About This Quiz
Most of assume that saving our money means doing a lot of math, research and other activities we probably try to avoid. But in fact, saving is more about creating new habits and looking at your money in new ways, and a lot of it is just about common sense and trusting your instincts. In this quiz, we'll look at personal spending habits, different forms of saving and assumptions about the economy. In other words: shopping!Of those polled, 17 percent admitted they were spending more than they'd planned to spend, although by June that figure had risen to 25 percent. Sounds scary, but it's actually a good sign for the economy.
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Of the customers surveyed, 62 percent said they'd used a coupon for a purchase, the highest score so far in the survey, which indicates a thriftier mindset across the country.
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Across the board, we generally assume an annual inflation rate of about 3 percent, although certain areas -- like groceries -- can sometimes rise faster than others.
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A typical one-year CD, in 2010, may be around 1 percent APY. A five-year term might go up to around 3 percent.
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The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insures the money in your bank account. The National Credit Union Association (NCUA) does the same when you keep your money at a credit union.
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Annual Percentage Rate (APR) indicates the interest you'll be paid annually, but Annual Percentage Yield (APY) also takes into account how often that interest is applied to the balance, giving a clearer idea of the product's worth.
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Americans spent around $2,698 per household on entertainment in 2009 -- 5.4 percent of the average household's income.
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$20,000 divided by 36 months is $555.56. By investing that money in a savings account or higher-yield CD, you could cut back on the three-year wait by making the money work while it's waiting.
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The average consumer unit (2.5 people) spent about $1,750 on clothing and its upkeep in 2009.
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Bank accounts should be earning you 3 percent annually on checking and 3.4 percent on savings, and you should not be paying any account fees.
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