Spenders and savers

The national savings rate has been oscillating around historic lows for several years, prompting concerns about the resilience of a macro-level economy increasingly reliant on debt-financed consumer spending. Many are also troubled by the balance sheets of households, where ever-expanding debt has rapidly outpaced earnings growth. The resulting record-high, debt-to-income ratios leave households more vulnerable to interruptions in income. This article examines changes in saving and spending patterns over 20 years, and differences in the characteristics and spending patterns of saving versus spending households.