The waiting game

Deflationary death spiral, hyper-inflationary panic buying, stagflationary glumness, or just a featureless horizon with no change to be seen? I believe that I am fairly representative of the American consumers that are capable of, and interested in, making a big ticket purchase or two in the next six months. After spending much of last year looking for work I have now been gainfully employed for almost six months and my family’s financial situation has improved to the point where those purchases that have been put off for a while are seeming like a better and better idea.

However a lack of solid inflation expectations and the quickening pace of product improvements have made it increasingly difficult to make the decision that today is the day that I am going to buy something. The new model just came out and the old model is one hundred dollars cheaper than it was a few weeks ago. Choosing either model I am still tempted to wait a bit to see if a lack of demand translates into any downward pricing pressure. If I want the latest and greatest I am also tempted to see what else the supplier and it’s competitors have up their sleeves in terms of further upgrades.

A little clarity would go  along way to giving consumers like myself the added confidence needed to swipe that card.