Across the United States, millions of households are asking the same question: why does everything still feel so expensive? On paper, the economy looks solid. Unemployment remains near record lows, inflation has cooled, and consumer spending hasn’t collapsed. Yet for most Americans, it doesn’t feel like relief has arrived. The grocery bill is still higher than it used to be. Rent keeps climbing. And even with a steady paycheck, there’s less left at the end of each month. The