A new statewide survey reveals that nearly 3/4 of North Carolinians are slashing their monthly spending just to cope with inflation.
The joint study by Catawba College and YouGov shows 72% of residents cut back on regular purchases over the past month. That figure marks a sharp 8-point increase in financial strain since the beginning of the year.
According to the data, 54% of respondents now report direct difficulty affording routine monthly expenses, while 75% say they are living under high financial pressure.
The biggest pain points for consumers are big-ticket items like automobiles and gasoline, followed closely by skyrocketing costs for groceries and utilities. Even families who claim they aren't explicitly struggling report changing their shopping habits to buffer against rising costs.
Pollsters interviewed 1,000 North Carolina residents for the study, which carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8%.
