 99 cents for a 18 oz bottle for many years. Since Biden took office and destroyed our affordable energy, I can’t find any shampoo for under $2.50 a bottle. Most are $6-$12 a bottle for nothing special.
Bought a standard-sized can of Crisco yesterday. $9.
CRAZY!
Wife said the same. I have noticed this for my aftershave- I have a bald head and use a lot, since I shave it every day. I had a brand I loved…but, sorry, not paying 12.99 when it was 3.99 before Covid. I am now using Aqua Velva, Blue Classic. And I have to say- not to shabby. I like the cool feel of the burn on my head every morning. And, no I’m not being facetious. Never going back.
From 1957 –
.
You just made my day. LOL.
We will all likely discover new favorite brands, not to mention some of us will start forgoing products or making the items ourselves. I learned to make soap from watching my grandmother and again, watching Fight Club.
Today I ate onions I grew in my backyard by planting the ends of the onions I used to routinely throw out. I don’t like what our government has done to our nation, but there will be some silver-linings. I’m tired of supporting criminals in government and the corporations they collude with.
Correct. This is the 3rd wage on top of 2 previous cycles.
I just returned from the store. Coffee, a 12 oz bag for most name brands was $14 and up. Increase of well over fifty percent in six months. Margarine doubled. Jams and Jellies doubled. Hot dogs up twenty percent. Orange juice now over $4 for the plastic container. Jug of wine, up 15 percent. Even bread is up, although the cheapest is holding its price. Frozen fruit up 14 percent. I don’t even want to discuss meats. And on,and on,and on… Government reporting is a grotesque lie.
It seems to me there’s an extra dose of inflation (so to speak) in the form of retailers taking advantage of a panicked public that’s watching their food sources becoming tainted and destroyed, and increasingly scarcer. Call it price gouging if you will, but it’s happening, and even Wally World is in on the con. Please prepare accordingly, as profits have become the golden calf these demons have come to worship. Humanity be damned!
I suspect a lot of people are digging into their preps.
My Wally World has a nice canned spaghetti that they no longer carry…the only stuff on the shelf is the brand name items which I detest. I have it down to a science with the Wally World….and my “precious penny”, with regards to what I purchase.
The 3 pack of boys size large athletic socks…work well for me at 60% less than a ladies 3 pack–give or take.
LOL, I don’t wear socks, even in winter
wear UGG cozy lined boots when there is snow
I am a guy… I don’t wear no sissy UGGs…
My wife, OTOH, swears by hers… and she actually looks cute.. to me. 😉
One way to save money is to bypass the women’s clothing and shop in the men’s dept. For example, buy a 3-pack of men’s thermal, long-sleeved undershirts for what one, thin, women’s thermal top costs. They’re warmer, have a roomier, more comfortable fit, and will last longer.
<…bypass the women’s clothing and shop in the men’s dept.>
Buttigieg would disagree 🙂
All while breastfeeding his kid.
“Chestfeeding” I believe is the accepted term. Lol
There I go offending again. Dang it. LOL.
They have this strange mix of private label and brand names, whereas the brand name offering are very limited. Beans, corn, corn meal, etc. I also noticed I can find a lot of what they now sell cheaper elsewhere. I’m growing triple everything this year as we dug into our prep way too deep this year.
At what point is profit excessive?
A fair question to ask. A profit taken to the extreme certainly is a problem.
Complicating things is a controlled market run by cartels. How do you quantify any demand and supply signals for what you ought to be reasonably paying for a good or service?
The love of money is at the root of many evils.
Can’t the buyer decide that?
What’s your recourse with limited choices and barriers to entry for new competition in the marketplace?
Don’t buy it. Move on. Unless it’s food, shelter, or clothing, you don’t NEED it. Bottom line. Something these companies forget.
I am a history buff. I love history, particularly wars and the American Southwest during the era of the Apache and Comanche.
No one back then had EV’s, curved TV’s, iPhones, etc….and they all lived, reproduced, and poof here we are…
So, it’s up to We the People.
Tools and know-how will be valuable to have as well for securing and maintaining those three things.
Exactly, and sadly RF, too many younguns have no Know-how. Thank gosh I am hand and can do things on my own- even if I never have done it.
Consumerism has been highly overrated for many decades. It has always made oligarchs rich & buyers poor.
We started out poor & while I’ve indulged in better quality over the years I’ve never lost the habit of repairing rather than replacing & accumulating excessively. I still live in the 1st house I raised my kids in.
I’m tweeking my buying habits rather than instituting an extreme austerity plan. So far it’s working. I’m blessed.
