The Saving Advice Forums - A classic personal finance community.

45% of U.S. Households Say Inflation is Causing Financial Hardships

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • 45% of U.S. Households Say Inflation is Causing Financial Hardships

    https://news.gallup.com/poll/357731/...ouseholds.aspx


    Inflation Causing Hardship for 45% of U.S. Households

    BY MOHAMED YOUNIS
    STORY HIGHLIGHTS
    • 45% of Americans report financial hardship triggered by increased prices
    • 10% describe the hardship as threatening their current standard of living
    • Seven in 10 lower-income Americans experiencing hardship

    WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As the peak of holiday shopping approaches and winter temperatures drive up heating costs across the U.S., 45% of American households report that recent price increases are causing their family some degree of financial hardship. Ten percent describe it as severe hardship affecting their standard of living, while another 35% say the hardship is moderate.

    Effect of Recent Price Increases on U.S. Adults' Finances
    Have recent price increases caused any financial hardship for you or your household? (If yes: Is that a severe hardship that affects your ability to maintain your current standard of living, or is it a moderate hardship that affects you somewhat but does not jeopardize your current standard of living?)

    Lower-income households are most likely to have experienced financial hardship due to price increases. Seventy-one percent of those living in households making less than $40,000 a year say that recent price hikes have caused their family financial hardship. That compares with 47% of those in middle-income households and 29% in upper-income households.

    Moreover, 28% of lower-income Americans describe the hardship they are experiencing as severe and affecting their ability to maintain their current standard of living.

    While the majority of U.S. adults without a college degree (54%) describe price increases as causing financial hardship for themselves or their family, 30% of those with a college degree say they have experienced the same.

    There are modest differences in inflation-related hardship along partisan lines, with Democrats (37%) less likely than Republicans (53%) or independents (49%) to say they have experienced it. However, similar percentages of Democrats (8%), Republicans (11%) and independents (11%) say they are facing severe financial hardship because of higher prices.

    As Americans sail into peak holiday shopping season and winter temperatures bring bigger heating bills to much of the country, nearly half of U.S. adults already report that price increases are causing them financial hardship. For most, the problem is not a crisis -- but lower-income households are feeling the impact more than others, with nearly three in 10 saying the hardship is severe enough that it is affecting their current standard of living.

    Rising prices are expected to persist, meaning more Americans are likely to report hardship and those most vulnerable are likely to see things get worse before they improve.
    Last edited by james.hendrickson; 12-02-2021, 06:44 AM.
    Brian

  • #2
    This seems totally predictable.
    james.c.hendrickson@gmail.com
    202.468.6043

    Comment


    • #3
      Yeah, no surprise here. Certainly rising prices will have a greater impact on lower income folks with less discretionary spending that they can adjust to adapt.
      Steve

      * Despite the high cost of living, it remains very popular.
      * Why should I pay for my daughter's education when she already knows everything?
      * There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going.

      Comment


      • #4
        I feel like the journalist needs to do a better job describing the difference between true inflation and just price increased due to temporary supply issues. I don't disagree that either way, both cause hardship. But the headline is a little misleading.

        I wonder why those without a college degree report hardship at a rate 24% more than those with a degree. ???
        History will judge the complicit.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by ua_guy View Post
          I wonder why those without a college degree report hardship at a rate 24% more than those with a degree. ???
          It's not really a factor of the degree itself than the jobs (and higher average income) that most college grads typically earn. Folks with college degrees tend to earn more than those without a degree (on average), so higher prices on basics like groceries, gas, and similar are going to pinch folks with a lower income more than those with higher incomes.

          Comment


          • #6
            Even people making higher incomes have to be feeling it. It's just all spending seems outrageously high
            LivingAlmostLarge Blog

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by LivingAlmostLarge View Post
              Even people making higher incomes have to be feeling it. It's just all spending seems outrageously high
              Everybody feels it but the more wiggle room you have in your budget, the less of an impact it has. It's easy to just eat out one less meal a week or skip the second cocktail or not buy that new purse. But folks living paycheck to paycheck, like the majority of Americans do, feel it a lot more. If you already didn't have much of anything left at the end of the month, having prices go up 5 or 10 or 20% really tips the scale off it's delicate balance.
              Steve

              * Despite the high cost of living, it remains very popular.
              * Why should I pay for my daughter's education when she already knows everything?
              * There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going.

              Comment

              Working...
              X