Uncertainty is turning the things we usually buy for fun and comfort into panic purchases for some consumers. 

Consumers have been saying how fed up they are with inflation. But they keep on buying stuff, says Stephen Brown at Capital Economics. 

Tariffs, uncertainty for businesses and consumer caution make a slowdown more likely, some economists say.

Conference Board surveys point to unease about job security and raise questions about Americans’ future spending.

Core customers — those earning less than $40,000 per year — are cutting back even on items once considered necessities.

An analysis from personal finance company WalletHub found consumers took on an additional $74 billlion in credit card debt in 2024.

Analysts say the firm’s decision to stick with DEI commitments could influence different consumers in different ways.

Cold weather and higher natural gas prices raised household costs, particularly stressing the budgets of lower-income families.

An activist group, The People’s Union USA, is calling for a complete boycott of consumer spending in the U.S. on Feb. 28.

Government spending is built into the formula for calculating GDP.