Exactly. Don’t buy any name brands or you’re just feeding the forces working against you. I shop three different grocery stores, a different store each week to get the doorbuster meat sales but anything else I need is store brand unless the name brands are cheaper. Eff ’em. They will not get one extra penny from me. And my early vegetable seeds are germinating in the basement right now.
I can confirm that wally world has jacked their prices. They are now on my dung list.
I just take a pass on anything that costs more than the value I place on the item.
This.
Historically above normal net profits, in relative market conditions, etc. When were the laws of supply and demand re-instated? Hoping and happening are two different things, and when a large part of our food manufacturing, distribution, and retail are controlled by multi-nationals, they artificially create supply and demand. The richest countries’ price subsidize those they deem too lowly to exploit. Just the facts in a corrupt world.
I agree that prices are ridiculous. However, until I can see the wholesale / distributor costs for the merchandise being retailed at a store, I have to hold my opinion about whether anyone in the supply chain is making “excessive profits.”
I’ve been there / done that (managed local stores as part of a national retail chain). Long ago, but also in a period of rising inflation (1970s). Certainly transportation costs for products coming from manufacturer to distributor to retailer are quite higher than they were just2 years ago. Losses from shoplifting theft are way up. Employee compensation costs are up. Utility bills for brick & mortar stores are way up. Insurance costs have gone up due to medical costs and replacement costs.
Not doubting that some businesses are gouging their customers on some items. But most are just trying to maintain profit margins when there is currently no end in sight to the current corrupt government policies causing this chaos.
Socretes at Armstrong Economics said last year’s real inflation was ~32%. So they are undercounting it by about 5x.
Like HW Bush, these Harvard trained brainiacs can’t tell you the price of a dozen eggs or a gallon of milk or a gallon of gas. As they purposely cook their numbers for masters.
Well to be fair to them, they are in positions that pay about 500 per hour to spew BS.
I remember GHWB being baffled by the whizbang electronic grocery scanner..
NYS legislators voted themselves a 30% raise so I had figured inflation was at least that high if not higher
I do not believe anything coming out of this federal bureaucracy.
The only reality in my world is what I see when shopping for food, clothing, etc and filling up the car with gas.
From what I can compare this to is what we experienced in the late 1970’s under Jimmy Carter, when I went to the grocery store to buy 5# of sugar that went from .99 to over 2.00 overnight. That’s the type of increases I am witnessing today, along with the reduce packaging and low quality of fresh fruits and vegetables.
I never ever thought I would see the day when 80/20 ground beef was $4.50/pound or more. Short ribs used to be poor man’s food; today they are on sale at 9.00/lb….disgusting!
That’s just an example.
And it’s all by design.
The administration knows full well what is causing inflation.
But their New World Order ideology and their obeisance to their god “climate change” demand human sacrifice…
…that would be us.
you’re so correct Betsy !! and they know that we know that they know…GRRRRRRRRRRR
Jimmy Crack Corn(pop), and they don’t care.
Abigail: I, too, remember the economic environment during the 1970s and early 80s, with sky-high inflation and matching interest rates. Plus, in the early 70s, the gasoline shortage. It’s Carter malaise, but it feels more all encompassing, because of of pervasive, intrusive government, the internet, and the globalists, who inflict all their illiberal (in the classic sense) ideology and tyrannical initiatives on Americans.
I remember 29¢/ gallon gasoline…that’s how old I am.
Betsy jones: Plus free drinking glasses with a fill up.
Yep…or Green Stamps.
Oh my… I can remember “Gas Wars” and .18 a gallon, wait for it… in CA no less. Now I’ve made myself feel old. Dammit!
#FJB
Those were the days, Slim…right??
attendent would also check oil and wash windows. 28 cents a gal where I was. about $5 fill up for my 1946 Chrysler Windsor. I was 15. it was 10.
hot dog shop sold hot dogs with bun for 15 cents. hamburger were .25. jukebox a nickle
Flippin’ heck, Merry!! I remember those full service stations.
Which state was it which by law (at least at one time) all the stations had to be full service…or at least one couldn’t pump gas for their motorcars. New Jersey sticks in my mind.
NJ is attendant fill up. Oregon also has the mandatory gas station attendant to fill your car law. They started that many years ago because of environmental “Save The Spotted Owl” regulations that destroyed the timber industry. People needed jobs to feed their families. So a new regulation was born.
At one point as low as .17. However I was only making $200 a month ($50 a week) teaching at a Catholic school. Had to work other jobs to help Mom at home. But there were only 2 sexes male&female and good was prized above evil. Neighbors helped each other. I sure glad I’m old now even though I’m still working my glass studio. Today celebrating it’s 43 anniversary
Wish I could see your artistic creations, Ree. How much joy you must get from the process.
