Slowing Finally Showing

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The slowdown begins, and that bodes well and bad. I am talking about retail spending, something that despite the high inflation was not feeling any pain until now. It was one dynamic in the inflation story that was actually hurting the efforts of curbing inflation—because consumer spending of course drives demand higher, and that drives prices higher. We need that slowdown. I am certain as well that when we get the next quarter's GDP figures, it will point to a definite recession. Something we also need in order to bring down inflation. There is one area of consumer spending which has not necessarily slowed yet, but based on the retail numbers, may be coming, and that's discretionary spending. The bad is that of course a recession will hurt everyone even more than the inflation since that means job losses are forthcoming—and of course the inflation will not disappear overnight, further expanding the pain for many people in the interim. The ride is only going to get rougher, and the best advice once can offer in coming times like these is to hunker down, keep as much of your money now while you can, and prepare for the worst. Because it is coming, like it or not. Job losses, recession, repos, high debts as people navigate high prices and unemployment...definite tough times for many.