Examples of current inflation - add yours!

[Teacher Terry]

So glad I "did" Italy 60 years ago.

I went to Italy in 2002 and 2007 in February and March and it wasn’t very crowded. Two of the best trips I’ve ever taken. When I see pictures now of how crowded it is I cringe. Even though I found good deals on hotels and airfare it was still expensive.

 

[Chuckanut]

I went to Italy in 2002 and 2007 in February and March and it wasn’t very crowded. Two of the best trips I’ve ever taken. When I see pictures now of how crowded it is I cringe. Even though I found good deals on hotels and airfare it was still expensive.

All travel is more expensive these days from what I have experienced.

Hotels in Lonelyville Nevada that used to cost $74 for a night in a descent room are now $120. A nice room in an Hampton in that used to be $125 is now $180 a night and maybe more. And you better book ahead. Price is a function of supply and demand - back to Econ 101.

 

[Fermion]

All travel is more expensive these days from what I have experienced.

Hotels in Lonelyville Nevada that used to cost $74 for a night in a descent room are now $120. A nice room in an Hampton in that used to be $125 is now $180 a night and maybe more. And you better book ahead. Price is a function of supply and demand - back to Econ 101.

I was shocked at the prices for hotels on a week night in Spokane. We had a 7am dermatologist appointment and the nearby hotels were $170 to $290 a night...for 2 star! This is Spokane, WA on a Tuesday night, not Disney World.

We just got up at 5am and drove there.

I may never travel again. I am not paying those prices.

 

[NW-Bound]

Here's an example of rising prices.

Goodwill used to have items marked down to $1 to move them.

My wife told me that the minimum price is now $1.50 or $2, I don't recall.

 

[harley]

Here's an example of rising prices.

Goodwill used to have items marked down to $1 to move them.

My wife told me that the minimum price is now $1.50 or $2, I don't recall.

It's Genx's fault. https://www.businessinsider.com/sho...-pricey-as-thrifting-becomes-cool-2023-3?op=1

 

[pb4uski]

... I may never travel again. I am not paying those prices.

And your heirs are grateful [emoji23]

 

[Winemaker]

Two weeks ago I paid $150/night at a Homewood Suites near our grape grower's vineyard near Napa; we used to pay almost $300 in earlier years. Now the rental car was much higher, about $200 more.

 

[GenXguy]

It's Genx's fault. https://www.businessinsider.com/sho...-pricey-as-thrifting-becomes-cool-2023-3?op=1

Nahhh.... I never go there.

 

[Fermion]

And your heirs are grateful [emoji23]

No kids. We might leave some to the nieces and nephews but I don't feel obligated.

But I also do not want to enrich some flea bit hotel chain with dirty towels and stains in the tub who are trying to get $279 a night.

 

[athena53]

All travel is more expensive these days from what I have experienced.

I saw that just this past week.

In May of 2022 I flew Business Class round trip to Munich for $5,200 and I thought that was pretty bad but I hadn't been to Europe since BC (Before COVID) and dammit, I wanted to go to Europe. Lovely trip but the so-called food in United Polaris Class was the most pitiful I've ever encountered on a Business Class transatlantic.

So... I wanted to book a tour in Macedonia for next year. No easy way to get there from Kansas City and I tried multiple gateways in Europe- between North America and London, Vienna, Zurich, etc. I did not try some of the national flagship airlines and maybe they would have been lower, but I was seeing fares of $6,000++++.

I booked a tour in Central America instead. The cost of the tour PLUS airfare was cheaper than the transatlantic airfare would have been. I have a Baltic cruise scheduled in October of 2024 but should have enough points for that- unless they go crazy with their pricing of reward travel again.

 

[Koolau]

Well yeah, price is not determined by their cost directly.

But we have all observed price hikes such as you witnessed in a rising cost market. Rationale: "we will have to refill tanks at higher prices."

And on the way down it is this: "we have to keep the price high because we paid higher prices for the gas in our tanks."

The only way to win I found was to hold the stocks of integrated oil companies.

Heh, heh, just not in 1982.

 

[Teacher Terry]

All travel is more expensive these days from what I have experienced.

Hotels in Lonelyville Nevada that used to cost $74 for a night in a descent room are now $120. A nice room in an Hampton in that used to be $125 is now $180 a night and maybe more. And you better book ahead. Price is a function of supply and demand - back to Econ 101.

I went to Europe in April of 2022 and 23. My airfare on the first trip was 1300 and the last one 1600. In 22 I was offered to upgrade for $145 to upgrade both flights to economy plus and it was well worth the extra room.

 

[Cayman]

There just aren't any mid-priced hotel rooms (Marriott, Hyatt, etc) under $150/nt after tax+fees anymore. Gone are the days. Spent about 40 nights in the last year across the US at these places and we never paid under $150/night all in, and I bargain hunt, it's a hobby.

