[brewthru]

Prices of just about everything seem to go up daily or weekly. This isn't limited to brewing.

Everything increases except my pay!

[pete b]

I guess technically this is true, and except for times of recession it is actually pretty much always true. But it’s a strange time to complain about it because while inflation was sky high for awhile due to a perfect storm of tariffs, pandemic, and war it recently has dramatically receded. The fed reserve noticed and didn’t raise interest rates and anecdotally I have noticed in the last half year or so prices easing for fuel, food, and building materials as well as just generally.
And while it is unfortunate that your wages haven’t risen the fact is that wages have risen significantly the last couple years and unemployment is historically low.
It sucks that things cost more, but from a historical perspective, things are ok.

[KellerBrauer]

I guess technically this is true, and except for times of recession it is actually pretty much always true. But it’s a strange time to complain about it because while inflation was sky high for awhile due to a perfect storm of tariffs, pandemic, and war it recently has dramatically receded. The fed reserve noticed and didn’t raise interest rates and anecdotally I have noticed in the last half year or so prices easing for fuel, food, and building materials as well as just generally.
And while it is unfortunate that your wages haven’t risen the fact is that wages have risen significantly the last couple years and unemployment is historically low.
It sucks that things cost more, but from a historical perspective, things are ok.

 Very well said, pete b!

[Bob357]

Below is a list of interest rate increases by the Federal Reserve in 2022 & 2023, a total of 5.0% in just under 14 months.
 
While prices have come down from recent highs, they are still nowhere near where they were about 3 years ago for the most part.

May 3, 2023   +25   5.00% to 5.25%
March 22, 2023   +25   4.75% to 5.00%
Feb 1, 2023   +25   4.50% to 4.75%
Dec 14, 2022   +50   4.25% to 4.50%
Nov 2, 2022   +75   3.75% to 4.00%
Sept 21, 2022   +75   3.00% to 3.25%
July 27, 2022   +75   2.25% to 2.50%
June 16, 2022   +75   1.50% to 1.75%
May 5, 2022   +50   0.75% to 1.00%
March 17, 2022   +25   0.25% to 0.50%

[KellerBrauer]

Great information, Bob.  Another way of looking at this situation is:  it took two years of COVID, supply chain issues, war, etc. to get where we are.  This global problem is not going to go away instantly.

[Fire Rooster]

Below is a list of interest rate increases by the Federal Reserve in 2022 & 2023, a total of 5.0% in just under 14 months.
 
While prices have come down from recent highs, they are still nowhere near where they were about 3 years ago for the most part.

May 3, 2023   +25   5.00% to 5.25%
March 22, 2023   +25   4.75% to 5.00%
Feb 1, 2023   +25   4.50% to 4.75%
Dec 14, 2022   +50   4.25% to 4.50%
Nov 2, 2022   +75   3.75% to 4.00%
Sept 21, 2022   +75   3.00% to 3.25%
July 27, 2022   +75   2.25% to 2.50%
June 16, 2022   +75   1.50% to 1.75%
May 5, 2022   +50   0.75% to 1.00%
March 17, 2022   +25   0.25% to 0.50%

Due to the inverse relationship between bond prices and interest rates, personal investment
allocations to bond funds, ie: Intermediate & Long term, took a hit during this time.
During this period (if not sold) unrealized capital losses accelerated with those funds.
It will take years for the interest rate increase to make up for the share price loss.
Length of time dependent on the future interest rate trajectory.
Fed has hinted more hikes on the way.  Those taking RMD's from an IRA are likely
comprised mostly of bond funds, based upon the standard stock/bond
allocation by age.


Cheers

[fredthecat]

at least from my POV and where i am, prices are higher than ever, even proportionally. houses obviously.

all alcohol has a massive sin tax and monopoly style set minimum prices here, for one thing. 330ml bottles of beer i like are now $5 up to $7 when they used to be half that just a few years ago.

google "loblaws price gouging" to see how canadians get the shaft and just take it on the cost of almost everything - cell phone rates, internet service, housing, cars, everything. also google relative value of minimum wage levels from the 1960s up to present. that

this is getting too political, but i have perspective of living in a non-western developed country and seeing how the same products, as in the SAME brand products can have drastically different prices for no apparent reason other than taxes included to support a massive govt bureaucracy or just because people have higher disposable income so... charge them more.

[majorvices]

Rather than risk a political devolvement It's probably best just to lock this thread down...