Nearly Half of U.S. Adults Are Optimistic That 2012 Will Be a Better Year for Their Finances, Finds New CouponCabin.com Survey

WHITING, Ind., Dec. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As a roller coaster 2011 comes to a close, many U.S. adults are feeling positive about what 2012 may hold for their finances. According to a new CouponCabin.com survey, nearly half (48 percent) of U.S. adults are optimistic that 2012 will be a better year for them financially than years past. On the flip side, 37 percent said they do not think 2012 will be better financially, while 16 percent said they weren't sure. This survey was conducted online nationwide by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin.com from November 14th-16th, 2011 among 2,207 U.S. adults aged 18 and older.

Part of the financial optimism for 2012 may stem from the many who plan to make major financial changes this upcoming year, as nearly four-in-ten (39 percent) U.S. adults said they plan to overhaul their finances in 2012. When it comes to how U.S. adults will do the overhauling, three-in-four (77 percent) said they plan to cut back on unnecessary expenses. Rounding out the list were the following:

• Cut back on "extras" (e.g., eating out, going to the movies) – 62 percent
• Set a budget and stick to it – 54 percent
• Use coupons – 54 percent
• Plan payments to get out of debt – 40 percent
• Make investments (e.g., stock market, mutual funds) - 21 percent
• See a financial advisor – 8 percent
• Open a savings account – 7 percent

"While 2011 was a better year than the few years before it, many people still faced a lot of financial challenges over the past 12 months," said Jackie Warrick, President and Chief Savings Officer at CouponCabin.com. "The good news is that many are looking ahead to 2012 through positive eyes and are optimistic about what the future holds for their finances. Even if some are uncertain about the upcoming new year, many will take the lessons they've learned over the past few years and apply them to improve their situations down the road."

While some U.S. adults are looking at 2012 through rose-colored glasses when it comes to their finances, others are a little more uncertain. Thirty-seven percent said they feel less financially secure than they did at the beginning of 2011, while 43 percent said they are neither more or less financially secure. More than one-in-five (21 percent) said that when they look back at the start of 2011, they feel more financially secure this year.

Regardless of their financial state, most U.S. adults have at least one financial New Year's resolution on the docket. When asked what their number one financial resolution would be for 2012, in a random sampling, U.S. adults said the following:

• Accelerate paying off my debt.
• Be less wasteful when buying groceries.
• Buy store brands instead of name brands to save money.
• Try to get promoted.
• Get on track with making student loan payments.
• Save for a down payment on a house.
• Increase my retirement savings.
• Move to a more affordable apartment.
• Pay my credit card balance off each month.
• Plan shopping trips well to save gas and time.
• Cut back on unnecessary purchases of clothes, shoes and handbags.
• Use more coupons when shopping.

Survey Methodology:
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin from November 14th-16th, 2011 among 2,207 U.S. adults aged 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore, no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact: Allison Nawoj, [email protected].   

About CouponCabin.com
CouponCabin.com is a leading online destination for coupons including online coupon codes, printables, grocery coupons and more. Shoppers have saved nearly $250 million since 2003 and with the largest selection of coupons guaranteed to work, CouponCabin is the best place to start searching for savings. The average user saves $19 in just 80 seconds on the site. With customized email newsletters, browser savings alerts, new coupon alerts and more, shoppers will never miss out on a great deal with CouponCabin. For more information, please visit http://www.CouponCabin.com.

SOURCE CouponCabin.com