A Means to a Spend

I generally prefer researching products to actually buying them. And when my wife tries to convince me of the joys of travel, explaining that it’s always worth it to spend money on experiences, I often respond that my favorite “experience” is knowing that the money I avoided spending is still in my bank account. In the end, I usually buy the product or take the trip. So I don’t quite fit into the category of people that experts describe as “tightwads.” But one can always aspire. Olga Khazan in The Atlantic: The Well-Off People Who Can’t Spend Money. (It wasn’t even an easy decision for me to share one of my precious Atlantic gift articles. So enjoy the experience.)

+ A lot Americans are not spending money because they don’t have the money to spend. After a lengthy inflationary period, that condition is a lot more common than the one described above. Just ask consumer-facing companies. Disney’s theme parks are struggling, and it’s another warning sign for the economy. Airbnb shares slump as weak forecast signals slowing travel demand. And, inflation has caught up with McDonald’s, and budget-conscious Americans are looking elsewhere for their fast-food fix. “McDonald’s isn’t alone: Starbucks, Burger King, Wendy’s and other rivals are also reporting less foot traffic and lower overall sales as consumers pull back their spending on food away from home.”