Inflation has been creeping up. How are Americans feeling its effects?

0:00It's Consider This, where every day we go deep on one big news story. Today, inflation. Everyone's feeling it. The price of gas on the rise again. On the rise again after President Trump said the ceasefire with Iran had collapsed, with strikes intensifying and a renewed blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. Energy analyst John Kilduff of Again Capital told NPR last week that the price of fuel will most likely continue to climb. The discount party at the pump is over. We're not going to see much relief. We should be going back over$4 a gallon, a national average here, pretty quickly. The spike in gas prices has also helped push annual inflation to its highest levels in three years.

0:40That coupled with the increase in food prices, Americans are feeling the pain. Consider this. Economic data only tells part of the story. We spoke with three people to understand how they are dealing with the high cost of living.

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1:59It's Consider This from NPR. The U.S. war in Iran has caused gas prices to skyrocket. Inflation is at a three-year high of 4.2 percent, and wages are not keeping up. To better understand how Americans are coping, we checked in with three people from across the country. Jennifer Browning in Gulfport, Mississippi. Hey, Jennifer. Hi. Alex Garcia in Seattle, Washington. Alex, thanks for joining us. No problem. And Chuck Lockhart in Whitefield, New Hampshire. Hey, Chuck. Hello. I want to start with introductions from all of you. We heard your name, but tell us a little bit about your circumstances, your age, what you do.

2:37Jennifer, why don't you start us off? Okay, I am Jennifer Browning. I'm 44. I do a lot of things. I'm a substitute teacher during the school year. I do DoorDash, Instacart, and recently just started pet sitting as well. Oh, man, that's a lot of stuff. We're going to get back to all of the stuff you're doing in a moment for sure. Alex, how about you next? Yeah, hi. I'm Alex Garcia. I own a local sports pub that's been in Seattle since like the 40s. And I have to keep the business going because I have a bunch of starving bartenders who work for me. Chuck, how about you? Well, I'm retired. I'm 66.

3:21I'm an Iraqi veteran. I used to be in law enforcement and corrections. What's happening currently right now in my life is we're selling a house to move into a more retirement-friendly type dwelling. So we're consolidating. Yeah, yeah. You know, like I said, we talk so much about the numbers and the stats, but I think so many people, the economy is a gut feeling. You know, if it feels good or it doesn't feel good, it feels secure if it doesn't feel secure. Tell me how you're feeling right now. Jennifer, how are you feeling? You mentioned all the different jobs you're working. Oh, I actually did forget one during open enrollment season.

4:07I am also a licensed health insurance agent. So it's four or five you just mentioned then? Yes. Basically, I'm doing anything I can just to keep a roof over my head. I don't have that sense of security, even though I own my mobile home. So yeah, there's a lot of fear all the time of just trying to stay on top of the bills. Yeah, that makes sense. Chuck, what about you? Do you feel secure, insecure? I feel like I have to be very diligent because I'm on a fixed income. It's requiring me to make sometimes some difficult choices. And obviously with the gas prices, it's caused a couple of robbing Peter to pay Paul situations.

4:53And Alex, what about you? It sometimes feels like we're running a marathon and no matter how hard you work, you can't ever get to the finish line. The weird thing about owning a local neighborhood pub is you really feel it within your customers because I see customers that lose their job, they're on unemployment, used to come in and have three beers. Now they come in and have one just so they can get some sanity. They'll show up and just socialize, but you feel the tension. It's really weird being at a pub where you can really tell that people are worried. Yeah. And at the same time, I have to imagine just the food industry, given what it is, you have been seeing the increased cost for everything day-to-day, minute-to-minute, huh?

5:42We're losing money on everything. And we know where we should put our prices. But we also know that our customers are in the same spot as us. and so we just hope we make it up with alcohol because if we were to raise the price of our food you know i feel like people wouldn't be able to afford it and so it's this really weird balancing act you have to do yeah jennifer where do you in your life feel the squeeze specifically the most what's a thing you have to pay for or or plan for that you feel like the cost is just top of mind at every moment? I would say in matters of health, because I currently don't have health insurance.

6:23So if I, you know, if I am sick or, you know, need just a regular monthly prescription, that's a bit difficult. And then also, you know, sometimes I have to decide between paying a bill, like the power bill, or buying groceries. What do you do when you have to make that decision? I will ask family for help. My mom helps sometimes. Or I will do, you know, DoorDash or whatever I have to do. Chuck, you said before that you feel like everything has to be really meticulously planned. You have to think through everything you're going to do. I'm wondering where you feel in this economy right now, what you're thinking about the most as you make those decisions.

7:10I'd have to say gas prices and transportation. I live in a very rural area, no public transportation. You got to travel at least 10 miles to a grocery store. So when prices started to spike, you started to have to think, is this trip necessary? Or what can I double up where I used to make two trips? Can I fit it all into one trip? Chuck, I say this with respect, you're the senior member of the conversation here. You've got about 20 years on everybody else. But I know you mentioned when you talked to NPR before that you had been thinking about the oil crisis, the inflation crisis, you know, earlier on in your life.

7:55Yeah, I lived through all of that. And it was difficult because it was a shock, especially the first one in 73. But the thing that strikes me the most about back then is television was free, your phone was in your house, and you didn't use it a ton. And there was just a lot less things that felt necessary. And you could eek by a lot easier, it felt, than it does now. You know, you're all sharing a lot about your economic situation, and I'm hearing some clear themes from all of you. But let me put this to you. If you could have a listener just understand one thing about your economic situation right now to better understand what we're seeing across the country, what would it be?

8:43Alex, I'll start with you. Just based off this conversation alone, like, doesn't matter where you live in the United States, like, I think we're all kind of feeling the same pain. We're kind of all in it together. Times are tough, and everyone's just doing their best to get by. Chuck, what about you? Life's a struggle, and it doesn't need to be as difficult as it is. And I don't care what the numbers say coming out of Wall Street or Washington. Most of America is struggling. Jennifer? Being someone who has not had stable employment in the past couple of years, there's a lot of shame heaped on people who are looking for jobs.

9:28It's in social media comments. It is sometimes said by friends or even family, you know, well-meaning, you know, well, you should just do this or you should have done this. But I would definitely say just be kind because people need grace in those moments of their life. That is Jennifer Browning in Gulfport, Mississippi. Chuck Lockhart in Whitefield, New Hampshire and Alex Garcia in Seattle, Washington. Thank you so much to all of you for talking with us. Thanks for having us. Thank you. NPR's Scott Horsley contributed reporting to this episode. It was produced by Kai McNamee and Karen Zamora with audio engineering by Ted Meebane.

10:12Our director is Jonas Adams. It was edited by Tim Beat Airmius. Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dornick.

10:24It's Consider This from NPR. I'm Scott Detrow. Hi, it's me, Peter Sagal, host of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. It's summer, and if you want to turn your pool party into a nerd fest, check out our news quiz. We've got comedians, we've got celebrities, we've got games to help you laugh about the week's news. Yeah, that news. It'll be just like we're all hanging out at your backyard barbecue. Listen every week to Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

10:52This season on Planet Money Summer School, we're going on a world tour. And first up, we're following the money down under. From Australia's market where people buy and sell water to how New Zealand is changing the way central banks fight inflation. Pack your bags and come along as we learn from the rest of the world. Planet Money Summer School. Listen on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.