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Nearly Half of America Lives Paycheck-to-Paycheck

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  • Nearly Half of America Lives Paycheck-to-Paycheck

    The economic picture is looking brighter these days. The federal government announced Thursday that economic growth had picked up to its fastest pace in two years, while employment growth over the past five months has averaged a healthy 185,000 new jobs. But as evidenced by a report out Thursday from the Corporation for Enterprise Development, nearly half of Americans are living in a state of “persistent economic insecurity,” that makes it “difficult to look beyond immediate needs and plan for a more secure future.”

    In other words, too many of us are living paycheck to paycheck. The CFED calls these folks “liquid asset poor,” and its report finds that 44% of Americans are living with less than $5,887 in savings for a family of four. The plight of these folks is compounded by the fact that the recession ravaged many Americans’ credit scores to the point that now 56% percent of us have subprime credit. That means that if emergencies arise, many Americans are forced to resort to high-interest debt from credit cards or payday loans...


    The economic picture is looking brighter these days. The federal government announced Thursday that economic growth had picked up to its fastest pace in two...

  • #2
    I seem to recall the figure used to be closer to 70% so 50% would represent a significant improvement.

    Of course, we all know that many people living paycheck to paycheck are doing so by their own choosing, living beyond their means for no good reason. Certainly, there are also plenty who are simply not earning enough. Listen to the Dave Ramsey show for a while and you'll hear a lot of callers who earn 2K/month. Kind of tough to save when that's all you're making.
    Steve

    * Despite the high cost of living, it remains very popular.
    * Why should I pay for my daughter's education when she already knows everything?
    * There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going.

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    • #3
      I work with educators and I believe many are in this same boat...it isn't because they aren't educated people, but they love for now, not planning. One person I work with was complaining how she doesn't make enough to cover her expenses...as she opens her brand name purse while wearing designer clothes and shoes.

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      • #4
        I've seen these stories before.

        This will most likely always be the case for most people no matter how much money they earn. Some people don't earn enough, but others earn a lot and they still can't save. Until peoples' attitudes change toward money, then mismanagement of finances will be their norm unfortunately.
        Brian

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