40% of Americans Live Paycheck To Paycheck (Up From 30% In 2012)

First the good news: The way Americans feel about their own finances and the U.S. economy is nowhere near as dismal as it was during the 2008–12 recession. The bad news is that, while things aren’t getting worse, they’re not getting much better either. Consumer morale, although stable, remains stubbornly low.

With food as the second largest household expense after housing, many Americans say they are cutting back on the most costly eating options – dining out at restaurants and ordering takeout.

The slow start to the holiday shopping season underlines the findings of McKinsey’s latest Consumer Sentiment Survey. Every six to twelve months since August 2008, we have asked a representative sample of at least 1,000 Americans about their views on the economy and their own financial future, and how these opinions are shaping their buying decisions .... http://mckinseyonmarketingandsales.com