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Insurance and tuition have increased significantly. Computer hardware and other technology has dropped significantly. Everything else is mostly the same. On average I picked the 2-3% inflation bucket.
You must pay attention to several important things said here by commentors and in general.
Costs for insurance have absolutely gone through the roof. Earthquake rider more than doubled and home insurance up 25% overall. Health insurance deductible DOUBLED this year, and premiums go up 15% a year minimum. These are costs, you can't sweep them under the rug.
City taxes went up 10% each year the past two years. Car registration fees increased by 20%. Water and electricity, sewer, trash up 10%. Fees out the wazoo from elementary and high school instituted or increased.
As someone else noted, container sizes shrinking. It's not just candy bars anymore; there is no half gallon of ice cream to be had.
Are people hurting? Are they cutting back? Yes! Look to the delivery pizza indicator - prices there have gone down because people are not ordering pizza the way they used to - something you can do without.
I think we are headed for 1970's stagflation at the least when the deflationary cycle finishes.
Prices have largely remained the same for me, but sales taxes have slightly increased where I live (Ontario) and this has added a bit to gasoline prices and some services (haircuts, lawyers,my electricity and natural gas bill etc). Real goods that haven't been effected by the sales tax (food, clothing, consumer disposables,) haven't changed much although they do fluctuate a bit. Over all I'd say my 2010 expenses are about 1-2% higher than my 2009 expenses and if I discounted the tax, they'd probably be almost the same.
toilet paper a buck a roll, gas 2.80 gal and 15% increase in Hardees burgers and 10% in my gym membership
A year ago I could get a box of noodles on sale for thirty three cents.
Now, that box on sale is $0.67 at least.
Taxes, health care, utility bills, cell phone bill, movies, meals
It all seems higher
Costs increasing are hard on retired people like myself. First time in my life I have kept a car more thatn 4-5 years. The Gulf oil spill has hrt my area. Federally funds programs are being wasted on somr projects.
Things purchased rather frequently, such as food, electricity,postage (inluding FedEx and UPS) seem to be going up steadily. I agree with a previous poster about hidden increases with package downsizing. Things purchased less often, such as clothes, electronics, other appliances, seem to be flat or declining. An wages and salaries are definitely declining. The net result is stagflation.
the cost of homeowners hazard insurance has skyrocketed, same with auto.
the cost of credit cards has also gone up a lot.
note these are 'financial' products rather than 'real goods'
I can't answer your question because I noticed a hump in inflation. And I also noticed the decrease in size of many items as another poster noted.
I follow the loss leaders in the weekly ads. The lows were approximately 30% higher than they had been about 6 months ago. And now they are trending back down to what they were a few years ago.
e.g. pork chops were $1 a pound a year ago, then went to $1.30, then back to $1 now. Beef still hasn't come down. Specials on round used to be 99 to 1.29, now they bottom at 1.59.
Broccoli was specials in the 70 cent range, went up to 1.29, now back to 99.
all dairy is still elevated about 40% - support programs? Used to get 2 quarts of ice cream on special for 99. Now get 1.5 for 2 or 1.59. Milk used to special at 99/gallon, then $2, now 1.68.
Bulk grains at Sprouts have gone crazy, again up about 30% to 40%. Soybeans are up more.
As are nuts, maybe more. Priced cashews, brazil nuts, or pistachios lately? Even peanuts!
Fruit and vegetables are elevated by about 20% but dropping. Were up 40% at peak of hump.
Canned vegetables and beans used to special at 50 cents, went to 79 cents, now at 60 cents to 67 cents.
Dozen large eggs went from 99 special to 1.29 special, back to 99 cent special.
Airfare and hotel prices down slightly, wine and beer prices have remained constant. The cost of insurance has risen (house and car). As for day to day groceries, I don't pay attention. Agree with cc re: cigarettes reason #3597 to quit, sin tax and all other taxes just keep rising, but that's no surprise. In downtown Mpls you pay over 10% in 'restaurant' taxes.
I am 77--I made millions of decisions all my life to save money. I was fooled- I don't like the high prices but what is worse is my anger.
Aside from the gas pump, I haven't noticed prices going up too much here in Michigan. I asked my wife and the cost of food has allegedly stayed fairly similar. She said it had gone up, but more recently has come back down. She also noticed the ice cream a reader above mentioned....packaging smaller, but price the same. Wine is much cheaper lately.
In my community the local university has increased tuition 8 to 24%, room and board by 8%, the hospital rate has gone up 8%, my cable bill has increased 5%, the city increased water rates by 54%, my Medicare copay increased by 50% and the hospital copay went up by 300%.
Personally I would have to do a lot more research in order to feel confident about my answer. I don't pay enough attention to the cost of items day to day. But in the public there appears to be an overwhelming sense that prices have risen but I can't tell if that is in response to media reports or the natural ebb and flow of of the market or just the pervasive feeling of financial insecurity and scarcity that results from being unemployed, which then shapes my perspective. However, I can tell you from direct experience that "sin taxed" items such as cigarettes have gone up substantially - reason # 3596 to quit.
Absolute prices may not have risen much but have you checked the size of the packages lately? Feel free to add to the list of things you have noticed.
1/2 gallon ice cream tubs are 1.5 quarts
16 oz packages of cookies are 15, 14, 12 ounces
1 gallon paint is 124 ounces
16 ounce tub of margarine is now 15 ounces
1 pound bacon is now 12 ounces
20 ounce ground turkey is now 19.2 ounces
1 pound sliced cheese is 12 ounces (did you see how thin the slices are now?! That's how I noticed the package weight)
8 ounce yogurt cups are 6 ounces
So the price of your grocery bill may not be higher but you sure are getting a lot less for your money...that's inflation!
Well raise my rent!!
With a house full of ravenous chidren, all that needs to be said is "food, food, food, food !!!!!!"
Prices on most things have gone up. While my wages (thank goods I'm still working) have held steady.
inflation - Fed printing of money has gone up (understatement) as well.
prices have risen