Archive

The items you buy most often are the ones that sting the most. Eggs and coffee lead our 'Small Pain' Index — everyday purchases where inflation is impossible to ignore.

Rent growth is slowing in some markets while mortgage payments remain near record highs. We break down where housing costs are actually cooling — and where they're not.

Fast food was supposed to be the cheap option. But with combo meals pushing $12-15, cooking at home has become the clear budget winner again.

Your streaming bill has crept up $30-50/month over five years as every service raised prices and added ad tiers. The era of cheap streaming is over.

Used car prices have dropped 15-20% from their 2022 peak, but they're still above pre-pandemic levels. Here's where the market stands now.

Auto insurance is up 22% year-over-year and home insurance is surging in disaster-prone states. We explain the structural forces behind the premium shock.

While groceries and insurance soar, technology keeps getting cheaper and better. A $400 laptop today outperforms a $700 one from 2019.

Airfares have actually moderated, but the total cost of travel keeps climbing. Hotels, rental cars, dining, and fees make every trip more expensive than the ticket price suggests.

Nominal wages are up, but after adjusting for inflation, most workers have barely broken even. Lower-income households are falling further behind.

Your electric bill spikes in summer and winter, but the underlying trend is only modestly inflationary. Natural gas and electricity are more stable than headlines suggest.

Health insurance premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs keep rising faster than wages. The average family now spends $24,000/year on healthcare.

Childcare costs now rival rent in many markets, averaging $1,200-$2,000/month per child. The staffing crisis is making it worse.

After spiking to $5/gallon in 2022, gas has settled back to the $3.30-3.50 range. Domestic production and stable crude markets are keeping prices in check.

Same price, smaller package. Shrinkflation is rampant across grocery aisles and most shoppers don't notice until they read the fine print.

America is short 3-5 million homes. Until we build more, housing costs will keep climbing. We dig into why construction can't keep up.

Menu prices are up 25%+ since 2019, and tipping expectations have expanded to 20-25%. The full cost of eating out has never been higher.

The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 since 2009. State minimums range up to $16.28, but even the highest ones just match 1968's purchasing power.

Not everything is more expensive. TVs, laptops, solar panels, used cars (from peak), and phone plans are all better deals than a few years ago.

We rank every major spending category by cumulative price increase since 2020. Auto insurance leads at +55%. The results reveal where households are truly squeezed.

Insurance costs are surging, but you're not helpless. Comparison shopping, higher deductibles, and bundling can save hundreds per year.