The cost of living - COL.

Brookswood

Brookswood

Senior Member
The July 2025 overall COL increase is 2.7%. But, the core COL figure is worse at 3.1%.

Both figures are significantly above the Fed’s goal of 2% inflation.
 

I don't think the COLAs from my pension or SSI are keeping up with inflation. My pension is up $37 a month form last year and my SSI is up $36 - that's a total of $876 a year.
Expenses that have increased per month over the last year:
Cable service $36,
trash service $3,
electric $60.

Homeowner's insurance $1440 for 6 months.
I spend between $45 and $70 a week for groceries (I live alone and sometimes I need more than other times).
 

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The inflation numbers are pretty meaningless to me.

This last round of inflation has had a breathtaking impact on my annual expenses.

Every category has increased significantly.

The good news is that my income continues to keep up with expenses and that every year I get a bit closer to the finish line. 😉🤭😂

I’m afraid that I don’t see any short term relief from rising prices as more and more major companies announce tariff related price increases.
 
debodun said:
I don't think the COLAs from my pension or SSI are keeping up with inflation. My pension is up $37 and month form last year and my SSI is up $36 - that's a total of $876 a year.
Expenses that have increased per month over the last year:
Cable service $36,
trash service $3,
electric $60.

Homeowner's insurance $1440 for 6 months.
I spend between $45 and $70 a week for groceries (I live alone and sometimes I need more than other times).
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why should it keep pace with your personal cost of living ?

its only a price change index that looks at price changes over the 1500 mini economies that make us up .

it counts loads of items you may never use .

it doesn’t look at what your specific lifestyle costs in your particular area are .

its an average of all areas and all goods and services

it does not count how many times you buy something as opposed to me

it doesn’t look at the quality of the goods you buy vs me . higher quality goods may see bigger increases but last longer .

it will never match anyone’s own personal lifestyle where they live.

plus the cola is only on a small percentage of what your income was so colas are only on a part of what your income was .

so why would you think it would ever match the increases you see

ssi is a welfare program, are you on welfare ?

ssi has nothing to do with social security if you are not collecting welfare
 
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The inflation rate is not going to be reported correctly by the government any longer since the person accurately reporting that rate has now been fired. This person was fired because the government did not like what was reported and wants lower numbers reported . Since Social Security raises are based on the inflation rate this is bad news for retirees.

I’m actually very glad that my main income is my pension and that I get a decent raise every year. Starting in 2027 I will get 5% every year, which is great.
 
Teacher Terry said:
The inflation rate is not going to be reported correctly by the government any longer since the person accurately reporting that rate has now been fired. This person was fired because the government did not like what was reported and wants lower numbers reported . Since Social Security raises are based on the inflation rate this is bad news for retirees.

I’m actually very glad that my main income is my pension and that I get a decent raise every year. Starting in 2027 I will get 5% every year, which is great.
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nonsense .

there are thousands of people who put those numbers together and they would immediately see what they worked on was altered .

nothing is going to change with any of these numbers.

they will continue to report just as they always have
 
mathjak107 said:
nonsense .

there are thousands of people who put those numbers together and they would immediately see what they worked on was altered .

nothing is going to change with any of these numbers.

they will continue to report just as they always have
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I know it’s unimaginable that the government is not allowing people to do their jobs and are firing people that report facts and figures that are correct.

I closely follow what’s going on in this country from many different news sources and if this continues, it will affect raises. Enough people high enough in government would have to stand up against this. I don’t see that happening.
 
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In the news this morning, Walmart is finding price hikes unavoidable due to tariffs. In our household, in Canada, we occasionally shop there for some items. This is actually affecting Canadian Walmart stores as well as those in the U.S.

Here on SF over time, I've noticed many members mention that Walmart as important for groceries and some pharmaceuticals .
 
My own personal Cost of Living, is now at annual 3.0%. My CPI rarely matches CPI-U, CPI-W, CPI-E, et al. My purchasing habits differ and the weightings are different.

BTW, the CPI-W annual rate was a bit lower in July, from preceding month, although mostly in rounding.
 
So thankful that I had Parents that led by example.
Dad worked two jobs.
We only ate out on special occasions.

Pay yourself first on payday,
learn to live on less than you make,
don't touch your savings and investments,
buy only what you need,
not what you want.

Thanks Mom and Dad.
 
JBR said:
In the news this morning, Walmart is finding price hikes unavoidable due to tariffs. In our household, in Canada, we occasionally shop there for some items. This is actually affecting Canadian Walmart stores as well as those in the U.S.

Here on SF over time, I've noticed many members mention that Walmart as important for groceries and some pharmaceuticals
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For those of us in rural areas, Walmart has killed off any other stores, we have no choice.
 
spedini said:
learn to live on less than you make,
don't touch your savings and investments,
buy only what you need,
not what you want.
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yes, live within your means - but I can do that and also buy things I want but don't strictly need. I don't buy ONLY what I need.

and I do touch my savings if I have a big item I want to buy - that is what my savings account is for.
 
JBR said:
In the news this morning, Walmart is finding price hikes unavoidable due to tariffs. In our household, in Canada, we occasionally shop there for some items. This is actually affecting Canadian Walmart stores as well as those in the U.S.

Here on SF over time, I've noticed many members mention that Walmart as important for groceries and some pharmaceuticals .
Click to expand...
debodun said:
I couldn't believe how the trash bag prices have risen. I was in the Dollar General yesterday and the least expensive box was $5.25. The last time I bought trash bags back in April, the least expensive were $1 a box.
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It's not only Walmart and Dollar stores. Our small business raised prices across the board in June due to (April) tariffs passed on by our suppliers. Just last week our primary supplier notified me to expect another broad-based price increase in January because of the July round of tariffs.

It's frustrating and exhausting to stay abreast of various tariff statuses, i.e., what's enacted, rolled back, threatened, coming up on a deadline date or being revisited by tempestuous leader(s).
 
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