Democrats are suddenly discovering “affordability” as their new talking point now that Republicans control the White House and Congress. It’s a remarkable pivot—after four years of presiding over the worst inflation in four decades, they’re lecturing Americans about the cost of living. The record is unambiguous: consumer prices rose cumulatively by more than 21% during […]
In the grand theater of economics, supply and demand are often cast as the star performers—shortages driving up prices, gluts pulling them down. But peel back the curtain, and you’ll find a quieter, more insidious culprit: the weakening U.S. dollar. As the world’s reserve currency, the dollar’s value doesn’t just influence trade; it permeates every […]
Inflation is like that sneaky friend who borrows your money and never pays it back—it erodes the value of your dollars over time without you even noticing. But in the world of U.S. taxes and government benefits, there’s a built-in defense mechanism called inflation indexing. This automatic adjustment ensures that tax brackets, deductions, and entitlement […]
Even though I follow the business news closer than most, it is tough to predict exactly why prices continue to put financial stress on most families. Brenda and I are likely not going to starve, but our grocery bill is now higher then when we had more mouths to feed. I’ve bellyached about inflation since […]
Depending on which generation you were born often factors into how you remember inflation. Those born in the 1930 thru1970s likely saw decades of relatively high inflation; they lived through years of 5-6% and higher inflation. Until recently, those born later … 1980 to today … saw a more moderate annual inflation number to begin […]
With all the expenses associated with owning a Florida condo these days (HOA monthly dues, large engineering related assessments, increases in insurance and real estate taxes, not to mention normal utilities and repairs) … I’m wondering if being an owner is worth it? Nevertheless, Brenda and I do enjoy the longer escapes these days as […]
Have you noticed that food, housing and energy aren’t the only things that have gone up in the three-plus years of President Biden and his Bidenomics (heavy government spending AND regulation — especially on energy)? Recent reports have also detailed how insurance rates and property taxes have risen and are rising … by hundreds, if […]
No matter how I set the trigger, our friendly cardinal regularly triggers a warning on our Wyze Cam. He is enjoyable to watch and so I really don’t mind it. On the other hand, I DO MIND the price increases hitting Americans at the gas pump, grocery store and restaurants … not to mention nearly […]
U.S. inflation eased slightly in April, with a key measure of price pressures slowing to its lowest level since spring 2021. The consumer-price index, a gauge for goods and service costs across the U.S. economy, rose 3.4% in April from a year ago, the Labor Department said Wednesday. So-called core prices that exclude volatile food […]
The subject line is my questionable twist on the Francis Church response to Virginia O’Hanlon in 1897, Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus (see below). All of us “seeing” inflation month after month really don’t question its existence, but we do wonder how long inflation will continue a higher than the desired two percent […]
Although those reading MyDesultoryBlog.com more than once or twice are probably tired of me mentioning inflation … it is still an issue even as costs and prices are “rising” slower than previous. We all have policies, political figures and economic idealogy in mind when pointing our fingers … but I’ll leave that to voters come […]
If you were filling your tank, paying to keep the lights on or buying groceries (or shopping for nearly everything) … 2022 has been a struggle. If you were saving for college or retirement, it was also very painful. Will 2023 be a continuation or a painful recession … or is there a chance inflation […]
By CC BY-SA 4.0, Link Since I’m a tail-end baby boomer, at least according to the charts, the thought of “did I plan properly for retirement” regularly crosses my mind. Having lived through the last couple of decades of economic ups and downs without significant inflation …beyond the normal and desirable 2-3% per year (except […]
The Federal tax brackets are adjusted each year by the IRS based on inflation numbers in an attempt to stop “bracket creep.” This prices have soared as in September 2022 consumer prices were up 8.2% compared to 2021. It is likely most Americans have not seen that kind of wage increase which means their buying […]
While discussing the “will it” or “won’t it” Inflation Reduction Act being pushed by Democratic leadership in Washington DC as a way to replace the failed 2021 Build Back Better spending plan by President Biden last week, I figured digging into the details might prove better than spewing left or right talking points. The bill […]
CPI up 8.6% driven by a 35% jump in energy prices and 12% increase in groceries This is what a “sea of red” looks like for investors and stock market traders … and I can only imagine the “red” those living on a fixed income or families struggling to make ends meet must be seeing? […]
