This What Those Halliburton Camps Are For?

Poll Reveals 34 Percent of U.S. Workers Surveyed Have Only One Week or Less of Savings to Cover Expenses if Laid Off from Work

"MAYNARD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Despite the fact that most financial advisors caution workers to save the equivalent of six months’ salary in preparation for troubled economic times, a recent Monster Meter Poll reveals more than one-third of U.S. workers surveyed on Monster.com admit they have only one week or less of savings to cover living expenses if they were to be laid off from work. Monster.com is the leading global online career and recruitment resource and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: MWW).
Over a one week period beginning July 6 and running through July 13, more than 16,000 visitors to Monster.com participated in the Monster Meter Poll question “If you were laid off without severance, how long would your savings cover your living expenses?” Thirty-four percent of U.S. workers report their savings would last one week or less if they were laid off, compared to 20 percent who say their savings would last six months or longer, according to a nationwide poll conducted by Monster.com®.

If You Were Laid Off Without Severance, How Long Would your Savings Cover Your Living Expenses?
*One Week or Less: 34%
*2-4 Weeks: 16%
*1-2 Months: 16%
*3-5 Months: 14 %
*6 Months or Longer: 20%"o

Fully 2/3 could only make it only a month or a little longer. And I would assume the tendency is to be unrealistically optimistic with a question like this. Things happen when you stop working and small expenses that you wouldn't usually pay attention to will eat you up.
Also the savings admonition changed over the years - “For a long time, the rule of thumb was to set aside 3 to 6 months of easily accessible savings. That number is now 6 months to 1 year.”
Right, good luck. Probably a large majority of workers might find that pretty well impossible to do these days.