Congratulations are due. And I sincerely offer them to you. What an accomplishment, especially these days, through the good times and the lean. 😊 B
(And like you, I find myself remembering those bless-ed days more and more, wishing so much we could retrieve those precious values and graft them into what we must endure today…sigh.)
Thank you. It’s really the Lord’s studio He just lets me do the work and pay the bills. I’ve done many homes boats and commercial stained glass windows but mostly I design and restore church windows all ove the USA including a church in Alaska. PS they have fantastic halibut and king salmon fishing. I’d list my web site but I don’t think that is allowed. I taught school starting in 1958 until 1980 22 years of actually teaching subjects. I cry for what evil is doing to our children today. I often look at the large crucifix next to where I pray my Divine Office and say “Lord I just don’t understand. How can people do these things. “
My husband, an extremely talented man in many ways but an artist himself but with wood, made an intricate cross for our home. I say my evening prayers before it every night.
He gave you a talent, Ree, and I know it is to His glory that you work every day with that always at the forefront of your mind. Especially with the church windows.
And yes, I’ve wept so many tears for the children Baal casts his eye on and who have been delivered into his hands by his educationist and governmental acolytes. I know it tears the heart out of you as it does for all in these branches.
Blessings always to you. Long may you create what you love.
The cheapest I remember gas was 0.89 cents/gal when I lived in Va. Beach as a young sailor. It was the gas station next to my apartment. That was in 1998. I used to fill my 94 Honda Civic up for under 9 dollars (10 if I let it get to E).
I’d take 89¢!! 1998? Wasn’t that just yesterday??
You just had to mention that didn’t you. 25 cent for a pack of smokes.
😂😂😂!! In the UK now it is £12/pack.
We also had an attendant who pumped the gas. I’d pull up and ask for 25 cents worth of regular during my earliest days driving my VW Bug.
And I bet you got near half a tank. 😉
Yes, Abigail, my wife and I were just talking about the quality of fruits and vegetables. All terrible. She said- I’m going to a different grocer. I said, makes sense. Fridge full- different grocer- same darn issue- crap fruit and vegetables. You can’t buy for a week…you can only plan for a day or two because they are so not fresh.
That’s why I built a secure fenced in raised garden and grow my own. After seeing how all of the nurseries around me grow veggies I refuse to buy any from the store. They advertise organic and if that means having no ports potties. I Pass
Here in N. Michigan the ground beef is $5.59 lb and short ribs are $12.00. Store brand bread is $3.79. Butter is so expensive, individual sticks are being sold for $1.89 ea. We were raising a family during the Carter years and I don’t remember it being this bad.
I remember my mom cooking a ham on Sunday, then the rest of the week it was ham and beans with cornbread and some vegetables. I remember my dad taking powdered milk and mixing it with a gallon of whole milk to double the quantity. My folks had 6 kids. My dad always packed his lunch and rode the train to San Francisco for his job. My mom took a part time job as a school bus driver, and then went back to work as a teacher full time. I remember when we didn’t have “new clothes” for school. My dad was afraid of losing his good job back then. He planted a garden and got chickens, drawing on his childhood memories. It was actually a rough time during the Carter years.
Love grilled short ribs. Hated it when the masses found out you could do more than slow cook them. Now they are a treat 16.95lb at Sams today and half is all bone weight.
Waiting for someone with a real set to call BS.
Well, I expect President Trump has and will continue to speak out about this destruction of our economy.
But what I’m waiting for is the people on the street to speak out and demand answers to their questions.
At least, it would be nice if the “people” thought a little bit critically and questioned what is going on in our country?
Rather, than lamenting…”Well, I don’t agree with it but there’s not much I can do about it.”
That’s fine but I think we’re well past the “talking” stage and badly need the “action” stage. I don’t see endless talking really changing anything.
Well, what is your suggestion on the “action stage”?
Large marches for starters. DC knows we hate them. they just ignore us, not if we do not let them. Of course these days you never know what stupid thing will kick off local riots or war.
I think the issue is that if one has to get a permit, then
Antifa somehow gets notified and joins the march to
create chaos and mayhem.
Action is happening on many fronts. Join us! https://asheinamerica.substack.com/p/the-priceless-right
This administration cares nothing about “the people in the street” speaking out (although Garland and Wray’s goons may take notice and possibly target them as domestic terrorists).
Our so-called representatives need to speak out loudly, clearly and on a daily basis about the situation the administration has created.
