Examples of current inflation - add yours!

[MichaelB]

Quote without comment.......

Source WSJ 02/20/2024

Interesting announcement. They say it’s because of inflation, but I think it’s a contributor, not a victim. They blame the cost of fuel, but I would expect fuel cost to have a much greater impact on the price to fly, not check a bag.

When prices are unbundled like this it’s a way avoid raising the price that is used in all the search engines. It will just motivate more people to carry on, which already causes boarding delays and hassles.

 

[GenXguy]

I've never liked the "real" (only peanuts) peanut butter. I'm sure the added sugar, salt, vegetable oil, etc. of the major brands is what makes it taste good to me. Otherwise, I'd much prefer a handful of peanuts. YMMV

I've been getting the Jiff extra crunchy. I got some off brand once many years ago, and the oil was separating and looked kind of gross. I think I threw it without eating much. I didn't take my chances with the off-brands after that. I don't eat that much, anyway, so I'll save my money elsewhere.

 

[USGrant1962]

Interesting announcement. They say it’s because of inflation, but I think it’s a contributor, not a victim. They blame the cost of fuel, but I would expect fuel cost to have a much greater impact on the price to fly, not check a bag.

When prices are unbundled like this it’s a way avoid raising the price that is used in all the search engines. It will just motivate more people to carry on, which already causes boarding delays and hassles.

Well the online bag check price is a 16.7% increase - almost exactly CPI inflation since January 2021. And jet fuel was around $80/barrel for years until 2022, it is around $110 now. Then there's the union contracts. $$$

I agree on the bundling annoyance - just yesterday I was looking for a flight to Miami and looked at Spirit Airlines because it was less than half the price of the majors on Google Flights. Well, if you want to check a bag, have a carry-on and pick a non-premium seat you end up at almost the price of the majors.

 

[Chuckanut]

I've never liked the "real" (only peanuts) peanut butter. I'm sure the added sugar, salt, vegetable oil, etc. of the major brands is what makes it taste good to me. Otherwise, I'd much prefer a handful of peanuts. YMMV

After eating just peanuts and salt peanut butter for years, Jiff and Skippy taste too sweet and gooey to me.

 

[jimbee]

Interesting announcement. They say it’s because of inflation, but I think it’s a contributor, not a victim. They blame the cost of fuel, but I would expect fuel cost to have a much greater impact on the price to fly, not check a bag.

Yep, more profit to add to the ~50% increase in corporate profits since 2019, according to the Fed graph I posted.

 

[TheCaptain67]

Just got the renewal on my homeowners with Amica today. No claims have ever been filed.

Previous premium $2932
New premium $3372

19% YOY increase

 

[GenXguy]

Egg prices are up about 50% from what they were a few months ago.
And gas prices shot back up 44 cents from recent price, which was was already up considerably from pre-pandemic.

 

[Koolau]

After eating just peanuts and salt peanut butter for years, Jiff and Skippy taste too sweet and gooey to me.

I'm guessing that's why I like it. The added sugar and salt impart a unique flavor to the peanuts. I notice I like peanuts that have been salted and rolled in sugar or sugar/cinnamon, etc. I do prefer the extra chunky PB as it does seem less gooey. Returning you now...

 

[karen1972]

Printer ink. costs more per ounce than I can count....

I'm tossing my whole printer in the garbage because I can buy a new printer with the same ink for less.

Printers also seemed to have gone up, we stopped buying printers 5 years ago when it broke.

We now print at Staples as there is one around the corner, in 5 years we have spent $63 on printouts.

It was 18 cents, it seems to vary now from 20-23 cents/sheet.

 

[Chuckanut]

I'm guessing that's why I like it. The added sugar and salt impart a unique flavor to the peanuts. I notice I like peanuts that have been salted and rolled in sugar or sugar/cinnamon, etc. I do prefer the extra chunky PB as it does seem less gooey. Returning you now...

I’ll forgive you for not being a purist.

Can you find away around the $25 tourist fee Hawaii wants to start charging us for visiting your state? Talk about inflating the cost of vacations! First Venice, now Hawaii, whose next?

 

[5Miler]

I’ll forgive you for not being a purist.

Can you find away around the $25 tourist fee Hawaii wants to start charging us for visiting your state? Talk about inflating the cost of vacations! First Venice, now Hawaii, whose next?

Starting to gear up for our annual dive trip to Bonaire in April. They now charge $75 tourist tax to visit the island (except for cruise ships) and another $40 Marine Park Fee to dive, snorkel or enter the National Park area. That's per person so $230 for DGF and I just to get off the plane.

 

[Koolau]

I’ll forgive you for not being a purist.

Can you find away around the $25 tourist fee Hawaii wants to start charging us for visiting your state? Talk about inflating the cost of vacations! First Venice, now Hawaii, whose next?

Yeah. Tourist taxes are already outrageous. Anyone who plans a vacation needs to know that there are lots of hidden fees on virtually everything a tourist does (especially hotels and rental cars.) Now, they want to add the $25 fee as well. I can imagine a time the goose laying the golden eggs will say "That's enough!" YMMV

 

[Koolau]

Starting to gear up for our annual dive trip to Bonaire in April. They now charge $75 tourist tax to visit the island (except for cruise ships) and another $40 Marine Park Fee to dive, snorkel or enter the National Park area. That's per person so $230 for DGF and I just to get off the plane.

