system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: What do people mean when they say "...because of the economy"?

What exactly are they referring to?

As far as I can tell, the economy isn't doing anything to me that affects my spending decisions/job opportunities, so either I'm totally missing something, or it doesn't apply to me (incredibly unlikely - I'm probably just ignorant).
gpt
An economist in the 1700s, Adam Smith coined the term 'The Invisible Hand' to describe the small effects that changes to the economy can have that may not seem to affect you directly.

For example if interest rates go up your company may not be able to borrow money for a new factory this year. If there's no factory you might not get a promotion. With no promotion you don't buy a new car this year. Since you're driving your old car, you might have to bring it to your mechanic more often. With more business from people in that situation, your mechanic hires more staff and builds a second location.