I think it was a story recently in either "Money" or "Business Week" how even though we see an increase in inflation, large numbers of people will instead shift down a notch on the products they buy. Walmart mac n cheese instead of Kraft, drop a tier on cable service, clothes from Kohl's instead of Penneys, etc. And those actions in turn mitigate the impact inflation has upon them.

No joking! I just got back from the store. The price of refried beans went up so much, that I decided to buy the store brand instead my usual brand. Refried beans of all things! What's next?

I also switched away from Campbell's Cream of Mushroom to the store brand recently for recipe's and to the bulk-bin onion soup mix. I've always been frugal and shopped the sales but with prices going up so fast, I find myself thinking twice about buying the name brand.

CG