Or, I don’t agree with it but man, did you see Rihanna the other night…she grabbed her P and smelled her fingers….oh, man so kewl…lol, emoji emoji emoji
unless one has skin in the game, meaning your team is playing, why not
boycott the Superbowl? I did. I watched an old movie with Michael Caine
and Angie Dickinson, “Dressed to Kill”. It was infinitely better.
It would be better to just boycott the NFL entirely. Its all Fake, scripted, reality TV. Designed to make you watch every commercial from one scene to the next.
My daughter is a tik tok nut. She is always texting me their political videos.
I am astonished at the number of black and hispanic males and females who
get it. It is encouraging.
Liqueda: That “someone” must be us, each on our own initiative, on whatever scale and within whatever sphere of influence we have the inclinination and ability to act. Everyone is different.
Billrla, exactly.
My wife gets frustrated at me because she says I bring up this stuff way too often, in the company of too many people, and sometimes they give me dirty looks.
I tell her, yep, and? They can kiss my ass, those people giving me dirty looks. I don’t care anymore. If they have a problem, say it to my face- because I will sat it to theirs.
that is my youngest daughter -I am so proud of her for standing up
to the nutjobs, however, hope she doesn’t get in a bad situation.
Sundance is 100% spot on.
One thing, and only one thing, is capable to reverse the decline: massive increase in hydrocarbon production: nat gas & oil. Cheap energy will inevitably lead to lower cost of production and lower retail price. It is the lifeblood of every economy that has moved beyond cart&horse.
And as he says, this obvious and proven route will be completely demonized by the ‘green’ lefties. Their policies will, not maybe, will cause the largest starvation die-off in human history. It’s already started.
My family will be fine. We’re food & skill sufficient, and armed.
Amen! Add to that this entire electric car boondoggle is insane. Even the best electric cars cannot begin to compete against a gas or diesel-powered car in range or convenience. Then there is the charging problem. If the commies and greenies get their wish, where is the electricity to charge the millions of vehicles going to come from? No one wants to talk about that. Finally, if you live in an area where it snows then that already-range-limited electric vehicle will have its range halved if not more because no battery likes cold weather. This is stupid. Drill baby drill, we want our oil back! Of course, you realize the entire climate change movement is a scam, right? I guess this is a good example of what happens when our schools stop educating students in favor of indoctrinating them.
Many people can’t or won’t be able to afford the prices of autos now or in the future. but that is exactly what they want. They won’t give a, you know what, if you don’t have transportation.
Yep, see the 15 min city.
AZPatriot: You sure are right about schools and education. Thanks (no thanks) to the internet, we’ve got at least a full generation of people who cannot do their own research and cannot think for themselves.
And speaks in broken English, misspelled words, and emojis.
Who knew Earth Day in 72 would lead to this!
We also cannot replace hydrocarbons with Wind and Solar. There are not nearly enough of the key elements required to do this for generation, distribution, and utilization.
Below is a link to a PowerPoint that does a great job of explaining these facts. Slides 21 (mining rate) and 22 (reserves) show the utter futility of attempting this. These technologies will forever be a niche < 10% solution at best.
https://t.co/DeNSeRsSjp
The only approach that will work to counteract what will hopefully be just a very slow depletion of inexpensive fossil hydrocarbon energy is synthetically produced hydrocarbon fuels using 2nd generation nuclear technology (Molten Chloride Salt Fast Reactor) that utilizes the other 97% of the nuclear energy that remains in existing stockpiles in spent nuclear fuel.
By gradually replacing the source of the hydrocarbon fuel we can use the existing distribution and utilization systems as is.
These existing systems represent tremendous amounts of past energy, capital and human talent that even if it were possible to replace would take decades and untold amounts of energy and materials to replace.
We are going to have enough on our plate to just progressively replace the source of the hydrocarbon molecule from fossil to synthetic.
My grocery bills … and my PG&E bills are eating us out of house and home. I keep the house at 61 deg.F … seriously! … and last month’s PG&E bill was $450.00 … my neighbors who heat their homes to a balmy 65 deg.F average in the $800.00 range. Contractors and Subcontractors are leaving business cards on my front stoop. It’s grim in N.CA grim indeed.
and the PG&E rates have been approved by The CAPUC to go even HIGHER … and their “green”, “cheap” “renewable” (sic) energy to expand further and further to eliminate all fossil fuels.
we are teetering on the precipice of DISASTER
“we are teetering on the precipice of DISASTER” absolutely and it is a darn shame that it is taking this long. Until people see just how broken things are, they won’t be bothered to ignore the super bowl and the comfort of life to address the issue with their every breath. And the problem of today is large enough it will take all focus.
It’s called “Energy Poverty” and it’s a real thing here in CA.
All done on purpose by Mr. Newsome and his aunt Nancy.
