GET ME REWRITE: Americans are charging, and not just for necessities

 

Top headline:  New York Times, 7/16/2026

Graph:  Lending Tree

Bottom headline:  Yahoo Finance

Talmon Joseph Smith and Ben Casselman report for the Times:

Now, though, there are tentative signs that discretionary spending may be rising among lower and moderate income households as well. The government doesn’t break down spending by income level on a monthly basis. But data from private sources points to early evidence of a turnaround. 

Credit card data from Bank of America shows that spending in recent weeks has risen faster for lower-income households than for higher earners. And they were spending more not just on essentials but also on discretionary items like restaurant meals and travel.  [emphasis added]

Related posts:

2026

Many Americans went deeper in debt in April due to higher gas prices.  (5/18)

Consumer spending or consumers piling up debt?  (2/5)

2025

Personal finance insanity:  $50,000 in credit card debt + 21.39% interest rate = deep money pit to crawl out of.  (11/30)

Does a Strong Holiday Shopping Season Mean a Better Year Ahead? No, it just means that shoppers took on more credit card debt!  (1/21)

2018

Point/counterpoint:  Paying off credit card debt.  (12/14)

Holiday gifts bought but not paid for.  (1/13)