Shrinkage

I have always found it interesting how the government calculates inflation.  They simply remove the items that are going up in price from the formula.  It is more than a political ploy.  Government entitlement increases are based on the rate of inflation giving Uncle Sam a vested interest in officially declaring there is no inflation.  So much for my Social Security increase!!! 

It also doesn’t take into account the inflation you can’t see….shrinkage.  Have you Golden Oreo lovers noticed there is something askew about those nifty new sticky top packages?  The number of Oreos per pack has shrunk.  Shrinkage!!  How about the full size Reese’s Cups in those big orange packages.   Today’s full size Reese’s Cup is now the size of a Junior Mint.  If they shrink anymore, you will be buying the wrapper. Shrinkage.  

The same goes with a Hershey Bar.  The jumbo size now is equal to the regular size years ago.  But they give you a deal if you buy three jumbos at a time.  Like the health police want you to eat three Hershey Bars at a time!   Shrinkage.
                                                                                                        
Manufacturers and retailers know that people are rising price adverse.  So they trick you.  That 16 oz. package becomes a 12 oz. package which is now a 10 oz. package.  Five pounds of flour is now four pounds of flour just as three pounds of sugar is now two pounds of sugar.  Coffee canisters are fancier and smaller than ever, masking the decrease of in the actual coffee content for which you are buying it in the first place.  Shrinkage.

Produce and meat is a bit trickier.  A 12 oz. steak is a 12 oz. steak.  But if you watch either QVC or HSN you can see the frozen meat packs they offer from companies like Kansas City Steak Company are never described in the total weight of meat.  It’s put in terms of how many pieces of meat you are buying.  20 steaks!!!  Ya….but they are only 4 ounces which means you have to eat two for a normal type serving (To the resident food police…no….a 4 oz. steak is not normal serving!!!). And if that’s a 4 oz. steak they are showing on television, my waste has shrunk to 36 inches.  It also means you have to do the math while watching television.  Good luck with that!!!  Shrinkage!!!

 Which brings me back to my Social Security check.  I think I got a 1/10th of 1% increase this year….because there is no inflation.  So much for my purchasing power in an era of $3.75/gallon gas.  Some guys might be worried about one kind of shrinkage.  Phooey on that.  Quit shrinking my check!!!  And get me one of those jumbo Hershey Bars.  

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