DULUTH, Ga.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The latest Primerica Household Budget Index™ (HBI™) data, a monthly economic metric that examines how inflation and wage trends impact the ability of middle-income families to afford life’s everyday necessities, is estimated at 100.0% in September, a decrease of 0.6% from August and down 0.4% from a year ago. Gas prices and home heating fuel costs rose sharply in September and were the primary drivers for the decline in spending power for middle-income households.