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Costs of what? Consumer electronics and appliances? The staples of life that matter most - food and housing - have not decreased in cost.

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Not true on food.[1] CPI for food has fallen off a cliff in the last year+ compared to core CPI (ex food and energy). It is even negative currently, so yes food prices are decreasing. It seems to have been moderately lower on net since the end of the great recession.

[1] http://imgur.com/a/p0ELF

You're right about food, which yo-yos like other commodities and is somewhat tied to energy.

Housing, health care, and college tuition are the great Satans of the economy for the middle and working classes. These have inflated without bound regardless of what wages or employment are doing.

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