That would make sense, except prices for things like groceries aren't rising. And I can't think of anything that's rising in price at the same rate as the markets.
That is not true here...
I know this is a subjective measurement, but my groceries do not change very much, and I do not normally get very much at the store - so the stuff I do get is very much the same.
I have added 10% year over year to the grocery budget for the last 2 years, and maybe the year before that (I honestly can't remember), for basically the same things.
Some of that is to be expected - retail was surely shortened up durng the recession, so I would expect it to stretch out some.
Some of that can be explained in product changes (brand for brand) For example, I prefer to buy canned beef at the Costco, but finding it there is rare enough that when I do I have to dip into savings and buy a bunch... I went to Wallyworld now - which is not as good a product, and more expensive, but always available, so easier to budget.
Some of it can be accounted in price point for particular things - Coffee for instance has gone way up, at least for the brand I usually get - to the point that I am going to shop price on it, and try something else.
But it's getting to the point that I cannot reasonably justify 20% over 2 years simply by the variables.
I am paying more.
Now, that also may just be me - All I am buying is either basics like beans, rice, and produce, or deluxe things like meat, ice cream, and trail mix... I don't do much in the middle because I make most my own or get it off the ranch... and what case goods I buy come out of a different budget... And I rarely buy prefab foods.
So my take on it may be acclimatized to the segments in which I participate.