Every time I use my credit card at the supermarket it can impact my credit score which were invented in 1958. What might be the credit score of the United States with its $1.78 trillion deficit in 2025? Gas stations and supermarkets are two daily places where we see inflation. Trader Joes, with its 630+ locations, is known for many things, not the least of which is its flowers and their prices. “Shrinkflation” has hit the chain, and anyone who has purchased flowers lately know that the bunches have gone down from, say, 12 flowers to 8. Either raise prices or make portions smaller… Yes, inflation is a problem, and lenders should know that, although the Fed doesn’t set mortgages rates, few, if any, experts predict that the U.S. Federal Reserve will cut rates this year. That would add fuel to the inflationary pressures being created by both another foreign war and a deep-in-the-red federal budget that seemingly no one is concerned about balancing. I remember when the Republicans stood for fiscal restraint, but does anyone in politics care about the flood of newly created U.S. Treasury debt or reducing spending? (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s ‘casts are sponsored by JazzX. From application to underwriting to post-close, JazzX is a new operating model that helps you scale growth, boost productivity, and transform how your team performs. Hear an interview with The Disciplined Investor’s Andrew Horowitz on how investors assess what assets to invest in, and a portfolio manager’s perspective on the current economic environment, and risk diversification as it pertains to MBS.)