Our grandparents were onto something
| |  | | May 12, 2025 | | | | | | | | How to Stretch a Buck the Old-Fashioned Way | By Lindsay VanSomeren
As talk of a possible economic recession grows louder, many people are thinking more about how to stretch a buck.
And the internet is full of money-saving tips for the modern day: Use a budget app. Cancel unwanted streaming subscriptions. Wait for those Black Friday tech deals.
But there's also a lot of wisdom to be gleaned from the frugal habits of our ancestors — like great grandparents who lived during the Great Depression, when the popular motto was "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."
In fact, many social media users are revitalizing some of this lost cultural heritage with posts about everything from reusing disposable items and mending your own clothes to making your own gifts and preserving your own vegetables.
So what? Americans have lived through economic downturns before and will again. And although there will always be new twists on old habits, we can learn a lot from our ancestors.
Here are just a few of the themes that are experiencing a renaissance on platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Reddit. | | | | | | | | WEEK AHEAD ON WALL STREET | | | | Facts and Feelings | | | By Mario Ismailanji
This week, the focus is on how the latest tariff shocks are impacting inflation and consumer sentiment.
The release of April Consumer Price Index (CPI) data will be the main event, while the Producer Price Index (PPI) and import/export price data will play a supporting role. Together these reports will provide the first comprehensive look at price trends since new tariffs were implemented.
Of particular importance for investors will be the extent of price hikes — and whether they are isolated to import-sensitive goods like cars, clothing, and pharmaceuticals or more widespread.
We'll also get a look at how consumers are feeling when the University of Michigan releases preliminary consumer sentiment for the month of May. Last month sentiment fell to its lowest point since July 2022, while year-ahead inflation expectations jumped to their highest since 1981.
Feelings can influence behavior, and the impact of this sentiment could eventually transform into the factual hard data that catalyzes action from investors and the Federal Reserve. | | | | | | | | | | Vibecession | | | | | A term used in pop culture to refer to pessimism about the economy that isn't necessarily backed up by hard economic data. It's a combination of two words: the "vibe" being given off by consumers and "recession," which refers to a significant decline in gross domestic product (GDP.)
Consumer spending is typically about two-thirds of the country's GDP, so how Americans feel about the economy has a real impact. But when media headlines get ahead of the data, it's harder to forecast what will happen.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jay Powell said last week that although the country's new trade policy has raised the risk of higher inflation and unemployment, increases haven't materialized yet. | | | | | | | "It honestly feels like I'm an athlete getting all this attention from all these pro teams."
—Elijah Rios, a high school junior in Philadelphia | Employers struggling with a shortage of workers in the skilled trades are increasingly courting high-school students like Rios, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Rios takes welding classes at Father Judge high school and has already had a job offer that would pay $68,000 a year once he graduates next year. In fact, all 24 seniors graduating from the welding program this year have job offers that pay $50,000 or more.
It's a sign that more high schools are encouraging students to consider alternatives to college, particularly because of the increasing burden of student loans, the Journal reported. | | | | | |  | | Businesses around the country are walking a tariff communications tightrope: how to explain that they'll have to raise prices without losing customers for either economic or political reasons. (Marketplace) | | | | | | | | | | | If you look to social media for advice on investing, here's how to navigate past misinformation and scams. (The Wall Street Journal) | | | | | | | | |  | | A new survey reveals the financial choices Americans regret most. (Newsweek) | | | | | | | | | | | Intel, insights, and inspo for your money. | | On the Money cuts through the noise of day‑to‑day financial news to bring you a more thoughtful point of view on what's important in this moment — and how it impacts your bottom line. We value your trust above all. | | | | | | | | | | Did you find today's newsletter valuable? | | | | |
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