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U.S. hotels will cost $189 per night on average this Labor Day weekend, up 6% compared to last year, but down from this summer’s peak in June of $193 per night. That's according to travel research group Hopper, which says the current decrease is part of a seasonal decline that coincides with the end of the summer travel season and the beginning of the new school year. But Hopper says prices for hotel accommodations are one of the few areas in which travelers can expect relief ahead of the end-of -summer holiday , as labor shortages and elevated fuel prices persist across the travel market . While the cost of lodging is projected to fall, plane tickets are still going to take a large chunk out of travelers' wallets. Domestic airfare over Labor Day weekend is expected to cost Americans an average of $278 round trip, a 23% increase compared to last year and up 20% since 2019 over the same period, Hopper projects. "High demand and limited capacity are putting upward pressure ...

Inflation appears poised to gobble up this year's Thanksgiving budgets, as U.S. food prices continue to soar. The cost of all food climbed 11.2% in September compared with last year, with the cost of food at home like groceries climbing 13% year on year. Leading the food price increases over the past 12 months: margarine, up 44%; flour and prepared flour mixes, up 24.2%; frozen and refrigerated bakery products like pies, tarts and turnovers, up 20.4%. While the collective category of meats, poultry, fish and eggs rose by 9% compared to September 2021, the price of eggs by itself is up 31% year over year. Other categories saw relatively smaller annual price jumps but still notched their largest-ever year-over-year climbs: The category of cakes, cupcakes and cookies was up 16%, as was the category of sweet rolls, coffeecakes and doughnuts. Uncooked turkey prices were up 17%, and processed fruits and vegetables were up 16%. The war in Ukraine has caused grain prices to surge; Ukraine...