About InflationWatch
Making inflation tangible, one commodity at a time
Our Mission
Inflation isn't just a number—it's the rising cost of eggs, milk, gasoline, and the everyday items that impact your budget. InflationWatch was created to help people understand how inflation affects their daily lives by tracking real prices of common commodities over time.
While official inflation statistics provide valuable economic data, they can feel abstract and disconnected from personal experience. By visualizing the actual price changes of specific items you buy regularly, we make inflation tangible and relatable.
Why It Matters
Real Impact on Your Budget
Track the items you actually purchase and see how price changes affect your household spending. Understanding these trends helps you make informed financial decisions.
Historical Context
View decades of price data to understand whether current prices are historically high, low, or normal. Context matters when evaluating economic conditions.
Transparent Data
All our data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the same source used for official inflation calculations. We simply make it more accessible and visual.
Identify Trends Early
Spot price trends before they significantly impact your budget. Early awareness enables better planning and smarter purchasing decisions.
How It Works
Data Collection
We source our data directly from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Average Price Data, which tracks the actual retail prices of goods and services across the United States. This is the same data used to calculate the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Price Tracking
Each commodity page shows historical price trends, year-over-year percentage changes, and identifies when items are at record highs. Our charts make it easy to visualize long-term trends and short-term fluctuations.
Your Personal Inflation Index
Everyone experiences inflation differently based on what they buy. Use our Inflation Builder tool to create a custom inflation index weighted to your actual purchases, giving you a more accurate picture of how inflation affects your specific situation.
Data Sources
All price data is sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Average Price Data program. The BLS collects this data monthly from thousands of retail establishments across the United States.
Important: This product uses the FRED® API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. We are an independent project focused on making economic data more accessible to everyday consumers.
Free Forever
InflationWatch is completely free to use. We believe everyone should have access to transparent, easy-to-understand information about inflation and how it impacts their daily lives. No ads, no paywalls, no hidden fees—just data.
Start Exploring
Discover how inflation is affecting the items you purchase every day