Survey: Most Americans Budget Carefully -- But Still Struggle to Save

Many Americans are making smart financial decisions, but they're still struggling to cover everyday expenses — let alone save money.

GREENVILLE, S.C., July 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- While many continue to face financial challenges, a new survey shows it's not for lack of effort.

In fact, an impressive 86% of respondents said they review their spending regularly to identify if there are areas where they need to make changes. What's more, 29% of those surveyed said they have a monthly budget to help guide their spending.

Advance America's survey on financial health is part of their Advance Your Finances campaign, an ongoing, nationwide effort to better understand how Americans manage their money day to day. The snapshot of financial health trends, based on responses from April 1-30, 2025, also reveals how people are actively trying to stay on track in the face of rising costs and growing debt.

Key findings when it comes to shopping and spending:

• 86% of respondents review their spending regularly to know where to make changes.
• 88% of respondents compare prices or use coupons/discount codes to save money while shopping.
• 61% of respondents only charge to their credit card what they can pay off at the end of the month.

However, despite making the effort to spend smarter, Americans are still struggling to pay everyday expenses. Although many respondents said they use a spreadsheet or budgeting app to manage their money and avoid overdrafts, 1 in 4 respondents said they don't have enough money on hand to pay their rent/mortgage or other household expenses. Saving is also more difficult right now, with 75% of Americans saying they don't have enough money set aside to cover basic living expenses for at least three months.

Key findings when it comes to budgeting and saving:

• 23% of respondents said they do not have enough money to pay their rent/mortgage and household expenses.
• 75% of respondents do not have enough money in an emergency fund to cover basic living expenses for at least three months.

Read more from the survey:https://www.advanceamerica.net/money-saving-tips/money-management/americans-financially-fit-but-still-struggling

Methodology

The financial health quiz is an ongoing, nationwide initiative conducted by Advance America to assess how Americans manage their financial well-being. Responses were collected through an interactive, quiz-style survey hosted on AdvanceAmerica.net. The quiz was promoted organically via the website and other owned channels.

Participation in the survey was voluntary. As an incentive, respondents were offered the opportunity to enter a drawing for a cash prize upon completion of the quiz.

This report highlights a subset of responses collected between April 1 and April 30, 2025, during which time 17,466 U.S. adults aged 18 and older completed the survey. All data was self-reported and is intended to reflect a snapshot of financial health perceptions during the specified timeframe.

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About Advance America: Founded in 1997, Advance America is a leading state-licensed consumer lender in the U.S. It operates over 800 storefronts in communities across 22 states, along with online lending operations, and has approximately 2,500 employees. Advance America seeks to help each customer achieve their version of financial stability in the moment and in the future through a variety of personal credit options. Please visit AdvanceAmerica.net for more information.

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SOURCE Advance America