"Inflation is like a thief" emptying Americans' wallets, 75% of Americans lack financial security
“通货膨胀像小偷一样”掏空了美国人的钱包，75%的美国人缺乏财务保障
Seventy-five percent of Americans say they are not completely financially secure, and 30 percent never expect to be, according to Bankrate's Financial Freedom Survey.
美国银率网的财务自由调查显示，75%的美国人表示他们的财务安全感不足，30%的人从未有过财务安全感。
More than 1 in 3 workers (34 percent) are living paycheck to paycheck, according to Bankrate's new Living Paycheck to Paycheck Survey. That means that about a third of American workers say they don't have enough money left over after covering their expenses to save for future expenses.
根据银率网最新发布的月光族生活调查，超过三分之一的美国上班族（34%）是月光族。这意味着这些人在支付了生活开支后，没有余钱留给未来的开支。
Nearly 6 in 10 Americans (59 percent) are uncomfortable with their level of emergency savings. That's up from 2023, according to Bankrate's 2024 Annual Emergency Savings Report.
近六成美国人（59%）对自己的应急储蓄水平感到不满意。根据银率网的2024年度应急储蓄报告，这一数字比2023年有所上升。
"Simply put, living comfortably costs a lot more than it used to," says Sarah Foster, Bankrate U.S. economy reporter. "Prices are up almost 21 percent since the pandemic first began in February 2020, requiring an extra $210 per every $1,000 someone used to spend on the items they both want and need. "
银率网美国经济记者莎拉·福斯特表示：“简单来说，美国人过好日子的成本上涨了。自2020年2月疫情暴发以来，物价上涨了近21%，人们过去每花1000美元购买到的物品，现在需要多花210美元。”
For the many Americans whose pay haven't kept up with inflation, higher prices essentially translate to an outright destruction of wages. Inflation is the silent thief, and it comes with a price — often Americans' chances of living a comfortable life.
对于许多工资涨幅跟不上通货膨胀速度的美国人来说，物价上涨实际上意味着工资的大幅缩水。通货膨胀是一个无声的窃贼，它偷走了美国人的好日子。
Meanwhile, 50 percent of American cardholders carry card balances from month to month, according to Bankrate's Credit Card Debt Survey. Bankrate data shows that 58 percent of cardholders earning under $50,000 carry a balance from month to month, compared to 43 percent of those earning $100,000 or more.
与此同时，根据银率网的一项信用卡债务调查，50%的美国持卡人每月都有欠款。年收入低于50000美元的持卡人中有58%每月都有欠款，而年收入100000美元或以上的持卡人中这一比例为43%。
As inflation persists and interest rates remain high, carrying a credit card balance may only further the likelihood of living paycheck to paycheck.
由于通货膨胀持续存在且利率居高不下，信用卡债务只会增加“月光”的可能性。
"Those living paycheck to paycheck often turn to credit cards to make up for a cash shortfall or to pay for emergencies or purchases that don't fit within their budgets," says Amy Maliga, former financial educator with Take Charge America, a nonprofit financial counseling agency.
非营利金融咨询机构Take Charge America的前金融教育家艾米·马丽佳表示：“那些靠薪水勉强度日的人经常求助于信用卡来弥补现金短缺，紧急情况支出，或超出预算的支出。”
This can lead them to being overextended, carrying balances month to month and paying high interest rates without a clear path to pay off the debt.
这可能导致他们负债累累，每月都欠着卡债，支付高额利息，却没有明确的还债途径。
推荐阅读：
苏格拉底有一句名言：我知我无知。说的是，当你认识到的东西越多就越发现自己无知。苏格拉底认为，人对于客观世界的认识是有限的，且不可能完全认识客观世界，并且不应对客观世界刨根究底。神对于世界的规划自有安排，若人一意孤行地探索世界和自然的奥秘，则最终将亵渎甚至触怒神明。正因为人对神所构建的世界不可能实现完全认知，因此那些宣称自己能够认识和改造世界的人，本身便是无知的代言。尽管苏格拉底的关于“ 我知我无知”的观念的解读，在现在看来有失客观科学。但至少苏格拉底告诫人们，人的认知是有限的，现有的知识甚至可能存在错误和疏漏。因此，无论任何时代，我们都必须对自己的无知加以认识并通过不懈的开拓，去更新甚至颠覆固有的知识结构。我们在求学之路上也要报以我知我不知的心态，才能走得更远、终有所成。最后，祝愿每一位考研学子都能顺利上岸！
