Money on the mind

Debt—what an ugly word. Unfortunately more and more of us are falling into it these days. Statistics show that Americans don’t budget as well as we should (or at all); we rely too heavily on credit; and we certainly aren’t saving. Here are some results of a recent study of Americans’ money habits by Princeton Survey Research Associates International:

• Less than 50 percent have ordered a credit report.

• Only 40 percent use a monthly budget.

• Twenty percent have no budget at all.

• Less than a third know the interest rates on their credit cards.

• About 40 percent either cannot or do not pay the full balance on their credit cards.

If you’re among the one-third interested in learning more about handling money, check out www.getrichslowly.org/blog for personal-finance advice.