Women track the economy as side hustles climb

The latest trends in society and culture from The Harris Poll

One Interesting Insight: If you have a nostalgic craving for Capri-Sun, Bagel Bites, Fruity Pebbles, and Lunchables, you’re likely among the (79%) of 90s Summer kids (ages 30 to 49 today) in our research with Instacart.

We have four new stories from our polling this week:

1. In our new Guardian-Harris poll, women are more aware of (and more realistic about) handling inflation.
2. More consumers are anticipating tariffs by making purchases in advance.
3. Americans are overwhelmed, out of time, and struggling to cope on their own.
4. American workers are likely to become busier with their plans to take on a second or gig job in the current economy.

It’s Not Pessimism: Women See The Economy More Strategically: The Guardian-Harris Poll

In our new poll with The Guardian, women across the political spectrum are more concerned about the economy and inflation than men are.

• Overall, women are 15%-pts more likely to say that the economy and inflation are getting worse (62% vs. men: 47%).
• Differences in household shopping responsibility translate into broader gaps in concern around affordability, such as more women being very worried about food prices (52% v. men: 39%), spending more time trying to find deals or more affordable stores (36% v. 26%), and saying their financial security is getting worse because of affording essential goods (55% v. 46%).
• Women were also less likely to say they felt comfortable affording a family in today’s economy (27% v. 43%) or confident in switching jobs (25% v. 34%).

Takeaway: “Here’s what everyone missed: women aren’t being pessimistic about the economy – they’re being realistic,” said Libby Rodney, Chief Strategy Officer of Harris Poll. “Women are experiencing the sharp edge of inflation on essentials like groceries and childcare in ways that stock portfolios can’t capture.”

Consumers Are Buying Earlier and More Often: Position Imaging-Harris Poll

Inflation and tariff fears have led to more consumers buying early and more often, according to our research.

• Two-thirds (66%) of American consumers say they’ll make certain purchases sooner than planned this year, primarily driven by concern over tariff price increases (51%).
• A third (36%) will also shop early due to concerns about products going out of stock.
• And this FOMO translates into foot traffic: Most consumers (69%) are more likely to purchase their oversized or big-ticket items in-store rather than online for delivery.
• This tracks with our recent polling with Bloomberg, where over two-thirds (69%) of American consumers expect higher costs for everyday goods as a result of tariffs.

Takeaway: “As tariffs and other concerns drive earlier and more deliberate purchasing decisions,” says Ned Hill, Founder and CEO of Position Imaging. “Our latest findings reaffirm that this concern is not just background noise; it’s actively influencing shopping behavior.

More of Us Say We’re Time-Starved: Duckbill-Harris Poll

At a moment when life is supposed to be getting easier with the promise of AI, many Americans feel the opposite–we find with the executive assistant platform, Duckbill.

• Over half (55%) say most of the time, they’re simply trying to “get through the day.”
• And half (50%) say that time feels like a luxury out of reach, especially younger women (74%).
• Even in free time, (75%) feel like there is something they should be doing.
• This leaves the majority of Americans (54%) to say that managing life feels harder than it should be, and (29%) say asking for help takes more time than doing it themselves.

Takeaway: “This data reveals what we have long feared, Americans are more overwhelmed than ever, and stuck in the endless cycle of life’s tasks,” says Meghan Joyce, CEO and Founder of Duckbill. “We can no longer ignore this growing crisis.”

Large Swaths of American Employees Are Taking on a Side Hustle: ASA-Harris Poll

The “time as currency” trend from our last story is reflected in the workplace, as seen in our latest poll with American Staffing Agency. Here, we see more workers taking on a side hustle to improve their financial situation.

• Nearly two-thirds (64%) of employees plan to take on a second job or start a side hustle in the next year to supplement their income.
• Over seven in 10 Gen Z and Millennials (73% and 76%) are seeking a second job or side hustle vs. (59%) of Gen X and 37% of Boomers.
• It’s about cash flow: One in five (19%) say they’d have less than a month of savings as a financial cushion, and only a quarter (25%) would have more than a year saved up (five months and less: 32%, six to 12 months: 24%).
• The backdrop: (72%) of American employees are concerned about affording their living expenses.

Takeaway: “For growing numbers of Americans, a side hustle can be a good way to build savings, pay off debt, find a new job or change careers,” said the CEO of the American Staffing Association. “However, for others, a side hustle means having enough money to make ends meet,” Wahlquist said. “With economic uncertainty dominating the headlines, it’s not surprising to see Americans looking for ways to create some breathing room in their budgets.”