Welcome to the Anxiety Economy, where safety sells and streaming is optional

Fast Company

16-07-2025

Americans are seriously worried about their finances. Between high costs of living, tariffs, and job instability, driven, in part, by AI, the added anxiety means that consumers' spending habits are shifting. And while they're aiming to spend less overall, the stress also seems to be driving purchases that make them feel safer in an economy (and world?) that feels uncertain.
According to a newly released Life360 survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, heavy financial burdens are being felt by the majority of Americans. The survey found that a staggering 71% of Americans now feel economically vulnerable with 64% admitting their anxiety has increased since the start of 2025. Likewise, the top three words respondents chose to describe their emotions in 2025 were ones with negative connotations: stressful, nervous, and crazy.
Americans are cutting back—but not when it comes to peace of mind
Unsurprisingly, Americans are coping by spending less. 56% say they've cut back on dining or takeout, 47% have trimmed their online shopping habits, and 45% are vacationing less often. However, spending isn't down across the board. In fact, in one category, it's going up: safety and security (like emergency alert tools, home security, and digital protections). The category was the only one where respondents were investing more than they were cutting. 21% of respondents said they were investing more in these tools, with only 20% pulling back.
'In moments of elevated economic uncertainty, the premium on security increases: Investors seek safe assets, businesses prioritize safe investments, and families double down on peace of mind,' Life360 economist Aaron Terrazas said in a blog post on the report. But, interestingly, it's the younger generations who seem to be the most concerned with safety and security in modern times. While Gen X and Baby Boomers ranked health and wellness as their biggest priorities in terms of spending, Millennials and Gen Zers said safety and security were the most important.
Fear, uncertainty, and financial strain
Terrazas says those habits are likely shaped by the groups' 'formative economic experiences', and pointed to 'pandemic-era uncertainty' as hitting the younger generations especially hard. Terrazas told Fast Company, 'Just like their grandparents and great-grandparents who came of age during the Great Depression and World War II, Gen Z and Millennials came of age in a fractious moment in world history. For young Americans who entered adulthood during the years from 9/11 to the Great Recession to the Covid-19 Pandemic, it's natural that safety and security would rank high on their priorities, and those priorities are likely to remain top of mind as they move deeper into adulthood.'
Therefore, it makes sense that while there are plenty of things Americans are scrapping, tools that make people feel safer are not one of them. In fact, 40% of parents said safety and emergency alert apps were 'non-negotiable,' which was the highest of all the categories. 55% of parents, and 43% of respondents overall, said they'd fight to keep safety and security subscriptions. Terrazas noted that the survey included 'a mix of safety and security tools, including Life360, Citizen, Ring, ADT+ — apps that offer everything from real-time location sharing to emergency alerts and home security' pressing that these kinds of tools 'help people feel safer, more in control, and more connected in an unpredictable world.'
That means that, for many, even as shopping, dining, vacations, and even streaming services take a backseat, the feeling of safety and security is of greater concern than ever. 'As people are increasingly anxious, whether about their finances or physical safety, tools that provide 'peace of mind' are something people find indispensable,' Terrazas said.