Close Menu
  • Home
  • Finance News
  • Personal Finance
  • Investing
  • Cards
    • Credit Cards
    • Debit
  • Insurance
  • Loans
  • Mortgage
  • More
    • Save Money
    • Banking
    • Taxes
    • Crime
What's Hot

EarnIn launches Early Pay for paychecks | PaymentsSource

March 21, 2025

How to Retire Like an Adult: An 11-Point Checklist for Responsible Freedom

March 21, 2025

How Trump’s Chaos Is Exacerbating The Financial Woes Of Colleges

March 21, 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
InCapital Direct
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Finance News
  • Personal Finance
  • Investing
  • Cards
    • Credit Cards
    • Debit
  • Insurance
  • Loans
  • Mortgage
  • More
    • Save Money
    • Banking
    • Taxes
    • Crime
InCapital Direct
Home»Finance News»Americans are suffering from ‘sticker shock’ — here’s how to adjust
Finance News

Americans are suffering from ‘sticker shock’ — here’s how to adjust

March 1, 2025No Comments4 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram Pinterest Tumblr Reddit WhatsApp Email
Americans are suffering from ‘sticker shock’ — here’s how to adjust
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

A worker stocks eggs at a grocery store in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 12, 2025.

Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images

Whether it’s a dozen eggs or a new car, Americans are having a hard time adjusting to current prices.

Nearly all Americans report experiencing some form of “sticker shock,” regardless of income, according to a recent report by Wells Fargo.

In fact, 90% of adults said they are still surprised by the cost of some goods, such as a bottle of water, a tank of gas, dinner out or concert tickets, and said that the actual costs are between 55% and 200% higher than what they expected depending on the item.

More from Personal Finance:
How the U.S. has used tariffs throughout history
What the ‘mother of all trade wars’ can teach us about tariffs
As tariffs ramp up, this investment can protect against inflation

Many Americans are still cutting back on spending, making financial choices and delaying some life plans, the Wells Fargo report also found. The firm polled more than 3,600 consumers in the fall.

“The value of the dollar and what it is providing may not be as predictable anymore,” said Michael Liersch, head of advice and planning at Wells Fargo. As a result, “consumer behaviors are shifting.”

Still, adjusting to a new normal takes time, he added: “Habit formation does take a while. Next year what you can imagine seeing is consumers being a little less surprised or shocked by prices and adapting to the current situation to create that goals-based plan.”

Some change is already apparent. Although credit card debt recently notched a fresh high, the rate of growth slowed, which indicates that shoppers are starting to lean less on credit cards to make ends meet in a typical month, according to Charlie Wise, TransUnion’s senior vice president of global research and consulting.

See also  Salaries for top-earning majors may start below U.S. median. Here’s what Gen Z can expect

“After years of very high inflation, they are kind of figuring it out,” Wise said. “They’ve adjusted their baseline for what things cost right now.”

But with President Donald Trump’s proposed 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico set to take effect in March, there is also the possibility that prices will rise even further in the months ahead.

Consumers fear inflation will pick up

Mexico and Canada tariffs could put pressure on some consumer staples, experts say. That includes already high grocery prices, which are up 28% over the last five years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The prospect of tariffs and renewed inflation is weighing heavily on many consumers. 

The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index sank in February, notching the largest monthly drop since August 2021. The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index similarly found that Americans largely fear that inflation will flare up again.

A recent CreditCards.com survey found that 23% of Americans expect to worsen or go into credit card debt this year, in part because they are making more purchases ahead of higher tariffs.

How to battle sticker shock

Consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch recommends setting a spending plan and tracking expenses. That helps you pinpoint wasteful purchases and those where prices are accelerating and take steps to save.

“Write out all your expenses currently from those essentials and the wants, figuring out an average monthly spend for fluctuating categories,” she said. “Once you have it all listed out, you can begin hacking away at unnecessary purchases or at least set goals for reducing in those nonessential categories.”

See also  7 New Money Trends Shaping The Future Of Wealth

Identify triggers that lead to impulse purchases to help dodge them in the future, Woroch also said. “If you can’t resist a sale, then unsubscribe from store newsletters and turn off push notifications in deal apps.”

Ultimately, being more in control of your spending will “reduce the stress that comes with worry about how you’re going to afford higher prices,” Woroch said.

Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.

Source link

Adjust Americans Heres shock sticker suffering
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Telegram Email
Previous ArticleHow to do a balance transfer with Citi
Next Article The history of U.S. bank supervision

Related Posts

How Trump’s Chaos Is Exacerbating The Financial Woes Of Colleges

March 21, 2025

Student loans will be handled by Small Business Administration: Trump

March 21, 2025

Student Loan Recertification Extensions Announced For Borrowers

March 21, 2025
Add A Comment
Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Top Posts

Do student loans affect buying a house?

November 23, 2024

New Rule Removes Medical Bills from Credit Reports, Could Lead to 20K More Mortgage Approvals Annually

January 8, 2025

Why Most People Still Plan To Take Social Security Early

November 18, 2024
Ads Banner

Subscribe to Updates

Subscribe to Get the Latest Financial Tips and Insights Delivered to Your Inbox!

Stay informed with our finance blog! Get expert insights, money management tips, investment strategies, and the latest financial news to help you make smart financial decisions.

We're social. Connect with us:

Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
Top Insights

EarnIn launches Early Pay for paychecks | PaymentsSource

March 21, 2025

How to Retire Like an Adult: An 11-Point Checklist for Responsible Freedom

March 21, 2025

How Trump’s Chaos Is Exacerbating The Financial Woes Of Colleges

March 21, 2025
Get Informed

Subscribe to Updates

Subscribe to Get the Latest Financial Tips and Insights Delivered to Your Inbox!

© 2025 incapitaldirect.com - All rights reserved.
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.