YCHART OF THE DAY: The Drunken Sailor Gap – Savings Rate Down, Spending Up-Up

by YCharts Staff February 01, 2012

US Personal Saving Rate Chart by YCharts

After the 2008 financial collapse – brought on by wanton borrowing and spending – there was all that punditry about a new day, Americans tightening the belt, saving more, spending less, a return to thrift. When hell freezes over, maybe! But until then, Americans like to spend, they’ll borrow when able, and consumer spending will help bring back the economy, an indisputable short-term benefit. And a welcome development at the likes of Best Buy (BBY), Wal-Mart (WMT), Target (TGT) and Amazon (AMZN). The long-term bad news: generations unprepared for retirement; homes excessively leveraged; bad habits handed down to youngsters.