72% of U.S. households worry about a coming recession; 85% concerned about tariffs hitting personal finances
Majority across political spectrum believe tariffs will harm the economy
83% of consumers say they plan to change shopping habits in response to rising prices
As tariff hikes ripple through the U.S. economy, a new report from Numerator, a leading market research firm, reveals growing consumer anxiety over rising costs, recession fears, and stock market volatility.
According to the April 2025 surveys, 72% of U.S. households are now very or somewhat concerned about an impending recession a sharp increase in public unease that spans political affiliations and income levels.
Consumers are increasingly concerned about the impact of tariffs, both on their own finances and the overall economy, said Dr. Leo Feler, Chief Economist at Numerator. This is not just a partisan issue.
Tariffs spark economic fears and behavior shifts
The surveys show a surge in tariff awareness, with 89% of consumers now aware of recent or proposed tariffs up significantly from 53% in December 2024. As consumers learn more about how tariffs affect prices, 85% now express concern about their financial impact.
Concerns are highest around:
Groceries (60%)
Household goods (42%)
Gasoline (40%)
Automobiles and appliances, which saw the largest jumps in concern since February
In response, a staggering 83% of shoppers plan to adjust their spending. Top strategies include:
Using more coupons and sales (48%)
Delaying purchases until prices stabilize (32%)
Stocking up ahead of price hikes (31%)
Buying fewer imported goods (32%)
Switching to U.S.-made products (25%)
While many are rethinking spending, confidence in the economy is declining: only 33% believe the economy will be stronger in a year, while 52% expect it to worsen.
Recession fears and stock market jitters
The survey highlights a broad fear of economic downturn, with 72% fearing a recession, including 63% in regions that strongly supported President Trump. Despite Republican optimism in some areas, a majority of households across the board believe tariffs will be harmful to the economy over the next year.
In addition:
70% of U.S. households are concerned about recent stock-market volatility
Among Trump-supporting regions, concern remains high at 60%
Younger and more educated respondents were more likely to view tariffs negatively
Even among households that are unsure about tariffs, confidence in their economic benefits is limited fewer than one-third believe tariffs will actually help the U.S. economy.
Consumer behavior as economic bellwether
Dr. Feler warned that declining sentiment may foreshadow a pullback in consumer spending, a key engine of the U.S. economy.
Changes in consumer sentiment are a leading indicator for changes in purchasing behaviors, he noted. If consumers remain this pessimistic, we can expect cutbacks in consumption and a potential recession later this year.
With prices rising and uncertainty growing, consumers are clearly preparing for a more difficult financial landscape, signaling a shifting economic tide that could reshape shopping and spending habits across the country.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched a formal investigation into Lululemon over concerns its products may contain toxic forever chemicals.
The probe will examine whether the company misled consumers about product safety, quality and health impacts.
Lululemon says it phased out the chemicals in 2024 and is cooperating with the investigation.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened an investigation into upscale athletic apparel maker Lululemon, citing concerns that some of its products may contain potentially harmful forever chemicals and that consumers may have been misled about their safety.
The investigation, announced Monday, involves a Civil Investigative Demand, seeking information about whether Lululemon accurately represented the safety, quality and health impacts of its clothing.
Paxtons office is focusing on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, a class of chemicals commonly referred to as forever chemicals because they do not easily break down in the environment and can accumulate in the human body. These substances have been linked in some studies to serious health risks, including cancer, infertility and endocrine disruption.
According to the attorney generals announcement, the investigation will review Lululemons restricted substances list, testing protocols and supplier practices to determine whether the companys products align with its marketing claims, which often emphasize wellness and sustainability.
Americans should not have to worry if they are being deceived when trying to make healthy choices, Paxton said in a statement, emphasizing that companies marketing health-conscious products must be transparent about potential risks.
Company response
Lululemon said it is cooperating with the inquiry and maintains that it no longer uses PFAS in its products, noting the chemicals were phased out in early 2024 and were previously used in a limited number of water-repellent items. The company added that it requires vendors to conduct third-party testing to ensure compliance with safety standards.
The investigation marks the latest effort by Paxtons office to scrutinize the use of PFAS in consumer products. Texas has previously taken legal action against chemical manufacturers over alleged misrepresentations regarding the safety of these substances.
