Comments on: Uh oh. We’re saving even less! http://www.stopbuyingcrap.com/personal-finance/were-saving-even-less/ Over Five Years of Personal Finance, Consumer Spending, Crazy Products and Boring Blog Posts. Good grief. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:36:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Anonymous http://www.stopbuyingcrap.com/personal-finance/were-saving-even-less/comment-page-1/#comment-52 Anonymous Tue, 09 Aug 2005 18:04:01 +0000 http://www.stopbuyingcrap.com/?p=53#comment-52 Keep in mind that the calculations for the National Savings Rate count principle paid on home mortgages as "spending" (see below). Since housing is an appreciable asset, this should be more properly classified as "savings/investing". Their home is the largest asset most Americans have, and with the current housing market it is no surprise that what might otherwise be money in the bank is now money in a house. From the article: "The Commerce Department calculates the savings rate by taking the difference between after-tax income and all expenditures, including housing, food and clothing." Keep in mind that the calculations for the National Savings Rate count principle paid on home mortgages as “spending” (see below). Since housing is an appreciable asset, this should be more properly classified as “savings/investing”.

Their home is the largest asset most Americans have, and with the current housing market it is no surprise that what might otherwise be money in the bank is now money in a house.

From the article:
“The Commerce Department calculates the savings rate by taking the difference between after-tax income and all expenditures, including housing, food and clothing.”

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