The government’s plan for lowering inflation and reducing prices is to harm our economy and cause around one million Americans to lose their jobs.
Are there any volunteers who are willing to take one and live without an income for a few months so that we can all get better deals on dozen eggs?
No? I didn’t believe so.
It can be confusing to understand the basics of monetary policy. It’s the whole break-something-to-fix-it strategy. It sounds terrible enough. But, add in the possibility of a recession that could result in even more unemployment, and the risk of having our economy rebuilt. You might wonder if this is the best plan we have.
More concerning: After Wednesday’s most recent hike , the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by almost four percentage points this year. There has been little evidence that the plan is actually working.
This is where we are at the moment and where the Fed wants to take the economy.
These numbers are stubborn
If you like to have a conversation about economics with your evening drink, here are the numbers that stubbornly resist the Fed tight money squeeze :
The CPI is the primary measure of inflation. Although the Fed does not actively track it, almost everyone else does. It’s a survey of consumer prices. This includes food, shelter and commodities as well as medical care, energy, and energy. Prices increased by 8.2% in the 12 months ended September. This is a slight decrease from August’s 8.3%. Inflation has fluctuated between 2% and 3% over the past 30 year, or was much lower. We have a long way yet to go before we can return to the historical norm.
Personal consumer expenditure survey: The PCE does not track consumer prices but measures actual spending. Due to rising prices, September’s spending increased 6.2% compared to one year ago. The Fed expects annual consumer spending to rise by only about 2%. It is not even close.
Gross domestic product (GDP): This measure measures the national value created by the production of goods or services. If the economy falls into recession, it will be negative. Despite GDP declining in the second quarter of last year, it rose at 2.6% annually in the third quarter. This number is close to 2 %.
Unemployment rate: As the economy cools, the Fed expects that the unemployment rate will rise to 4% to 4.5%. In September, the unemployment rate was 3.5%. Wrong direction.
Hopefully closer to the end than the beginning
These numbers will change. Eventually. It is clear that higher interest rates can be used to beat the economy, leading to a million people losing their jobs.
What about the price the financially weakest among us will have to pay? Perhaps we can do something to change that. Now is the time to recall those pre-flight instructions that you used long ago. Put on your oxygen mask first and then help others. Here’s how to do it.
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Keep your finances in order. It’s important to recognize your worth and make sure that your colleagues are aware of it.
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Help others by donating food to food banks and winter clothing to people who are most in need. Also, make sure to leave money for holiday gifts that will help others.
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Surprise others with kindness. Recently, smiles are in short supply.
Are you a victim of lottery fever? People forget to cash in.
The Powerball jackpot of a billion dollars this week certainly caught our attention. Can you imagine someone winning even a small amount of money and not getting paid? It’s more common than you might imagine.
Someone in Mesa, Arizona let the expiration date of six months pass without redeeming a winning $4.3 million ticket. Unclaimed lottery tickets have been reported to be in the $50-70 million to $70 billion range. Wait. Wait.
If you’re going to buy a ticket worth a million dollars, set an alarm on your phone so that you check the winning numbers before you go to collect the cash.
No more Coupons
Last but not least, a tip for saving cash when shopping : Check that the discounts advertised on the shelf make their way to the checkout.
Recent audits of Dollar General stores in Butler County found double-digit errors at checkout prices. According to an Ohio attorney general lawsuit, prices displayed on shelves were often overcharged at registers. The error rate between the 20 county stores was as high at 88 span>
It was common for shoppers to buy more than one item at a discount price.
Take note of the lowest priced items on your shelf as you shop. As Black Friday nears, it is a good idea for you to keep an eye on the register.