The country was still absorbing the tech bust in January 2001. But as the Nasdaq tumbled, things weren't so bad for consumers: A crisp one-dollar bill could still be traded for a dozen eggs and a twenty could fill the gas tank. BusinessWeek compared the prices of 25 items then and now* to better understand why middle-income families are feeling so squeezed.
*Prices have been adjusted to reflect a 25% increase in the consumer price index since 2001.
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