Intro
Inflation is often spoken about in terms of the economy, but what is it? Inflation is when there is an increase in the prices of goods and services. This naturally happens over time as the demand for certain items grows and the supply falls. However, sometimes inflation can occur more rapidly due to outside forces, such as political unrest or a natural disaster.
As an earning individual living in an economy, it is important to understand how inflation affects the economy. The two scales of an economy – supply and demand- are greatly affected by inflation and, in turn, get affected by it too. Moreover, economic decisions depend on inflation; on a personal level, inflation can impact your spending, investments, and savings. So, what exactly is inflation, and why does it matter? Read further to find out.
What is Inflation?
Inflation is often described as the “general level of prices for goods and services” rise. This is usually calculated by measuring the Consumer Price Index (CPI). In other words, it’s the rate at which the prices of everyday items like food, gas, and clothes increase over time. Every dollar you have shrinks when inflation rises because it can’t buy as much stuff. Deflation is the opposite of inflation, which is when prices go down overall.
There are all sorts of reasons why inflation might happen. It could be that there’s more money chasing fewer goods (like if the government prints a bunch of money, but there’s still the same amount of stuff to buy). People could also expect prices to go up in the future, so they start buying things now instead of later. And sometimes, companies raise their prices (like when oil goes up).
Types of Inflation
Inflation can be categorized in multiple ways. However, the main kinds of inflation are either ones that are caused or ones that are classified according to the rate at which they increase.
- Cost-push inflation – When the prices of raw materials or labor costs rise, this can lead to the cost of production growth. It pushes the price of the products and creates cost-push inflation.
- Demand-pull inflation – When the demand for products increases at a rate where the supply cannot keep up, this causes demand-pull inflation.
- Deflation – Deflation is the opposite of information, where the prices of goods and services drop instead of increasing.
- Disinflation – Similar to deflation, this is when there is a falling rate in the prices of goods and services in an economy.
- Creeping inflation – A slowly rising inflation where price changes are below 3% yearly.
- Walking (trotting) inflation – Inflation remains within a single digit despite a yearly rise in prices.
- Running (galloping) – When there is a significant price increase with inflation moving to double digits.
- Hyperinflation – Exponential growth in inflation leads to an economic crisis.
- Stagflation – High prices even when the economy is not doing well.
How Inflation affects and Economy
Inflation is an economic concept that affects everyone, but it can be difficult to wrap our heads around. In layman’s terms, inflation is when the prices of goods and services increase over time. This can be caused by several factors, such as an increase in the cost of raw materials or simply because more money is chasing the same amount of goods. Whatever the cause, inflation erodes the purchasing power of our money and can have a major impact on an economy.
One of the most obvious effects of inflation is that it leads to higher prices. This can put a strain on businesses, as they have to either absorb the higher costs or pass them on to consumers. In either case, profits are likely to take a hit. Inflation can also lead to increased uncertainty as businesses and consumers try to anticipate how much prices will rise in the future. This can lead to decreased investment and consumption, dragging down economic growth.
Finally, inflation can disproportionately hurt those on fixed incomes, such as pensioners or people with savings accounts. As prices increase, their incomes stay the same, meaning they have less money to spend on essentials.
Inflation is often thought of as a rise in the prices of goods and services. However, inflation is a measure of the purchasing power of money. When the purchasing power of money decreases, this is known as deflation. In either case, inflation (or deflation) affects economies somehow.
One of the most direct effects is on interest rates. Interest rates tend to rise when inflation is high to attract more economic investment. This can lead to higher lending rates and increased borrowing costs, slowing economic growth.
In addition, high inflation can result in reduced spending by consumers and businesses as they try to conserve their cash reserves. This can also lead to layoffs and a decrease in production levels. Overall, inflation can positively and negatively affect an economy, depending on the current economic conditions.
Why does Inflation matter
Inflation matters for its many changes and effects on demand, supply, and prices. It affects consumers, suppliers, and government spending within an economy.
For consumers, the prices of goods and their standard of living are heavily influenced by inflation. With an increase in inflation, the purchasing power of money lessens while the prices of goods increase. This can lead to a decrease in the demand for goods and services. Inflation also affects government spending, taxes, and interest rates. When there is steady growth in an economy, it shows that the inflation rate is also increasing steadily. This can be beneficial for an economy to increase its demands for consumer goods and services.
For businesses, the increasing demands can lead to an increase in supplies. However, there needs to be a balance between the purchases and the products supplied. Economic growth heavily depends on a scale where the two factors are balanced.
With increasing interest rates in banks, you may get value on your savings. However, it does not beat the increasing rate at which inflation surges. To beat inflation, one must invest their income for the time value of money to be retained. To retain the purchasing power of inflation, investments are the best bet.
How to protect yourself from Inflation
The most important thing to remember is that inflation is beneficial and harmful. You need to counter inflation with investments and savings that will provide you with the real-time value of money in the long run. Hence, to protect yourself from inflation, there are several things you can do.
- Do not hoard money in your savings accounts. Though it feels good to have a safety net of cash in hand, saving money will mean that the purchasing power of money loses strength in the long run. The interest rates you receive do not provide you with the safety that inflation will counter.
- Next, diversify your investment portfolio. In simple words, do not put all your eggs in one basket. Invest in multiple returning areas that will help you for your future.
Conclusion
Inflation is a complex economic concept, but it’s important to understand because it can greatly impact your finances. By understanding the different types of inflation and how they work, you can make more informed decisions about your money.
