What Households Are Prioritizing and What That Means for Organizations

What households protect: groceries, housing, and electricity, alongside discretionary spending and delayed major purchases

When money is tight, households do not cut evenly. They protect the costs that keep daily life running, trade down inside the categories they still need, cut discretionary spending, and push back purchases that can wait. In 2026, federal and industry data show that pattern clearly: just above 9 in 10 adults call price increases […]