2024 COLA 3.2%

[Tbird]

https://www.hadit.com/2024-cost-of-living-allowance-cola/

[Dot09]

At least it’s something that we are getting. I just wish it truly reflected the hardship of inflation on groceries, medical bills, and gas. 

[Lemuel]

Just the utilities have gone up more than any COLA until last year and that still barely exceeded the increase in utilities.  Did not touch the increase in groceries.

[Dot09]

Lemuel

i can definitely agree on groceries. I don’t see them going down anytime soon as companies are more greedy. I personally spend at least 300 dollars a week every time I go and that’s only a household of two. 

[Lemuel]

Same.  So where is the decrease?  If medical, dental, groceries, etc. are going up and our COLA is eaten up by things we have no choice but to pay just for sheltering, something must be going down that is in the COLA calculation or we are being scammed.

 

[Vync]

6 minutes ago, Lemuel said:

Same.  So where is the decrease?  If medical, dental, groceries, etc. are going up and our COLA is eaten up by things we have no choice but to pay just for sheltering, something must be going down that is in the COLA calculation or we are being scammed.

I agree completely. The way they calculate the cost of living changes from year to year does not accurately reflect reality.

Of course, where you live or visit can make a different. For example, I was in California last month for a week and 87 gas was in the $6/gallon range, but I filled up today here in Alabama for $2.87/gallon. Like everywhere else, the cost of everything else has went up from 30% to over 100% ranging from food, utilities, gasoline, restaurant, and other store items. My wife got a kids meal at a restaurant and it was over $9, but just three years ago it was about $5.

Edited October 16, 2023 by Vync

[broncovet]

Wow!  I thought I posted here with some examples and an easy way to calcualte your new (2024) pay.  But I dont see it.  I may have gotten distracted.  

The easy way of calculating your 2024 compensation is to multiply your 2023 comp times 1.032.  It works.  You dont have to take several steps, one step will do it.