Grocery prices seem to have ratcheted up as well. I suppose it could be due to increased fuel/transport costs, but many things seemed 10-20% higher this week compared with a month or so ago.
Specific price increases will vary from the āinflationā number, since the inflation number is some ābasket of goodsā designed for people to analyze the macroeconomics, as opposed to the current practice of making headlines and scaring people.
Transportation costs are huge in food costs. I know a farmer in northern ca who has been hit hard. Said a lot of folks donāt even want to drive out for the pickup due to increased fuel costs. Heās also been hit hard by the increased fertilizer costs.
With higher transportation costs, youāre also going to see variability. Things grown close to you, like corn in Iowa or potatoes in Idaho may not change much, but fresh fruit that comes from Mexico or South America will probably see more impact.
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It also depends on the mode of transport. Shipping by water vs by road (truck) is between five and ten times more efficient, so coastal cities may be able to get produce from much further away.
I assume it is just more COVID style profiteering where the only thing that exists is a reason to increase prices.
Anecdotal, but grocery prices are just off the rails. In 2020 I could get a weekās worth for bang-on $100 (excluding Costco here). After the Covid inflation, in 2023 it was more like $120. Now itās $160 if not $170, I spent $190 one week.
Diet Coke is my crack, but if soda prices go any higher Iām switching to actual crack to save a little bit.
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Gas prices seem to be way down near me. I can get 3.69 in many places. It was over 4.50 not too long ago. Samās Club is showing 3.49. Guess this end of the war is finally helping. Maybe the next one will drive prices even lower.
I just paid 3.429 before returning a rental car in Lower Alabama. Two days before, that Citgo had been 3.549.
Itāll be interesting to see whether gas prices have eased at home. I think I last filled at 4.60-something.
Last time I regularly bought soda, thinking it was 2 12 packs for $5 on sale. Iāve gone all in on La Croix / equivalents in the last 10 years or so, which at first was annoyingly more expensive than coke, but fortunately hasnāt gone up too badly. 6.99->9.99 for a case at Costco? I think its going to slip to 11-12 here though.
I buy a lot of store brand stuff at the local grocery, but have to dig in a buy a few name brand things due to picky kids, and that is where most things feel like they are closing in on 2x what they were in 2019. CPI is showing what, 35% since then? At least I can buy a 65" TV for 199ā¦
We do have that going for us. Even in Kansas, a 12 pack of Coke at my store is $9, every so often I can snag it on sale for $6 or $7, but in 2020 I think $5-$6 was just the regular price.
Same is true for things like chips, which I all but stopped buying. The only things that havenāt gone up are eggs (obviously) and the fancy coffee I buy.
Looks like the Iran peace deal is off after the President just cursed at Iran. So I would say yes, inflation is back.
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One article I read pointed out lettuce and tomatoes specifically. Plus they added tariffs into it as well since in the winter/spring those are imported.
Just looked on GasBuddy and Samās and Costco are both under $4. Regular stations are still at 4.20. But they said gas was up 7% last month so if it decreases 10% or so this month we will probably see a moderation of the increase (see the Nixon quote above). One of the reasons Core CPI removes volatile Food and Energy.
They have jacked up the price on the 6 packs of bottles and 12 packs of cans. Though they used to do B1G1 now it is B2G1. My wife would rather not get a 1/2L bottle or 12oz can because that is more than she wants when she gets home from work because it keeps her up late. So once I bought the new 7.5oz cans but they are freaking nearly twice as expensive per oz as the over priced 12oz cans.
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Yeah, they are nice for restricting intake, but sucks up the wallet.
My wife drinks 12oz bottles half at a time. Cap works to keep in the fizz.
Also note the expiration date when they get desperate to clean the shelves. Iāve seen some with a week left, and buying B3G2 deals (only my wife and me at home) means a lot of expired cans.
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What do you do with those expired cans?
I drink them faster!
Good for another week or so, but they get flat.
