Reply #9: There may be some confusion, or they may be spending less.

[Gormy Cuss]

The word "spending" could trigger some unexpected interpretations. Some respondents may have replied in terms of discretionary spending rather than their overall household spending. It would have been help to ask the same respondents if they were spending more or less on specific items, such as groceries, heating/cooling or other household expenses, shopping for clothes, electronics, etc.

OTOH, some respondents may in fact be spending less. These would be people who had a habit of spending a lot on nonessentials, not people who have to live paycheck to paycheck. If one is unsure of one's job security and feels that a recession is coming, it's prudent to rein in the spending and increase savings.