https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/cash-strapped-americans-tap-home-equity-and-ai-to-keep-spendingContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/cash-strapped-americans-tap-home-equity-and-ai-to-keep-spendinghttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/cash-strapped-americans-tap-home-equity-and-ai-to-keep-spending#u107651Tue, 06 Oct 2026 22:22:10 +0000Despite economic uncertainty, American consumers continue to spend freely, leveraging home equity and artificial intelligence to manage their finances. Many are drawing on resources such as food banks and utilizing AI tools like ChatGPT to maintain their lifestyles amid rising prices. This trend is driven by the need to cope with persistent inflation, which remains above the Federal Reserve's target.Why it mattersThe ongoing inflationary pressures have led to a decline in consumer savings, with many Americans relying on alternative financial strategies to sustain their spending habits. Th