Bargains are on the brains of shoppers as the holiday gift-buying season gets into high gear.<\/p>\n
And talk about information overload: You’d be hard-pressed to miss the flood of “best deals” lists offering tips on which retailers or brands are slashing prices on goods and services.<\/p>\n
But what if the nation’s official price tracker, the Consumer Price Index<\/a>, was used as a bargain-hunting tool?<\/p>\n My trusty spreadsheet looked at the CPI’s 330 expenditure categories, seeking out large price declines between July and October.\u00a0Perhaps it could find a cost-shaving shopping idea or two within the CPI’s biggest price cuts \u2013 or at least a hint of what’s behind inflation’s recent moves. Inflation rose 1% during the past three months after a 2.2% gain in the previous nine months.<\/p>\n Here are some items with gift-season possibilities and noteworthy price dips, as suggested by recent CPI moves \u2013 plus a peek at the previous nine-month change …<\/p>\n Apples: <\/b> Off 9.1% past three months after a 5.7% gain previous nine months. Who’s up for pie or a crumble?<\/p>\n Laundry equipment: <\/b> Off 7.1% past three months after a 4.1% drop previous nine months. Is a washer or dryer as an appropriate holiday gift?<\/p>\n Men’s suits\/outerwear: <\/b> Off 6.9% past three months after a 3.4% gain previous nine months. Does a man in your life need more “back to the office” garb?<\/p>\n “Other” condiments: <\/b> Off 6.4% past three months after a 13.2% gain previous nine months. Another hint for dessert! Lots of baking goods included \u2013 yeast, flavorings, chocolate chips, butterscotch, and maraschino cherries.<\/p>\n Women’s outerwear: <\/b> Off 5.5% past three months after a 9.8% gain previous nine months. Price breaks just before winter’s chill.<\/p>\n Women’s dresses:<\/strong> Off 5.3% past three months after a 5.1% gain previous nine months. Does a woman in your life need more “back to the office” garb?<\/p>\n Girls’ apparel: <\/b> Off 5.1% past three months after a 5% gain previous nine months. Back-to-school has ended but bargains persist.<\/p>\n “Other” video equipment: <\/b> Off 5% past three months after a 1.4% gain previous nine months. Less demand for “set-top boxes” as consumers flee cable TV for streaming services.<\/p>\n Used cars and trucks: <\/b> Off 4.4% past three months after a 2.8% drop previous nine months. The pandemic boom is clearly over as new car dealers have plenty of inventory.<\/p>\n Potatoes: <\/b> Off 4.1% past three months after a 0.8% gain previous nine months. Mashed seems more appropriate than baked or fried around the holidays.<\/p>\n Not everything is fine with inflation as some goods are still seeing price surges. Here are five recent noteworthy CPI upswings that may dent the holiday gift budget …<\/p>\n Sports tickets: <\/b>Up 12% past three months after a 12% gain previous nine months. Gifting entrance to athletic events won’t be cheap.<\/p>\n Bacon: <\/b> Up 11% past three months after a 10% drop previous nine months. Maybe bacon-wrapped appetizers next year?<\/p>\n Photographic equipment\/supplies: <\/b> Up 7% past three months after a flat previous nine months. Cell phone snapshots may have to do.<\/p>\n Window coverings: <\/b>Up 6% past three months after 1% drop previous nine months. Maybe new blinds weren’t a great gift idea anyway.<\/p>\n Indoor plants\/cut flowers:<\/b> Up 6.2% past three months after 2.6% drop previous nine months. Green gifting can be costly.<\/p>\n Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n
\n
\n