These official government inflation increases in 2014 — for 24 items that comprise a significant percentage of the household budget — incorporate “substitution” and “quality improvement” reductions made by the government. The actual increases, prior to these statistical manipulations, are higher.
Food at home: 3.7%
Food away from home: 3.0%
Meat: 12.7%
Fish and seafood: 5.6%
Eggs: 10.7%
Milk: 5.2%
Fruits & vegetables: 4.1%
Coffee: 4.2%
Butter: 22.5%
Natural gas: 5.8%
Footwear: 2.8%
Prescription drugs: 6.4%
Newspapers & magazines: 4.8%
College textbooks: 5.0%
Cigarettes: 3.1%
Apartment rent: 3.4%
Owners equivalent rent: 2.6%
Hotels: 7.3%
Water & sewer: 5.6%
Medical care: 2.4%
Hospital care: 4.9%
College tuition: 3.4%
Postage: 4.1%
Tax preparation: 6.1%
