Wages and Prices with Fexingo: Cost of Living, Pay Raises, and Workers' Purchasing Power

In episode 104 of Wages and Prices with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna examine how average hourly earnings are finally outpacing health insurance premium growth—a historic shift that changes household math. Using June 2026 data, they dissect the latest CPI medical care index (up 2.1%) against a 3.4% wage gain, and discuss why employer plan costs are actually moderating. They also tie in the cooling labor...

In this episode of Wages and Prices, Lucas and Luna look at the latest data showing that wage growth is finally outpacing rent increases in many US cities. Using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' rent index and average hourly earnings figures from June 2026, they break down why this shift is happening, how it affects renters versus homeowners, and what the 4.2% unemployment rate means for bargaining...

Episode 102 of Wages and Prices examines why your paycheck is finally outstripping the cost of leisure travel. Hosts Lucas and Luna anchor on June 2026 data: average hourly earnings hit $37.60, while airfare and hotel prices have barely budged. They break down the mechanics—stagnant airline capacity, Airbnb saturation, and a cooling labor market that’s giving workers more bargaining power. The epi...

In Episode 101, Lucas and Luna dive into the latest data showing wage growth outpacing credit card interest rate hikes for the first time in years. With consumer prices still rising but average hourly earnings hitting $37.60 in June 2026, the gap between what workers earn and what they owe on plastic is narrowing. The hosts break down why this matters for household budgets, how Federal Reserve pol...

In this milestone 100th episode of Wages and Prices, Lucas and Luna explore a surprising trend: for the first time in years, wages are outpacing the cost of dining and drinking out. With average hourly earnings at $37.60 and the CPI for food away from home growing more slowly, the hosts break down what's changed — from restaurant pricing power fading to the shift in consumer spending toward experi...

In Episode 99 of Wages and Prices, Lucas and Luna examine why your paycheck is finally outpacing gym membership costs. Using June 2026 data showing average hourly earnings at $37.60 and core PCE inflation at 2.2 percent, they break down how big-box fitness chains like Planet Fitness and boutique studios like Barry's are raising prices slower than wages are climbing. The hosts explore whether this...

Episode 98 of Wages and Prices dives into a surprising milestone: wage growth is now outpacing the cost of new vehicles for the first time in years. Lucas and Luna examine the latest data on average hourly earnings, which hit $37.60 in June 2026, against a new-car transaction price that has plateaued around $48,000. They unpack why car prices stopped surging — think normalizing supply chains, risi...

In Episode 97 of Wages and Prices, Lucas and Luna explore how average hourly earnings have finally outpaced the cost of home internet service. With recent data showing median weekly earnings up nearly 4% year-over-year while broadband prices have actually fallen slightly, the hosts dig into why internet costs are bucking the inflation trend. They discuss the role of fiber competition, the end of p...

In Episode 96 of Wages and Prices with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna tackle a pocketbook issue that's been quietly squeezing homeowners: insurance premiums. While wages have outpaced inflation in many categories, homeowners insurance has stubbornly risen faster than paychecks for years. Using fresh data from June 2026, Lucas explains how average hourly earnings have finally caught up, climbing 3.2% year...

In this episode of Wages and Prices, Lucas and Luna break down a surprising inflation milestone: for the first time in three years, the average hourly wage in the private sector—now $37.60—has outpaced the rise in coffee prices. Using data from the June 2026 jobs report, they explore how the 'latte effect' has flipped, what it means for consumer sentiment, and why this single commodity tells a big...

In this episode of Wages and Prices, Lucas and Luna examine a surprising trend: despite gym memberships rising faster than overall inflation for years, wage growth is finally outpacing the cost of staying fit. Using June 2026 data where average hourly earnings hit $37.60, they break down how the typical worker now needs fewer hours of labor to afford a monthly gym pass than they did two years ago....

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dig into the surprising data on streaming service pricing. While consumers have felt relentless price hikes from Netflix, Disney+, and others over the past few years, new wage growth data from June 2026 shows that average hourly earnings have finally outpaced the cost of a typical streaming bundle. Lucas breaks down the numbers: average hourly earnings hit $37.60, u...