That is bad!!!
I have family members still back in Cali. They actually don’t turn on the heat and wear multiple layers of clothing, sometimes jackets and beanies in the house. They sit in the dark too. Their electric bill is still a couple of hundred a month. I keep waiting for them to be the frog that jumps out of the pot of boiling water.
But, but, it’s entirely caused by Putin or balloons or something.
Look over there!
A squirrel!
ALIENS!!!
Weekly trip to grocery store is twice what it was two years ago.
So many stupid/clueless people among us.
…and/or people shift to lower-cost forms of calories and start eating like the 2nd world. In short more rice and beans and less meat, fruits, and vegetables.
This then shifts the ‘basket’ of goods the government uses to measure inflation, which in turn hides the true inflation rate in the form of a lower quality of life.
Similar to other discretionary forms of consumption like; replacing an old leaking roof, painting a faded house, taking a vacation, replacing car that is getting too old, etc.
If you have the per-person energy consumption of the 2nd world, soon everything in and around you starts to look like it too.
spaul, just look around. You can see it happening.
Yesterday I carried one well-made cloth bag of average size out of the store with one hand–paid $72 for the contents–all routine maintenance purchases.
And those “increased wages” generate increased payroll taxes. Increased prices on food and fuel…same deal. Mortgages (adjustable), going up.
Yes, somehow workers’ pay, social benefits, and tax tables don’t seem to match even the fictitiously low official government inflation rates.
so thankful I can work from home and we are down to only 1 car now and shopping for clothes has become anti climactic since I dont go to the office now…:-)
Agree. We have a hybrid. But during COVID, it was full remote (and yes, I appreciate not all get that benefit- been there, done that, as well as having a wife and children who don’t have that benefit) and my wife said I looked like a homeless hobit who didn’t know how to shave and shower.
I said- why? Why shave? I’m at home. Why shower every day, let alone twice a day when I can’t go anywhere….I’m just being environmentally sound.
It drives me crazy that we’re calling “an increase in prices” inflation. Everyone intuitively knows that inflation means *everyone* has so much money lying around, that the value of the money goes down.
If stuff just keeps costing more dollars because of regulations, scarce natural resources/energy, what have you, that should NOT be called inflation!
Why is this distinction so important?
Because increasing interest rates is a solution to the FIRST, real, intuitive kind of inflation: not what’s actually happening.
Calling it inflation is a cover for them to raise interest rates, which is stealing the wealth the middle class has gained through rising home prices, for one.
At least that’s the way it appears to me.
Unfortunately, the majority of American’s dumb-downed population couldn’t even define macro and microeconomics, much less understand basic monetary theory. It’s sad!
Please give a good simple definition of both that lay people can understand.
Our messaging sucks. Everything is so darn complicated and filled with new words depicting new concepts with all kinds of nuances that the working class doesn’t have the time to learn. For non-economic-theory based people, the messaging needs to easily identifiable and explained in a relatable fashion.
That’s what I was trying to do with my post.
Inflation is: I know that everyone has $1,000,000, so I’m not going to sell my used car for $5000…. maybe I’ll try $20,000, maybe $50,000…. maybe $100,000? The value of the money is cheapened. That’s inflation.
However the OPPOSITE of that is happening. People have LESS MONEY. So it’s NOT INFLATION.
What they’re doing is saying that because prices are going up, THAT’S INFLATION.
But there’s a million reasons why prices might go up.
INFLATION is when prices go up because there’s so much money lying around that it’s value is cheapened. That’s not what’s happening.
She’s wasting her time. She won’t get my vote.
Wrong thread.
Indeed but we all know who’s being spoken about and all agree!
Huh?
Watch the BS artist Nikki Haley’s I am running and should be your God speech. You will get it.
Nikki Haley. See Sundances previous article “WooHoo….” today.
Ugh, just bought a bag of Lime Tortilla chips. Not sure what they used to be normally as I typically would buy them on sale (2 for $7), but I do know they decreased the bag from 11 oz to 10 oz and it was $4.49 today. And that two day below freezing spell hurt having to run the pool pumps (since I wasn’t home to open them up I ran them a little over 48hrs straight) increased the electricity bill by almost $150 versus last month.
It is soon cheaper to move to Mauritius, pay the one time tax and live in relative peace.
Doritos are almost $7 per bag, for the small/medium bag. Everyone knows Doritos….
I like to use items everyone knows. It’s how I explained to my dad, when I first moved to CT, the cost of living difference. I used the Big Mac value meal. I tried many other ways- taxes, groceries, gas, etc. Nothing sunk in. I shared, this was back in 2008, that it was 9.99 for a Big Mac value meal in CT compared to 5.99 in Ohio….he got it.
