First off just about every cost increase is because they can whoever it is as almost everyone anymore will push the limit to the max. Every opportunity will be taken unless it is reined back by government. Remember a while back when we were told the price increases were because of the price of oil, does anyone know of anything where the price decreased since then other than oil? The economy will take whatever the 40 hour a week man will earn, When we made $3.50 an hour housing cost maybe $40K, now you can make $30 and the houses cost $400K and everything went up accordingly. A gallon of Lattes costs about $80 a gallon, coffee used to be 10 cents. You can't even find a key on the keyboard for cents. Most of the money goes to the top 5% in the end so cut the middle men and go for the top 5% yourself if there is room at the top,