The shopping cart has been around for close to a hundred years.

New research suggests it may be due for an update.

Those shopping cart handles that drive like a wheelbarrow increase people's willingness to spend, according to recent research out of Europe.

The reason may be biological -- traditional carts activate our triceps or pushing muscles.

The wheelbarrow cart engages the biceps the muscles we associate with pulling motions.

“Throughout our lives, we develop an association between pushing things away and things that we don't like, and we form an association between pulling things toward us and things that we do like,” said Zachary Estes at the City University of London.

“Once that association is developed, the theory goes, it can be flipped so that if you activate the muscles involved with pulling something towards you, it actually increases your liking of that thing,” Estes said.

In field tests, people spent more money using the wheelbarrow handles on a shopping trip, but they didn't like the new handles as much as the old ones.

“There's this conflict for the retailers where consumers say, ‘ah, I don't really like these weird handles.’ But on the other hand, they're getting these increased sales,” Estes said.

It's unclear whether this research will motivate stores to adopt an updated shopping cart. A few manufacturers and stores are reportedly interested but have not made a commitment.

As we enter the second half of the year, many Americans are questioning the stability of the U.S. economy amid fears we could be heading into a recession.

Later this month, the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee will meet to discuss the likeliness of more interest rate hikes to address the nation's highest inflation in more than 40 years.

Consumer prices in June saw the biggest 12-month increase since 1981.

Mary Daly is the president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, and she suggests that the COVID-19 lockdowns and the war in Ukraine have both contributed in part to rising costs across the globe.

"We have a strong economy but inflation is too high," she said. "As an economist and policymaker, I was less startled. It [inflation] is something you can expect because we had a pandemic. We locked down the economy and then opened back up suddenly. We're ready as consumers to get back out there and buy things and do things, but supply chains are completely under siege."

Last month, the Federal Reserve attempted to tame rising costs by raising its key interest rate by 0.75% — its largest hike since 1994. It was the third rate hike from the central bank this year and more are expected.

But Daly said she isn't concerned that the Fed is overcooking things in order to tame down inflation.

"I'm not concerned because we put extraordinary emergency accommodation into the economy," she said. "We put a lot of support into the economy. When we did that, the economy was supported through the pandemic, and now we're just dialing back that support as we raise the interest rates through the end of the year. That should help bring inflation down to help get the economy back in balance."

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Consumers picked up their spending from May to June, underscoring their resilience despite painfully higher prices at the gas pump and in grocery aisles and allaying fears that the economy might be on the verge of a recession.

U.S. retail sales rose 1% in June, from a revised decline of 0.1 % in May, the Commerce Department said Friday.

The figures aren't adjusted for inflation and so largely reflect higher prices, particularly for gas. But they also show that consumers are still providing crucial support for the economy and spending on such discretionary items as furniture, restaurant meals and sporting goods.

SEE MORE: U.S. Inflation Reached 40-Year High Of 9.1% In June

At the same time, last month's spending gain is modest enough that it likely won't encourage the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates even more aggressively. Stock prices rose after the report's release.

Consumers still have significant savings, on average, bolstered by pandemic-era government relief checks and strong hiring and pay gains. JPMorgan executives said Thursday that their customers are still breaking out their credit and debit cards at a healthy pace.

The report showed consumers' ongoing appetite for nonessentials like gadgets and furniture. In fact, sales at furniture stores rose 1.4%, while consumer electronics stores rose 0.4%. Online sales showed a resurgence, posting a 2.2% increase. Business at restaurants was up 1%. But department stores took a hit, posting a 2.6% decline.

The solid figures bode well for the back-to-school shopping season, the second largest sales period behind the winter holidays. Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks spending across all payment forms including cash, forecasts that back-to-school spending will be up 7.5% from July 14 through Sept. 5 compared with the year-ago period when sales rose 11%.

But spending is volatile. The latest round of retail earnings reports published in May showed some slowing of spending, particularly with low-income shoppers. RH, an upscale furniture chain, cut its sales outlook for the year last month, pointing to deteriorating macro-economic conditions. It pointed to higher mortgage rates, which are slowing sales of luxury homes, indicating that even wealthy shoppers are pulling back.

Nevertheless, the overall solid spending came even as shoppers were confronted with high prices in all areas. U.S. inflation surged to a new four-decade high in June because of rising prices for gas, food and rent, squeezing household budgets and pressuring the Fed to raise rates aggressively — trends that raise the risk of a recession.

The retail sales report covers about a third of overall consumer spending and doesn't include services, such as haircuts, hotel stays and plane tickets.

