The numbers: Consumer spending rose a tepid 0.1% in November, suggesting greater caution by households and heavy discounting in the holiday shopping season. Analysts polled by The Wall Street Journal Read more
Tag: Consumer Spending/Budgeting
‘It’s kind of a perfect storm in those markets’: Rent growth is declining in these Sunbelt cities
The Sunbelt’s hottest pandemic rental markets are chilling out. The Sunbelt — a region that includes the southeastern and southwestern U.S. states— hosted many of the country’s fastest-growing markets for multifamily Read more
National Sandwich Day 2022: How to score freebies from Subway, Popeyes, Potbelly
Americans love their sandwiches, from Philly cheesesteaks to New England-style lobster rolls. But in these inflationary times, they probably don’t love having to shell out even more for them: Your Read more
Don’t let a one-week holiday trip become six months of credit card payments. Here are 3 tips for keeping travel costs down.
This article is reprinted by permission from NerdWallet. In 2022, holiday travel is predicted to continue climbing back toward its pre-COVID-19 level, according to travel booking app Hopper. That means Read more
This chart shows the widening gap between renters’ wages and their housing costs. Here’s what can be done to help.
For years, there’s been a gap between renters’ housing costs and their incomes. And it got even worse during the pandemic, when rents soared and earnings stagnated. That’s according to Read more
Australian retail sales stay frothy in September
SYDNEY — Australian retail sales rose by more than expected in September, confirming that consumers and household budgets remain in relatively good shape despite a massive jump in interest rates. Read more
Consumer spending picks up in September — and not just due to high inflation
The numbers: Consumer spending rose 0.6% in September as Americans spent more on travel and new cars, signaling the economy is still expanding even as inflation and rising interest rates Read more
How to prepare for a recession when you don’t have a lot of money to spare
Low- to moderate-income Americans walloped by higher prices and economic insecurity may have darker days ahead. Many economists and executives are predicting a recession within the next year — if the U.S. isn’t in one Read more
How to lower your homeowners insurance bill, and still stay covered
This article is reprinted by permission from NerdWallet. Home insurance costs are rising. Supply chain issues due to the pandemic, labor shortages in the construction industry, rising inflation, and increasing natural Read more
How last year’s housing market affected mortgage denials and what Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac using alternative credit scores means for potential homebuyers
Hi, MarketWatchers. Don’t miss these top stories. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac to use alternative credit scores — what that means for potential homebuyers The federal government has approved two credit Read more