Examples of current inflation - add yours!

[JoeWras]

I would guess that the "difference" between our childhood memories of Coke and today's fountain Coke could be the substitution of high-fructose corn syrup for sugar. In an effort to reduce costs and because of the relatively wide fluctuations of sugar prices, the switch was made around 1974 IIRC.

Ding, ding, ding! That's gotta be it. I forgot about that.

And this circles back to the topic of inflation. The HFCS substitution was an example of shrinkflation during the brutal inflation periods of the 70s.

 

[Koolau]

Ding, ding, ding! That's gotta be it. I forgot about that.

And this circles back to the topic of inflation. The HFCS substitution was an example of shrinkflation during the brutal inflation periods of the 70s.

And an unexpected benefit to the change was that now Midwest farmers got a piece of the action instead of (mostly) foreign sugar producers. Win/win - even if a Coke tastes lousy. Shrinkflation - I wonder if they count the degraded flavor in that equation?

 

[ncbill]

There's nothing like the taste of a Coca-Cola from a soda-water and syrup mix machine, in a wax covered paper cup with clear chipped ice. I think it was addicting.

Today's McD's cola in plasticized cups and a heartless dispensing machine (is there even syrup?) just doesn't taste the same.

As others have posted, here ya gotta buy the ones imported from Mexico if you want ones sweetened with sugar instead of HFCS.

 

[athena53]

I did my regular grocery run today. For as long as I can remember, cabbage was 69 cents/lb. Lately it's been running 99 cents. Today it was $1.29 but "you save 20 cents/lb." In other words, they're about to increase it to $1.49/lb? Darn, I remember when that was food for poor folks- DH wouldn't go near boiled cabbage because he grew up poor and too many of their meals were boiled cabbage "seasoned" with leftover bacon grease.

 

[jldavid47]

I just got my notice of 2024 Medicare Plan G premium. Up 19.6% from last year. And Part D doubled (although Part D was a very low cost plan to begin with). Part B + Part D + Plan G for the two of us will eat up about 12% of our Social Security income in 2024 and the increased cost will eat up over half of the COLA.

 

[Venturer]

I just got my notice of 2024 Medicare Plan G premium. Up 19.6% from last year. And Part D doubled (although Part D was a very low cost plan to begin with). Part B + Part D + Plan G for the two of us will eat up about 12% of our Social Security income in 2024 and the increased cost will eat up over half of the COLA.

It sucks but like most things we can't really control it. Ours went up as well but the bright spot was our part D dropped from $11. a month each to $.50 a month,so winner there for us.

 

[pacergal]

DH and I went out for lunch yesterday while mattress shopping. We ate at a local BBQ place, I had a chopped brisket sandwich with a side of greens and a lemonade, DH had a brisket plate and lemonade. $50 with tip!

I probably could have smoked a whole brisket myself for that price!

 

[Music Lover]

My car likes to eat batteries. I just replaced a battery purchased March 2021 for $129.99 (Costco Canada) with the same battery, now $159.99, a 23% increase in about 2.5 years.

Correction, the new battery was $179.99 not $159.99. So a $50 increase or 38%.

 

[ncbill]

My car likes to eat batteries. I just replaced a battery purchased March 2021 for $129.99 (Costco Canada) with the same battery, now $159.99, a 23% increase in about 2.5 years.

Correction, the new battery was $179.99 not $159.99. So a $50 increase or 38%.

Only 2 years free replacement in Canada?

Down here Costco batteries come with 3 year free replacement.

 

[Music Lover]

Only 2 years free replacement in Canada?

Down here Costco batteries come with 3 year free replacement.

Here it's a 48 month free replacement, I forgot to add that they refunded the original amount I paid, although I did have to pay the difference between the old and new price.

I actually thought they would prorate the replacement as this is the 2nd battery I got for free. I first replaced it in 2018 and that one lasted 42 months (also a free replacement).

 

[MichaelB]

Well, I just had my second inflation shock of the decade. We have an A/C unit that is failing and needs to be replaced. It’s only 12 years old but has been buggy since day 1, to just keep it going I need to spend at least $1k and probably more, and it would still be buggy.

The cost to replace with a new system of the same efficiency is slightly more than double the cost 12 years ago.

 

[JoeWras]

Well, I just had my second inflation shock of the decade. We have an A/C unit that is failing and needs to be replaced. It’s only 12 years old but has been buggy since day 1, to just keep it going I need to spend at least $1k and probably more, and it would still be buggy.

