January 30, 2006
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Americans Spend More Than They Earn ...
I was logging in to check my email when the above headline caught my eye. I know a whole lot of people who have rather unworkable financial management skills and practices, but I was surprised to realize that the national savings rate is a negative number. Last year, Americans saved -0.5% of their income. That means we dipped into savings and spent moeny we borrowed from credit cards in excess of the money we brought into our homes.
I think I may be in shock.
I was curious about my own savings rate. I'm collecting W-2 forms to file my taxes and while I'm still awaiting one, I have the others so I have a pretty good idea what my income was last year (I don't want to depress anyone with the actual number so lets just say it was diddly squat.)
I started the year with zero money in savings.
I opened a savings account at the bank in May.
I went months without any income at all, so the savings I had was depleted a bit.
I ended the year with 25% of my annual income in savings.
Now folks, I'm not a genius. Financial or otherwise. Well, okay, maybe in some ways I'm a genius, but I'm not a money whiz. I'm not a tightwad either. I have made donations to worthy causes, my kids lack for nothing that they need, and I have more than one pair of black shoes ... more than five pairs of black shoes ... okay, I went and counted and I have six pairs of black shoes. Surely no one with six pairs of black shoes can be considered deprived? (I'm not mentioning the brown shoes, the red shoes, the maroon shoes, the burgundy boots, the purple pumps, the taupe shoes and the navy blue heels ... because that's just an embarrassment of riches that I'd prefer to keep out of the judgmental public eye.)
But you see my point?
I saved money without sacrificing my pleasures, although I will admit that I live within certain limits. If I can do it, you can do it. And if you and I can do it together, then we will all be better off.
I work in an industry (Pay Day Advance) that exists because Americans spend more than they earn. We have people who come in every day who have more month at the end of their money than they know what to do with. But no one ever managed to borrow his way out of debt. All the loans in the world will never increase your bottom line, they only deplete it because the money belongs to someone else and it's due back with fees and interest on top.
The last time the national savings rate was a negative number was in 1932 when the unemployment rate rose to such a degree that people had no choice but to live off their savings. Our circumstances are much different. For the most part, we are employed, we just spend more and more and more and more and ... you know the thing about being a Jeremiad was that in the end ... Jeremiah was right. Sooner or later, we will have a rainy day, or we'll get old enough that we don't WANT to work. The old lady who greets shoppers at the Walmart where I shop carries her oxygen tank on her motorized wheelchair, and I don't want that to be me in another 30 years.
I don't want it to be you either.
Comments (10)
You are so right. When I was young and on my own, I was really poor. Even so, I lived on what I made and never ask anyone for help. When I made more, I saved even though I didn't know how I could affort it. I lived on anything that was really cheap. Never knew orange juice or fresh salad. Today we are comfortable and I have no pity for those who give in to "things" instead of needs. I send my gifts of cash to missionaries or help those in the neighborhood who for reasons beyond their control need assistance.
It's too bad that these ideas aren't thoroughly taught in high school. But then high school is taught by teachers who spend more than they make.
Um...er...how? I'm on thew wrong side here....
This is a great reminder that I need to be saving and investing, also paying myself first. Judi
I'll probably be that woman, and be glad I have the oxygen and the chair so I can go out! (Asthmatic humor, sorry)
I think most people (1) value possessions over all else and (2) don't understand their money enough to control it. I went through that whole thing with a financial class I took. I knew when I went in that I needed to know my whole financial picture, and I was terrified of it. I had spent years ignoring my credit card debt, and the lack of savings and all of that. Now I know, and while the picture still isn't great, I can say I'm getting a better handle on it day after day and year after year. My debt has gone down, my savings actually exists. I love reading what you say because I am always wanting to help people the same way. Money is so important in terms of the future, I wish people could understand that.
ummm .........
Well, we already know it ain't gonna be us. We're gonna plan parties and drink margaritas by the pool. We'll only be greeting the pool boys.
If that WERE me, I might be happy about it, because I am pessimistic about meeting the actuarial tables. I'm paying down my debt (yet again)... but it's painful and slow, and painfully slow.
I believe I have four pairs of shoes, including the grungy old gym shoes. And they're all black or white. However, I do spend in other ways (like all those sheep. Damn those sheep. What good are they?....oh, right, that delicious mutton yesterday......). Anyway, at least I'm not in the -.05% category. Sheesh. [shaking head] We ALL need to be like you, Lady!
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