SURVEY: For First Time Since 2020, More Middle-Income Households Rate Finances Negatively Than Positively

Households widely expect prices for necessities to rise in the coming months. The majority foresee an increase in the cost of food (77%), gas (75%), utilities (69%) and health care (64%). These essential items are tracked by the Primerica Household Budget Index™ (HBI™). The most recent HBI™ data shows that middle-income Americans continue to struggle despite easing inflation.

“Middle-income families are under extreme financial stress,” said Glenn Williams, CEO of Primerica. “The increased usage of credit cards, alongside higher delinquency rates, reflects the compounding effect of higher prices over multiple years. These conditions led to less than half of middle-income families rating their current financial situation positively.”

“Even though inflation has tempered significantly since its peak in Summer 2022, the lower inflation rate present today still means prices are rising overall and the pain from the quick run-up in essential items is still very raw for middle-income households,” said Amy Crews Cutts, economic consultant to Primerica. “All the items tracked by Primerica’s Household Budget Index≠™ were called out as concerns – rising gas prices, utilities, food and healthcare – yet the combined price index for these items fell in the third quarter. Middle-income families may be experiencing some actual budget relief from recent lower food and gas prices, but the holes left in their wallets will take a while to heal as evidenced by the majority now stating that their personal financial condition is not ‘so good’ or ‘poor.'”

Key Findings from Primerica’s U.S. Middle-Income Financial Security Monitor

• Credit card usage, debt on the rise. Nearly two-fifths (37%) of respondents said their credit card usage increased in the past year. Similarly, a third (34%) noted their credit card debt increased over the past three months, and more than a quarter (28%) say they are using their cards more often to keep up with rising costs. Among the most frequently purchased items using credit cards, respondents selected necessities such as gas (52%), groceries (51%), health care (23%) and utilities (22%).
• Managing credit card debt hard for many. Despite a significant majority (81%) saying they feel confident in knowing how to pay down credit card debt, more than half (57%) find managing this debt difficult and nearly two-thirds (64%) aren’t sure what interest rate they pay. Still, the majority (74%) of middle-income Americans say they either make the full payment or more than the minimum on their balances each month.
• Those with student loan debt are concerned about its impact. With student loan payments set to resume this month for the first time in three years, two-thirds (66%) of middle-income Americans with this debt say they are worried about being able to afford necessities like groceries, gas, health care and utilities.Those ages 35 to 49 are more concerned (70%) than those under the age of 34.
• Many closely follow a financial budget. Among those who say they create and follow a budget, a majority (79%) say they stick to their plan. However, less than one-quarter (22%) say they “very closely” follow it. In addition, four-fifths (80%) say the rising cost of necessities, such as groceries and gas, has influenced their desire to stick to a budget.

Topline Trends Data

	Sept. 2023	Jun. 2023	Mar. 2023	Dec. 2022	Sep. 2022	Jun. 2022	Mar. 2022	Dec. 2021	Aug. 2021
How would you rate the condition of your personal finances? (Reporting “Excellent” and “Good” responses.)   Analysis:Respondents’ rating about the condition of their personal finances has declined over the past year.	49%	50%	52%	53%	53%	54%	60%	64%	65%
Overall, would you say your income is…? (Reporting “Falling behind the cost of living” responses.)   Analysis:Concern about meeting the increased cost of living has remained steady over the past several months.	72%	71%	72%	72%	75%	75%	67%	68%	65%
Do you have an emergency fund that would cover an expense of $1,000 or more (for example, if your car broke down or you had a large medical bill)? (Reporting “Yes” responses.)   Analysis:The percentage of Americans who have an emergency fund that would cover an expense of $1,000 or more has increased slightly over the past several months.	62%	61%	58%	59%	60%	61%	62%	60%	65%
How would you rate the economic health of your community? (Reporting “Not so good” and “Poor” responses.)   Analysis:The economic health of communities has remained steady the past three months.	55%	54%	59%	53%	55%	58%	52%	50%	54%
How would you rate your ability to save for the future? (Reporting “Not so good” and “Poor” responses.)   Analysis:More than 70% continue to feel it will be difficult to save for the future.	71%	71%	73%	74%	73%	72%	66%	62%	63%
In the past three months, has your credit card debt…? (Reporting “Increased” responses.)   Analysis:Credit card debt has remained steady over the past several months.	34%	33%	33%	39%	37%	29%	25%	28%	21%

About Primerica’s Middle-Income Financial Security Monitor™

Polling was conducted online from September 14-18, 2023. Using Dynamic Online Sampling, Change Research polled 1,150 adults nationwide with incomes between $30,000 and $130,000. Post-stratification weights were made on gender, age, race, education, and Census region to reflect the population of these adults based on the five-year averages in the 2021 American Community Survey, published by the U.S. Census. The margin of error is 3.3%.

About Primerica, Inc.

Primerica, Inc., is a leading provider of financial services to middle-income households in North America. Independent licensed representatives educate Primerica clients about how to better prepare for a more secure financial future by assessing their needs and providing appropriate solutions through term life insurance, which we underwrite, and mutual funds, annuities and other financial products, which we distribute primarily on behalf of third parties. We insured over 5.7 million lives and had over 2.8 million client investment accounts on December 31, 2022. Primerica, through its insurance company subsidiaries, was the #3 issuer of Term Life insurance coverage in the United States and Canada in 2022. Primerica stock is included in the S&P MidCap 400 and the Russell 1000 stock indices and is traded on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PRI.”

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