PORTSMOUTH, N.H. —

Costs are rising in the Northeast for groceries, housing and fuel, and analysts say tariffs are partially to blame.

A recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that prices are rising, and one New Hampshire man found that navigating tariffs can be tricky.

Carl Johnson, of Chichester, has spent his time since retiring fixing up cars. But he said he was shocked recently when the parts he ordered came with a huge price tag after the purchase.

Johnson is currently restoring 1969 Triumph. Because it’s an English car, most of the parts come from overseas.

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Last month, Johnson was looking around for wire wheels and found that even with 10% tariffs, the United Kingdom was still the best source for the parts.

“So when I got the email, it said it was $2,300,” he said. “I was like, what’s going on here?”

UPS, which was the importer for the parts, sent Johnson a shipping bill that was nearly the entire cost of the purchase. It turns out that even though he was buying from a British company, the parts were manufactured in other countries that are dealing with higher U.S. tariffs.

“I figured maybe it was going to be 25% if I miscalculated or didn’t understand the tariffs completely, but I was completely baffled,” Johnson said.

Michael Armstrong, of Armstrong Advisory Group, said the web of tariffs is posing a challenge for anyone who ships internationally.

“I think it is incredibly tricky, especially for somebody that is in an individual situation,” he said. “Businesses are investing a lot of money to figure this out. But even for them, it’s very complex.”

Armstrong said tariffs are having an impact on nearly every American. They’re considered a leading cause of inflation, which is up compared to last year, affecting housing, grocery and fuel costs.

“We all have these different benchmarks for things, but when you poll Americans, they are not happy about where prices are going,” Armstrong said.

Johnson said something has to be done to make the process easier on individual consumers, and prices should be clearly marked at the time of purchase.

“If you’re Joe Schmo fixing up your car in your garage and you have to order something like that, you’re going to have a heck of a shock,” he said.

Johnson said he’s talking with his client to see how they want to move forward and pay the bill and get the parts, which are sitting at a port of entry in Pennsylvania. If they’re sent back, that will cost hundreds of dollars more, Johnson said.