Inflation and Your Money with Fexingo: Protecting Purchasing Power and Beating Inflation

In this episode, Lucas and Luna examine how streaming services are quietly raising prices while cutting content, eroding subscriber value. They discuss the latest CPI data showing core inflation at 336.1, and how the major platforms have increased prices by 20-30% over the past two years while reducing library sizes. They offer practical strategies for viewers to measure their own streaming value...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into why gold, often seen as the ultimate inflation hedge, is actually losing ground to inflation in 2026. Gold is down about eight percent in the past month while the Consumer Price Index keeps climbing. They break down the numbers: gold at roughly four thousand one hundred twenty-four dollars an ounce, the GLD ETF sitting at three hundred seventy-seven dollar...

Lucas and Luna explore how inflation is quietly eroding the real value of profits from prediction markets, which have surged in popularity. Using the latest CPI data—May's index at 334.0, up from 332.41—they calculate that a $10,000 trading gain is worth about $200 less in purchasing power than a year ago. They discuss how Kalshi traders are betting on gas prices staying high amid U.S.-Iran tensio...

Episode 104 of Inflation and Your Money with Fexingo revisits gold — but with a fresh twist. Even as the spot price hovers near $4,100 an ounce, gold mining stocks like the GDX ETF have dropped over 3% in the last week. Lucas and Luna dig into why the metal itself and the companies that dig it up can move in opposite directions, and what that means for everyday investors trying to protect their pu...

In this episode of Inflation and Your Money with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dig into a surprising inflation victim: pet insurance. With the Consumer Price Index at 334.0 and core PCE rising, pet insurance premiums have surged over 20% year-over-year in 2026 — far outpacing overall inflation. Lucas breaks down why vet costs are soaring (specialty care, consolidation, drug prices) and how insurers are...

Episode 102 dives deep into a painful paradox for precious metals investors: even as gold prices have surged past four thousand dollars an ounce, real purchasing power has barely budged. Lucas and Luna break down the numbers using the latest CPI and gold data from July 8, 2026, explaining why your gold holdings might feel like a mirage when you try to spend them. They explore the mechanics of nomi...

Lucas and Luna look at how inflation is driving up life insurance premiums in 2026. With the Fed holding rates steady at 3.63% and the PCE index still creeping up, insurers are raising term and whole life rates by double-digit percentages. The hosts break down why inflation hits life insurance differently than car or home insurance — it's all about the bond yields insurers earn on their reserves....

In this milestone 100th episode of Inflation and Your Money with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna drill into an often-overlooked cost of inflation: its impact on auto loan interest rates. Even with the Fed holding the federal funds rate steady at 3.63 percent since June, the average rate on a new-car loan has creeped above 7.5 percent. Why? The hosts unpack the mechanics: lenders build inflation expectatio...

Episode 99 of Inflation and Your Money with Fexingo: Lucas and Luna unpack why Series I savings bonds are suddenly a much weaker inflation hedge than most people think. With the new November 2025 rate reset at 3.11% and CPI data showing persistent pressure, the hosts crunch the numbers on what a $10,000 I-bond purchased in 2022 is actually worth today. They discuss tax treatment, the three-month i...

Lucas and Luna explore a hidden inflation threat: your emergency fund. With CPI at 334 and the Fed funds rate stuck at 3.63%, cash savings are losing purchasing power by about 2% per year after inflation. Lucas reveals that the median American emergency fund of $5,000 has lost roughly $400 in real value since 2023, even as nominal balances grow. They discuss whether high-yield savings accounts (no...

Lucas and Luna dive into the hidden costs of holding gold as an inflation hedge. With spot gold at $4,159 and the GLD ETF up 3.3% in a week, they examine how storage fees, bid-ask spreads, and the opportunity cost of zero-yield assets quietly eat into real returns. Plus, they discuss why the 10-year breakeven inflation rate at 2.23 suggests the market isn't panicking, and what that means for your...

Episode 96 of Inflation and Your Money with Fexingo. Lucas and Luna dig into how inflation is silently devaluing the points and miles you earn from credit cards. They break down why the average point is worth 0.67 cents today, down from 0.86 cents five years ago, using data from Bankrate and The Points Guy. Lucas explains the mechanics: as airlines and hotels inflate award prices, your points buy...