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"Buy now, pay later" installment plans have been popular for people looking to spread out the cost of big-ticket items, even before the rise in inflation.

But now, with rising costs, people are turning to this for everyday expenses.

"If you're using buy now, pay later for your coffee drink or for your gas purchase or your groceries, I would think the concern there is that, you know, those are goods that are consumable and consumable quickly," said Terri Bradford, a specialist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. "It's not like you just buy groceries one time and you're done."

She said buy now, pay later could be a strategy if you're stocking up for an entire month at a warehouse store, and then you break that payment up over the course of that same month.

Typically you'll have zero or minimal interest, so you avoid the high interest that comes with a credit card. But you may be buying things you can't afford.

"It seems so innocuous at the time to us, buy now, pay later, and say, 'Oh, you know, it's only $25,'" Bradford said. "But that $25 is there this week and two weeks later, and two weeks after that, and if you do it repetitively with multiple providers, you could really lose sight of what you're doing."

There are dozens of buy now, pay later providers, and Bradford said they don't have insight into what the others are doing. So that means you could take out multiple loans with several different providers, and they don't know it.

There has been discussion within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Congress about regulating the industry. But Bradford doesn't expect that to happen anytime soon.

How much money do you plan on spending this holiday season?

A forecast released Thursday by the National Retail Federation expects to see a 6 to 8 percent growth in holiday spending over 2021.

“The overall outlook from those consumer fundamentals are very positive and support what we believe is a fairly good forecast,” said Jack Kleinhenz, chief economist of the National Retail Federation.

Keep in mind this does not include vehicles, gas, or food services. Just retail more broadly. The National Retail Federation said a few factors are at play here.

“Strong job and income growth has been important,” Kleinhenz said. “More jobs means more income, more spending.”

A jobs report released Friday shows the payroll grew by 261,000 in October, according to the Labor Department.

Kleinhenz said consumers also have a good bit of savings to spend from when everyone was saving during the pandemic.

“We can't minimize the importance of the ability for people to tap into their savings in many cases,” he said.

Kleinhenz said credit is also a factor. “Credit availability has supported spending.”

However, this forecast is not adjusted for inflation. The Consumer Price Index has climbed over 8 percent in the past year. If you take out food and energy, that number is around 6.5%. CPI is weighted toward essentials, but things like electronics and clothing aren’t going up at the same rate.

Some forecasts are not so optimistic.

Consulting firm McKinsey & Company said consumer demand has softened and inventory levels are high in an October holiday shopping report. They also mentioned many consumers are eager to spend and splurge.

International shipping company Maersk wrote in their Q3 report released Wednesday:

“With the war in Ukraine, an energy crisis in Europe, high inflation, and a looming global recession there are plenty of dark clouds on the horizon. This weighs on consumer purchasing power which in turn impacts global transportation and logistics demand.”

They did see an increase in revenue in the third quarter. Maersk is the world’s largest container and shipping company.

Whether you decide to save or splurge this year, experts seem to be at odds with spending habits this holiday season.

Congress passed a $858 billion defense policy bill this week called the National Defense Authorization Act.

Most of that money – $816.7 billion – will go toward Department of Defense programs, according to documents. About $30.3 billion will go toward national security programs, and $378 million is allocated for defense-related activities.

The NDAA will fund new military weapons purchases, increase pay for service members, and add more support for Ukraine and Taiwan.

The bill would also end the Pentagon’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

The bill increases America’s total national security budget by about 10& from the defense bill we saw last year.

To put our defense spending into context, a chart by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation shows the U.S. spends more on defense than the next 9 countries combined. It shows the U.S. spending $801 billion, while China, India, the United Kingdom, Russia, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and South Korea spend $777 billion combined.

China had the second highest military spending at $293 billion, according to 2021 stats from Statista.

The bill will now go to President Biden’s desk to be signed.

WASHINGTON —

Video above: U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin meet with Israeli counterpart at the Pentagon to discuss military readiness against Iran and shared security interest in the region

President Joe Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act into law, authorizing $768.2 billion in military spending, including a 2.7% pay raise for service members, for 2022.

The NDAA authorizes a 5% increase in military spending, and is the product of intense negotiations between Democrats and Republicans over issues ranging from reforms of the military justice system to COVID-19 vaccine requirements for soldiers.

“The Act provides vital benefits and enhances access to justice for military personnel and their families, and includes critical authorities to support our country’s national defense,” Biden said Monday in a statement.

The $768.2 billion price tag marks $25 billion more than Biden initially requested from Congress, a prior proposal that was rejected by members of both parties out of concerns it would undermine U.S. efforts to keep pace militarily with China and Russia.

