Canadians give themselves poor grades on saving

Many admit there’s a lot of room for improvement when it comes to their savings habits and financial goals, finds a survey by Tangerine.

Read: Why tax planning is crucial for families

When asked to grade their savings habits, 46% gave themselves a “C” or lower, saying they need to get back on track or haven’t yet started saving this year. And 46% of people surveyed also admitted they don’t have a regular savings plan set up to put aside money each month.

Canadians also don’t make the grade when it comes to goal setting—only 31% set a specific financial goal or resolution for 2014.

Read: Sandwich gen short $560K for retirement

There is still time to focus on savings goals and resolutions. Nearly one-third of people (31%) plan to set a new financial goal before the year is over, and out of these respondents, most said their goal will be focused on saving more money (30%) and paying down credit cards or other loans (20%).

The survey also found 30% of Canadians reported they couldn’t handle more than $500 in unexpected expenses without going into debt. Another 28% couldn’t handle unexpected expenses over $2,000.

Read: Pre-retirement clients may need a reality check

Staff

The staff of Advisor.ca have been covering news for financial advisors since 1998.