Need help with a "real inflation" project?

Question

I'd like to put together a few calculations to determine "real inflation" over the past 10 years.

When I say "real inflation" i mean what a US family pays for necessities.
These would be:
Food,
Gas,
Heating fuel,
Housing - rent
Housing - home purchase
clothing
Health insurance
Toiletries
Automobiles

Just to do these rough calculations, I'd need figures for the above categories in 1996, 2001 and 2006.
(or if nothing can be found for 2006 then 1995, 2000, 2005)

My premise is that "real inflation" or the actual cost of living for a family far exceeds the figures we hear on the news.

Can you point me to sources for the numbers i need for the above calculations?
Thanks!

Answer 1

Boy you're going to be disappointed when you find out your premise is wrong. Government CPI figures OVERstate inflation, not vice versa. But, you might be able to cherry-pick just certain items that have seen the most inflation, and ignore things like huge improvements in automobiles and bigger houses, and make your case.

Answer 2

i am sorry but i think you are asking the wrong question based on misunderstanding of what inflation is..

inflation is annual rise in prices, and it has been occuring year-on-year for the past many years (not in Japan, as they had deflation) but in most parts of the world. So, by defenition, prices have risen over the past years and families pay more for standard commodities.

i think what you are trying to measure is either real income (how much your income can buy after you take account of inflation) or possibly disposable income (how much you have left after paying for all the necessities of life)..

now these things possibly have fallen over the years, whilst the mainstream media in the US would make you believe otherwise.

As to the data you need, i can suggest some organisations, but nothing certain:

economics LTSN gateway to economic data
PACIFIC international trade and business link
global financial data
world bank statistics
world economic outlook database (IMF)
richards tucker data resource site
US federal reserve bank
WTO

the list is by no means exhaustive.

Answer 3

Get into the web page of the federal reserve. They have all that statistical data. They already have theat calculated. Now, take into account the depreciation of the dollar on a domestic level, and there you'll see how much families are losing on the dollar every year. That should really open your eyes. GOOD LUCK