Inflation is your fault

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m doing my part. I buy nothing unless I actually need it. Wages have not kept up for us. No increase for my husband and I’m in a field where most people will price shop and try to negotiate lower prices with me. Many of my peers are closing their businesses.

Our wages are not up either.

Whose wages ARE up?

I changed jobs twice in the past year. Now making 50% more than I made in December 2022. First job change was for 10% bump, lateral move. Second job change was a huge promotion into an executive position with a big salary increase.

Great, but that isn’t the reality for most of the country and other people matter just as much as you. The only reason unemployment is down is because people are taking second jobs. So many, many people didn’t get raises or better jobs because of Covid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m doing my part. I buy nothing unless I actually need it. Wages have not kept up for us. No increase for my husband and I’m in a field where most people will price shop and try to negotiate lower prices with me. Many of my peers are closing their businesses.

Our wages are not up either.

Whose wages ARE up?

I changed jobs twice in the past year. Now making 50% more than I made in December 2022. First job change was for 10% bump, lateral move. Second job change was a huge promotion into an executive position with a big salary increase.

You don’t sound even remotely believable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m doing my part. I buy nothing unless I actually need it. Wages have not kept up for us. No increase for my husband and I’m in a field where most people will price shop and try to negotiate lower prices with me. Many of my peers are closing their businesses.

Our wages are not up either.

Whose wages ARE up?

Umm, we just had what they were calling the great resignation. People were quitting jobs at historically high rates for better and higher paying jobs.

Almost everyone I know changed jobs at least once in the last 2 years. I got a 25% increase, and an even bigger increase in bonus. I have a few friends that changed jobs twice for increases. It was a historic time to make a job move for more $$ and a higher title, similar or even better than the late 90s .com boom.

I don’t know a single person who had this experience.

[Anonymous]

I don't either pp.

I have no doubt that some people have been able to get huge raises, but it's not the typical experience for most.

And, for those who have received large pay bumps, why not stop spending on over inflated goods and services?

We all need a place to live and food, but apart from that, why keep buying if you could save money, wait until prices come down, and buy more later? Or invest the extra money and make even more money?

[Anonymous]

I believe that we're at a tipping point economically - not just US but globally. I'm with Buffett when he talks about how we're at the tail end of the good life as we've known it.

I think that this inflation is about greed. It's about everyone who can raise prices because everything is expensive and if you can make more money, you better do it now! It's about setting the bar higher than we used to because ultimately, people who have money will spend it and if you can take their money, why not? It's just a higher plateau of spending we are all at so no reason to drop. The only thing that will level this rise is a disaster of epic proportions that wipe those with money out so that the gap is narrowed.

I also think that climate change drives some of the inflation and in the near future, it will get really bad with food and material prices. Textiles, groceries, everything will rise because it won't be as easy as it's been with shipping, growing, finding, etc. everything.

I see it in all the flight prices. It's so hard to vacation the way we used to even though there's so many places we can go. Everything has risen obnoxiously. I think the Fed will lower rates, the market will stabilize, the job outlook will maybe downturn a bit but not too badly. I just think that long term prices will never be where we are used to - it's a new world order come about. Esp in the next 2-3 years, it'll be really different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reckless government spending is the reason for inflation.

You're wrong, but you don't care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[W]e're at the tail end of the good life as we've known it.

Cynicism masquerading as wisdom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been telling my husband this for a couple years now. No one in our neighborhood/circle of people seems to give a hoot about inflation except. New cars, home renos and luxury travel are full steam ahead. It’s so gaudy.

+2. Though this observation -re: ppl not constraining spending despite higher prices or "inflation"- has been around for awhile. Because ppl are still buying, what incentive to retailers, car dealers, etc. etc. have to dial back prices? The answer: none. You're paying, they're pocketing the cash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are two economies. The rich have gotten richer, thanks to the Federal Reserve inflating asset values for over a decade.

UMC and UC are spending from their generous portfolio and RE gains.

Everyone else is struggling to get by.

Except wages at the lower end are way up and it is a buyers market in terms of job searches, so many people have been able to upgrade their situations post-covid. So I wouldn't say "everyone else" - yes there are still a lot of people struggling. They were struggling before and are struggling now. The GOP expects them to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

At least the dems are trying to help.

