Not everything is getting more expensive: 8 things that have fallen in price over the past 20 years

8 things that cost less today than 20 years ago NBC

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Inflation hit a 30-year high in 2021 largely due to the pandemic, which caused supply chain problems and a surge in consumer demand.

But not everything is much more expensive today than it used to be.

President Biden gave a speech Tuesday on the economy as prices on almost everything rise in America, especially gasoline and groceries. These days, it seems like everyone is worried about inflation—after all, an October statement from the Labor Department showed that the 2021 inflation rate of 6,2% was the highest in 30 years.

The pandemic caused much of the inflation that American shoppers faced, with supply chain problems and a spike in demand after the quarantine ended.

But some products and services have somehow managed to avoid inflation for decades.

Here are eight things that cost less today than they did in 2001:

Plane tickets

The average cost of a round trip ticket in 2001 was $321, and in 2021 it is only $260.

That's a drop of 19%—or 46% when adjusted for inflation.

And while the pandemic has affected airfares, ticket prices have been steadily falling since 2000, according to the Bureau of Transport Statistics.

Music

Social costs aside, the cost of a CD typically ranged from $ 13,99 to $ 19,99 ($ ​​21,86 to $ 31,25 in today's dollars).

Today, you can buy most of the new albums on iTunes for between $ 8,99 and $ 13,99.

Televisions

Despite the fact that television technology is improving every year, the price of a television has fallen sharply over the decades.

In 2001, a new model could have cost thousands of dollars, but today a good one can be bought for a few hundred.

The pandemic has caused a significant increase in TV prices, but the average inflation-adjusted price is still about 96% less than it was 20 years ago and 99% less than it was in 1950, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

On the subject: Biden decided to use strategic US oil reserves to stabilize gasoline prices

Computers

Like televisions, technological advances have made personal computers exponentially better and cheaper.

Modern computers still cost thousands of dollars in 2001 ($ 3499 for one of Apple's first PowerBooks; $ 5468 in today's money).

But today the price of the MacBook is approaching $ 1000.

Books

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans are buying fewer paper books these days, despite the fact that their value has plummeted over the past decade.

However, educational books disprove this trend, as their prices have steadily increased (along with the price of higher education) over several generations.

Apparel

Although some garments are more expensive today than they were in 2001, it is easier to fill your closet today than it was 20 years ago, as clothing prices have lagged behind inflation, according to the Statistical Office of Labor.

This is true even with the supply chain problems that have driven clothing prices up over the past year.

Toys

The cost of new toys has plummeted in recent decades, by about 70% since 2001, according to the Statistical Office of Labor.

However, if you have a mint-colored Tamagotchi that is still stored after all these years, it will probably be worth a lot more than it was 20 years ago.

Cellular services

The cost of top-end smartphones may have increased—along with the costs of sending and storing all that data—but basic talk and text plans will set you back just $10 to $20 a month, which is significantly less than the cheapest plans that could be found in 2001.

In fact, the cost of landline phone services, cellular services and even internet services has either fallen or increased at a slower rate than inflation since 2001, according to the Bureau of Statistics.

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