Consumers Have $1 Trillion More Savings Post-Pandemic: The Kiplinger Letter
GDP data show Americans have more savings than they did pre-pandemic.

To help you understand the rise and fall in the U.S. economy, consumer spending and what that means to GDP growth, as well as what we expect to happen in the future, our highly experienced Kiplinger Letter team will keep you abreast of the latest developments and forecasts (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Letter or subscribe). You'll get all the latest news first by subscribing, but we will publish many (but not all) of the forecasts a few days afterward online. Here’s the latest…
It turns out that consumers have more extra savings than economists believed. The latest GDP data indicate Americans have a combined $1 trillion more in savings than what they likely would have had without the jump that was caused by the pandemic when the government sent out multiple rounds of stimulus checks, and people had fewer opportunities to spend money.
That cash hoard has been falling, leading to expectations that consumer spending is bound to take a hit sometime soon. Now it looks like consumers, collectively, are not so close to being tapped out.
However, don’t expect all of those extra savings to get spent. Much of it is in the hands of wealthy consumers, who have likely invested the money or plan to do so. Still, the extra financial cushion will add a bit to GDP growth next year and in 2025.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
This forecast first appeared in The Kiplinger Letter, which has been running since 1923 and is a collection of concise weekly forecasts on business and economic trends, as well as what to expect from Washington, to help you understand what’s coming up to make the most of your investments and your money. Subscribe to The Kiplinger Letter.
Related Content

David is both staff economist and reporter for The Kiplinger Letter, overseeing Kiplinger forecasts for the U.S. and world economies. Previously, he was senior principal economist in the Center for Forecasting and Modeling at IHS/GlobalInsight, and an economist in the Chief Economist's Office of the U.S. Department of Commerce. David has co-written weekly reports on economic conditions since 1992, and has forecasted GDP and its components since 1995, beating the Blue Chip Indicators forecasts two-thirds of the time. David is a Certified Business Economist as recognized by the National Association for Business Economics. He has two master's degrees and is ABD in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
-
How to Measure the Health of Your Retirement Plan
These five key indicators can help you make decisions based on the overall performance of your retirement plan rather than individual variables.
By Brian Skrobonja, Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) Published
-
Four Easy Ways to Get Yourself Fired
Being a standout on the job can sometimes be as simple as showing up to meetings on time, responding promptly to requests, doing your homework and not being a jerk.
By H. Dennis Beaver, Esq. Published
-
FDA Approves Zepbound, the Latest Weight-Loss Drug: The Kiplinger Letter
The Kiplinger Letter Eli Lily’s Zepbound will undercut its rivals’ pricing but still costs over $1,000 a month.
By John Miley Published
-
More Signs of Belt-Tightening and a Slowing Economy: The Kiplinger Letter
The Kiplinger Letter Although fewer banks are tightening lending standards, more businesses and households are feeling the squeeze.
By Rodrigo Sermeño Published
-
The Recent Uptick In Global Trade Won’t Last: The Kiplinger Letter
The Kiplinger Letter Global trade continues to fall as economic growth around the world cools.
By Rodrigo Sermeño Published
-
Once-Booming Gun Sales Have Slumped: The Kiplinger Letter
The Kiplinger Letter Since 2022, FBI background checks, a close proxy for gun purchases, have slumped.
By Sean Lengell Published
-
The Era of Super-Low Interest Rates Could Be Over: The Kiplinger Letter
The Kiplinger Letter We’re likely never going back to the historically low rates that prevailed in late 2019 and early 2020.
By David Payne Published
-
Rental Market Will Slow Through 2023: The Kiplinger Letter
The Kiplinger Letter Expected growth in the rental market is likely to remain slow for the rest of the year amid a slow housing market and cooling economy.
By Rodrigo Sermeño Last updated
-
Passport Processing Times Speed Up: The Kiplinger Letter
The Kiplinger Letter The State Department credits an increase in staff and new technology with shrinking processing times.
By Sean Lengell Published
-
SEC Cracks Down on Misleading Fund Names: The Kiplinger Letter
The Kiplinger Letter The SEC rules aim to crack down on so-called “greenwashing” — misleading or deceptive claims by funds that use ESG factors.
By Rodrigo Sermeño Published