No Inflation, Huh?

So there's no consumer price (for want of a better word, because this isn't the technically correct one) inflation, huh?

Last night I dropped by a Starbucks location on my way home to buy a pound of espresso beans. For as long as I can recall, it's been a $10.95 purchase.

Except last night. It suddenly jumped to $12.95.

An 18.3% price increase!

To be honest, I'd read over a month ago that the chain was going to be raising prices soon. I'd expected it last time I bought my espresso beans.

I rarely buy coffee drinks at Starbucks, preferring, instead, to brew my own espresso for cappuccinos and iced lattes at home. A pound of beans probably lasts about a month. So you'd think that $24/year more for coffee shouldn't matter.

And maybe, to me, it won't, very much. Perhaps two fewer inexpensive dinners out in a year will cover the cost.

But what about the poor schmucks who are addicted to their daily Starbucks fix? Are they going to head to Dunkin Donuts or McDonalds now? Or just spend less on something else each day?

Either way, I call this a definite food price increase. If I had a word that didn't mean debauching the value of our money (inflation), that's what I'd call this.