The new bill passed earlier this month with bipartisan support, with Democrats and Republicans touting wins in the final package.

Democrats applauded provisions in the bill overhauling how the military justice system handles sexual assault and other related crimes, effectively taking prosecutorial jurisdiction over such crimes out of the hands of military commanders.

Republicans, meanwhile, touted success in blocking an effort to add women to the draft, as well as the inclusion of a provision that bars dishonorable discharges for service members who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine.

The bill includes $7.1 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and a statement of congressional support for the defense of Taiwan, measures intended to counteract China’s influence in the region.

It also includes $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, a show of support in the face of Russian aggression, as well as $4 billion for the European Defense Initiative.

In his statement, the president also outlined a number of provisions his administration opposes over what he characterized as “constitutional concerns or questions of construction.”

Those plans include provisions that restrict the use of funds to transfer or release individuals detained at the Guantanamo Bay detention center, which the Biden administration is moving to close. Biden’s statement said the provisions "unduly impair” the executive branch’s ability to decide when and where to prosecute detainees and where to send them when they’re released, and could constrain U.S. negotiations with foreign countries over the transfer of detainees in a way that could undermine national security.

The law also has provisions barring goods produced by forced Uyghur labor in China from entering the U.S., and it begins to lay out plans for the new Global War on Terror Memorial, which would be the latest addition to the National Mall.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This time of the year, it can be easy to get swept away in the magic of the season.

"Everyone is out, you know, and shopping and just exploring,” said Dana Gagnon, owner of Hart and Honey, a home décor small business in southern California.

However, experts say that for those who are not careful with their holiday spending, the cold reality of 2022 could be right around the corner.

“It's easy to swipe that card, especially during the holidays,” said Rod Griffin, senior director of consumer education and advocacy for the credit reporting company Experian.

Experian recently conducted a nationwide survey, gauging where people stood with their finances nearly two years into the COVID pandemic.

“People said that COVID is still, in some cases, having some effect on their finances, but less than last year,” Griffin said.

Last year, half of those surveyed said they were stressed about their finances during the holidays. This year, that number dropped to 30%. This time around, that stress revolves more around supply issues.

“Getting the gifts for the kids and having them physically there is perhaps more stressful this year than being able to pay for them, which is an unusual circumstance,” Griffin said.

Still, the survey found that, overall, 58% of people are concerned about how much they spend during the holidays. The group most concerned: 45% of 18- to 24-year-olds, also known as Gen Z.

“That makes sense. In a way, they're typically the least established, lower incomes generally,” Griffin said.

He said that there are steps members of every generation can take now to make sure they head into the new year with their best personal financial picture.

“They're looking at ‘How do I operate in this sort of era of uncertainty in our finances and seeing things like inflation?’ seeing things like higher costs and lower supply create uncertainty in how you manage your finances,” Griffin said.

First step: work to increase savings and see where you can cut unnecessary costs.

Second suggestion: create a budget, which is a critical tool that can help keep you on the right financial track.

Finally, Griffin said, it is important to check your credit report and pay down credit card debt.

“Credit card debt tends to be the most expensive debt you have. Not the largest – that's usually people's homes – but the most expensive debt you have, because that interest adds up and you can find yourself with increasing credit card balances without actually buying anything else if you're not careful,” he said. “So, paying down the debt – credit card debt – creates more freedom in the finances.”

Some shoppers said they are taking that advice a step further by not creating credit card debt in the first place.

"I'm keeping my money in my pockets and just spending time with my family," said Cheryl Mosely, who was out shopping near Detroit.

It’s just one move taken now that can bring people closer together, while also keeping hard-earned money closer to home.

The holiday shopping season is in full swing, and it can be hard to pass up on taking advantage of a great deal. But experts say consumers should be careful about what they add to their cart.

Sometimes, emotions can get the best of shoppers, making it easier to spend.

"You feel before you think. So, if you're feeling a little down or a little stressed out, we want to do something to get rid of that stress. So maybe we'll hop online and we'll shop," said Leigh Richardson, the founder of the Brain Performance Center.

Richardson says impulsive shopping can also happen when people are feeling positive. Those who are happy may want to celebrate by buying things, or they may want to share things with other people.

Richardson says when that happens, shoppers aren't using the rational parts of the brain — they're using the emotional side.

She suggests doing a physical activity instead, like taking a walk.

But many may turn to online shipping because of its immediate access.

"From social media, having instant access to everything we need on our phone — I think we want that instant gratification, and we apply that, whether we're shopping or getting on social media or doing anything else," Richardson said.

