– New study says 64% of Americans have less than $1,000 in the bank (KETK, Updated May 17, 2012):
TYLER – Cash, it seems to be harder to come by now-a-days. With a high unemployment rate, experts say it’s becoming ever harder to find. A new study says those who do have it, might not have that much in the bank. The study says sixty-four percent of Americans do not have one thousand dollars in savings and it boils down to a rotten economy. One East Texan tells KETK “I used to have more than a thousand dollars in the bank but now that the economy is getting worse so I have less than a thousand dollars.” To find out what the problem was KETK spoke to an East Texas financial advisor. “The reason why were notoriously bad savers is because people don’t understand or have control of what their expenses really are. They take their income, they spend everything they have on day to day living and then they try to save what’s left and the reality is there’s usually no money left so it’s hard to save.” The study points out that just because Americans may not have the “theoretical cash” in savings doesn’t mean they’d simply give up. Nine percent say they would take out a loan, seventeen percent borrow from a friend or family member, nine percent would get a cash advance on a credit card and even twelve percent would sell or pawn their assets. Hopefully, experts say, it wont ever come to that, but they say it’s always important to be prepared. “Well I think what they have to do is try to make a plan for themselves so they don’t find themselves in that situation.”