No findings have been announced, and the investigation remains ongoing.
U.S. meat sales reached a record $112 billion in 2025, with volume up 2%.
More than 98% of American households buy meat, and 90% of home-cooked dinners include it.
77% of consumers say meat is part of a healthy diet, a sharp increase from 2020.
While it is true that meat prices are nearing all-time highs, consumers havent cut back on purchases. In fact, a new report says consumers are buying more meat than ever, pushing total sales to a record $112 billion in 2025.
That coincides with a shift in federal health guidelines. As HHS Secretary, Robert Kennedy has taken a pro-protein stance in U.S. dietary policymaking protein, including meat, a central pillar of what he argues is a healthier American diet.
In the 20252030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Kennedy emphasized that Americans should prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foodsprotein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains.
The annual Power of Meat report from FMI The Food Industry Association and the Meat Institute and unveiled at the Annual Meat Conference, shows that both dollar sales and volume increased last year, signaling continued strength in the category despite broader economic pressures.
A dinner table staple
Nearly every American householdmore than 98%purchases meat, and it remains a staple at the dinner table. On average, consumers prepare five dinners at home each week, and about 90% of those meals include meat or poultry.
The growth is being fueled largely by younger shoppers. Millennials and Gen Z accounted for 67% of the increase in units sold and are more likely than older generations to plan meals around meat.
The report also highlights meats strong positioning in consumers views of health and nutrition. About 77% of shoppers say meat and poultry are part of a healthy diet, an increase of more than 20 percentage points since 2020.
Consumers are focused on protein, flexibility, value and taste, said Rick Stein, FMIs vice president of fresh foods, noting that the meat department is outperforming other grocery categories.
Shoppers are also increasingly incorporating meat into more occasions, from traditional meals to snacks, and are turning to digital tools for inspiration. About 15% now use artificial intelligence for meal planning, a sharp rise over the past two years.
Other sources of protein
Consumers seeking more protein in their diets but worried about rising meat prices can find other sources that, at the moment, dont cost as much. For example, after a huge increase in prices in 2025, the cost of eggs has fallen sharply so far in 2026.
Canned fish especially tuna is another low-cost source of protein. So is dairy, including milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese.
When buying meat, chicken may be the most affordable, especially thighs and drumsticks. Chicken offers 20 to 25 grams of protein per serving.
Finally, ground turkey is usually a less expensive protein source than ground beef.
Existing-home sales fell 3.6% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.98 million units, marking the slowest pace in months.
Sales were 1% lower than a year ago, reflecting ongoing weakness in the housing market.
Economists point to low consumer confidence, elevated mortgage rates and limited inventory as key factors restraining buyers.
The spring housing market is off to a lackluster start. Sales of existing homes declined in March, underscoring continued weakness in the housing market as affordability challenges and economic uncertainty keep buyers on the sidelines.
The timing of the Iran war, with a resulting surge in gasoline prices, likely didnt help.
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), sales of previously owned homes dropped 3.6% from February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.98 million units. The figure represents the slowest pace in roughly nine months and fell short of economists expectations.
The March decline reversed a modest rebound seen in February and suggests the spring homebuying season may be a disappointment for sellers.
On a year-over-year basis, existing-home sales slipped 1%, extending a multi-year trend of subdued activity in the housing sector.
Economic pressure
NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun attributed the slowdown to growing economic pressures weighing on potential buyers.
March home sales remained sluggish and below last years pace, Yun said, citing weaker job growth and declining consumer confidence as key headwinds.
Mortgage rates, which briefly eased earlier in the year, have moved higher again, further straining affordability. Combined with still-limited housing inventory, these factors continue to push prices upward even as sales soften.
Prices continue to rise
Despite the slowdown in transactions, home prices remain elevated. The national median existing-home price rose modestly from a year earlier, reflecting ongoing supply constraints and a lack of available homes for sale.
Inventory has improved slightly but remains well below pre-pandemic levels, limiting options for buyers and contributing to persistent affordability challenges, particularly for first-time purchasers.
Looking ahead, NAR has tempered its outlook for the housing market, citing continued economic uncertainty and interest rate pressures. While some improvement in inventory could support sales later in the year, the near-term outlook suggests a slow and uneven recovery.
