But four weeks into 2026, credit card bills arrive sky-high, while rent, groceries, and gas refuse to drop. InvestorsObserver’s new analysis reveals the budget drain: Americans spend up to 672% more on phones since 1997 (inflation-adjusted), led by North Carolina, North Dakota, and Washington. Americans Spend up to 672% More on Phones Since 1997 – a “Tech Spending Diet” Can Save Your New Year’s ResolutionData shows that North Carolina and North Dakota leading decades‑long booms in phone and tech purchases while U.S. credit card debt tops $1.23 trillion. Four weeks into the new year, most Americans are staring at the same credit card bills they swore they’d cut, while grocery, rent and gas prices stay just as high. A new analysis shows exactly where American household budgets have been bleeding for nearly three decades.