cost of living

Couples retiring this year can expect their medical bills throughout retirement to cost 4 percent more than those who retired a year ago, according to an annual projection released Wednesday by Fidelity Investments.

With everyday expenses rising, well, every day, thriftiness isn't shameful -- it's just good common sense. So Kiplingers went hunting for the 10 best cities for cheapskates: places where a dollar stretches a lot further.

The Consumer Price Index, which measures inflation, is only as effective as the assumptions it makes -- in this case, about what you buy. If you spend more on certain things than most people, then the CPI will do a terrible job of reflecting the prices you actually pay. In particular, retirees often don't fit the CPI profile well at all.

Consumer prices stayed flat in November, further evidence that inflation has cooled off. Energy costs dropped for the second straight month, which offset higher prices that Americans paid for food, clothes and medical services. The consumer price index was unchanged in November, the Labor Department said Friday. That followed a 0.1 percent decrease in October.

Social Security recipients, 55 million strong, will get a 3.6% cost of living increase next year. There has not been a cost of living increase from the fund in three years. This one is so small that it may harm consumer spending. It certainly won't help -- another likely drag on GDP.

As the world watches the uprising in the Arab world, another popular revolt is taking place in Israel. There, citizens are in an uproar over the same thing that raises the ire of many average Americans: the high cost of living. Israelis want affordable housing, food, gas, goods, and services. Or, as they put it, social justice. Could we take their actions as a model?

Everyday expenses have a direct effect on the price of doing business, which is why CNBC measures the cost of living when it does its survey of the top states for business. So where would a business find a state where the cost of living is low? The survey results point to the South.

Vacancy rates have been declining at apartment buildings across the U.S., sending rents soaring. And because housing makes up a big part of core inflation, those higher rents could translate into a doubling of the inflation rate this year.

There will be no cost-of-living adjustment in Social Security payments for 2011, the second straight year without an increase. The Social Security Administration said today that inflation is too low to justify a boost. The decision will affect more than 58 million retirees and disabled Americans....

Boeing's plan to relocate two major defense programs from California to Oklahoma could signal the start of a major shift in the locations of defense contractors, and how they work. For the areas attracting the companies, it's about jobs. For the contractors, it's about remaining competitive.