[digital-cygnet]

I see this view a lot, but every time I look at the actual data it isn't borne out.

BLS official inflation: $100 in Jan 2010 had the purchasing power of $144.94 today. That works out to 2.6%/yr by my math. So that's the "official" number that we want to disprove

Gallon of gas: $2.77 in 2010, $3.20 in Jan 24. 15% increase, 1% annualized

Honda Civic [not doing Mustang because it's harder to find data and as a luxury vehicle the comparison isn't as clean]: $16,205 in 2010, 24,000 today. 50% increase, 2.8% annualized

Big Mac: $3.73 in 2010, $5.69 today. 52% increase, 3% annualized

I live in an HCOL area, and did in 2010, so both of these sets of numbers feel a little low to me, but they mostly match my experience. As far as I can tell inflation mostly matches what the government reports, with some sectors coming in under and theoretically balancing out those that come in over (the classics of education, medicine, and housing). Those sectors that are outpacing are a real problem! But I think the consumer goods shadow-inflation people complain about is not borne out by data.

CPI: https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm?mf_ct_camp...

Gas prices: https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=pet&s=e...

Civic: https://www.kbb.com/honda/civic/2010/ (original MSRP in Pricing section) and same URL ending in 2024

Big Mac 2010: http://www.maxi-pedia.com/big+mac+index+2010

Big Mac 2024: https://www.statista.com/statistics/274326/big-mac-index-glo...

[genewitch]

when i moved to louisiana in 2013 gas was <$2. it's routinely been $1.29/gal. It's currently $3.50 a gallon. I can cherrypick data, too. In 2010 i was buying literal jet fuel for $8/gal in california, gas prices in the intervening 14 years have approached that at service stations in california. (i have pictures, but why bother uploading)

McDonald's subsidizes their food with drinks; regardless, though, inflation (in last decade only) on McChicken is 199%, mcdouble 169%, medium fries 138%; taco bell: 5-layer 132%; popeye's mashed potatoes 134%. See? onion-picking the big mac as the basis makes inflation "look better"

My car insurance is double what it was in 2014. My electric bill is easily 60% more expensive than it was in 2014, i said that already. That's more than double the 2.6% BLS numbers.

we can go around all day, but citing the government for numbers about inflation seems counter-productive.

anyone else notice how few fireworks were going off prior to july 4th? or after? Is that normal?

[digital-cygnet]

I was going for sources that could be cited -- for instance, I could only find reliable data on the Big Mac because of the Economist's famous index thereof. If you have a good source for historical McDonald's prices I'd love to see it and compare.

Without having some data to compare I cannot differentiate between (1) you are correct, (2) you are misremembering, or (3) you've experienced the inflation you claim, but for particular reasons (eg, you got a nicer car, or, your area had an influx of high earners).

Also, a small nit: by my calculations 60% growth over 10 years is 4.8% annualized - outpacing CPI yes, but not more than double.