In Episode 92 of Wages and Prices with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore how average hourly earnings have outpaced the cost of cellphone plans for the first time in years. With the latest data showing wages up 4.2% year-over-year and wireless prices dropping 2.8% due to carrier competition and consolidation, they break down the math behind a rare win for consumer budgets. They examine the role of T-...

In Episode 91 of Wages and Prices with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dig into why renters insurance premiums have been rising at just 2.8 percent year-over-year while average hourly earnings are up 3.2 percent. That gap means your paycheck is finally pulling ahead of this particular expense. They break down the data behind renters insurance pricing — from climate risk reassessments to the role of inflat...

In Episode 90 of Wages and Prices, Lucas and Luna explore a rare bright spot for household budgets: average hourly earnings are finally outpacing electricity price growth. With fresh June 2026 data showing wages up 4.2% year-over-year while residential electricity costs have risen only 3.1% over the same period, the purchasing power of a typical paycheck is stretching further on this essential uti...

Hosts Lucas and Luna break down the latest data showing wage growth finally outpacing auto insurance premiums. They examine why car insurance costs rose 22% last year but have flattened in 2026, while average hourly earnings continue to climb. Using fresh June jobs report figures and CPI data, they explore the mechanics of insurance pricing, the role of telematics, and what this means for workers'...

In episode 88 of Wages and Prices with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna tackle a surprising inflation laggard: used furniture. While wages have risen roughly 7% over the past two years, prices for secondhand tables, sofas, and dressers have actually fallen nearly 12% since 2022, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The hosts explore why a glut of pandemic-era furniture, a cooling housing market, a...

This episode of Wages and Prices examines the shifting economics of childcare in mid-2026. With average hourly earnings up 0.3% month over month to $37.60 and the employment cost index for wages rising steadily, a growing number of families are finding that pay raises now outpace the increase in daycare and preschool tuition. Lucas and Luna break down the numbers: while the cost of center-based in...

Episode 86 of Wages and Prices examines how rising wages are now outpacing the cost of used cars, flipping the script from the pandemic-era frenzy. With average hourly earnings up to $37.50 and used car prices falling for six consecutive months, Lucas and Luna break down the data, explain why CPO warranties still matter, and dig into the shift in buyer power. They also look at how falling demand f...

In Episode 85 of Wages and Prices with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna break down how renters insurance premiums have been rising at a slower pace than average hourly earnings — meaning your raise is finally making this coverage more affordable. Using current economic data, they explore why renters insurance costs have stayed relatively flat compared to auto or home insurance, what's driving the slight in...

In Episode 84 of Wages and Prices with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna examine how wage growth is finally outpacing the cost of daycare. With average hourly earnings at $37.50 and median weekly earnings hitting $1,204, parents are seeing real relief after years of crushing child-care inflation. The hosts break down the numbers—including a 3.2 percent annual raise versus daycare cost increases that have sl...

In Episode 83 of Wages and Prices, Lucas and Luna break down why college tuition is finally rising slower than wages. Using fresh CPI data (May 2026) and the latest average hourly earnings figure of $37.50, they show how the long-running trend of tuition outpacing inflation has flipped—and how that changes the calculus for families. They zero in on public four-year universities, which saw the bigg...

In Episode 82 of Wages and Prices with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna break down the latest data showing that wage growth is finally outpacing health insurance premiums. Using the May 2026 CPI report, which showed health insurance costs rising just 2.1% year-over-year while average hourly earnings hit $37.50, the hosts explain the structural shift behind the numbers—from employer plan redesigns to the ri...

In Episode 81 of Wages and Prices, Lucas and Luna examine how wage growth is finally outpacing property tax increases in many U.S. markets. Using fresh data from May 2026—including average hourly earnings at $37.50 and a rising employment cost index—they break down why homeowners are seeing relief after years of double-digit tax hikes. The hosts walk through county-level examples, explain the lag...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dig into the latest wage and rent data to explore a turning point for renters. With average hourly earnings up to $37.50 and rent growth slowing to its lowest pace in years, real purchasing power for tenants is finally improving. The hosts break down the numbers from the May CPI report, discuss why rents have stayed sticky for so long, and what the Fed's preferred P...