BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Inflation is on the rise again, and with the start of school just around the corner, parents in our neighborhood are feeling the pinch when it comes to back-to-school shopping.
"We actually just finished shopping for school today, I just came to get a couple of stuff that we needed," said Marisol Gamon.
Gamon says her daughter, Maria, starts class on August 13th. She's been carefully watching prices and only bought the basics to get her kids started.
When asked if she was only getting a few things because of the price increase, Gamon confirmed the challenge.
"Yeah, because I have to shop for three children," she said.
And she's not alone. According to the Consumer Price Index, the headline inflation rate is now 2.8%.
"Unfortunately, a lot of the items that consumers pick up for back to school are going to be hard hit," said Richard Gearhart, professor of economics at California State University Bakersfield.
Gearhart says clothing prices at big retailers could climb as much as 40%.
"So a $10 shirt will now be $14, spending $100 at Old Navy would be spending $140," he said.
School supplies aren't spared either—Gearhart expects a 10% increase.
"So $100 on pencils and notebooks would cost $110," he said.
Gearhart says three main factors are pushing prices up: tariffs, higher wages for workers, and overall economic uncertainty.
"And in times of economic uncertainty, businesses will raise their prices because they don't know if they're going to be able to survive the next few weeks or months on their current margins," he said.
For parents like Gamon, it's an ongoing struggle.
"I would like for the prices to go a little lower, but who's to say it will happen," Gamon said.
Gearhart says he hopes inflation will level off and price increases will slow—but for now, families in our neighborhood may need to stretch their dollars a little further.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