Everyone understand McDonaldnomics.
Living on an island in the Indian Ocean, everything that’s consumable or perishable must be flown in or brought by ship.
Here is a one year old guide to cost of living on Mauritius Island:
https://www.onelifepassport.com/cost-of-living-in-mauritius/
.
The embedded YouTube video on that page can be accessed here:
I bought a bag of air today and they were nice enough to throw in some chips..
I am paying triple; that is all I know and all I care about
“The way to break out of this cycle is to first unleash the U.S. energy sector and drive down the costs of oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, home heating oil, natural gas and electricity rates.”
100% correct. Reliable, affordable energy is the only way to experience the optimal quality of life.
MrsJones: Right, indeed. Now, to give the boot to the globalists and climate ideologues.
Greta says off with your head….LOL.
The Biden regime has murdered the US energy sector, intentionally, in cold blood, to destroy the Country as we knew it.
And stop regulating small businesses out of business.
Wink-wink nod -nod!
Yeah right.
This administration is gutting the middle class, murdering us with COVID and back filling with illegals.
And CONGRESS isn’t doing a damn thing about it.
That’s because of their new stipend.
Since the federal government has taking to fudgong on statistics in order to placage the chronically uninformed, I wonder what is the true rate of inflation in this country.
. As our gubmint throws around these arbitrary numbers. This video reminds me of the vanity of it all. Put your thinking cap on.
I’m so glad that inflation is only 6.4%. It would be terrible if it were like 80% or 90% or something.
Two days ago, I saw that 2% milk was $10/gallon at the Safeway here in central Oregon.
Wow, I am paying $4.19 for 2% in SW Missouri
2.99 here in So. Oregon.
If gas didn’t cost so much, it would be worth driving down there to get some.
The globalist agenda is well entrenched in our elected government. It’s much more important than the constitution they took an oath for and the sheeple they represent. Sad state of affairs. Meanwhile they lavishly spending money on a war in Ukraine.
I’m not sure how to start a revolution, but an easy way would be to start a March Madness Holdback, where we get as many people as possible to not shop at the big box stores (Target, Walmart, etc.) and large supermarkets for the entire month of March for items which are not needed, and if necessary, only purchase items that are really needed (non-junk food, milk, water, diapers, toilet paper, etc.), and then let them suck on that !
JMO, but I think milk is over-rated. I do agree it’s important for babies, toddlers, and young kids. A little less important for older kids and adults. You can easily get the vitamins they inject into the milk supply through other sources.
I agree but I think it should be much longer than a month – forever.
On Friday, February 10, the BLS quietly revised the CPI higher for 4 or the past 5 months, with one month unchanged.
If this is true, it means that the actual inflation for this month was actually trending much higher and the BLS wanted to reduce the numbers this month by revising the previous months higher so this one wouldn’t look as high.
https://mishtalk.com/economics/huge-cpi-revisions-prices-rose-much-faster-than-originally-reported-for-months
Thanks for posting this! Good info here!
I remember hearing of this sort of thing back during the days of Obamao the first.
Would be unsurprising to know this sort of statistics reporting goes back decades, as it suits DC.
https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/biden-administration-allowing-states-spend-medicaid-money-food-housing
Looks like the economy is so strong we need to dip into medicaid to pay for food and housing.
It’s worse. The States want Medicaid to increase the payments to their ne’er-do-well beneficiaries, in order to provide them with air conditioning and even nutrition and cooking classes. I read it (I think it was on Daily Mail onsite) this morning.
So, why have food stamps or welfare?
The Occupant and his policies are SOLELY responsible for inflation…he was handed a silver platter from our Lion and had to pay back his left wing loser donors…
“The way to break out of this cycle is to first unleash the U.S. energy sector and drive down the costs of oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, home heating oil, natural gas and electricity rates.”
I guess that’s why Joebama is going to raid the SPR (Strategic Petroleum Reserve) again:
https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/biden-sell-26-million-barrels-more-strategic-petroleum-reserve
California MSM setting the stage here for gasoline over $5.00 in the coming weeks.
Gotta love how the corrupt agencies massage the numbers.
You will own nothing and be happy.
Hey, but KJP said FJB’s economic plan is working. Just like the response in Ohio worked. Just like the border policy worked. Just like the CCP’s spy balloon worked (it did make it across the whole U.S. of A.). Just like the Afghan withdrawal worked. Just like the covid vaccine works.
Biden is nothing but success story after success story.
And even though I am being facetious. There are millions who truly believe what I wrote.
