Family budgets strained by storm recovery may mean Harvey-hit households need to have some honest talk about who spends what, and why.
A new study from Career Builder suggests that unexpected expenses from storm damage can put a real strain on household budgets.
Almost 8 out of 10 workers surveyed said they already live paycheck-to-paycheck to make ends meet.
“That can force people to take on debt or otherwise struggle when an unexpected bill arises,” CareerBuilder says. “It also raises questions about the stability of the broader economy given that consumer spending accounts for more than two-thirds of activity.”
That's an economic reality made tougher for people in the Houston area who suffered damage during Harvey ... And now Floridians hit by Irma.
Add storm costs to that, and it’s clear that many Texas households need to have some honest talk about their spending.
The survey would suggest that differences between spouses over money, are only complicated by unexpected storm expenses.
Financial experts say the first step is to talk it out.
They straight talk can avoid impulse decisions -- like surprise spending or, worse, taking on too much additional debt.