Seems like everyday there are a slew of new stories that could tell you very different things about the state of the economy. At the beginning of May, confidence in the economy seemed to be up along with a sense of optimism, but by the end of may, reports are out that spending/incomes are down and so is our confidence. And around and around we go.

Interesting infographic from Mint (latest in a series of smart ones) offers up yet another perspective. Particularly during the worst parts of the recession, many speculated that Americans would permanently shift their behavior, and not go back to spending on some of the things we used to (I often thought the same as well). Perhaps overall this may still have a lot of truth to it. But it’s interesting that, as we approach the middle of 2010, spending on pricey coffeeshop coffee is indeed rebounding strongly (though Starbucks isn’t enjoying as much of a bump as others, apparently).

I know I can say my habit has picked up after a few months of cutting back. In some ways it feels like that says more about overall optimism and confidence than gallup poll numbers, and that actions are perhaps leading opinion in this case about how people feel about both their personal economic situation and that of the country as a whole. Maybe it’s a bit of a stretch given this is just one indicator, but still highlights an interesting divide between opinions and actual behaviors, what people say they’re going to do and what they actually do in reality.

Posted via email from avin narasimhan | Comment »