Why do Americans feel so lousy about the economy? Deriving the latest economic data from the Census Bureau and the Department of Commerce and Small Business Administration

The recent gyrations in the stock market also may have rattled people’s nerves, leaving them less eager to spend. The S&P 500 index has fallen more than 5% since Trump took office in January.

The Commerce Department said personal spending was lower than expected in February.

Some people on the political spectrum say the president’s policies on tariffs and job cuts are to blame for their personal finances being worried about. A survey by the University of Michigan found consumer sentiment fell in March for the third month in a row.

I don’t think things move in a positive direction. Dan knows a nurse who works for the Veterans Administration and he doesn’t think so. The cost of living has gone up. I don’t think adding on tariffs will have an effect on anyone.

Source: Tariffs are another reason why Americans feel so lousy about the economy

How Mommy Can Get Away with Tilts, and What Mom Can Do to Prevent Alzheimers: Kathy and Jayden Merkler

The family is not traveling as often as they usually do. And he’s even stopped paying for haircuts for his 3-year and 7-year-old sons.

I bought a pair of clippers that I’m cutting my children’s hair on. Heck, I might start doing my own, too,” Fitch says. “It can get pretty ugly It is worth it in order to have a little more peace of mind with your money.

A majority of Americans think the president is concentrating too much on tariffs and not enough on lowering prices according to a new CBS News poll. Inflation has fallen since peaking in 2022, but the price of goods is still very high and will likely go up even higher as tariffs take effect.

Kathy said it has been very hard to stick to a budget. “I’m paying the same amount of money for fewer bags of groceries.”

Merkler is also concerned about the scientific job market, given the federal cutbacks at the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She and her husband have debated whether it’s a good time to replace their aging car, a 2015 Kia Soul.

The effects of auto tariffs on consumer spending in the U.S. economy: a case study from Michigan librarian Dawn Woodward and her son’s purchase of a new television

“Even with rates holding relatively flat, the continued reliance on extended terms and high monthly payments reveals how challenging car buying remains,” says Jessica Caldwell, head of insights at Edmunds. The new auto tariffs could cause a disruptions that could push vehicles even further out of reach for many shoppers if they add fuel to the fire.

Consumer spending, the largest driver of the United States economy, remained resilient through the Pandemic and high inflation that followed. But now that consumer engine may be sputtering a bit.

“I think if you’re a consumer, you’re sitting there and saying, ‘Ugh, I’m not so sure about these tariffs here,’ ” says Dan North, a senior economist at Allianz Trade North America. My income is decreasing a little bit. Oh, and by the way, I just opened up my credit card bill and there’s still items I need to pay off from Christmas. I’m gonna draw my horns in a little bit.”

The threat of tariffs hasn’t been all bad for spending. Shoppers raced to purchase big- ticket items before the import taxes took effect. Spending on durable goods increased in the month. But forecasters say that burst of spending is not likely to last.

Dawn Woodward, a librarian in Michigan, bought her son a new television weeks before his birthday, in an effort to avoid an expected tariff. When it comes to other shopping, though, Woodward is trying to cut back.

Source: Tariffs are another reason why Americans feel so lousy about the economy

Autonomy in the Presence of Pre-Tariff Prices: Implications for American Automakers and the Automobile-Industry Economy

The share of income that people sock away in savings rose to 4.6% last month — its highest level in eight months. It’s another sign of how jittery people are about President Trump’s policies.

The effect could be more pronounced at the lower end of the market, with a lot of the cheapest vehicles produced outside of the US from GM, Ford, and other companies. According to the market researcher, Affordability is already a problem for car buyers, with new car transactions hitting $48,118 in January.

For decades, car ownership has been a hallmark of the American dream. We built our communities around car ownership, squeezing out transit, and shrinking pedestrian spaces to make way for bigger and bigger vehicles. For most people in the US, owning a car isn’t an option; it’s a necessity to participate in daily life.

With prices expected to surge, many people who had been considering a car purchase are crowding into dealerships, trying to take advantage of pre-tariff prices. Consumer experts advise against panic shopping, but of course, most people aren’t thinking rationally as they watch the news with growing anxiety.

Jake Fisher is the senior director of Consumer Reports’ auto test center and he says that you should never make a rash decision. The value of your trade-in will increase even if the tariffs last for a while.

The number of used and new vehicles that dealers have for sale is a good indicator of elevated inventories, which can lead to panicked shoppers. The mustang mach-E and maverick are both built in Mexico, and Ford is offering employee discounts on them for all shoppers until June 2nd. Ford had more than four months of inventory in February, above the industry average of nearly three months, according to Cox.

The company announced a $21 billion investment in the US to keep the effects of the tariffs from happening. And others are taking a more drastic approach. Stellantis said today it was temporarily laying off 900 workers at five of its US factories and pausing production at assembly plants in Canada and Mexico.

That’s because of the new tariffs, which are run by Musk’s best friend. The company assembles its cars in the US but some of its parts are from Mexico according to a list by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Source: Trump’s tariffs are ‘a debacle of epic proportions’ for the auto industry

The New York Times — A Transportation Editor’s Compilation for the NYT’s Pedestrian’s Dignified (Times)

The transportation editor has more than 10 years of experience who covers both EV and public transportation. His work has appeared in publications like New York Daily News.