'Recession!': Analysis reveals a change in spending habits — despite what economists say
President Donald Trump with FBI Director Kash Patel, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard and others at the Kaseya Center in Miami on April 12, 2025 (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok/Flickr)
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the United States' unemployment rate was 4.2 percent in April; 177,000 new payroll jobs were added. That jobs report shows that so far, the low unemployment rates that President Donald Trump inherited from former President Joe Biden haven't gone away — at least not yet.
Many economists are warning that if Trump doesn't back down from the steep new tariffs he keeps threatening, the U.S. economy could suffer a variety of problems — including soaring prices, a recession, stagflation, and a weakening of the U.S. dollar.
In an article published by Salon on Memorial Day 2025, Brooklyn-based writer Cara Michelle Smith humorously details some ways in which she is already acting like the U.S. is in a recession.
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"I don't need an economist to tell me whether we're in a recession," Smith argues. "Because over the past few months, I've noticed significant changes in how I'm spending money…. Sounds like a recession, no?.... My partner and I typically go out for dinner once a month. Instead, we haven’t had a date night in months."
Smith continues, "We've been eating at home. Freeze-dried meats and nuts, mostly. It’s fun! We're super into the survivalist blogs. Did you know that, in the event of a declared nuclear disaster, the federal government can close all the grocery stores? There doesn’t even have to be a nuclear disaster. They could just say there's one. Then, boom, living off the land! And, if you're smart, the towering stockpile of beans and canned tuna you've amassed in a matter of weeks."
Smith cites some other examples as well.
"Recession indicator!" Smith writes. "My therapist suggested an increase to twice-weekly sessions…. Earlier today, my running shoes fell apart. I put a new pair on credit."
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The Brooklyn resident adds, "That should be a recession indicator, but it felt familiar."
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Cara Michelle Smith's full article for Salon is available at this link.
