Rising costs and tight budgets strain Americans ahead of midterm elections

Stacy Eichel, a Florida entrepreneur, lost her healthcare company marketing job in September 2025 after a merger. Her side business making custom-branded merchandise for corporate clients then had to provide more income, but demand for its products was shrinking. Uncertainty over trade policy and tariffs, alongside wider use of artificial intelligence, has led companies to tighten spending. Eichel says the tight budgets make branded merchandise, which many view as a luxury, harder to sell.