U.S. Inflation Jumps as Gas and Food Prices Rise

[liberal N proud]

Consumers continued to feel the pinch at grocery stores and gasoline stations in April as higher prices pushed up a widely used index of inflation to the fastest 12-month pace since the later part of 2008, according to government figures released on Friday.

The Labor Department said in its monthly report that the Consumer Price Index, the most widely used measure of inflation, was up 0.4 percent in April from March, and up 3.2 percent from a year earlier. The 12-month figure represents the biggest jump in the index in any 12-month period since October 2008.

Analysts had forecast the same monthly rise but a slightly smaller increase for the year, at 3.1 percent.

Food and gasoline price rises accounted for most of the increases, with gasoline accounting for almost half of the month-to-month rise.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/14/business/economy/14econ.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Yet pay goes down or stays the same.

[RebelOne]

1. So true.

I went shopping today at Kroger here in North Georgia and the prices have jumped up on everything. I bought salad greens, which were over $1 more than last week. The store manager who was working one of the checkout counters (there seems to be a shortage of cashiers or they are just not hiring) told me that because of the gas prices it cost a lot more to bring the produce in from California. We grow a lot of produce here in Georgia, so why would they have to truck it in from out of state. I think I am going to check out the local farmers' markets.

[AC_Mem]

3. Do you have a local farmer's market?

I have started getting my produce there. Not only am I supporting the local farmers, I'm NOT spending more money at Kroger for the same food. I've had enough and I'm not going to be a victim of Kroger's "price adjustments" if I can help it.

I roasted a lovely variety of herbs and veggies the other day - tons of food that cost me less than $5.00 at the farmer's market :)

Annette

[marmar]

2. No shite.....I'm a relatively infrequent shopper, and I bought at item 'on sale' the other day......

....... that was 60 cents more than the regular price I paid for it a few weeks ago.