Everything’s Deflating And Nobody Seems To Notice

Zero Hedge - Automatic Earth ^ | 10-22-2015 | Tyler Durden - Ilargi Meijer

[DiogenesLamp]

overall it takes much more money today to buy what you could several years ago...even with a few items staying the same....

That is exactly what I have noticed.

[roamer_1]

[roamer_1:] I'll stick my nose in here - Albeit that I won't exactly support your 100% figure

I said "nearly 100%". Some things are more than that and some things are less than that. [...] Can we agree that the figure 25% is utter nonsense?

I am more in agreement with you than not - but you misunderstand my intention in not supporting your '100%' - It isn't that I don't agree, but rather that my anecdotal and subjective evidence is skewed by a difference in buying habits (caused by rising prices):

In the last four years or so, $135 gets me 5-7 bags of groceries (subjective and dependent upon variation in my list of purchases). But in the last two years, it is getting very uncommon to get that 7th bag, which, if taken on it's face, would only defend a 1/7th rise in prices on average... 1/6th if you figure the 7th was bonus anyway... Not so bad, right?

But that doesn't tell the whole story, because what's in the bags has changed drastically. Produce has remained the same in content, but everything else has radically changed - no more fancy soups, no more frozen meals, no hot-pockets, and etc... Far less in prepared dinner kits (hamburger helper, rice pilafs) Potato chips and tortilla chips are still there, but in limited amount, and certainly not name-brand... very few bread products, very few pre-packaged cake type mixes, *no* chocolate, no crackers (except saltines, or on sale)... Meat and cheese is now bulk only, and is primarily burger and med. cheddar - No more steaks, few roasts, only whole chickens and turkeys... Only generic brand canned goods, and those, normally bought by the case during sales... And those are on the way out as my home gardening/canning process takes over... Far more in basics, far less in goodies and convenience. And to top it off, I went kosher, so no more pork and no more shellfish... And I have stepped up hunting and fishing... Well over half of my meat is now wild, and that will only increase.

Had I been buying all the way along like I do now, I could better quantify your claim - but I am simply pointing out that the changes I have made, while directly caused by rising prices, limit the veracity of my evidence.

I absolutely agree that prices are way, way up. But rather than succumb to those prices and paying more, I have gone old-skool, and will continue on that path... Ergo, while I agree with you, my evidences cannot lend support.