INFLATION BITES: Vanguard Reports Record Number Of “Hardship Withdrawals” From 401ks
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/02/inflation-bites-vanguard-reports-record-number-hardship-withdrawals-401ks/
“Welcome To The Endgame” – Rubino Warns “Everyone’s About To Realize There’s No Fix For This” | ZeroHedge
THIS EXPLAINS IT
How about adding the excessive rise in insurance costs to this matrix. My premiums have jumped every 6 months around 8%. I am starting my insurance shopping this weekend. Getting squeezed from all sides
The General can help. In fact, I had to say that to my Allstate claims rep. They won’t come to a decision on our claim (the claim is to pay for our damages until the man at fault insurance company pays). They said-well, we don’t have the “OFFICIAL” police report. They claimed the offender’s insurance company says they can’t reach their client. They said…we can’t reach the other guy. They said, we need official things. We need to speak to them. NO,um, we gave you the police report, we were given a copy. It clearly states the other person violated the law.
I said, I should just cancel and go to the General. The claims rep said ” The General is a shoddy insurance company who avoids claims.” I replied “Really? What do you call what you are doing? And more so, I have known over 10 people with the General, and every single claim they have gets paid, no BS.”
The Allstate person said “They are misleading.”
I said “Interesting, cuz the people with the General cars were fixed within days, and here I am talking to you, with a police report in hand, and yet you still won’t address the problem. So why am I paying 25% more for less?”
They just said I am mislead.
No, I’m just stupid for using Allstate rather than the General.
We left Allstate over thirty years ago, and never looked back. Way too expensive.
“Dollar” stores in Canada now have products creeping up in price regularly. Five bucks for many items that were around three or four dollars a year ago. Produce and other groceries prices rising steadily. Smaller sized packages with less content. Cheaper materials for various products. And so on, everywhere you look. We now go to multiple supermarkets, looking for the best deals on specific items each week.
For non essentials it’s also a matter of comparison. Online as well as physically. Keeping an eye on sales, discounts and ‘best offer’ auctions can save some money too. But requires time and diligence.
It seems to me that certain stores cater to the more subsidized customers (Wally World). Right now SNAP users still have more than enough funding. When the extra money they have been getting runs out the price gouging will stop.Most retailers will keep prices up until we quit shopping. i try to shop places that appear to be holding the line on pricing. I learned good habits from my mother years ago. if it ain’t on sale it don’t go in the buggy, when it is buy 2. The only way we control these people is withholding their funding,remember money makes the world go round
I agree.
SNAP bennies, especially during Covid emergency status, subsidize big grocery outlets.
There is NO WAY that corporate grocery stores could continually boost prices without
that guaranteed SNAP juice.
Say you’ve got 1,000$/month SNAP for groceries.
Sweet!
Now drop that $1000 back down to the $200 that pre Covid SNAP afforded.
We are talking a roughly 500% decrease in SNAP subsidies. That’s “money” the corporate
and even the corner store won’t get anymore.
We are looking at a big deflation in food prices coming. And all the reduction in product that
deflation brings with it.
Oh, you think they are going to reduce SNAP? Raul, Juan, Elana, Luna, and Maya disagree- they say Hola, give me my freebies, and Uncle Sam says ok, here is 20,000 pesos, er, I mean $1000 in food vouchers. No Luna, this comes every month. Welcome to America. Remember to call whitey racist.
For real, SNAP is coming off emergency Covid elevations.
I don’t think you know what I’m referring to.
Covid emergency status RAISED SNAP in many states.
Thats ending.
So, yes. SNAP IS being reduced from Covid levels.
Im not talking about illegal aliens. I’m talking about legit citizens who’ve received a boost during
covid state emergency status.
But you do you.
Wonderful watching a EBT user buying 200.00 worth of steak, while I’m in line waiting with a can of spam with a $5 bill.
Not to mention the fact that your tax dollars go towards that $200 worth of steak, that you aren’t eating.
Better yet, is watching EBT card holders buy their kids PS5’s and have the same steaks.
Looked a a Jeep Grand Cherokee….$72,000.
Then went and looked at a GMC 1500 SLT…$66,270.00!!!
And that’s still cheaper than the EV.
I purchased a new car in 2021 because I promised my college aged granddaughter my
2015 Mazda which had close to a hundred thousand miles on it.
I had to pay sticker and at that time the sticker prices hadn’t increased
although I had to wait six weeks for the car.
I thought to myself that I should have waited, but now am glad
I didn’t. Same car but 2023 model is almost $10,000 more.
Rate hikes to tamp down demand isn’t working? The layoffs are fake and employment is clearly as robust as reported. Love this FED.
Yea, it’s funny how the “big company layoffs” are the big companies in bed with the government to help manipulate facts and shape public opinion (lie).
