Due to rising inflation in the United States, a recent study by the Bipartisan Policy Center and conducted by Morning Consult showed that about two-thirds of Americans have reduced their spending habits so they can pay for gas or groceries.
The poll recorded the answers from 2,004 registered voters online from April 15-17, as the Consumer Price Index summary for March showed that inflation increased 1.2% from February to 8.5%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
65% of the voters said that they have had to be more mindful of their spending and cut back in order to pay for gas, the poll showed, according to The Hill.
The national average for regular gas is $4.14 per gallon as of April 28, according to AAA. Although, that price is down from what gas was costing on average last month, when it was $4.246 per gallon.
The CPI summary showed that the gasoline index rose 18.3% for March, following the United States' ban on Russian oil imports on March 8 amid their unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
It's not only gas prices that are causing Americans to reduce their spending, as 63% of voters said that they have had to cut back because of rising grocery prices.
The food index rose 1% for March, while the food at home index increased 1.5% last month. Families must now be more cost conscious when shopping at the grocery store and limit the amount of times they are eating meals out.
The BPC-Morning Consult poll showed other examples of how inflation has affected people's spending and has forced them to prioritize other expenses like utility costs and rent or mortgages.
48% of the study said that affording monthly rent has been either somewhat or very difficult to afford during the last six month. However, 62% said paying their mortgage has been somewhat or very easy during that time. Though, there was still 34% of people who claimed that affording their mortgage has been difficult.
There was only 19% of the poll who said that paying rent has been "very easy" over the last six months.
Another 37% of people said that utility costs have forced them to slow down their personal spending in order to afford their bills.
Overall, 87% of the registered voters in the poll agreed that Democrats and Republicans in Congress need to figure something out to help slow down inflation. 56% of the people even said that both sides should work on fixing the problem together.
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