Despite overall uncertainty, we are somewhat confident in spending

The Ipsos Consumer Tracker asks Americans questions about culture, the economy and the forces that shape our lives. Here's one thing we learned this week.

Why we asked: With the Ipsos Vibe Check showing Americans feeling more uncertain, and tariff news circulating, it was time to trend this question on big-ticket and overall socio-economic health.

What we found: Our confidence in spending on bigger-ticket items is pretty stable since the last time we asked this in (checks notes) November 2023. That seems like an eon ago and a very different world. But despite all of the uncertainty we see in the Vibe Check and the Ipsos Consumer Confidence Index, about as many are confident in investing, or taking out loans or buying a new home. Not a majority in any of those cases, but a strong four-in-ten-ish across those categories. We’re ever-so-slightly more confident in starting home improvement projects. And all of these numbers are up from late 2022.

More insights from this wave of the Ipsos Consumer Tracker:

If AI use at work is growing, we don't know it.

Americans think student loans should be prioritized, simplified

Our views on gender are consistent, but are we less willing to talk about it?

The Ipsos Vibe Check: Here's how Americans feel about the government this week

The Ipsos Care-o-Meter: What does America know about vs. what does America care about