Wages have not been growing as fast as housing prices, car prices, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are two economies. The rich have gotten richer, thanks to the Federal Reserve inflating asset values for over a decade.

UMC and UC are spending from their generous portfolio and RE gains.

Everyone else is struggling to get by.

Except wages at the lower end are way up and it is a buyers market in terms of job searches, so many people have been able to upgrade their situations post-covid. So I wouldn't say "everyone else" - yes there are still a lot of people struggling. They were struggling before and are struggling now. The GOP expects them to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

At least the dems are trying to help.

Wages have not been growing as fast as housing prices, car prices, etc.

Again for the people in the back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe that we're at a tipping point economically - not just US but globally. I'm with Buffett when he talks about how we're at the tail end of the good life as we've known it.

I think that this inflation is about greed. It's about everyone who can raise prices because everything is expensive and if you can make more money, you better do it now! It's about setting the bar higher than we used to because ultimately, people who have money will spend it and if you can take their money, why not? It's just a higher plateau of spending we are all at so no reason to drop. The only thing that will level this rise is a disaster of epic proportions that wipe those with money out so that the gap is narrowed.

I also think that climate change drives some of the inflation and in the near future, it will get really bad with food and material prices. Textiles, groceries, everything will rise because it won't be as easy as it's been with shipping, growing, finding, etc. everything.

I see it in all the flight prices. It's so hard to vacation the way we used to even though there's so many places we can go. Everything has risen obnoxiously. I think the Fed will lower rates, the market will stabilize, the job outlook will maybe downturn a bit but not too badly. I just think that long term prices will never be where we are used to - it's a new world order come about. Esp in the next 2-3 years, it'll be really different.

I think you are spot on.

[Anonymous]

The inflation is high despite the government's efforts to hide it. They have changed the measurement of inflation. First switching to annual changes in basket of goods. Now they are calculating health insurance premiums differently. Oct 2023 had health insurance premiums weighed into inflation calculation as -34%. Did premiums drop by one third from a year ago?
The change in calculation is they are now calculatiing this as not premiums paid, but premiums paid - benefit payouts.
10000 in premiums 9000 paid out, vs 10000 in premiums 9300 paid out, is now a 30% reduction in payments.
I know insurance companies do not make a lot in profits, but it seems there is not much room for payouts to become a larger share of premiums.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reckless government spending is the reason for inflation.

Price gouging is the reason for inflation.

Price gouging is charging $60 for a bottle of bleach during the pandemic.

Prices are up for everything.

And if prices are being gouged- every store, landlord, etc, has decided to gouge? Not a single store has said- you know what? I am not going to gouge customers. I am going to keep my prices stable and charge my customers what the price should be. Bonus: I will get a zillion new and repeat customers because I am the only store not gouging customers.

[Anonymous]

Walmart keeps grocery prices steady amid inflation, antitrust claims

Dataweave analyzed prices of 589 products over 14-month period
Walmart's avg. basket price rose 3% vs avg. inflation of 7.5%
Walmart outpriced rivals on basket of food items where inflation was fiercest
NEW YORK, May 5 (Reuters) - A new analysis of Walmart's pricing strategy reveals it has consistently kept grocery prices lower than competitors while generally hiking prices at rates far below U.S. inflation, even while the firm now faces allegations of using its clout to gain unfair advantages over rivals.

Data analytics firm Dataweave compared the prices of 589 name-brand products in 34 categories, including coffee, soup, cereals, baking goods, batteries, personal care items and pet food exclusively for Reuters.

The firm pulled and examined prices at both store and online properties of Walmart, Kroger, Target and Amazon, for the items every day to arrive at one average price for each month between January 2022 and the end of February 2023.

During the period, while U.S. inflation averaged 7.5% Walmart kept prices steady, the Dataweave analysis shows.

https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/walmart-keeps-grocery-prices-steady-amid-inflation-antitrust-claims-2023-05-05/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are two economies. The rich have gotten richer, thanks to the Federal Reserve inflating asset values for over a decade.

UMC and UC are spending from their generous portfolio and RE gains.

Everyone else is struggling to get by.

This is a more accurate assessment.