The problem with depending upon such fees (primarily soaking the tourists) is that the tourist business is one of those feast or famine kinds of businesses. When the economy turns and the music stops and the fees dry up, suddenly, the state/municipal gummints are OUT of money. I saw it during Covid though the Feds made up most of it with helicopter money and unemployment subsidies, etc. I don't look forward to that happening again. The Feds can't print money fast enough to cover what we've gotten used to extracting from our (so far) faithful tourists. YMMV

 

[Time2]

Yep, more profit to add to the ~50% increase in corporate profits since 2019, according to the Fed graph I posted.

Looks like about March of 2020 to June of 2023, profits went from $1,820 billion to $3,000 billion. I calculated a 64.8% increase in 3.3 years.
The S&P is up 64.4% in the same time frame.

 

[Ronstar]

Paid $42 for a ribeye at a meat market yesterday. Can’t remember what the cost was a couple years ago, but it was not close to $42.

 

[REWahoo]

Paid $42 for a ribeye at a meat market yesterday. Can’t remember what the cost was a couple years ago, but it was not close to $42.

The price differential between beef and pork is almost unbelievable.

 

[Ronstar]

The price differential between beef and pork is almost unbelievable.

It’s crazy. I was thinking about going plant based. But this sign at the meat market says it best.

 

[Gumby]

Paid $42 for a ribeye at a meat market yesterday. Can’t remember what the cost was a couple years ago, but it was not close to $42.

That must have been a mighty big ribeye. I don't buy it at our market so I don't know for sure, but from what I can recall it is cheaper than the tenderloin that I do buy, which is currently about $24 a pound. For a dinner, the young wife and I typically eat only about 3-4 ounces of meat each.

 

[Ronstar]

That must have been a mighty big ribeye. I don't buy it at our market so I don't know for sure, but from what I can recall it is cheaper than the tenderloin that I do buy, which is currently about $24 a pound. For a dinner, the young wife and I typically eat only about 3-4 ounces of meat each.

It was huge. Butcher asked if I wanted a 2” thick one. I said sure. It might have been 2 lbs.

Normally I don’t get one that big, but I just started a keto diet and wanted to start it off in style.

 

[GenXguy]

The Ribeye at our main chain grocery store ranges from $16/lb to $28/lb. I remember when I thought it was too expensive to buy often when it under $6/lb over 10 years ago.

 

[Koolau]

The Ribeye at our main chain grocery store ranges from $16/lb to $28/lb. I remember when I thought it was too expensive to buy often when it under $6/lb over 10 years ago.

I noticed a couple of days ago that the "cheap" hamburger at Costco (the roughly 10 pound glob) was almost $5/lb. It looked like ground fat with a bit of meat thrown in for coloring.

 

[wmc1000]

I just paid my classic car insurance bill. It was $457 this year, vs $416 last year, or roughly a 9.9% increase. This is for four cars: a 1957 DeSoto Firedome hardtop coupe, 1967 Pontiac Catalina convertible, 1976 Pontiac Grand LeMans coupe, and 1979 Chrysler New Yorker 5th Avenue Edition 4-door sedan.

Now, part of that increase was that they gave me the option to up the value of the DeSoto by $2,000. I think that accounted for $8.00 of that increase. Factoring that out, the increase comes to 7.9%. Dollar-wise, I don't even notice it among my other bills, but considering they're trying to say inflation has come down, I'd say that's still a bit on the high side.

I know much of the rise in car insurance is due to theft and such, but I don't think there's much of a black market for '57 DeSoto catalytic converters.

Nice collection!

When I updated an auto policy last March going from a 2011 Honda CR-V EXL to a 2018 Lincoln MKX 2.7L twin turbo, it resulted in a decrease in my policy cost of over $100.

When I asked how it could decrease I was told the newer vehicle had better anti-theft and safety features.

YMMV

 

[Sunset]

I noticed a couple of days ago that the "cheap" hamburger at Costco (the roughly 10 pound glob) was almost $5/lb. It looked like ground fat with a bit of meat thrown in for coloring.

For our Costco, the sell by date on the hamburger is the next day.
I asked about that short date, and the worker told me they take all the meats that are close to expire on the display and grind them up.

So it could be quality meat but it's old...

 

[Koolau]

For our Costco, the sell by date on the hamburger is the next day.
I asked about that short date, and the worker told me they take all the meats that are close to expire on the display and grind them up.

So it could be quality meat but it's old...

Yuk!


Er, I mean, one day expiry just doesn't seem right. I didn't check that (of course, I didn't buy any either.)

 

[skipro33]

The Ribeye at our main chain grocery store ranges from $16/lb to $28/lb. I remember when I thought it was too expensive to buy often when it under $6/lb over 10 years ago.

Every year at Christmas time, all the major grocery chains sell prime rib for $5.99 a pound. I buy 3 or 4, total around 60 pounds. I then cut it up into boneless ribeye steaks and use my vacuum sealer and I have our year's supply of steak.