Despite a hundred thousand dollars a year, Massey's financial situation has recently become difficult to manage. Over the years the price has increased rapidly, plus the period of unemployment over the past few months, has had a huge impact.

In 2012 - 2023, she worked two jobs simultaneously. But after a major surgery in the back, she had to quit her extra job. Savings for retirement also gradually dried up during unemployment. "I'm just trying to hold on," she said to *CNN. *

The U.S. economy is still growing, passing many consecutive shocks recently. However, more and more Americans are reaching financial limits. After more than five years of joint impact of high inflation, they now face the cost of war.

Earlier this year, the world analyzes every expectation of economic growth that will speed up, unrest will cool down, thus strengthening recruitment and consumer trust. Tax payments will help create financial buffers, and inflation will continue to cool down to open the way for interest rates to drop.

However, the Middle East war caused the oil supply to be squeezed and the gas prices to soar. This month, the number of consumer beliefs published by the University of Michigan was down to a low record.

  • Buyer at a supermarket in Lenexa, Kansas (US) in 1/2026. Image: AFP*

Most of the data from the beginning of the year still shows good resistance economy. And if you look at the stock market only, this period is even like the golden age.

However, the U.S. debt is increasing, the rate of slow payments increases and the individual savings rate is now lower than three years. "I should be safe in middle class. Life should be okay, but I'm not okay," Massey said. She is a medical worker, currently living in a suburb of Nashville with relatively low operating costs.

Prices rise over time are normal. But since 2021, the cost of essential goods and services in the U.S. has increased by about 25% - more than twice the rate in the equal period before the pandemic. The lower income group is more influential, as much of their income is devoted to essential needs such as food and gasoline.

David Richmond - Professor of Food Economics at the University of Michigan - said as the high-income group moved from high-end brands to cheaper options, the demand for low prices would rise. "But if you had previously bought the common product, you had no choice to move down further," he said.

David Michael Tinsley - senior economist at Bank of America Institute - stated income inequality and long-lived property in the United States and many other places, but disparity has expanded for several years.

Growth in wages after taxation of high income (on $170,000) is currently at 6% per year. In the meantime, the low-income group (under US$70,000) only increased by 1.5% and the average group (770-1700,000) increased 2.3%. Tax repayment - which is saving the wings of some households – is not infinite.

Bill Brantner (51) worked in production for 20 years, never making more than $23 an hour. Many of these businesses have been almost footing in the last 18 months. High unrest caused the recruitment and raise of wages delayed. Mr Trump's import tax increases the cost of supplies and supplies. High fuel prices can make the costs continue to increase.

Brantner said he was doing as much as he could for 10 hours, six days a week, even increasing his castores to survive. He recently signed a debt management deal to bring the credit card back to 0, after the debt rose rapidly last year due to the cancer-related cat.

The agreement helped him to break free from high interest pressure, but required monthly payment and no new loan. As a result, Brantner is no longer as comfortable as before, not watching movies, not eating out, not driving out, not buying new clothes or shoes, and coffee is the kind available in the lounge.

If by May, the rent continues to rise, he may have to live in a car outside the city. "I've found some cheaper places around $400 a month. But to move in, you have to have triples like that, to pay for the first month, the last month, deposits and all kinds of fees," he said.

Elizabeth Renter - senior economist at NerdWallet – said low-income and medium households always felt the first and strongest economic pressure. "Since many of the goods increased price due to the war were supplies, they had almost no choice but to try to pay. They have less cash in reserve to process unexpected costs," she said,

Sian Slater (59) is doing much work in the Phoenix municipality area. She drives daily to a large retail company, or works the night shift at a shipping company. However, the price of gas skyrocketed, eating away her budget. The gas she used to pour now is up by 25% compared to before the war.

Her sanitation services lost several customers, as they had to cut their spending. She also had to stop contributing automatically to the pension fund, cancel the doctor's appointment and reduce food costs.

"After subtracting fuel costs, I only have about $15 a week to buy food and medicine," she said. "I've had to cancel the upcoming clinic schedules because I can't afford to pay".

She was trying to get more customers for sanitation services and requested overtime at the retail company. "But now I feel very poor. I've never seen that before," she said.