Inflation Builder
Track inflation based on a customizable basket of essential commodities. Start with 9 core items and add or remove commodities to build your personalized inflation index.
Year-over-Year Breakdown
| Year | Inflation |
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Inflation Trends
Basket Composition
0 itemsCustomize your inflation basket
Understanding Your Personal Inflation Rate
How This Index Works
Build a customized inflation basket using essential commodities from the database. The default includes nine fundamental items: eggs, milk, ground beef, chicken breast, white bread, bacon, coffee, electricity, and gasoline. For each of the last 5 full calendar years, we calculate the average annual price for each commodity, then compute an equal-weighted basket price. The year-over-year inflation rate represents the percentage change compared to the previous year.
Why This Matters
The official CPI includes thousands of items with complex weighting methodologies, which can obscure dramatic price increases in basic necessities. The Inflation Builder isolates the most inelastic components of consumer spending—goods you cannot easily substitute or eliminate. When eggs, beef, bread, and gasoline all surge simultaneously, households feel the squeeze immediately. This index captures that reality.
Interpreting the Results
The year-by-year breakdown shows precisely when inflationary pressures intensified and moderated. High inflation years (above 10%) indicate acute crises in food and energy markets. Moderate years (2-5%) suggest relative stability. Use this tool to contextualize your own grocery bills and energy costs—essential commodities have experienced inflation far exceeding the broader economy.