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Netflix just hiked every U.S. plan — ad-supported to $8.99, standard ad-free to $19.99, premium to $26.99 — with extra-member fees moving to $6.99 and $9.99. It is the second broad increase in just over a year.

ABA therapy for autism now runs $75 to $250+ per hour depending on where you live, with intensive monthly bills reaching $22,000 in high-cost states. Here is how costs break down by state, provider level, and insurance coverage in 2026.

Home prices are up 55% since 2019. 278 metros dropped this year, but the average correction is just $7,800. The market isn't crashing — it's barely flinching.

Austin is down 24% from its 2022 peak. Cape Coral down 18%. San Francisco down 10%. Here's every major metro that's lost value from the top — and how much.

We are now 24 days into the Iran war, and U.S. gas prices have jumped from $2.85 to $3.79 nationally since January. Here is how fast prices moved by state and what other inflation effects are likely next.

Wholesale inflation surged in February — headline PPI 3.4% year-over-year vs. 2.9% expected, core PPI 3.9% vs. 3.7%. Core is at its highest since February 2023. This data does not include the Iran conflict. Rate cuts are being priced out.

Not every city got hammered. These 20 cities have affordable rent, declining or flat year-over-year prices, and reasonable growth since 2019. If you're looking for a place where your rent isn't eating your paycheck, start here.

Uranium is up 202%. Tin is up 86%. Copper is up 65%. The raw materials that build everything from homes to electronics have surged since 2019 — and it's showing up in the price of everything you buy.

Rock Springs fell 7.2%. Cape Coral fell 4.6%. These 20 cities are the only places in America where rent is actually going down — and Florida dominates the list.

Abilene jumped 30%. Monroe jumped 26%. These 20 cities saw the biggest year-over-year rent increases from January 2025 to January 2026 — and almost all of them are small towns that were supposed to stay cheap.

Eggs, rent, home prices, ground beef, gas, insurance — how much has each one actually changed since 2019? We put all 15 indexes on a single chart so you can see the full picture at a glance.

Buy a house ASAP or rent and invest the difference? We used real home price and rent data across all 50 states to settle the debate — and the answer depends entirely on your zip code.

The Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation moved in the wrong direction in January — and that was before a war in the Persian Gulf started pushing oil prices higher. Core PCE ticked up to 3.1%; the Fed is effectively handcuffed heading into its March meeting.

Even the cities with the biggest rent crashes are still charging dramatically more than before the pandemic. Austin is down 12.6% from peak — and still up 15% from 2019. There is no major U.S. city where rent in 2026 is cheaper than it was in 2019.

The average American household spent $278.50/month on streaming and connected TV in 2025. Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and the rest have raised prices again and again — here's every tier and how much they've gone up since the streaming wars began.

We were supposed to be in the roaring twenties. Instead we're dragged into another Middle East fiasco — and the pump writes the headline first.

Crude jumped about 20% since Friday's close and is flirting with $109. The U.S. barely imports Persian Gulf oil — so why do pump prices still rise? Global oil plumbing, one price, and what to expect at the pump and beyond.

The Iran conflict is pushing U.S. gas prices higher. The national average is $3.32/gal, up about 34¢ in a week; Midwest and South are rising fastest while the Gulf Coast stays cheapest.

We compared the same Walmart grocery and snack carts—same items—from September 2022 to March 2026. Some things got cheaper. Many got a lot more expensive. Here's what the data shows.

The usual advice is "buy, don't rent." But with mortgage rates and prices where they are—and the math on cars, tools, and vacation—renting often wins. Here's when and why.

Auto insurance, phone, internet, streaming, gym, bank fees, and more—these recurring bills creep up or go unused. Here's exactly what to check once a year and how to act on it.

Block didn't get to 10,000 people because of AI. It got there because of the same liquidity that inflated everything else—the Fed and Congress pumping trillions during COVID. The 40% cut is unwinding that bloat.

Supply chain. Putin. Greed. Wages. Everyone has a villain. Milton Friedman had one: the government. He was right.

When the Fed and Congress pumped trillions into the economy during COVID, tech companies went on a hiring spree. Here's how headcount at 23 major tech companies changed from 2019 to their peaks in 2021 or 2022—and why the layoffs since are the unwinding.

Where did the COVID hiring bloat go? A look at where 20+ tech companies stand by headcount in 2025–2026—after Block's 40% cut, Meta's trims, and the rest of the unwinding.

The iPad at the register. Three buttons. You just wanted a muffin. You're not even eating in. Why does the screen want 20%?

AI and data centers are driving a historic surge in power demand. Here's the concrete data: how much bills could rise, which regions get hit hardest, and why your electricity bill is no longer just tracking inflation.

Vet bills up 47% since 2019, pet food up 25%+, and half of owners skipping care because of cost. The pet economy has ballooned to $157 billion — and your wallet feels every dollar.

Egg prices surged to $6.23/dozen in 2025, then fell to $2.58 in 2026. Here's why they spiked, why they've come down, and why they're still 84% above 2019.

Ground beef has climbed 79% since 2017 to $6.75/lb. Unlike eggs, there's been no correction. The cattle cycle, drought, and structural costs explain why — and when relief could come.

We run the numbers: payment, fuel, maintenance, and incentives over 5 years. In 2026, the answer depends on whether you buy new or used — and where you charge.

What to verify before you buy a used electric car — battery health, remaining warranty, and how 2026 federal tax credit rules affect your deal.

ATMs didn't replace tellers — they took over the repetitive work so tellers could do more. The same could be true of AI: less about replacing whole roles, more about letting people take on more and be more productive.

The used car correction has continued into 2026. Prices are down from peak, inventory is healthy, but loan rates still hurt. Here's the state of the market and what to expect.

A practical guide to finding the best used car deals in 2026 — which segments, age bands, and powertrains offer the most value as the market continues to cool.

Your year in prices. We ran every major thing you pay for through the data—homes, rent, cars, tuition, childcare, electric, gas, groceries, restaurants, healthcare, and more. Here’s where 2025 actually ended.

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.

Airfares have held surprisingly steady, but the full cost of travel — and especially a road trip — tells a different story. Here's the 2019 vs. now breakdown for flying and driving.

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.