Cost of living outpacing pay

Houston shoppers are feeling the squeeze at the checkout line, and new data confirms it isn’t their imagination. The Consumer Price Index for Houston and Sugar Land shows residents are paying just over half a percent more for the same basket of goods compared to just two months ago, a small but significant trend that could push costs up 3.6% by the end of the year. Meanwhile, grocery prices are already up 2.8% from last year.