Official inflation reports have been in chaos since the government shutdown, so we took matters into our own hands.
Business Insider turned to its readers to gauge whether grocery hauls, shopping sprees, and fuel were more expensive while official data reporting was in question.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks roughly 80,000 prices a month and uses that to compile a monthly report about food, apparel, and other expenditures. However, the agency couldn’t collect survey data for the October consumer price index report due to the government shutdown, leading to the report’s cancellation. The November data release has been pushed back from December 10 to December 18.
Given that uncertainty, Business Insider was curious what kind of price changes US consumers were seeing. We asked Americans to answer our survey between November 10 and November 13. Naturally, this unscientific survey is a far cry from BLS’ usual heroic efforts to gather price data, but it can at least give a sense of how everyday shoppers are feeling about their wallets.
We asked about whether people saw price changes in the last month or two for 10 categories, and about 200 readers filled out the survey at least in part. This chart shows how many said they saw a price hike in each category.
Some responded with observations about how prices have shifted over a longer period, so the chart below reflects any mention of a rise. We excluded responses that were unclear or were not applicable, with some exceptions. For each category, that resulted in between 90 and around 200 usable responses.
Most respondents said they’ve noticed a rise in grocery and dining out prices, with one person calling dining out a luxury and another saying it’s nearly impossible to do so. Some respondents specifically called out the cost of meat. A higher share of applicable respondents noticed an increase in coffee prices than in alcoholic beverages. Some said gas prices fluctuate, so less than half said they’ve noticed a rise. Not many Americans noticed a rise in their rent.
Survey respondent Jeni Garcin said she and her husband have noticed price increases for tires, coffee, and many other items.
“It’s so frustrating that people like us who are financially responsible, who are doing everything right, are still just feeling like we’re stretched every step of the way,” Garcin told Business Insider.
Garcin is cost-conscious, but she’s not willing to cut out all expenses; she views coffee as a luxury “self-care item,” so she’s willing to pay the higher price. However, she’s willing to opt for a cheaper burger option when dining out or cut back on chips.
“Even though sometimes I want the sour cream and onion, I look at the price, and I just, I’m not going to do that,” she said.
Almost all survey respondents mentioned a price change in groceries. One person said they’re forgoing treats because things are too expensive, while another said they look for buy-one-get-one offers. One survey respondent said coupons aren’t helping and that their standard list of groceries has more than doubled in price.
Survey respondent Sarah DeVellis Adams said grocery prices have crept up. She thinks the cost of vegetables has been pretty stable, but thinks the cost of meat and processed foods has increased.
“It’s absolutely affected our bottom line because the other things that are going through increases, we’re forced to pay — utilities and things like that,” she said. “There’s no way out of it. And so the only thing we can manipulate is our grocery budget, and it gets harder and harder the more things cost.”
DeVellis Adams said her family doesn’t dine out often because it has become unaffordable, adding that one outing can add up to an entire week of food, so she would rather use the money for groceries.
Some survey takers were so put off by prices that they would rather not dine out anymore. Year-over-year consumer price index data up to September showed prices have been rising faster for food away from home than for food at home.
Pet owners are also finding they’re spending more to feed their furry friends. Some respondents said there’s been double-digit growth. Consumer price index data showed prices for pet food and treats increased 0.5% in September from a year ago, much smaller than the increases in 2022 when inflation was sky high.
About two-thirds of people said they have seen a change in toiletries and personal care products. Some of them said paper products have increased.
A few survey respondents called out or alluded to shrinkflation, where items have shrunk but not the price, or felt like prices have jumped, but quality has worsened, such as for clothing.
We asked survey takers if they had experienced any other notable price changes. Several people mentioned the cost of entertainment, repairs, and insurance. CPI data showed that the year-over-year increase in motor vehicle maintenance and repair remains elevated compared to pre-pandemic rates.