Keep it simple and stack smart: At Dollar General, use one manufacturer coupon plus one store coupon per item. Start with just digital coupons in the app and only clip what you actually need.
Build around the $5 off $25: Hit $25 before coupons, stack that discount with your clipped deals, and your total drops fast with minimal effort.
Add easy cash back: Link and use Ibotta, add offers before shopping, and enter your phone number at checkout. Dont double-dip the same deal.
Couponing at Dollar General has this reputation of being confusing, time-consuming, and honestly a little intimidating.
But the reality is that Dollar General is actually one of the simplest places to coupon once you understand how their system works.
Once you get it down, you can consistently cut your bill in half (or more) on everyday essentials without turning it into a second job.
First: Understand the three types of coupons at Dollar General
Before you try to build a deal, you need to understand what youre working with.
This matters because not all coupons work together and heres the key rule that drives everything:You can only use one manufacturer coupon + one Dollar General store coupon per item.
Also important: most digital coupons in the app are manufacturer coupons, even though they live inside the Dollar General system. So, if you try to stack two digital coupons on one item, it usually wont work.
This is where beginners often get tripped up and get frustrated.
Think of it this way:
Youre not trying to use more coupons.
Youre trying to use the right combination of coupons.
The easiest way to start: Use digital coupons only
If youre new to couponing at Dollar General, its important to keep it ridiculously simple at first.
Inside the app, youll see dozens of digital coupons you can clip with one tap. Then when you check out, you just enter your phone number and the system applies whatever matches your purchase.
No paper. No printing. This is what makes couponing at Dollar General very user-friendly.
Think of it this way, youre already buying things like:
Paper towels
Dish soap
Snacks
Laundry detergent
Now youre just getting a digital discount on them. The mistake shoppers often make is trying to clip everything at once. Thats how you end up overwhelmed and quitting.
Instead, only clip coupons for the items you know your household will actually use. That keeps things very manageable and prevents you from buying random stuff just because its on sale.
The $5 off $25 trick (this is where things really click)
This is the single most important strategy at Dollar General.
Every week (usually Saturdays), theres a $5 off $25 coupon in the DG app. So, when your total hits $25 before coupons, you instantly save $5.
When you combine that with your digital coupons,all of a sudden the math really starts working in your favor.
Example:
Cart total: $25
$5 off $25 coupon
$7 in digital coupons
New total: $13
Thats nearly 50% off without doing anything complicated.
The reason this works so well is because youre stacking a whole purchase discount with those item-level discounts. And Dollar General is one of the few places where this stacking is really easy to make happen.
Build a simple plan (this is what separates savers from over-spenders)
Walking into Dollar General without a plan is where people lose money.
You grab a few things, maybe use a coupon or two, and leave thinking you saved but you probably didnt maximize anything.
Having a simple plan can change everything.
With that said, heres a realistic system that works:
Open the app.
Clip coupons for things you actually need.
Look at the weekly ad.
Build a cart that gets you to $25.
Make sure your coupons apply to those items.
This turns your trip from random shopping into a controlled strategy that saves you money. And once you do it a few times, it becomes second nature.
Pro tip: When using the DG app, be sure to set the app to the store youre shopping at. That way youll know the correct pricing, as the price in the app is always going to override whats shown on the shelf tag.
Ibotta and Dollar General play well together
Once you get the basic concepts of how couponing at Dollar General works, youll want to take your savings to the next level and download the Ibotta app and link your Dollar General account.
You simply open the Ibotta app find Dollar General tap Link account. Then either log into your DG account, or create a new one.
Then before you shop, you just open Ibotta and browse the Dollar General offers, then tap the + to add anything you plan to buy.
Once thats done, shop like you normally would, either in-store or online, making sure to purchase the exact items listed in your offers and paying as usual. At checkout, enter your phone number, which is how Dollar General tracks your purchase.
After that, everything is automatic. Theres no receipt to scan, and your cash back typically shows up in your Ibotta account within a couple of days.
Pro tip: Make sure you dont double-dip the same offer in both the DG and Ibotta app. If you clip a deal in Dollar General and also add it in Ibotta, the savings will usually go to Dollar General, not Ibotta. If you want the Ibotta cash back, stick to adding the offer there only.
