American workers are asking how inflation may be affecting their take-home wages.

The inflation rate has increased more than anticipated. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the October consumer price increase was 0.9%. It pushed the year over-year growth to 6.2%. That’s a 30 year high.

This was the second consecutive month that inflation exceeded what economists expected.

September’s consumer price index increased 0.4% in the month, and 5.4% over the previous year. The report led to a 5.9% cost-of-living increase for people on Social SecurityThe largest leap in over 40 years.

Is it technically a cut if your salary doesn’t increase by 6.2% this year? Some financial professionals say that it is not.

AnnElizabeth Konkel from the Indeed Hiring Lab said, “It is a lot more nuanced that that.” It all depends on what your basket contains as a consumer.

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Pay cut is not always a good thing.

The inflation rate has increased overall but the consumer price index takes into account a wide range of items, with some contributing more to higher costs than others.

Mark Hamrick of Bankrate, senior economist, stated that although most people feel the price rises are affecting their ability to afford the items they need, the impact is not uniform.

The overall rise in energy costs was largely due to October’s increase. While energy prices rose 4.8% over the prior month, gasoline prices rose 6.2%. Food prices rose 0.9% and food at home increased 1%.

These increases have been even greater for the entire year. Over the past 12 months, energy prices have risen 30% while gasoline has risen nearly 50%. The October prices of used cars rose by 2.5%, which is more than 26% higher than a year earlier.

Most consumers will not see an overall increase of 5.4% in their costs due to these areas of inflation. You won’t see the most inflation if you don’t plan to purchase a vehicle or take any trip that could be affected by rising fuel prices.

Brett Ryan (a senior U.S. economist with Deutsche Bank) stated, “Not everyone flew or purchased a used vehicle” over the past 12 months.

Bankrate’s Hamrick noted that the data does not tell the individual story of each person.

Which person is most affected by inflation?

That doesn’t mean, however that consumers aren’t experiencing the financial impact of rising prices.

Some people are more vulnerable to inflation than others.

Ryan said that inflation can be a burden on people at the bottom end of income scales, and added that it is difficult to manage energy prices.

He said, “That’s the one place where it can be harder to adjust your purchases quickly.” When gas prices rise by a dollar per gallon, it’s difficult to drive to work without filling up your gas tank.

Rising costs are also a problem for companies, meaning that wage inflation may not keep up with inflation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average U.S. wage increase is 3% for 2021. to data from The Conference Board. According to the group, cash available for raises would be around 3% by 2022.

“Companies who look at their finances realize this” [raises]John Dooney, human resource manager at the Society for Human Resources Management said that inflation is unlikely to be met. But we are seeing more strategies to reward top performers.

What to do now?

Experts don’t suggest using higher inflation prices to request a raise.

Konkel stated that he suspects that a manager would start a heated argument with Konkel. He added that inflation shouldn’t be discussed in wage discussions or when raising wages.

She suggested that you take time to evaluate and reflect upon what you have done in your current role. You can discuss with your manager if you are in the same position for more than one year or have assumed greater responsibility. If this is the case, you should also request a performance review at the end.

According to Dooney’s research, high performers are more likely to ask for more money. Businesses may also be more open to giving employees one-time bonuses.

Experts don’t advise workers to quit their jobs in the event they aren’t given raises that will offset inflation. Economists expect that current volatility will end soon and prices will settle as the economy improves.

Konkel stated, “My hope is that these matters will work themselves out.”

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Disclosure: Comcast Ventures and NBCUniversal are both investors Acorns.