KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With the release the latest inflation data, KSHB 41 News is examining the impacts it will have on the Kansas City area.
Some residents KSHB 41 spoke to said the 0.4% increase in inflation will only make it harder to make ends meet.
"I’ve got this big house, and my utilities just skyrocketed," said Nora Karnes, a Kansas City resident.
With the calendar turning to colder months, people will start to see more increases on energy bills.
Utility gas service has seen a significant increase over the last 12 months in the Midwest, according to regional data released on Thursday. It rose more than 36%, and electricity is up 12%. Overall energy is up 20.7%.
It's not just energy in your home — the White House is still keeping a close eye on the price at the pump.
"Gas prices fell 5% in the September report, but at the end of September, they started coming up," said Jared Bernstein, who serves on President Biden's Council of Economic Advisors. "We're trying to increase the global supply of energy."
People can also expect to see price hikes at grocery stores.
Lisa Holliday told KSHB 41 News that the higher prices in groceries will cause her to make changes while celebrating the holiday season.
"Probably asking other family members to bring things instead of providing everything for everyone," she said. "Everyone does a little bit. And we may be looking at different recipes and how to cook differently."
Overall food prices are up 12.7% from last year. Broken down by category, cereal and bakery products rose 18.6%, dairy and adjacent products are up 16.5%, and fruits and vegetables went up 13%.
"We have vastly more choices than most of the rest of the world," said William Black, an Economics and Law professor at UMKC. "So, if something goes up, we can buy something else. In economic jargon, we call these substitutes."
Even with all those choices, bills are higher. Inflation is stubbornly sticking around as the seasons change.
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