After filling up the 2010 BMW X5 35d with diesel … ouch … I drove to the least painful Ohio DMV location in my area according to the online wait times. Thankfully I came prepared with my passport, address verification and requested ID information. After $56.40 … I came out in less than 30 minutes […]
The “pain at the pump” is definitely real if you are buying fuel and if you have spend the last decade with gas and diesel at 40+% lower than we are seeing today. That said, in inflation-adjusted dollars, we are still off the highest per barrel prices that we have seen (chart below). Most oil […]
From a John Steele Gordon lecture at Hillsdale College … “money is just another commodity, no different from petroleum, pork bellies, or pig iron. So money, like all commodities, can rise and fall in price, depending on supply and demand. But because money is, by definition, the one commodity that is universally accepted in exchange […]
Nobody wants to really hear or see anymore written about inflation. We’ve all seen it with our own two eyes and our wallets have felt it since the Biden administration took office. No more though than the last couple of weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine as the West’s political miscalculations and head-in-the-tar-sands polices have made […]
Although this is really not a smooth continuation from yesterday’s “Inflation Hot” post, the financial and economic theme remains the same … so it will be considered “part 2.” The post left off with trying to stop inflation in the 1980s and forcing a recession, actually “back to back recessions.” We can all hope that […]
It is pretty obvious to most consumers that even with years of the Federal Reserve keeping interest rates low, printing money and Congress spending, inflation remained in check at under 2%. Unfortunately after the last round of easy money policies during the pandemic, business shutdowns and government giving away money, this is no longer true. […]
A friend contemplating rolling over his 401K to an IRA asked me a bond investing question the other day as he would like to balance his portfolio of stocks by adding some bonds after the rollover. Since he has never owned a bond (outside of a managed fund), the question was, “what’s the impact of […]
What once was a weekly or at least bi-monthly lunch with my friend Jeff, has shifted to once every 3 months or so since COVID19. It’s not all due to the pandemic as changes in work habits and eating out habits has contributed to neglecting getting together. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable to spend an hour […]
A friend asked me the other day, “what are you going to do if inflation becomes a bigger problem than it is already?” Good question … the canned answer (safe answer) is to be diversified. The reality is far more challenging. There was a day when the first reply was to own hard assets like […]
Although I’m likely tainted in having lived through a period where inflation was real and uncontrolled, I do worry that people living today either ignore or downplay the negative impact inflation, stagflation or worse … hyperinflation … can make on our country. For those who know me, I’ve likely been the “boy who calls wolf” […]
An interesting take on “inflation” and how different generations perceive the possibility of it accelerating in the next decade or so … and perhaps the effect it can or will have on our lives. For example, in the graph below, pick your birth year and note the color bars to determine how many years of […]
The prediction that diesel fuels will rise (“double in price” – note the last minute of the interview) is bound to impact the price of goods. Everything is shipped using diesel fuel, be it on ships, trains or trucks, and with those prices rising significantly, consumers will be paying. On the personal side, those of […]
As the positive economy in the U.S. continues to grow America out of the "great recession" and rebound off the slow growth Obama years, we are seeing signs of inflation, hopefully just the right amount. Wages are rising and businesses sense they have pricing power and can raise prices (their cost are up too). Consumers […]
With the rapid drop in oil prices, and equal "10% correction" in the overall stock market, will improving wages offset by falling commodities (oil) cause the Federal Reserve rethink their concern that inflation is picking up? Current thoughts were that we could see three quarter point rate hikes in 2018 if the economy continues to […]
There was a spirited debate this past week concerning the Federal Reserves’ exit strategies and what will happen when the Fed balance sheet is deleveraged. The equity bulls continue to believe the U.S. will see economic grow as interest rates remain low and continued tame inflation numbers (some like Wilbur Ross are more concerned about […]