In Episode 95 of Inflation and Your Money with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dig into a surprisingly sticky source of inflation: your home internet bill. They break down why prices have risen more than official CPI numbers suggest, how the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program left millions of households paying full price, and what the latest broadband data reveals about hidden fees and plan change...

Lucas and Luna dig into how inflation is quietly inflating the cost of monthly subscription boxes — from beauty samples to meal kits. Using the latest May CPI data (all items up to 334.0, core at 336.1), they trace how rising input costs for raw materials, shipping, and labor are squeezing margins and leading to smaller boxes, higher prices, or both. They highlight specific examples like a popular...

Episode 93 digs into a surprisingly stubborn inflation pocket: car repairs. With the CPI at 334.0 and core PCE creeping up, Lucas and Luna explain why your mechanic's bill is rising faster than headline inflation. They break down the specific forces — from parts shortages to labor costs to the digitalization of modern vehicles — that have pushed repair costs up over 30% since 2020. Using a real ex...

In this episode of Inflation and Your Money with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna break down how inflation is quietly reshaping the cost of college tuition. They anchor the discussion around the latest CPI data showing that college tuition and fees rose 4.2 percent year-over-year as of May 2026, outpacing both headline and core inflation. The hosts explore why universities keep raising prices even as enrol...

In episode 91 of Inflation and Your Money, Lucas and Luna examine how auto loan costs are creeping higher even as the Fed holds rates steady at 3.63 percent. They break down why new-car financing now averages over 7 percent APR, how used-car loans are nearing 11 percent, and how longer loan terms mask true vehicle affordability. The hosts discuss the shift from 48-month to 72- and 84-month loans,...

In Episode 90 of Inflation and Your Money with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna tackle a massive household expense that rarely gets the inflation spotlight: childcare. With the latest CPI data showing childcare costs up 5.6% year-over-year as of May 2026, the hosts drill into the specific drivers—from rising insurance and rent for daycare centers to the labor shortage squeezing supply. Lucas explains why t...

Lucas and Luna dig into the specific mechanics of rent inflation in mid-2026. With CPI shelter costs still running above 5 percent annually and the Fed holding rates steady at 3.63 percent, tenants are feeling the pinch. The hosts break down why asking rents are climbing even as core goods prices moderate, how the cost of capital is squeezing smaller landlords, and what the ten-year breakeven infl...

Episode 88 of Inflation and Your Money with Fexingo. Lucas and Luna dive into how rising reconstruction costs and climate risk are quietly inflating your homeowners insurance premiums — even if you haven't filed a claim. They break down the latest CPI data, explain why your dwelling coverage limit may be underinsured by 20 percent or more, and offer practical steps to avoid a nasty surprise at ren...

Episode 87 of Inflation and Your Money with Fexingo dives into a hidden inflation front: gym memberships. Lucas and Luna break down how fitness chains are shrinking perks, raising fees, and layering on surcharges while keeping base prices sticky. They cite recent CPI data showing recreation services up 4.2% year-over-year, and discuss Planet Fitness's 2026 price hike on its classic card from $10 t...

When was the last time you checked whether your homeowners insurance actually covers the cost to rebuild your house? In this episode, Lucas and Luna dig into replacement-cost inflation—a hidden tax that's pushing underinsurance to crisis levels. They break down how construction-labor shortages, higher lumber prices, and supply-chain delays have pushed rebuild costs up 40% since 2020, while many po...

Episode 85 of Inflation and Your Money examines how inflation has reshaped the cost of your daily coffee. Lucas and Luna break down the numbers: a pound of coffee beans has risen over 40% since 2020, and the average latte now sits at $6.75 in major U.S. cities. They explore the role of climate change, supply chain shifts, and the shrinking 'shrinkflation' bag size. With the CPI for coffee up 8% ye...

In Episode 84 of Inflation and Your Money with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dive into a hidden inflation front: car insurance. While CPI shows auto insurance up 22% year-over-year, the real story behind rate hikes is far more complex. Lucas unpacks how repair costs—driven by advanced sensors, expensive parts, and labor shortages—are the primary culprit, not just claims frequency. He cites data from the...

In Episode 83 of Inflation and Your Money with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dig into a quiet inflation story: your home internet bill. With average broadband prices rising faster than headline CPI, they unpick the forces pushing costs up — from infrastructure upgrades to data-hungry streaming and 5G buildouts. They reference the latest Fed funds rate at 3.63% and the 10-year breakeven inflation at 2.22...