May 20, 2024
Bidenflation advances: Consumers no longer trying to save for college and homes, now just spending on luxuries
By Monica Showalter
Years ago, I read in a book whose title I can't quite remember, about economists observing something curious in inflation-wracked Argentina: Consumers were no longer saving money. They were spending instead, spending on themselves, buying up luxury goods in conspicuous consumption, and no, it was not a sign of economic health. Saving money made absolutely no sense as the Argentine peso kept losing value. Far sensible to rack up credit card debts and pay with devalued money or else default.
Maybe it was by Paul Blustein, who wrote about the bankrupting of Argentina; his book was called "And the Money Kept Rolling In (and Out)."
But Jason Ma at Fortune magazine has found a respected economist here who is starting to see the same thing:
An economist offered an explanation for a paradox that has emerged in recent data showing that spending has remained robust even as consumers report feeling pessimistic.
Joanne Hsu, who is the director of the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment survey, told CNBC on Friday that she thinks Americans have abandoned plans to save money as they see their financial goals look less attainable and are spending money instead.
"This positive spending is not a reflection of some sort of internalized secret sense of confidence that consumers have," he explained. "And instead my interpretation is that consumers see that a lot of aspirational goals that we talk about as part of the American Dream—homeownership, paying for college, paying for college for your kids, having a comfortable retirement—with high prices and high interest rates right now, those aspirational goals just feel increasingly out of reach."
And as a result, consumers have "given up" on saving for those goals, Hsu added, noting that the still-strong labor market allows them to spend now.
That's a terrible statement about what Americans think of their financial futures, and it's coming from a very strong source, as the University of Michigan index is one of the country's most accurate. By spending instead of saving, they are no longer focusing on the future. Savings is the basis for all wealth creation, but, again, it makes little sense to save as inflation continues to go up. Nothing eats savings, or wealth, quite like inflation.
So not surprisingly, credit card debt is up among other things, with many maxxing out their cards.
more
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2024/05/bidenflation_advances_consumers_no_longer_trying_to_save_for_college_and_homes_now_just_spending_on_consumer_luxuries.html