I regularly eyeball the government’s reported CPI inflation data (although question the applicability for real living in America?), and am concerned for those planning or already retired living on their “conservatively” invested savings. Many that I’ve talked with moved to cash positions after the 2008 recession or moved to much more conservative investments. Others hold […]
I’ve been doing some reading lately from those concerned about an uptick in inflation. Since many of the writers are the same people who have been warning for years about inflation, it is easy to take their analysis with a yawn and a bit of skepticism. Still, my commonsense indicator has also kicked in […]
Frequent guest and St. Louis Federal Reserve President Jim Bullard discussed making “decisions by the numbers” on CNBC’s Squawkbox this morning. He offered an opinion that current low inflation and a sluggish economy is keeping the Fed’s “loose money policy” in place and that conditions are not signaling a need to taper. I’m probably not […]
The new CPI numbers (Consumer Price Index) released by the government verify what most balancing family budgets already know … inflation is taking a bigger bite out of incomes. Most private sector workers feel fortunate just to be employed and have seen their take-home pay and benefits stagnate or retreat. Everyone I know has had […]
The news from Wall Street pre-market is not positive … although some suggest the possible morning downturn it an opportunity for those with cash to buy stocks of “cash rich companies” paying decent dividends? U.S. stock futures slipped further into the red, setting up the market for a sharply lower open, after rising inflation and […]
I read and interesting article this weekend that detailed the events and price points of oil adjusted for inflation. Without including the Subscription copywritten Data, I found it interesting to note that during the years 1979 – 1985 we actually sustained prices higher than our current $60/barrel. (peaked at $90/barrel* adjusted for inflation according to […]
I was asked to submit something short for TheHustings right-column after President Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address. It was long … but excellent. Below is what I submitted (and posted): President Trump’s 2026 State of the Union was a powerful showcase of America’s resurgence—booming economy, secure borders, and bold leadership that puts America […]
The cost to live comfortably in Ohio varies by household size, but it remains among the more affordable states nationwide (see UpgradedPoints). The new study using cost-of-living data and the 50/30/20 budgeting rule shows what families and individuals need to earn to maintain a comfortable yet sustainable lifestyle across Ohio in 2025. What Does “Living […]
If you’re a senior relying on Social Security to make ends meet, the latest cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) announcement might feel more like a tease than a relief. Last Friday, the Social Security Administration revealed a 2.8% boost for 2026 benefits, adding an average of $56 per month to retirement checks—bringing the typical payout to $2,071. […]
The stock market in late 2025 presents an interesting picture as we approach the final two months of the year. Based on historical data from 2003–2024, we can assess the probability of significant market corrections during November and December. A severe pullback of 10% or more has been relatively rare, occurring in only 2 of […]
First up, the Consumer Price Index inched up a tenth of a percentage point in August from 2.9% to 3% on an annual rate (numbers were pre-government shutdown). This is ties into the second important number of 2.8% — the Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA). This is key for Social Security recipients as it is […]
It is not as if I haven’t been watching … and whining about … inflation and what the US dollar buys these days, but until seeing comparisons that pit the US dollar against the average American’s family budget … it is harder to comprehend. Still we all know what we buy and how much everything […]
Previously I added the chart below to a filler post and contemplated posting something to TheHustings.news … but instead wanted to test the “HTML coding ability” of ChatGPT. The AI was “so-so” … but required WAY too much tweaking on my part and ChatGPT adding 3-failed (404) links is unacceptable (highlight below). Of course when […]
If you are an investor or just someone wanted some good news as inflation held steady, the market gained and had added hope noting the upcoming peace talks between President Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin. You might even say, “America’s Future is Bright” … a reference to my TheHustings commentary today after my previous polite […]
Are too many people still sitting on cash as yields decline? Interest rates are likely to decline further and the question is, “should people lock into rates now (ie. Bonds, CDs or short term treasuries) or shift more heavily to equities?” One of the contributing factors powering the strong stock market is likely the falling […]
The U.S. penny, a staple of American currency since 1787, will no longer be minted after 2026, as announced by the Treasury Department. The decision comes as the cost of producing a penny has soared to 3.7 cents, far exceeding its face value. With 114 billion pennies in circulation, the move aims to cut losses […]