The cost to replace with a new system of the same efficiency is slightly more than double the cost 12 years ago.

Much of that rise occurred in the last 3 years. HVAC prices went crazy.

What's interesting about things like HVAC is that the CPI has no specific measurement of "HVAC Parts and Service." Instead, it gets rolled into "shelter". I personally think this is one reason "shelter" has been stickier than many people thought it would be.

 

[REWahoo]

Well, I just had my second inflation shock of the decade. We have an A/C unit that is failing and needs to be replaced. It’s only 12 years old but has been buggy since day 1, to just keep it going I need to spend at least $1k and probably more, and it would still be buggy.

The cost to replace with a new system of the same efficiency is slightly more than double the cost 12 years ago.

Similar story here.

I just had a new heat pump system installed as I was unwilling to fork over $1,800 for repairs. The new system is higher efficiency and cost 45% more than the 13 year old system it replaced.

While it may appear HVAC inflation is less severe where I live, the truth is that I probably paid way too much for the old system. Unlike this failure, which occurred when temps were mild, the old system failed in August and I was in a rush to get a replacement installed. I did far more comparison shopping this time.

 

[Badger]

Well, I just had my second inflation shock of the decade. We have an A/C unit that is failing and needs to be replaced. It’s only 12 years old but has been buggy since day 1, to just keep it going I need to spend at least $1k and probably more, and it would still be buggy.

The cost to replace with a new system of the same efficiency is slightly more than double the cost 12 years ago.

I had to replace my 12 yr old heat pump in June before it broke down. Around here 10-12 years is about the maximum. It doesn't help that I am only a couple of blocks from the ocean. The cost was also double. Most all the brands have aluminum coils and fins that are cheaper yet oxidize quickly compared to copper. Because of that and other changes to more complex components that increase the chances of needed repairs it doesn't pay for me to get the most expensive units. If it lasts 10 years and I am still around then I will only need one more before it won't be an issue anymore.

Cheers!

 

[Koolau]

My car likes to eat batteries. I just replaced a battery purchased March 2021 for $129.99 (Costco Canada) with the same battery, now $159.99, a 23% increase in about 2.5 years.

Correction, the new battery was $179.99 not $159.99. So a $50 increase or 38%.

Oh, yes! Two years ago, I had to replace my battery (apparently a cheap one that only lasted 2 years but cost $138.) So, last month, I got a "decent" battery for $200! Dern burnit! That's a lot for a battery. Nothing special, either. I think it's a prorated 2 year battery (1 year replacement.) I think that counts as "runaway" inflation but YMMV.

 

[audreyh1]

Well, I just had my second inflation shock of the decade. We have an A/C unit that is failing and needs to be replaced. It’s only 12 years old but has been buggy since day 1, to just keep it going I need to spend at least $1k and probably more, and it would still be buggy.

The cost to replace with a new system of the same efficiency is slightly more than double the cost 12 years ago.

I guess we were lucky that our AC went out due to a slow freon leak and we decided to go ahead and replace it in 2019.

 

[Montecfo]

Much of that rise occurred in the last 3 years. HVAC prices went crazy.

What's interesting about things like HVAC is that the CPI has no specific measurement of "HVAC Parts and Service." Instead, it gets rolled into "shelter". I personally think this is one reason "shelter" has been stickier than many people thought it would be.

Well shelter component of the index is full of old data. That may make it seem stickier but it surely is overstating inflation.

 

[Fermion]

I guess we were lucky that our AC went out due to a slow freon leak and we decided to go ahead and replace it in 2019.

Our new house we are building we just decided to go with a $269 (on sale at Costco) 12,000 btu sort of mini split window unit. We used it during the summer this past year and it kept the house at 70 when outside was in the 90s. Just the one unit cooled the whole house.

I guess there was something to the codes requiring all of that insulation in new construction (R49 in some places!)

I kind of like just paying $269 and swapping out the unit in 20 minutes if there are ever problems (we bought 2 and put one in storage)

 

[GenXguy]

Oh, yes! Two years ago, I had to replace my battery (apparently a cheap one that only lasted 2 years but cost $138.) So, last month, I got a "decent" battery for $200! Dern burnit! That's a lot for a battery. Nothing special, either. I think it's a prorated 2 year battery (1 year replacement.) I think that counts as "runaway" inflation but YMMV.

