Washington: The economy trudges ahead yet debt dogs many Americans, stressing them out even as they firm up their own financial foundations.
There are new jobs produced but old worries persisting for people despite belt-tightening and boosted savings, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll.
About 46 per cent of those surveyed say they're suffering from debt-related stress, and half of that group described their stress as "great deal" or "quite a bit." On the other hand, about 53 per cent say they feel little or no stress at all.
That's in line with findings from last year, even though times seem better today: The economy is growing and generating jobs, and households have made progress in repairing their financial footing, trimming debt, watching spending and saving more.
It's a big turnaround from a year ago — a shrinking economy, jobs jettisoned as businesses struggled to survive the deepest recession since the 1930s.
So why aren't the stressed — and the not-so-stressed — feeling better? For starters, it just doesn't feel much like a recovery to many people.
Unemployment is stubbornly high — 9.9 per cent.
The jobless face fierce competition for work. Those with jobs are seeing their paycheques shrink.
The polls show that only 20 per cent say the economy is good, compared with 15 per cent last year.
