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If you\u2019re feeling squeezed trying to afford life\u2019s necessities, you\u2019re not the only one. When inflation<\/a> soared in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, wages struggled to keep up. The result was higher-priced necessities such as food, housing, transportation, and utilities \u2014 and less income to afford it all.<\/p>\n In recent years, however, inflation has slowed. But even though prices are rising more slowly, they\u2019re still going up.<\/p>\n So what do the numbers say \u2014 have wages finally caught up to inflation? And regardless of the data, how can you stretch your dollars further when your cost of living increases?<\/p>\n