 

[athena53]

I went to Europe in April of 2022 and 23. My airfare on the first trip was 1300 and the last one 1600. In 22 I was offered to upgrade for $145 to upgrade both flights to economy plus and it was well worth the extra room.

Yeah, they're definitely greedier for money and less generous with the perks now that the masses have returned. I'm sure that a lot of people avoided international travel in 2022 when you were required to have a negative COVID test to re-enter the US. That was lifted in mid-June 2022 but probably too late for the summer travel crowd.

I also haven't seen any pickup in the servicing of hotel rooms in the US- not the same as a cost increase but a decrease in service. I sure wish Hilton would replace those skinny little wastebaskets with full-size ones if they're not going to empty them over a 3-night stay.

 

[pb4uski]

No kids. We might leave some to the nieces and nephews but I don't feel obligated.

But I also do not want to enrich some flea bit hotel chain with dirty towels and stains in the tub who are trying to get $279 a night.

We tend to stay at the less expensive Hilton properties (like Hampton Inn, Home2 Suites, Homewood Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, etc) which in my experience have been very good in terms of cleanliness. I suspect that the same is true for the less expensive Marriott properties. And while it varies, we normally pay $125-200/night depending on location.

 

[JoeWras]

I've stayed at a few Hilton mid range (Tru, Hampton) this summer.

Most were in the $120 to $140 range. The final bill was always over $150 after the local taxes.

 

[Koolau]

I've stayed at a few Hilton mid range (Tru, Hampton) this summer.

Most were in the $120 to $140 range. The final bill was always over $150 after the local taxes.

For some reason, prices like those just seem outrageous for what you get. If I'm "on the road" I only stop for sleep and a shower. $150/night for maybe 7 or 8 hours and a few gallons of warm water seems excessive.

It's been so long that my last stays in Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Exp., etc. were more like $65/night. That's 10 years ago so I guess we need to enter this data here in the inflation thread.

Back in those days, we always picked up the fliers that showed all the "inns" in the area (within a couple of hundred miles.) We'd find a coupon to save $10 off a $40 no-tell-motel (recycled Holiday Inn or some such.) We did that until we got eaten alive by bed bugs one night. We saw the light and started going to the "expensive" Inns. Now, we just don't seem to spend over night away from home. YMMV

 

[JoeWras]

We used to do the flyer thing too. No more. I know what I'm going to get at a mid range Hilton or Marriott property. I have yet to see a bed bug at one of these. I have now twice seen bedbugs at Choice properties which was our previous favorite (one step down the ladder). I even captured one and gave it to the desk clerk as a going away present. We had to go through a severe quarantine when we go home.

The price is the price of what the market will bear. Hey, even the fake Econolodge prices you see on the signs are all reaching $50.

 

[Koolau]

We used to do the flyer thing too. No more. I know what I'm going to get at a mid range Hilton or Marriott property. I have yet to see a bed bug at one of these. I have now twice seen bedbugs at Choice properties which was our previous favorite (one step down the ladder). I even captured one and gave it to the desk clerk as a going away present. We had to go through a severe quarantine when we go home.

The price is the price of what the market will bear. Hey, even the fake Econolodge prices you see on the signs are all reaching $50.

Yeah, I recall when "Motel 6" meant that the room rate was $6.

 

[Fermion]

Yeah, I recall when "Motel 6" meant that the room rate was $6.

My wife told me this a few years back. And that a motel 8 was $8.

 

[Chuckanut]

Yeah, I recall when "Motel 6" meant that the room rate was $6.

And they left the light on for you.

 

[ychuck46]

And they left the light on for you.

That must be why they are charging more now, high electrical costs.

 

[Sanstar]

Prices for lodging here has increased to the extent I’m going to make sure our next house has a guest room, plus a flex room that can accommodate at least 2 additional family members/couples.

One way I’m trying to control grocery spend is to shop more frequently, smaller amounts and plants and unprocessed foods as much as possible. DIY soups, granola, jams, baked goods. Household items, like cleaning supplies and bird seed, from Big Lots or Dollar General.

 

[Trooper]

We are in California on vacation and starting to.see restaurants charging an additional 3% if you use a credit card to pay the bill. Anyone else see that? Geez we thought it was a good deal to get 2% cash back for using the card.

 

[11522914]

We are in California on vacation and starting to.see restaurants charging an additional 3% if you use a credit card to pay the bill. Anyone else see that? Geez we thought it was a good deal to get 2% cash back for using the card.

Definitely have seen an increase in restaurants and repair shops starting to charge 3%. Used to never see this.

The company that just repaired my roof charges 3% if you use a credit card.