Financial Tip

Did you know that the majority of the population would be able to save much more money every month than they think? When you think about all the non-essential things you buy, it’s pretty easy to believe! According to the long-proven 50/30/20 rule, you should set aside:

• 50% of your budget for essential expenses such as housing and food;
• 30%—maximum!—for non-essential spending;
• At least 20% of your income should be put into savings.

When you think about it, it’s a pretty logical way to manage your finances. Unfortunately, too few people take the time to make a detailed budget and think about it.

Here are some facts from 2018 about how Americans’ money relates to the LivingFacts website:

• 12% of Americans said they could not cover a potential $400 expense. 61% said they could afford the $400 in cash or equivalent, while 27% of Americans said they would have to borrow the $400, or sell assets, if the opportunity arose;
• 36% of Americans say their retirement savings are on track. 44% say they are having problems, and the remaining 20% are unsure about the state of their savings;
• 64% of Americans owned a home, while 27% rented one, and 9% had other arrangements;
• The average annual salary of an American can be divided into three different types of expenses: 33% for housing, 16% for transportation, and 13% for food;
• Only 47% of Americans with a credit card say they have been able to pay their bill in full every month for the past year. 26% say they have had a balance on their card a few times, while 27% have a balance most of the time;
• 82% of married people say they are doing well financially, compared to 66% of single people. 78% of married people with children under 18 are doing well, compared with 52% of single people with children.

Business Insider even goes so far as to say that many Americans plan to work until they die and not retire because their finances are so precarious. More precisely, 37% of Americans think they will have to work until they die, while 34% of them plan to be able to retire around the age of 80.

It is therefore quite clear that the financial health of American society in general is more precarious than one might think, especially considering that even people who manage to save do not in fact save enough.

With our best saving tips article, though, you will be able to get to your goal quickly and, who knows, maybe you’ll have a little more leeway for your non-essential spending in addition to planning your retirement properly!