Has there been any info on a SS increase in '11? What is it, two years

[monmouth]

since we had a COL increase? Just wondering. Thank you..

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Not that I have been informed of.

[monmouth]

2. Hopefully it will be announced about a week before the elections..LOL...n/t

[wishlist]

3. 2009 increase was 5.8% , several months data needed before 2011 decided

April through September cost of living figures will be needed before it is announced definitely that no raise next January. It has not been two years since last raise as the Jan 2009 was 5.8% which most people seem to be forgetting.

[monmouth]

5. It seems like 3 years but you are right....n/t

[DesertFlower]

4. we usually don't know until september/october.

i thought i heard that it was going to be a 2 year freeze on COLAs.

[Statistical]

6. Bad news is inflation has been low. Also when inflation is accounted for in SS increases...

previous increases are compensated for.

So there was a 5% increase in 2009 thus the benchmark becomes prices from 2008.
Even gasoline which has risen recently is no where near the prices in 2008.

[Paper Roses]

7. The COL increases are a misnomer. The COL has increased

most for almost everyone in my opinion. The price of everything we buy has increased yet there was no COL increase this year. Go Figure. For me, the COL has risen considerably. Everything I have to pay for is much more than last year. Just had my last of the season fuel delivery. $2.89 a gallon. It was less last year.

More basic. Groceries. I just had to pay $2.29 for a bunch of celery. Give me a break, celery? Used to be 99 cents. I just paid my electric bill, same story. Gas, 2.89 gallon. My house insurance took a huge leap. 10 pounds of potatoes, $2.89. My house taxes-a big jump.

Damn it, I can't think of anything that has not gone up in price this past year. Who is the government kidding or am I just stupid?

Where do you live that the COL has gone down or stayed the same?

[monmouth]

8. Oh, I agree with you, that's why I asked. My food bill, even with me

on a diet, is considerably higher than in the past. Too much month, not enough income to stretch..LOL.

[quiller4]

9. I don't know where you live, but the cost of living in our community

is down. I live in western Washington.

The average rent in our community has dropped almost 12% since the end of 2008 and the vacancy rate is double what it was. Our electric rate dropped nearly 18% when a temporary surcharge was lifted in mid-2009. Our home owners insurance premium dropped by a whopping $10 per year. Our house tax dropped, too, but the percentage was less than 1% (that was due to decline in home values throughout our area. The tax rate didn't change, just the home valuation). We live in a senior mobile home part. We paid cash for our double wide in 2002. This is the first year since we moved into this park that space rents did not increase.

Gas is about .05/gal higher now than it was last year but we must be driving less because what we are paying each month is down a bit. We drive two older vehicles. Our car insurance premium for liability and uninsured motorist dropped substantially.

Our grocery bill is unchanged from last year. At this time of year I buy much of our fresh produce from local farmer's markets. Greens are a bit higher in price but berries and cherries are quite a bit cheaper this year and plentiful.

I just completed an audit for a local food bank and noted that their food purchasing costs were down for most of the items they buy in bulk.

The only major expense that increased this year was my health insurance. We both retired early. I'm not yet old enough for Medicare. My health insurance went from $310 to $360 monthly for $3500 deductible 80/20 coverage.

[juajen]

10. Well, everything here seems to have increased.

This is probably because our economy is good compared to most of the rest of the country. Home values are up, home insurance is horrible and the deductible is sky high (all of this supposedly because of Katrina, though we have had no claims for storms in the 25 years we have lived here.) Believe it or not, our deductible for a named storm is 8500 dollars. Our insurance commissioner just ignores it and there is no relief for homeowners on the coast either. I guess they want to get rid of all of us so they can build great big condos for the rich, though the new "Gulf of Big Oil" could put that out of reach for them right now. Greedy b******s.

Have you all noticed that prices are close to what they were, but the contents are reduced in size. Like cereal and mayo and coffee and hot dogs, you name it. So, prices are higher. I have seen no reduction.

[Paper Roses]

11. I'm in the Northeast. The only thing that has gone down here

is Real Estate. I'm referring to the selling prices, not the assessed value. My assessment went up, tax rate up, and my insurance company raised my rate for homeowners insurance.

Phooey on all of it. I made more money in 1968 and I am living on now.

Why do we still refer to a can of coffee as a pound of coffee? They are 13 ounces. Guess it is just easier. A pint of Ice Cream is 12 ounces. The list goes on and on.

[golfguru]

13. But computers & TV's & digital camera'a are cheaper

now than 2 years ago. That brings the COL down.

[LibinMo]

12. Another stimulus payment in the works

http://waysandmeans.house.gov/press/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=11310

But ONLY if there is no COLA in 2011. Then too, this bill would have to get through Congress. Surely the Republicans won't let it happen, especially before the elections.