Coping with the current spike in consumer prices

The pandemic produced a serious amount of pent-up consumer desire. Most of us spent very little money during quarantine, but that doesn’t mean we weren’t hoping for or needing a bunch of new stuff. 

Now that restrictions are lifting, we’re ready to shop. And, well, what do you know? The prices on nearly everything seem to have gone through the roof. Why? Is it just a matter of supply and demand, or is something else at play?

MPR News guest host Chris Farrell, senior economics contributor, speaks with an economist and a personal finance specialist about navigating the current consumer economy. How do you make your money go the farthest, find the best deals and decide if you can and should buy that new car?

Guests:

• Richard Eisenberg is the managing editor and editor of the Work & Purpose and Money & Policy channels at Next Avenue, public media’s journalism service for older generations.

• Kimberly Palmer is a personal finance Expert at NerdWallet.