Americans Say "They Can’t Afford a Vacation"

LOVE staycations! No making the bed, no crowded airplane just drive to work on Monday right from the hotel!

40% of Americans have opted out of a getaway over the past year specifically because of the cost, a new study finds. Americans, crippled by debt and seeing signs of a slowing economy, are sitting out on pricey vacations and everyday leisure activities.

A new Bankrate survey found 42% of Americans decided not to take a vacation over the past year because of the cost. Nearly a third said they can afford a vacation less now than they could have five years ago, though 26% said they can afford to do so more now. More than two-thirds of U.S. adults opted out of a recreational activity due to the cost at some point in the past year, the study found.

You can’t blame them. Trade tensions have economists projecting the likelihood of a recession in the next 12 months at 35%. U.S. student debt is over $1.5 trillion. Almost 40% of Americans think the economy is “not so good” or “poor.”

Half of respondents said the activities they passed on were too expensive to begin with or not a good value, while 43% said they didn’t have enough money left over after paying everyday bills and 41% said they wanted to save money for other things.