Almost half of all families in the United States spend more than they earn — the average household has about $8,000 US Dollars (USD) in credit card debt. Additionally, the average American family owes about $18,000 USD in general debt, not counting mortgages.
More facts about spending habits:
- Most Americans spend almost 95% of their disposable income. That leaves only 5% for savings, which works out to about $2,000 USD a year. Nonetheless, about 40% of Americans say they save regularly — but statistics show that one-fourth of Americans have no savings at all, and 40% of working Americans are not saving for retirement.
- The American consumer savings rate is at its lowest levels since the years surrounding the Great Depression. In total, American consumers owe about $2 trillion USD, which is up by nearly half since the late 1990s.
- Globally, Americans are one of the worst nations for saving money. People in China save about one-third of their income, and those in European countries such as Germany and Switzerland save about 15%.