As the plethora of store displays and advertising materials make abundantly clear, it’s back-to-school shopping time.

These days, looking at economic reports and considering future uncertainties, it’s no surprise that some Americans are feeling anxiety.

Last week, when the latest U.S. GDP numbers were announced, talk about the dreaded R-word — recession — got a little louder.

Fifty years ago, Walter Mischel and colleagues used it to measure how well young children could resist temptation by placing a marshmallow on a table and giving them two options…

Inflation, this summer’s biggest party crasher, is putting a damper on backyard barbecues everywhere with higher food and energy costs while busting many vacation budgets with unpredictable flights, hotels, and gas prices.

If not even one of the hottest job markets in history can cheer up consumers, then an economic…