U.S. gasoline prices this Thanksgiving are the lowest since 2009

"U.S. retail regular-grade gasoline prices continue to decline, averaging $2.82 per gallon (gal) as of November 24. This average is 47 cents lower than a year ago, and the lowest price heading into a Thanksgiving holiday since 2009. Traditionally, the Thanksgiving holiday is one of the most traveled times of the year in the United States, and much of that travel is by car. AAA estimates that during this Thanksgiving holiday weekend (November 26-30), 41.3 million people in the United States will travel more than 50 miles from home by car. This level of travel, 4.3% higher than the same time last year, is the highest number of travelers by car for Thanksgiving in seven years and the third highest since AAA began publishing the data in 2000..."
Gas prices

Changing the Federal Reserve’s Mandate: An Economic Analysis

"The Federal Reserve’s (Fed’s) current statutory mandate calls for it to “promote effectively the goals of maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates.” Some economists have argued that this mandate should be replaced with a single mandate of price stability.."
Changing the Federal Reserve's Mandate

Average Food Prices: a snapshot of how much has changed over a century

"As many senior citizens will tell you, prices have increased quite a lot over the past century. Of the items listed, potatoes were the least expensive item in 1913, at less than 2 cents per pound. By 2013, flour had replaced potatoes as the cheapest item per pound among the items tracked. And while potatoes remain among the cheapest food items today, potato prices have increased over 39-fold since 1913, the sharpest rate of increase seen of the items tracked over the past century..."
Average Food Price changes over the years

Gasoline and Diesel Fuel (Gasoline Component History)

A historical table indicating cost of a gallon of gasoline with breakdown of retail price, refining, distribution and marketing, taxes, and crude oil components.

Rising Gasoline Prices 2012

"Average national gasoline prices have increased by $0.46 to $3.78 per gallon between the end of December 2011 and the end of February 2012. This is $0.20 higher than the 2011 average annual gasoline price of $3.58 per gallon. In the first half of 2011, unrest in the Middle East and North Africa contributed to higher crude oil prices, which pushed gasoline prices higher. In early 2012, tensions with Iran are contributing to rising crude prices, which again are pushing up the price of
gasoline.

Higher gasoline prices burden the budgets of households and businesses. Higher gasoline costs can increase indebtedness or reduce spending on other goods and services. They also yield a windfall for crude oil producers because the rise in gasoline prices is driven primarily by higher crude oil prices. The revenue increase is primarily for crude oil production as opposed to refining; crude oil is a cost for the refining business..."

What do I Pay for a Gallon of Regular Gasoline?

"The national average retail price of a gallon of regular gasoline in January 2012 was $3.38. The four main components of the retail price of a gallon of gasoline, and their approximate share of the total price in January are:

Crude Oil: 76%. The cost of crude oil as a share of the retail price varies over time and among regions of the country. Refiners paid an average of about $108.00 per barrel of crude oil, or about $2.57 per gallon, in January 2012.

Refining Costs and Profits: 6%

Distribution, Marketing, and Retail Costs and Profits: 6%

Taxes: 12%. Federal excise taxes were 18.4 cents per gallon and State excise taxes averaged 22.68 cents per gallon."

Food CPI, Prices, and Expenditures
"The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all food is forecast to increase 3.5 to 4.5 percent in 2008, as retailers continue to pass on higher commodity and energy costs to consumers in the form of higher retail prices. The CPI for food increased 4.0 percent in 2007, the highest annual increase since 1990. Food-at-home prices, led by eggs, dairy, and poultry prices, increased 4.2 percent, while food-away-from-home prices were up 3.6 percent in 2007."