Five years into this inflationary mess, and the squeeze just won't let up. Middle-income households are exhausted—groceries still burn through paychecks, rent climbs relentlessly, and that promised relief? Nowhere in sight.

Remember when everyone said prices would normalize once supply chains recovered? That narrative's aged poorly. Sure, headline inflation cooled off, but core costs—housing, food, energy—remain stubbornly elevated. The erosion of purchasing power hits hardest for those without asset portfolios to hedge against currency devaluation.

What's frustrating isn't just the numbers. It's the disconnect between official optimism and lived reality. Policy pivots keep coming, yet wallets feel thinner every quarter. For families balancing bills without significant investment gains, this isn't some abstract economic cycle—it's a grinding day-to-day struggle.

Wasn't the whole point of these interventions to restore affordability? Instead, we're stuck in a holding pattern where wages lag, savings erode, and the finish line keeps moving. No wonder fatigue's setting in.