I checked my records. I bought a 5 year battery 6 years ago, and it came up to about $100. I had noted that in an old email - not sure if that included tax, so I would have to find the paperwork to verify. The same brand battery at same place now doesn't have more than a 4 year, and it's $180! (that's not including tax).

 

[GenXguy]

I just heard my Comcast Xfinity internet service is going up another $3 this year. That's 4 straight years of $3 increases. So, nearly 30% increase in just a few years of their standard minimum speed price - even more when in factoring the early $20 promotional pricing I started with, which I'm excluding in this calculation, or the increase would be over 150% based on that.

I've got the lowest tier (75 Mbps), own my cable modem, and have auto billing to minimize the pricing down into the $50's, but it's just getting ridiculous how fast they keep increasing the price.

And sadly, the options are pretty limited here, so this is what I need to stick with.

 

[jollystomper]

Well, I just had my second inflation shock of the decade. We have an A/C unit that is failing and needs to be replaced. It’s only 12 years old but has been buggy since day 1, to just keep it going I need to spend at least $1k and probably more, and it would still be buggy.

The cost to replace with a new system of the same efficiency is slightly more than double the cost 12 years ago.

Similar story here.

I just had a new heat pump system installed as I was unwilling to fork over $1,800 for repairs. The new system is higher efficiency and cost 45% more than the 13 year old system it replaced.

While it may appear HVAC inflation is less severe where I live, the truth is that I probably paid way too much for the old system. Unlike this failure, which occurred when temps were mild, the old system failed in August and I was in a rush to get a replacement installed. I did far more comparison shopping this time.

I had to replace my 12 yr old heat pump in June before it broke down. Around here 10-12 years is about the maximum. It doesn't help that I am only a couple of blocks from the ocean. The cost was also double. Most all the brands have aluminum coils and fins that are cheaper yet oxidize quickly compared to copper. Because of that and other changes to more complex components that increase the chances of needed repairs it doesn't pay for me to get the most expensive units. If it lasts 10 years and I am still around then I will only need one more before it won't be an issue anymore.

Cheers!

You folks are making me nervous . Our heat pump is 11 years old. We replaced the blower motor in June. In July 2018 we replaced the compressor (an interesting situation where the first 2 replacements failed). If it can make it another couple of years I will consider myself lucky. But who knows what the price might be then .

 

[GenXguy]

I just heard my Comcast Xfinity internet service is going up another $3 this year. That's 4 straight years of $3 increases. So, nearly 30% increase in just a few years of their standard minimum speed price - even more when in factoring the early $20 promotional pricing I started with, which I'm excluding in this calculation, or the increase would be over 150% based on that.

I've got the lowest tier (75 Mbps), own my cable modem, and have auto billing to minimize the pricing down into the $50's, but it's just getting ridiculous how fast they keep increasing the price.

And sadly, the options are pretty limited here, so this is what I need to stick with.

I was looking at my account, and it says it's estimated to go up $4/mo rather than $3/mo as it did each of the past few eyars. That's a 7.7% increase in price with no change in service. Inflation is still very high for my actual costs compared to the lower government figures (which are still 200% of the target rate).

 

[ShadowBloom]

I rent in a HCOL area, and my lease is up soon. My landlord is asking for a 35% increase in rent.

I will be moving. I knew when I started my early retirement that renting here was one of the biggest risks to my success; fortunately there are places I'm willing to move that have rents more in line with my budget and the net effect of this move will be that I'm slightly further from a few of my favorite hangouts.

 

[Andre1969]

You folks are making me nervous . Our heat pump is 11 years old. We replaced the blower motor in June. In July 2018 we replaced the compressor (an interesting situation where the first 2 replacements failed). If it can make it another couple of years I will consider myself lucky. But who knows what the price might be then .

I think mine are going on 16 years, and it's dual zone, so there's two of the suckers! I believe they're 3.5 ton each, which I guess is big? My old house only had one unit, a 2.5 ton, and my condo before that just had a single 1.5 ton.

I have a feeling they ain't gonna be cheap to replace!

 

[Fermion]

I think mine are going on 16 years, and it's dual zone, so there's two of the suckers! I believe they're 3.5 ton each, which I guess is big? My old house only had one unit, a 2.5 ton, and my condo before that just had a single 1.5 ton.

I have a feeling they ain't gonna be cheap to replace!

I think the ton refers to how much heat it takes to melt a ton of ice (not sure over what time frame). Probably from some early days when they used ice to cool things.