People need to learn that when they hear ‘inflation is down’, it doesn’t mean things are getting cheaper, it just means that the increase in cost is slowing down.

Is it a psychological tactic that news media is using to make consumers more complacent? Who knows. But, whenever I hear someone mention that phrase like things are improving, I die a little more each time.

if inflation made my paycheck go up, that’d be great. As it stands I have a LOT less buying power and my industry is waffling so I’m only seeing 2% increases for years.

It exists. In Belgium and I think also Luxembourg inflation in prices of common consumer things automatically triggers wages, unemployment money, pensions to rise too. For most jobs it triggers when it hits 2%. Life got 2 % more expensive, wages rise 2 % a few months / a year later. Using a basket of consumer prices, excluding things like fuel, alcohol, tobacco prices

Yet they still manage to fuck us over by “jumping” an index. 2% may not seem much now but compounded we lose a lot over the years

You (and every step angle other employee at your company) should be demanding AT LEAST an inflation adjustment every year from your boss.