My wife and I splurged today and made Artichokes for dinner.
Tuscun Style. Wood coals rule.
How bad is it? Neighbor just had a man offer him $1000 for 10 laying hens. He said “No.”
In the local paper, chickens are listed at $75 each and all the farm stores are sold out of chicks within 2 days.
I raise meat rabbits for my own use, but I’m thinking I need to triple breeding just to help out the locals with rising food costs. It’s absolutely nuts.
It takes a lot of energy/feed cost to keep layers going through the winter.
But 100$ a hen is outrageous.
I have wondered when we will start hearing reports of livestock and gardens being raided.
i recall reading that in WWII the Nazis confiscated all the gardens and livestock
to feed their army.
We will have ours confiscated to feed the refugees, illegals and welfare recipients.
Rabbit is so yummy.
Joe and his crew are the problem and they will never take the credit for it.
As my wife would say…”Are you complaining again?”
And as I often reply,
“Yeah, I’m complaining. Even though there’s next to nothing I can do about it.”
Theres a difference between complaining, and doing something about it.
And sometimes, there’s just not a blueprint towards fixing the problem.
Sometimes, ya just gotta blow the whole thing up and start over.
Which I think is where we are at with this govt.
This past week, I started tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions (although I ordered onion sets), bought lots of seed potatoes – several varieties we like, and just started the sweet potatoes. All started inside the house in the bay window, which is South facing. I don’t know if it will work, but I’m trying to get ahead of gardening season as it seems to be more important this year. Last month I purchased a second dairy cow with a calf to be raised for beef. Before Christmas, I put in orders for new Layer chicks, meat birds, and going to try raising turkeys this year, as I learn to grow my own flocks. None of this was cheap, other than the seeds I purchased last Fall. Several people have been asking for eggs, milk, and butter. Once my family is taken care of, I can afford to sell the excesses which helps with paying for feed, and helps my neighbors.
Each time I hear of another “disaster”, another shortage, more inflation, I just keep working harder. Not bragging. Very grateful to the Almighty for the strength He gives me to keep moving forward. I’m praying that being downwind of the Ohio disaster doesn’t destroy this small farm.
I didn’t know you lived in Ohio. Must be scary right now. Sending prayers for you, your family, and your farm.
People who vote Democrat don’t care. They are so conditioned by the media, they no longer are capable of seeing cause and effect relationships for things like Biden energy policy and inflation. They are more upset about social justice idiocy and how Republicans are destroying children by not letting them have the sex change operation they need.
They are simply fine with ceding more control to the government. Utterly pathetic for Americans to think that way. Unfortunately, it won’t last long.
They see the government as protecting them from us.
I just can’t get my head around wanting / needing more government, given our current nannie state. Just can’t square it with the world we’re in.
The more you buy, the more you save!
If you could ever get a honest poll of a random sampling of people that drive with the question being , “would you rather have gas at $4 or $2 with little effect on the environment “? , I speculate that 80% would choose $2. High energy prices effect so many businesses.
So sad that the our “elected officials “ make decisions that hurt the people they represent and as an added insult probably haven’t had to pay for gas in their elected careers. What kind of horrible people make decisions to hurt the majority of people?
Pray and help others
There was a knock on my door 3 years ago.
It was a couple guys hired by Pacific Power to poll us on how much we would be willing to spend to save the planet by using green energy.
I told them that the prices keep going up, but my wages stay the same.
So why would I want to spend more for energy, even if it’s green?
This, in Oregon, where plans are to tear down hydro energy producing dams in order to
”save the salmon”.
Upon further review, the dams in question are lobbied against by Indian reservation voices.
So, tear down the dams, revive the fisheries for Indian reservation lands,
land pass the cost of energy onto everyone else.
The horrible kind of horrible people.
Sounds like my wife. Very quick to tell me how much I saved.
And sadly, the people who want this, can’t quite understand how this might backfire on them. But then again, Rome.
The pattern I noticed was that the popping of the used car bubble finally has kept the increase of other non food and energy items lower than it otherwise would appear with a normal market in used cars. In the energy sector, flat gasoline prices over the last 12 months has helped hide substantial increases in piped gas and electricity which is necessary according to Barry. The number should be worse than 6.4% The run up in used car prices was crazy and had to stop. Flat gas prices are a little strange but, my guess is that vastly reduced demand explains both. Vastly reduced demand means people are hurting and scared about future economic prospects for themselves.
Strategic Petroleum Reserves are being used to hold down oil and gas prices. When that stops, we’ll be back over $5 per gallon again.
White eggs at Costco…. 100% since last year.