The affordability crisis affecting Americans was one of the major factors behind the transformation of the economy into what experts referred to as a “K shape” in 2025. High earners were still doing well and driving most of the spending, making them the top part of the “K,” while lower earners’ ability to buy goods and services was starting to go down, making them the lower part of the “K.” Now, however, some economists believe that K has turned into an “E” shape, with the middle line of the letter standing for a group that falls somewhere between the low and high earners in the country.
These Steady Spenders are a middle group, a third tier between the upper and lower ones. They could be described as comfortable, able to afford their expenses and to indulge in some discretionary spending. They’re the people who can pay all their bills and take a nice vacation, treat themselves to a dinner out, or make an impulse purchase in the checkout line. According to Resonate data, there are 9M of them. They make between $75K and $150K annually, describe themselves as moderate spenders who are comfortable spending money on some things, and who have not made any changes due to higher prices. Their hobbies include gambling, taking international trips, and attending professional sporting events.
For brands, the Steady Spenders represent an audience that differs from the others and that are crucial to driving growth. In this blog, we’ll do a deep dive into how you can engage this group of consumers and look at their preferences, behaviors, values, and more.
What Will Steady Spenders Be Doing in the Next 12 Months?
Resonate’s predictive consumer intelligence empowers you to know what your customers, in this case, the Steady Spenders, will be doing in the next 12 months, rather than just what they were doing a few months ago. Here’s what our insights show:
- 19% of Steady Spenders will invest in mutual funds
- 85% are planning leisure travel
- 9% intend to buy a smart TV
- 4% will adopt a new pet
What This Means for Marketers:
The real power of predictive intelligence isn’t just knowing who your customers are. It’s knowing what they’re about to do. For marketers, that distinction is everything. Rather than optimizing campaigns around behavior that’s already happened, you can build strategies around where your customers are headed. Take Steady Spenders: knowing that 85% are planning leisure travel in the next 12 months opens the door for travel brands, credit card companies, luggage retailers, and hospitality marketers to get in front of this audience before the booking decision is made, not after. The 19% planning to invest in mutual funds signals a moment of financial intentionality that wealth management and fintech brands can speak directly to. Even the 9% intending to buy a smart TV and 4% planning to adopt a pet represent high-value windows for the right brands to show up at exactly the right time. This is the edge predictive intelligence provides: it moves your strategy from reactive to anticipatory, so your messaging meets consumers at the beginning of their journey, when you can still shape the outcome.
What Are the Steady Spenders’ Consumer Behaviors and Preferences?
Resonate data shows that the Steady Spenders prefer to buy products that are familiar, healthy, and the best looking. They’re less likely to purchase things that are easy to use, popular, or fun and exciting.
For these consumers, brand is king. For 46%, this is the primary influence on their purchases. Price comes in second, for 31%, and convenience comes in third, for 22%. When it comes to retailer selection traits, however, 75% look for the brands with the best prices or sales, 43% seek larger product selections, and 37% want convenient locations.
A few other highlights: 34% of the Steady Spenders make impulse purchases, 41% use coupons, 56% shop online, and 19% want to do business with retailers that offer loyalty programs.
What This Means for Marketers:
Steady Spenders may be value-conscious at the shelf, but brand is the dominant force driving their purchases. This means your brand equity work is actively moving product. The nuance here is the tension between what draws them to a product and what draws them to a retailer. They’ll seek out the best prices and sales when choosing where to shop, but once they’re there, it’s brand recognition, paired with quality cues like familiarity and appearance, that seals the deal. For marketers, that means brand-building and promotional strategy need to work in tandem: get them in the door with competitive pricing and deals, then convert them with strong brand signals. And with 56% shopping online, there’s real opportunity to influence both retailer selection and product choice within the same digital experience.
The Resonate Steady Spenders audience is available for immediate activation in major DSPs. Looking for a different audience? Our data experts will work with you to identify which of our 15K+ attributes are best for you and to help you build a custom audience that meets your needs. Schedule a consultation today to learn more about how our predictive consumer intelligence will drive growth for your business.
