U.S. households are running out of emergency funds as pandemic cash runs out, inflation takes its toll

It is becoming harder for Americans to raise funds in case of an emergency, according to a recent survey from the New York Federal Reserve.

The bank’s Survey of Consumer Expectations for February found that the average likelihood of Americans being able to come up with $2,000 within a month if an unexpected need arose hit 62.7%. That’s the lowest level since the survey began tracking the data point in October 2015.

“Taking into account that the CPI [consumer price index] level today is 35% higher than in 2015, the situation is even worse,” said Torsten Sløk, chief economist at Apollo.

Retailers have also been seeing the impact, with many warning first-quarter sales were softer than expected.

“I do think it’s just a bit of an uncertain world out there right now,” Ed Stack, chairman of Dick’s Sporting Goods, told CNBC when asked about the company’s guidance. “What’s going to happen from a tariff standpoint? You know, if tariffs are put in place and prices rise the way that they might, what’s going to happen with the consumer?”

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon recently told an audience at an Economic Club of Chicago event that he has seen some customers that are under budget pressures exhibit stress behaviors.

“You can see that the money runs out before the month is gone. You can see that people are buying smaller pack sizes at the end of the month,” he said.

— CNBC’s Jeff Cox and Gabrielle Fonrouge contributed reporting.