Prices are up, and house sales are down over the past 4 years.

From 2023 to 2024 my food/grocery bill went up 47%, from an average of $303/month to $445/month. I track my restaurant/eating out costs separately and they went up from an average of $111/month in 2023 to $118/month in 2024 AND we've cut back on going out to eat. We also use coupons and sales and online rebates.

Under Biden here is the official gov't data of things that are up, which are bad:

1. Record consumer debt due to higher prices: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CCLACBW027SBOG

2. Peak inflation at 8% in 2022: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FPCPITOTLZGUSA Remember when the press releases said it was 6%?

3. Housing price index for California are up under Biden-Harris: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/USSTHPI

4. Housing price index for all of US are all up: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CASTHPI

5. US median price of houses sold: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MSPUS

6. Labor costs are even higher on Biden putting more pressure on business who cannot hire more people: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/IPUEN311U101000000

7. Food prices are still increasing but the first graph looks inaccurate, the increase looks too low. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/ag-and-food-statistics-charting-the-essentials/food-prices-and-spending/

8. Food price index went from 205 to 260 since Jan 2021. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PCU311311

These indicators are down, indicating a sluggish economy:

1. New build housing starts are down because people cannot afford to build a house: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/HOUST

2. The existing home sales are down vs Feb 2024 because people can't afford houses (looks like a new measurement for 2023): https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/EXHOSLUSM495S

Remember, personality doesn’t matter, policy does. Policy affects you and your bank account.