Americans' thin savings
About 42% of Americans, roughly 2 in 5, live paycheck-to-paycheck and 60% of Americans do not have a "rainy day" fund to cover 3 months of unanticipated financial emergencies.
Inflation
New economic data out Tuesday morning shows inflation is going up. Officials say you should get used to paying more for food: A bold new forecast says grain and meat prices will likely go up 25% within the next 5 years according to the Royal Bank of Scotland Group. To make matters worse, another analyst says cattle prices are likely to reach record highs in 2012 and meat production may rapidly decline after that, putting even more upward pressure on prices.
Mellower coffee from Starbucks
Is Starbucks coffee too bold for you? They are introducing a blond roast in January featuring a lighter flavor.
