44% of Americans can't pay an unexpected $1,000 expense from savings. ‘We're just not wired to save,’ expert says - eviltoast
Building an emergency savings fund is a difficult task for Americans. Both the economy and the way we're psychologically wired may be to blame.

When faced with an unexpected $1,000 expense, more than one-third of Americans would borrow the money, according to a new Bankrate survey. That may include tapping their credit cards, seeking money from friends or family or taking out a personal loan.

Most would not turn to cash savings because they don’t have it, the personal finance website found.

Fewer than half of Americans, 44%, say they can afford to pay a $1,000 emergency expense from their savings, according to Bankrate’s survey of more than 1,000 respondents conducted in December.

That is up from 43% in 2023, yet level when compared to 2022.

“We’re just not wired to save,” said Brad Klontz, a certified financial planner and expert in financial psychology and behavioral finance. Our brains are instead programmed to focus on our immediate needs.

  • Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    21·
    10 months ago

    other news networks were trying to make people mad at the top

    Yeah, none of them actually do that. People are angry at the top because we constantly see them getting away with shit in the media. Like Trump, for example. I’m fucking pissed at him and the entire Republican establishment, because they’re criminal fascists who tried to do a fucking coup, and I’m pissed at the Democrats for fucking glad-handing and footsying around with fucking fascists instead of treating it like the serious fucking problem it is. I’m pissed at AG Garland waiting until it was clear that Trump wasn’t going to give back classified documents after two years to finally file charges. Anyone else would have been in chains almost immediately, and we literally had an air force kid that happened to recently as an example. I’m pissed at Obama for not putting an AG that would go after Bushes war crimes. No, we have a lot of glad-handing and letting people off at the top and that’s where that sentiment fucking comes from Obama you “we need to look forward not backward” piece of shit. His lack of will in prosecuting war crimes is part and parcel to why they’re so hesitant to prosecute Trump. It’s all a fucking joke.

    That is why people are angry at the top, not because any fucking media told us to. FUCK! Because it’s painfully obvious there’s two justice systems, one for the rich and politically connected and one for everyone else!