Posted on 10/16/2026 7:12:15 PM PDT by Libloather
Some Americans are crying poverty with a $1,500 iPhone in one hand and an $8 Starbucks latte in the other. They say groceries are unaffordable, but somehow the restaurants are packed, airports are crowded, and the neighbor just pulled into his driveway with a brand-new $90,000 SUV.
Apparently, we're one bad economic report away from bankruptcy and one Instagram post away from booking another trip to Cabo.
Consumer confidence is in the basement. Consumer spending apparently didn't get the memo.
In September, the Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index fell to 81.9. Yet it has been reported that consumer credit and debit card spending per household increased 6.2% from a year earlier.
As a financial advisor, I think the answer involves something more powerful than inflation or interest rates. Human psychology.
And there are five reasons our spending habits aren't matching our economic anxiety.
1. Keeping up with the Joneses has gone digital
Thirty years ago, you compared your lifestyle with the neighbor who bought a new Cadillac.
Today, you're comparing yourself with 5,000 people on Instagram. There are even college degrees on how to become a social media influencer. None of them get lots of likes by telling you to eat ramen noodles and skip third-row seats for the latest rock concert.
Someone's vacationing in Italy. Someone remodeled their kitchen. Someone bought a new Porsche. Face it. Someone is always doing better than you are. Or, it seems that way.
2. We've become a nation of monthly payments
3. There are two different American consumers
4. If tomorrow looks bad, why not enjoy today?
5. We've confused looking wealthy with being wealthy
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
American People Are NUTZ!
.
Only about 50 Percent
But they have a Mental Disorder
Known as ‘Liberalism!’
.
Yes it Is Terminal.
It’s not much cheaper shopping, cooking and washing after every meal than going out. Depending how much you value your time it’s almost a push.
“But Did You Die?”
is a current Bumper Sticker!
.
I never was a Muskrat farmer but I had Rats as Pets.Newspapers were delivered before I was legal.Joined Military before “legal” and Worked my ass off to ‘retire’ at 70. Docs are trying to Pin me with an Expiration Date ! -—
Sorry——Jesus is My Great Physician!
.
Now to dang old to shoot my Battle Rifle.
To think about Sixth Century culture has a Foothold in this America Will Not Abide!
From”The Big Labowski”
Why don’t you tell Rove the RINO to help Paxton? Sit on a RINO horn and rotate.
Also the opposite is true. For RINOs, the primary is the way to get rid of a MAGA but the general the RINOs need to support the MAGA. IT WORKS BOTH WAYS ROVE BUSH RINOS!
Making food at home is not that much cheaper than eating out.
Usually it is cheaper and definitely cheaper than paying an Uber eats guy to drop it off for you
add up all the time you spend shopping, lugging groceries, cooking and cleaning then multiply by $10 per hour. Add that to your grocery bill.
For Americans, that is all about gas prices.
The first four paragraphs of this article make me think the author is a mind reader. Reflecting thoughts I’ve had almost word for word.
Were the same way. Never pay interest.
But I can also see the psychology of cash.
It “hurts” more to count out $200 taking your family to dinner than it does scrawling a line on a screen and calling it your signature.
Maybe it causes you to think about not doing dinner next time.
“I don’t know what “purist” you’re talking about.”
Trust me, we have them. Some may be trolls, but I’m convinced others are real. They don’t like me firing back at them, particularly when I make them think about what they’re leaving to their kids and grandkids.
“Why don’t you tell Rove the RINO to help Paxton?”
Like he’ll listen to me. That guy needs to...&$^% himself.
Same.
I have a company car so that’s a major benefit. I can use it for personal driving too.
Wife’s car bought for cash. Our camper truck-cash.
Zero debt besides the modest mortgage.
Cheapest phone I could find.
Even though I don’t have to anymore, any clothes I buy are rarely not from the clearance rack.
We always drive on vacations. I don’t have a passport because I’m not interested in a $10,000 vacation.
We might go to Alaska this winter to visit our son. He’s working as a missionary there for a few months.
Can we afford it? Absolutely.
Do we want to afford it? Probably not.
Cash is obsolete in an electronic economy
I bought a crappy econobox and traded it a few years later without going negative equity. I bought a better econobox and held on to it for 8+ years. I never had a car payment after that. When the 3 year loan was up, I kept paying myself..
I must be one of the weird people, I haven’t financed anything in over 25 years and have NO payments of any kind. I paid cash for everything including 3 houses...
Car repair. Doctors. Gas.
Any questions?
And Soros triggered the mortgage meltdown of 2008 playing the futures in fuel because working stiffs would pay for gas to get to work before they pay their mortgage. The real problem is that the entire lower middle class has been running at the hairy edge for 30 years buying more than they can afford because that's all that's available in housing. Democrats are principally responsible for everything from "environmental" regulations to building codes.
The fabulously rich drive that system using their tax-exempt "charitable" foundations tweaking that system for fun and profit. They don't pay taxes at rates the upper middle class does while their minions wail about the injustice of it. That's the real benefit of owning media corporations.
I started making wine a few months ago as a hobby so we dont even buy wine anymore. 😉
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