Richardson says shoppers who know they're going to spend should make a plan ahead of time. She says shoppers should write down what they're going to buy and plan out a budget.

She also suggests adding things to an online cart and coming back to it in a few days.

The National Retail Federation expects over 158 million Americans to shop this weekend. But waiting in long lines, camping out overnight, and fighting for that great deal might be a thing of the past for Black Friday shoppers.

“I feel like the pandemic has slightly changed this trend,” said Ali Besharat, associate professor at the University of Denver and consumer insights expert.

Like a lot of things, he said holiday shopping has gone online.

“We saw less foot traffic in the retail brick and mortar stores and online shopping actually picked up quite a lot during the pandemic in the past two years or so. And I feel like a lot of consumers nowadays are more comfortable and more reliant on online shopping as opposed to going to brick and mortar stores,” he explained.

Before the pandemic, many customers would line up at stores early to get doorbuster sales and other limited-time deals.

“The ease and convenience of mobile shopping has really allowed shoppers to receive the same type of doorbuster pricing we used to see in stores,” Shelley Kohan, an associate professor in the Fashion Business Management Program at the Fashion Institute of Technology, said.

Kohan has worked in the retail industry for over three decades. She said the shopping season is also longer now.

“Black Friday habits have been changing over the years, including shoppers starting earlier as retailers begin to offer promotions earlier,” she said. “We’ve seen a lot of changes in how consumers are purchasing.”

While changes in shopping behavior started before the pandemic, COVID-19 caused a big shift.

“E-commerce is going to break over $200 billion this year, and one of the primary drivers of e-commerce is mobile purchasing,” Kohan said.

This year, staffing has been a huge challenge for brick and mortar stores.

“The challenge with the retail stores is solving the staffing issue that is currently happening everywhere in the U.S. And at the same time, not knowing how many people are going to show up, in terms of social distancing and a lot of other negative things that go along with Black Friday as a day of shopping. So a lot of stores, maybe, decided to close entirely,” Besharat said.

Whether people buy a new TV or shiny kitchen appliance online or in a store, Kohan says the shopping tradition of the holiday will stick around.

“Shoppers like socialization and the tradition of shopping on Black Friday. Something that was greatly missed last year,” she said.

What if you could get what you need without spending a dime? More than 1 million people in more than 30 countries are doing just that by using the

Buy Nothing Project.

Cherri Christiansen started a Buy Nothing Project in her San Diego, California, neighborhood back in 2014. When she launched it, there was just one member.

“We grew to over 1,000 members within the first couple of years,” she said. “We actually hit almost 2,000 and at that point, the group became so big, we split into smaller, more hyper local groups.”

Earrings, toys, tickets, you name it. They’re all free. Anyone can ask for anything and give anything. There are some rules, though. Keep it legal. No strings attached. No trading, no bartering.

“If someone is offering a mug, there’s no need to say I’ll trade you a hairbrush or I'll give you this for that coffee mug, everything is gifted freely,” said Christiansen.

Co-founders and Co-volunteers Rebecca Rockefeller and Liesl Clark started the project in 2013. They're good friends who met through a love of sharing and a desire to lessen our environmental impact.

“Most of us do have things we’re regularly throwing away or passing it on, whether clothes kids have outgrown or we’re an older couple and we want to downsize or simplifying and want to get rid of excess things or your dog dies and you have the materials and you’re not getting another dog,” said Clark.

And that is when you offer up all those things as a gift to your neighbor.

“Our mission is to foster local gift economies where everything is given freely without any expectation of reward or return and no limit on giving or requesting,” said Rockefeller.

That one idea they had while trying to promote a share economy so many years ago has spread. They're now approaching 1.5 million members in more than 30 countries, with 6,000 groups and 7,000 volunteers.

They also

wrote a book,

a blueprint of how to rethink what you have, what you can give and what you can ask for.

“No one makes money, but we gain in the connections we make with each other within the communities,” said Clark.

Clark and Rockefeller both say the pandemic has perhaps grown their project. People need things in a down economy, and people need each other. And that was Cherri Christiansen's biggest "score." She received a birthday gift that had nothing to do with "stuff."

“I came home from the airport hoping to find one or two surprises at my front door and my entire front porch was full of gift cards and cards, someone drew pictures, someone put together a bouquet of flowers," said Christiansen. "No one spent any money.”

“The more that we act from a place of generosity and wanting to care for each other and commodify and monetize that the stronger our communities are, the more we free cash up in families that are struggling financially,” said Rockefeller.