The U.S. Economy Is Batting a Perfect 10 For 10

 

As I crunched some numbers today, it occurred to me that the U.S. economy is batting a perfect 10 for 10 (in a manner of speaking).

Here are some statistics about America’s economy – and its people – that may surprise you. Depending on your perspective, a few of these numbers will make you want to laugh, cry, or perhaps beg for mercy.

10 – The unemployment rate, in percentage terms, in the United States

(Source: U.S. Labor Department)

10 – The number of states in America that face looming budget disasters

(Source: Pew Center on the States)

10 – The amount, in billions, that Facebook is valued at by investors

(Source: The Wall Street Journal)

10 – The amount spent per month, in billions, on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001

(Source: The National Priorities Project)

10 – The percent of disposable income that the average American spends on food

(Source:  U.S. Agriculture Department)

10 – The number of Americans, in millions, that are shopaholics

(Source: American Journal of Psychiatry)

10 – The average amount of credit card debt, in thousands, per U.S. household

(Source: Bankrate.com)

10 – The percentage of uncollectable credit card debt that banks charged off in the second quarter of 2009

(Source: Federal Reserve)

10 – The number of Americans, in millions, who are victimized by identity theft each year

(Source: Javelin Strategy & Research)

10 – The number of U.S. households, in the millions, that are unbanked or “under-banked” and use checking-cashing firms or payday lenders instead of traditional banks

(Source: FDIC)

Copyright Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach. All Rights Reserved. http://www.TheMoneyCoach.net