How the economy is really doing
These five indicators do a good job of showing what's really going on -- and what it feels like -- out there.
Savings
SCORE: 4.6*
How you feel about the economy isn't just a function of what you're earning, it's also about the nest egg you're building. Your personal savings rate goes down when you borrow money to pay bills. Personal savings in the aggregate approached zero in 2005, the worst over our 30-year time horizon.
Then the savings rate started rising, even before the financial crisis hit in mid-2008 and scared us all into frugality. By the end of 2010, Americans were saving a respectable 5.3%
Then the savings rate started rising, even before the financial crisis hit in mid-2008 and scared us all into frugality. By the end of 2010, Americans were saving a respectable 5.3%
NEXT: Home prices
Last updated March 02 2011: 5:21 PM ET
* Score is on a scale of 1-10 against their best (10) and worst (1) results since 1980.
