These Goods and Services Have Actually Dropped in Price This Year

These Goods and Services Have Actually Dropped in Price This Year

Photo: vanitjan (Shutterstock)

The Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index for April 2022 shows an increase of .3% for the price of goods compared to the prior month, bringing the 12 month increase on all items to a staggering 8.3%. While products and services hit hardest by rising costs include airline fare, used cars and trucks, and furniture, not every industry has been effected. In fact, there are a few goods and services that have maintained their price year-over-year, if not grown less expensive overall.

Smartphones

Inflation year-over-year: -16.1%

Leading the brigade of items unaffected by inflation are smartphones, which have not only stemmed off the trend, but managed to see a significant decrease in price overall. If you’re in need of a new device, now seems as good a time as any to upgrade. To get the juices flowing, here are 7 of the best affordable smartphones that aren’t the iPhone SE. (We’re also big fans of the new Pixel 6a.)

Televisions

Inflation year-over-year: -5.8%

Sensing a bit of a trend? The prices for select electronics have done well on the consumer market. You could buy a TV new now, but it’s possible prices will fall even further. Consumer Report’s Samantha Gordon says the best time to buy a television is between late fall and early winter, when holiday sales begin. Prices also tend to drop around the end of the year because new models will be coming out in January, so stores will try to offload their remaining inventory to make room.

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Music subscriptions

Inflation year-over-year: 0.0%

In 2022, no inflation is almost as good as price deflation. In the past year, music subscriptions have on the whole seen no price increase (I wish I could say the same for TV streaming subscriptions). If reading this compels you to sign up for one of them, make sure to choose one that will get you the most bang for your buck.

Watches

Inflation year-over-year: -0.3%

For what it’s worth, accessories on the whole have resisted the forces of inflation, with jewelry only seeing a 0.4% increase year-over-year, while watches has actually dropped slightly in price on average. It might be the right time to buy if you’re in the market for a traditional watch, but if you’re considering an Apple Watch or a Fitbit, your insurance company might help pay for it. 

Audio equipment

Inflation year-over-year: -2.6%

If you’re looking to start a podcast, now may be the time: Following the trend of other electronics, audio equipment has managed to stave off inflation too. Just make sure you have a bit of direction for your prospective show; we don’t need another group of friends trying to get by on just “shooting the shit.”

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