Inflation? Not yet….Social Security Recipients to Receive only a 1.7% Raise

The Social Security Administration has announced the cost of living adjustments for 2013, and with all the talk of inflation, some may be surprised to find that the increase was only 1.7%.  Here is a nice summary page from the Social Security Administration.

Most pension and income inflation related adjustments are based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) including those of the Social Security Administration. Here is an interesting summary from our friends at the Chartstore.com  and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Take a guess what two items have actually gone down in nominal price over the last two decades? And on that note, any idea which line item has increased the most over the last two decades?  See the chart for yourself, we find it interesting what areas are hot and what are not!

So there you have it, our clothes and washing machines cost us less today than twenty years ago, and for the most expensive item, filling up our tank. Good thing our cars drive farther and longer today than 20 years ago.

Have a Super Day!

JK