Because my mom loved birds and Brenda loves the beauty in nature, for Mother’s Day this year it is not flowers or a card, but a technology assisted Happy Mother’s Day with a beautiful cardinal. Of course this isn’t the first time he or his friends appeared on our Wyze Cam (they come every year) […]
Having both an interest in Value Investing and AI, I decided to do a side by side comparison between ChatGPT and Grok3 for “stock trading advice for value investors” (highlighted in my request) … and “recommend three dividend stock buys that limit risk of loss but offer the highest chance of gains over the next […]
The Federal Reserve finds itself walking a tightrope as new data released this week points to a troubling mix: slower economic growth and higher inflation during the first quarter of 2025. It’s a combination that could eventually force the Fed to prioritize one of its dual mandates—either keeping inflation in check or supporting employment—at the […]
Although TheHustings.news editor didn’t ask me to write anything this week (previous requests), I decided to work on something over the weekend that has been bothering me. As a long time advocate for shrinking our Federal government (as a conservative, small government Republican) and focused on the “spending problem” Congress has had for decades —which […]
Since 1970, the cost of K-12 education in the U.S. has skyrocketed, yet student performance has remained disappointingly flat. Data from the Cato Institute and the U.S. Department of Education highlight a troubling trend—while inflation-adjusted per-student spending has more than tripled, reading, math, and science scores have barely budged. As of 2024, the average per-student […]
Some might say that I’m spending too much time focused on the political news coming from Washington DC these days … but so much is happening — and at a rapid pace. I’ve enjoyed spinning commentary a little more than usual this past year … and am a bit more Trumpish when posting on X.com […]
While reading a recent issue of Kiplinger as an investor, an article has me contemplating the history of the year following Federal Reserve rate cuts. It seems likely, that unless there is a crisis in 2025, that financial markets will see gains again. Of course the market watcher in me realizes that the stock market […]
After four years of inflation impacting everything Americans need and want, the optimism for improvement might not come all that easily to the next administration. Wages are struggling to keep up with prices, and although the Fed has started an easing cycle with rate cuts, everyday citizens don’t see that when it comes to necessities […]
The Federal Reserve is less sure about how much it’ll keep cutting rates after agreeing to a reduction this Wednesday afternoon. Chair Jerome Powell admitted that the decision was a close call (see WSJ and rate chart from 2000-2024 below). The latest cut, approved by 11 out of 12 Fed voters, will lower the Fed’s […]
Obviously the economy ranks high as to why incumbents were on the losing team when it comes to the November 2024 election. But for me, it’s the same as it was back in 1992 when James Carville said, “It’s the economy, stupid” … although this go around it could be argued that social issues played […]
Finally the 2024 Presidential Election is over (the White House and U.S. Senate flips to Republican control) … but America is still waiting to see who will control the House of Representatives. It has been a taxing election for American voters and likely even those just watching overseas. Both allies and adversaries are wondering what […]
Nobody really knows when the next recession will come, but economists and those of us who monitor investments would really like to know before it arrives. This week while moving a few more dollars to the sideline, at least until after the November 2024 election and until mid-January 2025 (parked in a 3-month CD) … I […]
Although I’ve never fancied myself a journalist or a writer, in today’s socially connected world, it is interesting to see news and opinion evolving closer to the people. Citizen journalism is really real, now that all of us can share our thoughts on a variety of subjects, not the least of which is politics. An […]
Investors and traders on Wall Street started today in a pensive mood as all impatiently waited for the much telegraphed “first rate cut since 2020.” Market journalists debated if Chairman Powell and the Federal Reserve board members would see the slowing economy as a sign that their tightening polices had stifled inflation enough to managed […]
Investors who bought US Treasury iBonds when inflation was raging may see the lower May 2024 rate reduction as no longer attractive; the rate is currently 4.28% (it adjusts every 6 months). The interest rate has steadily fallen as month to month inflation has eased from its high and investors may be able to find […]
