Smart Spending Tips explores why Americans are still spending when recession fears are rising, even as debt grows and confidence in the economy fades. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, is how the old saying goes. Lately, consumers seem to be doing the opposite. The latest Survey of Consumer Expectations from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that consumers expect economic trouble on multiple fronts. You’d never know it, though. Their borrowing and spending patterns show little sign of caution. Many consumers appear to be bracing for economic trouble while continuing to spend and borrow with…

From fast-casual chains to your fridge at home, artificial intelligence is stepping in where supply chains, labor markets, and budgets are buckling. If you’ve felt the pinch while ordering takeout or reading your grocery receipt, you’re not alone. With inflation lingering, labor costs rising, and potential tariffs threatening imports — 15% of the U.S. food supply is imported, including 32% of fresh vegetables, 55% of fresh fruit, and 94% of seafood — the cost of putting food on the table is surging. Dining out, once a weeknight convenience, now feels like a splurge. Even meal prepping is no longer cheap…