How would you rate your personal financial situation?

👍 Excellent (25%) – "I am a public school teacher & my husband is a non-union electrician. We definitely don't roll in the dough, but we spend within our range. We have 2 children (one still in daycare), own a home on 4 acres, we take vacations, own a snowmobile, four-wheeler, etc. We pay our debts back, work hard, and we don't overspend. That's the key. I cook dinner 5-6 times a week. We limit our grocery spending by growing a garden in the summer and raising small farm animals. It is possible, but people now days just swipe and spend. I don't feel bad for them."

• "I have no debt beyond a credit card I pay off each month. II bought my car used for a lump sum payment; still grateful the timing worked out on that one. I still rent, but I'm able to put money into savings for a downpayment while I wait for the market to settle. I'm in a great spot compared to many."

"As long as we are living within our means and not borrowing at the current high interest rate, I don't see any issues in our financial situation for the foreseeable future. There are a lot of jobs out there if people are willing to work them. Many Americans are very spoiled and want for things they don't need. Buy now and pay later is probably the biggest reason people with good jobs are in debt and struggling."

📈 Pretty good (27%) – "I worked very hard for many years, saved and invested a portion of every payday after I turned 30 and ended up comfortable in retirement with adequate resources. Planning for ones own retirement is NECESSARY!"

• "I have savings, but not enough for a home deposit. I don't have consumer debt at all at the moment though, so I am doing better than most out there even if owning a home is still a far off dream."

"I have a lot of privilege in that my only debt is my mortgage. However I am meticulous in monitoring every penny because I don't have the luxury of being frivolous and find myself justifying why I shouldn't purchase things I need due to money"

↔️ Average (20%) – "I chose a high paying profession. I was married and making 6-figures in my mid-20s. I actually achieved the impossible standards set by most American parents. If I feel average compared to previous generations, what does that say about the state of things? COVID was my Senior year at college. Right when we made it, and BOOM, the houses doubled in price! We may not have as many opportunities in this country as we used to have, but the ones we do have are pretty good. Stay positive!"

• "I make enough to cover expenses and have some left over. But that "left over" piece has been getting smaller, making it more difficult to make progress on building up a useful savings balance for unanticipated expenses."

📉 Not great (16%) – "This question is relative but I don't feel great about my family's financial situation at all. My husband and I both make decent salaries on paper and are pretty responsible with our budget but are barely able to keep up with the costs of modern life, let alone saving for the future. With two young children in daycare right now, the amount we pay each year feels like we're sending kids through college and people nod in sympathy but no one truly realizes how much more expensive things have gotten for this generation of adults just to keep a family fed, clean, healthy, and cared for. Groceries, childcare, rent/mortgage, diapers, home and car repairs, medical expenses...everything costs more and there doesn't feel like there's an end in sight."

• "Inflation is the killer for me. My salary isn't growing at more than the rate of inflation. Companies near me are being cautious and slowing their hiring. I'm keeping my head above water, but that's because I'm watching what I spend on and try to keep my credit card paid in full each month."

👎 Bad (12%) – "The costs of everything I need (housing, gas, groceries, oil change for my car, electric) are going up and my salary is not."