consumer spending

Retail sales rose 0.6% last month. But the data predates the war in Iran, and experts say the real test for consumer spending is still coming.

A century ago, Americans spent nearly half of their income on food. Today, that figure is closer to one-tenth. Bryan Walsh at Vox talks about how we got here.

Quarterly reports from Best Buy, Target, Costco, Kroger, and others will provide a glimpse into consumer spending.

Economists say numbers that will be released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on unemployment and wage growth will help them get a sense of consumer’s spending power going forward.

“[Consumers are] feeling full, they’re feeling poor, they’ve really just been depleted,” said one retail expert.

Gaming’s not just for kids anymore. The majority of Baby Boomers play video games every week, too, and Candy Crushing grandparents also contribute to the $60 billion-plus industry.

Kate Krader, Food Editor at Bloomberg, talks about the hottest new trend in dining: downsizing.

This week, the EPA revoked what’s called the “endangerment finding,” which found that fossil fuel emissions can endanger human health. The agency says the U.S. will save money, but there are other costs, human and financial.

On top of the infamous “K shape” between high- and low-income households, economists also see a widening spending gap between high- and middle-income consumers.

Julissa Mercedes, a finance analyst living in San Diego, saved over $1,000 participating in the “No Spend January” challenge.