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Nearly half of Americans say they feel they are falling behind financially as inflation continues to strain household budgets, according to a new Fox News poll.
The poll found 44% of respondents believe their personal finances are slipping, a sentiment echoed by shoppers on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, who told FOX Business they plan to rein in spending and save more in 2026.
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FOX Business correspondent Kelly Saberi spoke with passersby in the Windy City who discussed saving more, spending less and investing more money in 2026.
One said he wanted to determine a set amount of money to save each week. Another said he wanted to focus his spending on the essentials.
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“Not spending money on the frivolous things, like not buying coffee every day,” he said. “I feel like I bought a lot of coffee throughout 2025.” He pointed to simple changes, such as brewing coffee at home and bringing lunch to work, as ways to save.
While inflation has cooled in recent months, prices remain elevated for many staples. The Consumer Price Index shows the all-items index rose 2.7% in November, compared to 3% in September. December data has not yet been finalized.
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Dairy prices decreased by 1.6% in November, but the cost of proteins like meat, poultry, fish and eggs rose by 4.7%.
“My main takeaway from speaking to these folks on a very cold day was that this is something they’ve been speaking about and thinking about all year,” Saberi said Wednesday on “Mornings with Maria.”
