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One-third of Americans have more credit card debt than emergency savings, survey says
(NewsNation) — A new survey from Bankrate revealed that 33% of U.S. adults have more credit card debt than emergency savings. This is down from 36% in 2024 and 2023.
Bankrate’s 2025 Emergency Savings Report found that this year’s percentage is still higher than in 2022 when only 22% of Americans had more credit card debt than emergency savings.
When you break it down into age groups, millennials were most likely to have more debt than savings, with 42% falling into that category. Despite this, nearly three in four Americans (or 73%) are saving less money for emergency situations due to rising prices.
“The cost of living continues to rise, prompting more individuals and households to turn to credit cards when in a bind,” Mark Hamrick, Bankrate’s senior economic analyst, says.
In January, the consumer price index increased 3% from a year ago, according to data from the Labor Department.