The post-pandemic spending spree has begun. Here are 6 things Americans are buying

The post-pandemic spending spree has begun. Here are 6 things Americans are buying

Shoppers are emerging from their cocoons and aspiring to switch it up from sweatpants, stubble and streaming.With each day, more Americans are getting Covid-19 vaccines. As spring temperatures warm up many parts of the country, consumers are booking plane trips, hitting the mall or watching a movie in a theater again.Retail sales rose 9.8% in March, according to the Commerce Department, as consumers wasted no time spending their $1,400 stimulus checks."Their balance sheet is in excellent, outstanding shape - coiled, ready to go and they're starting to spend money," JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said Wednesday on a call with reporters. He said consumers have $2 trillion or more cash in their checking accounts than they did before the pandemic.As shoppers spend again, they are directing money toward some of the same kinds of purchases and some different ones, too. Sporting goods stores had the largest gain in March, jumping 23.5% from the month before and proving that outdoor and exercise gear remains popular. On the other hand, clothing stores saw sales rise by 18.3% “” a change that shows people may be refreshing their wardrobe and going out again.Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst for market researcher NPD Group, said the kinds