Inflation -- the general rise in the price level of commodities and goods like wheat, rice, onions, cold drinks, petrol, diesel, water, toothpaste, steel et al -- is once again rearing its ugly head.

Talk to any person handling the monthly expenditure of a household and the common observation is: "Prices are increasing way too fast and are making a hole in my wallet!"

While you may remain informed as to how fast the prices of wheat, sugar, rice, steel etc are increasing, what you don't get is how expensive some of the liquids that you use everyday -- petrol, diesel, mouthwash, cold drinks, printer ink etc -- have become.

Here's an e-mail doing the rounds that will make you think twice before you buy any of these liquids!

Over the weekend, I filled up my car's fuel tank, and I thought fuel has become really expensive after the recent price hike. But then I compared it with other common liquids and did some quick calculations, and I felt a little better.
 
To know why, see the results below -- you'll be surprised at how outrageous some other prices are!

The prices may differ from one Indian state to another because of various local taxes. Also, the prices that we confirmed from dealers in Mumbai differ slightly from the ones given below but the difference is only minimal.

~ Diesel (regular) in Mumbai: Rs 36.08 per litre 

~ Petrol (Speed) in Mumbai: Rs 52 per litre 

~ Coca Cola 330 ml can: Rs 20 = Rs 61 per litre (approximately)

~ Dettol antiseptic 100 ml Rs 20 = Rs 200 per litre (Dettol 100ml Rs 17)
 
~ Radiator coolant 500 ml Rs 160 = Rs 320 per litre
 
~ Pantene hair conditioner 400 ml Rs 165 = Rs 412.50 per litre (Pantene 200ml Rs 125)
 
~ Medicinal mouthwash like Listerine 100 ml Rs 45 = Rs 450 per litre (Listerine 85ml Rs 40)
 
~ Red Bull 150 ml can: Rs 75 = Rs 500 per litre
 
~ Corex cough syrup 100 ml Rs 57 = Rs 570 per litre (Corex 100 ml Rs 59.50)
 
~ Evian water 500 ml Rs 330 = Rs 660 per liter (Rs 660 for a litre of water! (What on earth have we come to?) And the buyers don't even know the source (Evian spelled backwards is Naive!) 
 
~ Kores whiteout 15 ml Rs 15 = Rs 1,000 per litre (approximately)
 
~ Cup of coffee at any decent business hotel 150 ml Rs 175 = Rs 1,167 per litre
 
~ Old Spice after shave lotion 100 ml Rs 175 = Rs 1,750 per litre
 
~ Pure almond oil 25 ml Rs 68 = Rs 2,720 per litre
 
And this is the real kicker...
 
HP deskjet colour ink cartridge 21 ml Rs 1,900 = Rs 90,476 per litre! Now you know why computer printers are so cheap? So they have you hooked for the ink! (The dealer that we talked to said a 21 ml HP deskjet colour ink cartridge should not cost more than Rs 1,000 -- costly nevertheless).
 
So, the next time you're at the pump, don't curse our honourable petroleum minister (his name is Murli Deora by the way) just be glad your car doesn't run on cough syrup, after shave, coffee, or God forbid, printer ink!