A six-figure annual salary used to be a milestone for career success and financial security, but it isn\u2019t what it used to be.<\/p>\n
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The era of elevated inflation that began during the COVID pandemic has eroded the value of $100,000 to the point that Americans earning that much are hunting for bargains like everyone else. <\/p>\n
Walmart has previously noted that more affluent customers are shopping at the discount chain. And now they are patronizing deep discounters like dollar stores.<\/p>\n
At the Goldman Sachs Global Consumer and Retail Conference\u00a0on Tuesday, Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos said core customers, whom he defined as those making less than $45,000 a year, change their shopping behavior when gas prices hit $4 a gallon. <\/p>\n
For example, they tend to buy closer to home, shop more often, and buy less on each trip. The frequency of shopping goes up because customers don\u2019t know what the next week will hold and will buy what they can, when they can.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the interesting thing with this economy, because of the other sustained headwinds of inflation over the years that have passed, even that middle to upper middle is acting more like a lower-income shopper these days,\u201d he said, according to a Seeking Alpha transcript.<\/p>\n
The national average for a price of gasoline is now $4.476 a gallon, up from $3.189 a year ago, according to AAA, as President Donald Trump\u2019s war on Iran disrupts global oil markets. The price of diesel has soared to $6.50, making items shipped by trucks more expensive.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s not just energy costs. Utility bills, new and used cars, insurance, food, and caregiving costs have all jumped. Vasos said even those making $100,000 a year or more are feeling the squeeze. <\/p>\n
\u201cI would tell you, what we\u2019re hearing more and more from them is \u2018I don\u2019t feel like I\u2019m higher income at $100,000 any longer,\u2019 because of all of the headwinds that I just mentioned,\u201d he added. \u201cSo we believe at Dollar General, we\u2019re in a really good position to service all of the different demographics of what we have.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, consumers remain very resilient, and the biggest reason is that they have stayed employed, Vasos explained. <\/p>\n
Indeed, the ability of consumers to adapt to higher prices has been a hallmark of the U.S. economy lately. The latest retail sales report showed a better-than-expected 1.2% increase in August and a 1.1% gain after excluding gasoline.<\/p>\n
As long employment holds, Dollar General\u2019s costumers will find a way to navigate the inflation landscape, he predicted.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving 2,000 items at or below $1 is very meaningful for the consumer, always has, but especially in this environment,\u201d Vasos added.<\/p>\n
Other signs have emerged that making $100,000 isn\u2019t enough to avoid economic anxiety. A\u00a0survey from the Harris Poll last year found that 64% of six-figure earners said their income isn\u2019t a milestone for success but merely the bare minimum for staying afloat.<\/p>\n
In fact, even those making $200,000 or more have resorted to financial tactics that are often associated with less wealthy consumers. For example, 64% said they\u2019ve used rewards points to pay for essentials, 50% have used \u201cbuy now, pay later\u201d plans for purchases under $100, and 46% rely on credit cards to make ends meet.<\/p>\n
And Michael Green, chief strategist and portfolio manager for Simplify Asset Management, wrote a viral Substack post last year arguing the real poverty line should be $140,000.<\/p>\n
Conventional gauges don\u2019t capture how much Americans are struggling with the cost of living, even households earning six figures, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the crisis threshold\u2014the floor below which families cannot function\u2014is honestly updated to current spending patterns, it lands at $140,000,\u201d Green added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
#Dollar #General #CEO #consumers #making #year #dont #feel #high #income #anymore<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A six-figure annual salary use… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4993,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[5994,283,2255,2233,2268,1968,7129,5977,880,169,176,1965,2495,85],"class_list":["post-4992","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-finance-news","tag-anymore","tag-ceo","tag-consumers","tag-dollar","tag-dont","tag-feel","tag-gas-prices","tag-general","tag-high","tag-income","tag-inflation","tag-making","tag-retail","tag-year"],"yoast_head":"\n
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