True inflation numbers - ignore manipulated government numbers

[WestSeattle2]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/40135092

A new pricing survey of products sold at the world’s largest retailer showed a 0.6 percent price increase in just the last two months, according to MKM Partners. At that rate, prices would be close to four percent higher a year from now, double the Fed’s mandate.

[secondwind]

1. time to stock up on coffee, tea, sugar, etc. I guess!

[Goldstein1984]

4. Already done.

Also dog food, medicine, bullets, good pipe tobacco and a case of Bushmills Irish whiskey.

[TheWraith]

12. That reminds me, I need to stock up on rum.

Not that I'm expecting trouble or anything. But I don't need meds, I don't smoke, and I've got plenty of ammo already.

[Goldstein1984]

14. Prepare to barter

Don't misunderstand "meds." I was talking about medical supplies: isopropyl alcohol, antibiotic ointment, hydrogen peroxide, aspirin, tylenol, bandages, instruments.

Living in Alaska, where the food available in wholesale and retail facilities is estimated to be about a 3-day supply for the current population, a lot of people I know keep several months worth of basic dry goods, and just rotate through their stock as they use it. Also, camp stoves, lanterns, fuel, batteries, emergency radio, walkie-talkies. When other communications and media are interrupted, the family band Motorola-type walkie-talkies will be an excellent source of information about what's going on in the vicinity.

Part of my profession is emergency planning. People alway cry "survivalist" or "militia" when this topic is discussed. It should be obvious to anyone who was awake during hurricane Katrina that we're not talking about post-apocalyptic planning, just reality.

[TheWraith]

15. Why barter?

I've got more than enough ammo to hunt me some Republicans and take any supplies I need.

Seriously though, I live out in a rural area, so I know all about preparedness. If a disaster struck--and we don't get many disasters here worse than a blizzard--it would be at least a week, probably two, before I even had to think about going elsewhere for supplies. I'd love to do the supply of dry goods thing, but that's not economically viable at the moment.

[Goldstein1984]

17. Believe me, I understand

We accumulate our exta dry good slowly. I'm fortunate to have a good job, at least for now, but any spare income goes to helping our three children, two of whom have been hit very hard by the economic collapse.

My best wishes to you.

[WestSeattle2]

5. Funny, I did just that Costco last weekend! Grocery store

prices are insane compared to Costco.

[The Northerner]

11. I've being doing it for days

[SoCalDem]

2. "Inflation" numbers are usually "deflated"

but anyone who lives in the paycheck-to-paycheck world KNOWS how bad inflation really is.

[WestSeattle2]

3. Folks on fixed incomes are really getting hosed. n/t

[Tansy_Gold]

6. NFS n/t

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

7. This is foolish

Inflation is not "products sold at the world’s largest retailer"

That is merely one component of inflation.

Have your wages gone up? Is your house increasing in value?

On the other side of things, does "the world’s largest retailer" offer medical procedures? (Health care is definitely going up)

The "surprising story accomplished by arbitrarily redefining ordinary terms" is a journalistic staple, but not very truth-friendly.

[WestSeattle2]

8. If you're living on a fixed income, house values and wages are

meaningless. What's meaningful is what you pay for everyday staples - which as the article illustrates, are going up.

[Tansy_Gold]

9. Actually, house values and wages are NOT meaningless even to

those on fixed incomes.

For those who own their own homes, property values can affect their property taxes. Very important. Also can affect their ability sell their home should they need or want to. And housing values can impact rental rates as well.

Wages (or other measures of income) can also affect the prices of commodities in a local market area. For one example: Those who live in areas that have large seasonal fluctuations in population -- such as Arizona, Nevada, Florida or even resort areas such as parts of Colorado -- can see significant changes in the cost of living for those who reside there year 'round as more affluent groups enter the market.

All elements of an economy are inter-related, and it is very dangerous to try to take them out of context.



TG, NTY

[xchrom]

13. +1

[Cali_Democrat]

10. Exactly. n/t

[Odin2005]

16. The price of groceries is INSANE.

A large good-quality frozen pizza (like Pizza Corner) used to be $5 dollers a decade ago, now they are $8.