RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Remember “eggflation” and those much higher gas prices? While those costs have come down, people are still feeling the effect of higher prices.
North Carolinians were asked by the latest High Point University poll whether inflation affected major spending decisions they’ve made this year. The largest group, 85% said some or a lot.
But that number improves a bit with 38% saying it’s a bad time to buy major household items and 34% saying it’s neither a good or bad time.
“It looks like consumer sentiment may be headed up. A little bit, but not fast. And so that’s the thing to watch over the next few months, you know, we’re still in the 60s, which is relatively low. You know, with the way that we measure the index, but it does look like it went up four or five points since the last time we did this in November,” said Martin Kifer, HPU poll director and associate professor of political science.
Kifer added, “The public really does hear the news about the improving economy and take that into account when they evaluate what’s going on. But they also have pocketbook concerns. You don’t have to hear news about how you’re feeling, right? You know how you’re orienting yourself to the economy and whether you feel positive or not. And so that’s one of the things that’s kind of lagging right now—is people aren’t feeling particularly good about where they are with their personal budgets, their personal finances.”