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Number of US workers living paycheck to paycheck falls

September 25, 2013

The number of U.S. workers dependent on their next pay day to make ends meet continues to decline from the height of the financial crisis, according to a survey by CareerBuilder. Thirty-six percent of workers report that they always or usually live paycheck to paycheck, a recession-era low and down from its peak of 46 percent in 2008. In 2012, 40 percent of workers reported they always or usually live paycheck to paycheck.

“The financial situation for many households remains a struggle, but year-after-year fewer workers report living paycheck to paycheck — a sign that job security and spending power may be on the rise as the labor market continues to improve,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder. “More workers are saving their earnings on a monthly basis than last year, and 70 percent feel they are more fiscally responsible post-recession. As more workers join the ranks of the gainfully employed, we expect these positive trends to continue.”

According to the survey, 24 percent of workers never live paycheck to paycheck while 40 percent state they sometimes do.

Eighty-two percent of workers were able to make ends meet every month in the last year, an increase of two percentage points from 2012.

The survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder among 2,999 full-time workers. It took place between May 14 and June 5, 2013.