Australia is a savings country, but some people have no savings at all

A Finder survey found that three out of five Australians have good savings habits.

Nearly half of Australians say they have good savings habits, even though they occasionally make big purchases.

Another 13% say they always save.

A third of Australians say they are more spendthrift than they save most, while 10% save nothing.

The survey found that 2.4 million Australians have no savings to rely on.

Finder’s Sarah Megginson says, “Saving for emergencies and even basic living expenses can take a lot of stress out of your life.

“Digging deep into your budget and financial habits may not seem like much fun, but once you get the hang of it and look for opportunities to save, it can give you peace of mind.”

Last week’s NAB Consumer Sentiment Survey revealed that people expect more pressure on their wallets as we approach the end of the year.

Australians are expected to spend an extra $59 a week on groceries, $35 a week on fuel and an extra $76 a week on gas, electricity and water.

Given these changing budget expectations, nearly one in two Australians say they are watching their money and changing their behavior.

Of the 2050 people surveyed, 61% said they switched to cheaper brands or purchased cheaper products.

Men save an average of $749 a month and women $658.

The survey was conducted last month with 1057 respondents.