Rising costs are pushing younger consumers to work harder at money management, even as fewer Americans say their coping strategies are actually helping. That is one of the clearest takeaways from “Generations Under Pressure: How Younger Consumers Are Coping With Higher Living Costs,” a new PYMNTS Intelligence...
The shift isn’t worth the drive, and workers are doing the math. “When the Drive Isn’t Worth the Pay: How Fuel Costs Reshape Who Can Afford to Work,” the June edition of the Wage to Wallet Index™, shows how rising fuel costs are changing the...
For many hourly workers, the most useful financial tool may not be a bigger paycheck, but a clearer view of when that paycheck will arrive and how large it will be. That is the practical takeaway from “The Schedule Shock: How Unstable Hours Turn Paychecks...
A collaboration between PYMNTS Intelligence and Visa Acceptance Solutions, the “2026 Global Digital Shopping Index: Merchant Edition” examines how merchants are adapting to a retail environment where shopping is spreading across apps, websites, physical stores and, increasingly, AI-powered agents. The report is based on a March 2026...
Consumer sentiment has ticked up as gas prices eased, according to preliminary results for June from the University of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers. The report’s Index of Consumer Sentiment improved by about four index points, or 9%, compared to May. Sentiment improved across age, education and political party....
Consumers are not standing still as higher living costs squeeze household budgets. They are cutting spending, delaying purchases, taking on extra work and using payment tools to stretch cash flow, yet fewer now believe those moves are working. That is the central tension in PYMNTS...
Americans are facing growing affordability pressures, and companies are having mixed results in passing on higher costs, the Federal Reserve said in its May Beige Book released Wednesday (June 3). The Beige Book, which is published eight times a year and summarizes anecdotal information on current economic conditions gathered...
What U.S. consumers ask of their credit cards has changed. For financially stressed households, it has little to do with rewards. As more households turn to credit cards to manage liquidity and cover everyday expenses, a new set of practical concerns is driving card behavior:...
For merchants, the most important consumer in 2026 may be the shopper who still says yes, but rarely says yes quickly. That’s based on PYMNTS Intelligence’s May 2026 report, “Sentiment Split: Consumers Feel Hopeful Until the Bills Arrive.” The research argues that traditional measures of...