South Dakotans Lead Country When It Comes to Saving Money

At a time when more and more of us are having trouble making ends meet, South Dakotans are showing the rest of the country what true fiscal responsibility looks like.

According to the job search website Ladders, and a study conducted by OnePoll, on behalf of Slickdeals, shows that folks in the Mount Rushmore State lead the nation with an average of nearly $25,000 in savings. That's nearly $8,000 more than the average across America ($17,135).

As for the overall percentage of income earmarked for savings, New Yorkers lead the way there (14.5%), followed by Georgia (12.9%) Texas (12.7%).

At the other end of the spectrum, Vermont (6.5%), Idaho (6.7%), and Tennessee (7%) set aside the lowest portion of their income.

Not surprisingly, COVID-19 has dramatically changed how Americans are managing their money.

The survey showed that 44 percent of us are now brewing their morning cup of coffee at home, while nearly 60 percent have diverted more money to retirement.

Severe cutbacks on travel are also giving us more money to put into savings. A recent CNN report says Americans traveled almost 37 billion fewer miles in June of 2020 compared to a year ago. That's less money spent on airline tickets and at the gas pump and more money for our piggy banks.

These challenging times are also altering how we use our money with an eye toward the future. Nearly a third of those surveyed now say they're building up an emergency fund just in case.