A Consumer Price Index (CPI) that went up by just .6 percent during the past year hides a much larger increase in some grocery prices.…
How Covid-19 Affects the Cost of Living
Because a Covid-19 basket of goods and services has a different inflation rate from the CPI basket, the cost of living might not be what we think it is.…
Why Your Inflation Rate is Different From Mine
Although the BLS reports the CPI (Consumer Price Index) inflation rate each month, our own household could see different price changes.…
One Reason For High Hospital Prices
By looking at inflation rates for tradable and nontradable goods and services, we can identify one reason for high hospital prices.…
Where Clothing Size Inflation Is a Large Problem
Like the CPI measures purchasing power through the dollar’s inflation rate, we can observe waistline changes through clothing size inflation.…
Comparing Eggs to Bananas
By dividing the CPI into goods and services that can and cannot be traded, we can see the impact of trade on price changes.…
An Unusual Inflation Indicator
Like the CPI, through “The 12 Days of Christmas,” we can see how prices change in a Christmas Price Index that includes pear trees and dancing maids.…
What the Twelve Days of Christmas Will Cost You
The PNC Christmas Price Index might be an accurate inflation calculator because it includes the price of labor, commodities, services and goods.…
The Fed’s Inflation Mystery
Usually Federal Reserve interest rate hikes should control inflation but now it is mysteriously missing, even with low unemployment.…
Using The Bacon Cheeseburger to Advise the Fed
Because consumer spending perception is based on what is regularly purchased, the bacon cheeseburger (cheese, bacon, beef) can be an inflation indicator.…