Inflation eases on smartphones, beef and TVs

The few categories that are cheaper barely make a dent in larger index

While everything may feel more expensive with annual inflation at 7.7%, not everything is.

For instance, beef prices and veal prices are down almost 4% compared with last year. That’s just one of 22 spending categories the Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks in its consumer price index that are costing less than last year.

But those declines barely made a dent in headline CPI because they account for a relatively small part of people’s budgets and therefore carry less weight than overarching categories like food, shelter and energy.

All three groups are major culprits of inflation because they take up a big chunk of the average American’s budget.

The BLS tracks more than 200 spending categories. And prices for the remaining 90% of categories are either higher than last year or the same.

With those caveats in mind, here are the top three items with the biggest price decreases compared with last year.

BRITTANY HOSEA-SMALL/ AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES Smartphones may cost more but are considered cheaper when taking all the added features into account.