@fulltimestudent:
Inflation is definitely noticeable (some products more than others) but it doesn't feel like 20%. Not sure how they calculate 'real inflation' though. From what I read, people who are renting or need to purchase a car are getting hammered right now.
For myself, the most noticeable areas have been groceries and gasoline. The price of gas has been offset for me because my company is permanently work at home, so a full tank will last me a month now instead of a week when I was commuting.
Groceries are odd. At the big box grocery store some things have gone up alot and some only a little. For example, the coffee I used to buy there has nearly doubled in price, but if I buy it at ALDI or Trader Joe's, it's only about a dollar more than it was a year ago. Canned goods, the price difference is not noticeable. Meat prices are insane everywhere unless you catch a sale. Produce is hit or miss. Some things like melons are about the same as they are every summer, but citrus is really expensive. Tomatoes, Onions, Cabbage, Potato....may have gone up, i dont remember the exact price a year ago, but not noticeably.
Anything pre-packaged, has gone up alot. Frozen Pizza's, Microwave dinners, even cereal. But I generally avoid that stuff inflation or not.