@sandia2007:  in order for the local price change to average out (down) over a longer period of time there would have to be priced reductions (never) or price increases lower than 1-2% (never).

Furthermore, low income seniors don't buy 600 different goods from 175 classes so whatever the CPI says is the rate of inflation is most certainly not reflective of the prices for the limited basket of goods on which they spend the majority of whatever income they have.

You have fallen victim to the same fallacy that caught Carrick.