Must-follows for Dollar General couponing
There are some folks on TikTok and Instagram that do a fantastic job matching weekly Dollar General (and Ibotta) coupons and deals to specific products and shopping categories.
Here are three that post regularly and explain how it all works in an easy-to-follow way.
Liz The Clearance Queen Follow her on TitTok and shell show you how to coupon at Dollar General and stack deals and coupons so you only pay a fraction of the retail price.
Nubia GonzalezHer TikTok page also shows you how to do weekly coupon matchups at Dollar General. She walks you through the process slowly so you dont miss a coupon and she'll help you save a bunch of money every time you shop at Dollar General.
Couponing 4 Beginners Melyssa runs a great Instagram page that walks you step-by-step through Dollar General's couponsand deal matchups. Every week, shell show you how to score a variety of products for a fraction of the original price.
Keep it simple (this is what actually works long-term)
Most people quit couponing at Dollar General because they overcomplicate it. They try to do everything at once, chase every deal, and they end up burnt out.
The people who stick with it tend to do lessand keep the whole thing simple.
For example, they:
Shop just once a week.
Focus on essentials.
Use a handful of coupons.
Stick to a simple system.
Thats it. Remember, even saving $10 a week adds up fast. And once you get comfortable, those savings grow naturally.
Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women globally, with cases expected to surge by 2050.
Researchers analyzed decades of data across more than 200 countries to track trends and risks.
A significant share of the disease burden is tied to modifiable lifestyle factors like diet and smoking.
Breast cancer continues to be the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide and new research suggests the burden is only going to grow.
According to a large global analysis published in The Lancet Oncology, there were an estimated 2.3 million new cases and 764,000 deaths in 2023 alone. Even more concerning: those numbers are projected to rise sharply in the coming decades, with cases expected to exceed 3.5 million annually by 2050.
While advances in screening and treatment have improved outcomes in some parts of the world, the disease is increasingly impacting countries with fewer health care resources. Researchers emphasize that breast cancer isnt just a medical issue its also tied to broader factors like access to care, early detection, and prevention strategies.
Breast cancer continues to take a profound toll on womens lives and communities, lead author Kayleigh Bhangdia said in a news release.
While those in high-income countries typically benefit from screening and more timely diagnosis and comprehensive treatment strategies, the mounting burden of breast cancer is shifting to low- and lower middle-income countries where individuals often face later-stage diagnosis, more limited access to quality care, and higher death rates that are threatening to eclipse progress in womens health.
How the study was conducted
To understand the full scope of breast cancer worldwide, researchers used data from the Global Burden of Disease Study. This included information from cancer registries, national health records, and even interviews with family members of women who died from the disease.
The study examined trends from 1990 through 2023 across 204 countries and territories, offering one of the most comprehensive looks at breast cancer to date. Researchers also estimated years of healthy life lost, a metric that captures not just deaths but also the impact of illness and disability.
Importantly, the analysis didnt just track cases it also looked at risk factors. The team identified several modifiable contributors, including high red meat consumption, tobacco use, high blood sugar, elevated body weight, alcohol use, and low physical activity.
What the researchers found
The findings highlight a stark and uneven global picture. While high-income countries tend to have higher diagnosis rates, theyve seen improvements in survival likely due to better screening and treatment. Meanwhile, lower-income countries are experiencing faster increases in both cases and deaths, often due to later diagnoses and limited access to care.
Another key takeaway: lifestyle factors play a meaningful role. Researchers estimate that about 28% of the global breast cancer burden is linked to modifiable risks, suggesting that prevention efforts could make a real difference.
The study also found that although breast cancer is more common in older women, rates are rising among younger women as well a shift that may reflect changing risk patterns over time.
With more than a quarter of the global breast cancer burden linked to six modifiable lifestyle changes there are tremendous opportunities to alter the trajectory of breast cancer risk for the next generation, co-senior author Dr. Marie Ng said in the news release.
Targeting known risk factors through public health policies and making healthier choices more accessible, while working with individuals to take action to reduce obesity and high blood sugar, is crucial to halting the rise in breast cancers worldwide.
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