Skip to Main Content

Recession watch

Will the U.S. economy soon be in a recession? It's the trillion-dollar question that even experts don't know the answer to. Here's how to prepare for a potential downturn, and how one could impact you.

Insights from our expert analysts

“Economic uncertainty is a time for reducing debt and boosting savings, not the other way around.”

– Greg McBride, CFA

Do's and don'ts of saving during a recession

To help you navigate saving during a recession, we asked a number of experts what some of the most helpful things to do are, as well as some things you should try to avoid at all costs.
Learn more

Recessions & your money

Illustration of a person holding a house with a rain cloud over it
How might a recession affect the housing market? Find out what the experts think.
A middle-aged couple looks out to the beach from their van
Here are some tips to help make sure your retirement savings are protected in the event of a recession.
Illustration of worker with a brief case
The once-booming labor market is starting to face some trouble.

Experts in all things finance

Our expert reporters and editors bring the news and analysis you need—backed by data and firsthand experience.

About Bankrate

Calculate your savings

Use our Savings Calculator to help you quickly and accurately estimate the growth of your investment. Set a goal and figure out how much you need to save each month to hit the mark.

Latest articles

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange
It isn’t always about two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth.
Warren Buffett, chairman and chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway
Warren Buffett halves Apple stake: What investors can learn from the move.
The Index of bonds on a screen
Borrowers have a window of opportunity to get or refinance a mortgage.
Trader looks at plummeting stock chart
Is a stock you own plummeting? Here’s how to decide what to do next.
Federal Reserve Chair Powell at a podium
As the job market weakens, some economists say the Fed should’ve cut rates already.
woman looking tired at computer
Here’s how to financially prepare for the possibility of sudden unemployment.
If you’re looking at HE loans or have a variable-rate line of credit, pay attention to the Fed.
woman using a credit card to shop online
Prices are high. A rewards credit card, timed right and used strategically, can help you fight inflation.
A man uses his phone at an ATM.
Here’s how to use your smartphone — rather than a bank card — at an ATM.
Federal Reserve Chair Powell Holds A News Conference Following The Federal Open Market Committee Meeting
Emergency rate cuts are rare, but some economists believe one may be coming soon.
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange
It isn’t always about two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth.
father working on finances with his daughter sitting next to him
This budgeting rule of thumb can help make tracking everyday spending easier.
Federal Reserve Chair Powell at a podium
As the job market weakens, some economists say the Fed should’ve cut rates already.
People walk by a Western Union location in New York.
Wire transfer fees can be expensive, but here are ways to send money for less.
Financial manager meeting with couple in bank branch office
Get the latest rates on top-yielding money market accounts.
Whimsical illustration of a hand putting a quarter into a miniature but realistic high end safe. As if it were a piggy bank
Comparing savings rates can ensure you get the best return on your savings.
For three straight surveys, economists have upgraded their job market forecasts.
Economists say the risks of a downturn are still high, even as the economy stays strong.
Illustration of a credit card for Bankrate's 2024 credit cards interest rate forecast
If you have credit card debt, your interest rates are likely to remain high in 2024.
CD rates forecast for 2024
You can find a CD account that significantly out-earns the national average if you shop around among banks.
Woman online banking with a tablet
How Reg. D impacts your savings account and why it pays to check with your bank.
Someone reading a receipt as they push their shopping cart
The biggest reason behind Americans’ financial pessimism continues to be inflation.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell attends a press conference in Washington, D.C.
The decision adds to suspicions that officials are done raising rates.
Jerome Powell juxtaposed against an illustrated artistic background
Experts are doubting the Fed’s September projections that showed one more rate hike.
The trusted provider of accurate rates and financial information
Wall Street Journal
USA Today
The New York Times
CNN
Bloomberg
ABC