Cost-cutting, quiet guilt and the inflation generation

Planet Money explores the economic moment through listener stories, revealing a picture not captured by standard statistics. While unemployment is low and the market is up, inflation remains sticky and over 75% of Americans report money stress. Listeners shared experiences of extreme frugality, quiet guilt among those doing well, and a new generation becoming hyper cost-conscious. The episode argues that the K-shaped economy metaphor oversimplifies a reality where boom and doom coexist.