As an amateur market follower, I have watched economic indicators that signal boom and bust cycles for years. One of the more insightful signals is the spread between treasury yields (inverted yield curve) … especially the 10 and 2 year treasuries. An inversion has been a good indicator of a recession … as posted a […]
The indices took a dive on Wall Street on Wednesday as the Magnificent Seven tech stocks that have lead the stock market recently, sold off after Alphabet $GOOGL(parent of Google) and Tesla $TSLA disappointed with earnings. As a WSJ live post put it, “the thrashing wiped out hundreds of billions of dollars in market value […]
Every once in a while when reading a favorite 3-column news website for “political animals,” TheHustings.News, I will reply with a comment — especially when I receive an email from the editor who ask me to add a “right column” post or comment. 😉 So this week as a non-writer, I responded while watching the […]
Those of us following the stock market and managing investments can’t help but smile at the strong U.S. financial markets on Wednesday and so far this summer. For some who “sell in May and go away” (as the idiom goes) … they are are not smiling quite as much. As a long term value investor, […]
While picking out a card for “the mother of my grown children” this year, I couldn’t help notice how inflation has impacted the price of greeting cards. Perhaps when I was in the business of putting ink on paper, the price per sheet as it were, I wasn’t really given too much thought to each […]
Both my wife and I drink too many carbonated beverages. For me it is usually Diet Mountain Dew and for Brenda it has always been Diet Pepsi. I scaled bad several times in my life, but ended up right back in the habit of 3+ cans everyday. Brenda seems to be able to turn it […]
Iran has threatened to retaliate for an attack in Damascus, Syria, that Tehran said was an Israeli airstrike on a diplomatic building. The strike killed several top Iranian military officials, including a senior member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ elite Quds Force. According to the WSJ on Friday, “the U.S. rushed warships into position […]
As we approach another presidential election in November 2024 (it is still a long way off) … I find myself wishing we had Ronald Reagan on the ballot. I’ve yet to decide whether he put my political ideology into words, or if his political desires and presidency formed the positions I hold today? Whatever, this is […]
Amazing day for the stock market again. It looks like more high inflation and that this kind of strong market confidence may push off Fed rate cuts until inflation drops closer to 2%, unemployment begins to rise or the entire economy hits the skids. On the other hand, this irrational exuberance looking excitement (Crypto, $RDDT, […]
Going to college after high school has always seemed expensive, but by working, borrowing and getting help from parents … it was do-able, and by today’s standards, seemed affordable. I can’t help but smile noticing that when I finally paid off my student loan that I could start saving to put my kids through college. […]
The IRS has set the new tax brackets to adjust for inflation beginning in January 2024. The update is to shift higher by 5.4%, but for 2023 taxes that most of us will be filing before April 15 and saw even more “bracket creep” due to the previously year’s inflation. Here are the changes […]
My buddy Jeff and I enjoy debating and learning from each other while sharing what we are reading. We are far from experts on anything (I should speak for myself), but that doesn’t stop us from opining. HA! Last week with the Federal Reserve “pausing” on interest rate hikes with inflation coming down and semi-telegraphed […]
This would be a great photo of Brenda and Taylor, but for being a blurry selfie (click to see larger). Oh well, I enjoyed seeing the two of them out for their annual mother and son Christmas shopping and evening dinner. I hope they were successful? While they were out, I did my annual the […]
This whiny post is going to ring hollow for those going through serious problems … or even noticing that I was recentlydifficult time adjusting to shifting gears. Brenda and I now have more unstructured time, particularly since Brenda’s surgeries and rehab (although I do still try to do work each day). The earlier than expected […]
A little bit of history told in an entertaining movie format … what could be better? Here’s a Sorbo movie call “Miracle in East Texas“ to be in theaters in October 2023 with a timely release (inflation and energy). The history tie in is the the World War II era story just as we were […]
The week was abnormally filled with charts and graphs while chiming in to news stories and posts on Twitter this past week, but I’ll start with an animated GIF graphic and link to a story regarding offshore wind farm leases opening up in the Gulf of Mexico. As for the graphs and charts, here’s one […]
My financial and investment musings have been few and far between lately, but while reading Barron’s Magazine article this past week, it reminded me that we investors often can look to history for insight. If you don’t want to read it, try listening to it — Audio ElevenLabs. ElevenLabs AI reading this content – […]