Well heck I have to say fast food is a leading indicator. Used to be a couple of cheap hamburgers were 2 for 4 dollars now 4 dollars each. Coffee drink at starbucks was 3.85 now over 5 dollars. It didn’t happen slowly it was very sudden. The sudden jumps are fairly frequent and not just a matter of a few percent but more of huge jumps as much as double. These things don’t sneak up they jump out. Packages contain less portion sizes are smaller. I bought a box of apple pies. The box made them look rectangular but when I opened it they were square. The box had over twice as much space inside as it needed for the little tiny pies. It’s hard to have a positive outlook.
I recently watched the diner scene from Pulp Fiction where they made a big deal about the luxury $5 milkshake. I just checked the Steak n Shake menu and $4.99 is the price of their not so luxury, fast food milkshake.
I think the biggest shock I had recently was the p[rice of laundry detergent.
It’s gone though the roof and now they are offering quart sizes to be able to advertise them for $2.50 per bottle, when it used to be almost double the quantity.
It has been dramatic, and wages haven't even been close to keeping up. If it were just me at home, I would cut expenses/spending to the bone and hoard money for investments etc.
Socialism always announces its adoption with starvation.