4 ms·

Well, that's your anecdote. My anecdote: Health insurance went to zero. Back in 2001 there were copayments and my employer would deduct from my paycheck to pur

Well, that's your anecdote. My anecdote: Health insurance went to zero. Back in 2001 there were copayments and my employer would deduct from my paycheck to purchase coverage. Rent went to zero, or $266 if you count property tax. Back in 2001 my landlord made me pay $750 per month. Education went to zero if you aren't fussy about your degree and aren't lazy. Dual-enrollment has become popular, letting students take college classes without paying. It's enough for a BA or BS degree. Suppose you insist on an engineering degree. Back in 2001 the cost was about $17,000 per year for me. Today it is about $16,000 per year for my son. Meanwhile I'm paying about $48,000 per year for food, so I do care about that steak. Even the burger is $5 or $6 per pound, and the reasonable fish is $8 to $12 per pound.

solosoyokaze 6y ago
You’re health insurance most definitely did not go to zero. It’s up thousands of percent. If your employers are eating that cost, they’re taking it out of your salary. Your rent went to zero: complete BS or you’re in some kind of unique situation that applies to only you. Housing is one of the main drivers of inflation. Your education claim is equally ridiculous. I also don’t believe you spend $4k a month on groceries (but zero for rent).
- souprock 6y ago
  Well, those are my costs, as paid by me. I suppose my employer could have given me a raise instead of deciding to fully pay for the health insurance. The line item on my paycheck is gone now, and I didn't take a pay cut to make that happen. Actually I got a big raise at the time. 20 years ago, and even 10 years ago, getting health insurance required that I grant permission to deduct part of it from my paycheck. That's gone. Although in theory I have a high deductible now, my employer effectively cancels that by putting an equal amount into a health savings account. My rent went to zero because I bought a house and fully paid for it. It is 3109 square feet on 0.39 acres. In other words, there is no mortgage anymore. I suppose repairs might be needed at some point. The education is really what I paid. I attended Northeastern University and UMass Lowell long ago, which was about $17,000 per year. I have a kid in University of Central Florida now, paying $16,000 per year. I have multiple kids at Eastern Florida State College now, attending for almost nothing because tuition is paid under a dual-enrollment agreement by the local school district. Even books are covered. We just pay for a $40 parking permit and $10 per semester for wireless network access. I spend $4k a month on groceries because I have a family of 14, I shop at Publix (a normal nice-quality supermarket), and I have a fondness for things like fish and less-typical fruit. That estimate is a couple years old, so it might be higher now. So really I'm not feeling any inflation. Power is cheap (thanks FPL), water is cheap, I no longer have to pay a long-distance provider per-minute phone charges, and fuel is still cheap. I went from having a car loan at 7% to just buying my cars in cash. For less money, I get a car with more seats and more power. Capitalism does a really nice job of making life affordable. Maybe I'm the inflation. I cost more, but you won't find me in the consumer price index.
  - solosoyokaze 6y ago
    Well you’re in a highly unusual situation. How much is your employer paying for health ins for you? How about your car and house insurance? Your property taxes?
    - souprock 6y ago
      It's my anecdote, which is every bit as valid as your anecdote. I don't know or really care how much my employer pays for the health insurance. My pay went up, not down, when they started paying 100% of health insurance. I skip most car and house insurance, getting it only for liability. I'll take a risk on the cars or house needing to be replaced. I pay $266 per month for property taxes. The house is a nice upgrade too. Over the years I have gradually upgraded from living near a heroin dealer and hearing gunshots at night, to a really peaceful street near the beach. I'm just not seeing the inflation. Even if I look around town at the cheap apartments, those are affordable. They go for $800 to $1200 per month here, which is not much more than I was paying 20 years ago. They can go for half that in many locations, such as near Dayton, OH.

solosoyokaze 6y ago

You’re health insurance most definitely did not go to zero. It’s up thousands of percent. If your employers are eating that cost, they’re taking it out of your salary. Your rent went to zero: complete BS or you’re in some kind of unique situation that applies to only you. Housing is one of the main drivers of inflation. Your education claim is equally ridiculous. I also don’t believe you spend $4k a month on groceries (but zero for rent).

souprock 6y ago
Well, those are my costs, as paid by me. I suppose my employer could have given me a raise instead of deciding to fully pay for the health insurance. The line item on my paycheck is gone now, and I didn't take a pay cut to make that happen. Actually I got a big raise at the time. 20 years ago, and even 10 years ago, getting health insurance required that I grant permission to deduct part of it from my paycheck. That's gone. Although in theory I have a high deductible now, my employer effectively cancels that by putting an equal amount into a health savings account. My rent went to zero because I bought a house and fully paid for it. It is 3109 square feet on 0.39 acres. In other words, there is no mortgage anymore. I suppose repairs might be needed at some point. The education is really what I paid. I attended Northeastern University and UMass Lowell long ago, which was about $17,000 per year. I have a kid in University of Central Florida now, paying $16,000 per year. I have multiple kids at Eastern Florida State College now, attending for almost nothing because tuition is paid under a dual-enrollment agreement by the local school district. Even books are covered. We just pay for a $40 parking permit and $10 per semester for wireless network access. I spend $4k a month on groceries because I have a family of 14, I shop at Publix (a normal nice-quality supermarket), and I have a fondness for things like fish and less-typical fruit. That estimate is a couple years old, so it might be higher now. So really I'm not feeling any inflation. Power is cheap (thanks FPL), water is cheap, I no longer have to pay a long-distance provider per-minute phone charges, and fuel is still cheap. I went from having a car loan at 7% to just buying my cars in cash. For less money, I get a car with more seats and more power. Capitalism does a really nice job of making life affordable. Maybe I'm the inflation. I cost more, but you won't find me in the consumer price index.
- solosoyokaze 6y ago
  Well you’re in a highly unusual situation. How much is your employer paying for health ins for you? How about your car and house insurance? Your property taxes?
  - souprock 6y ago
    It's my anecdote, which is every bit as valid as your anecdote. I don't know or really care how much my employer pays for the health insurance. My pay went up, not down, when they started paying 100% of health insurance. I skip most car and house insurance, getting it only for liability. I'll take a risk on the cars or house needing to be replaced. I pay $266 per month for property taxes. The house is a nice upgrade too. Over the years I have gradually upgraded from living near a heroin dealer and hearing gunshots at night, to a really peaceful street near the beach. I'm just not seeing the inflation. Even if I look around town at the cheap apartments, those are affordable. They go for $800 to $1200 per month here, which is not much more than I was paying 20 years ago. They can go for half that in many locations, such as near Dayton, OH.