What Issues Matter Most to Women - Growing Financial Pressures on Family Life

Women and their families are experiencing tremendous financial woes - on issues ranging from housing to credit card debt to healthcare - and are concerned about their long-term financial security, according to a Meredith Corporation/NBC Universal survey, writes MarketingCharts.

The nationwide “What do Women Want?” survey of 3,000 women covered a wide range of topics important to women, including marriage and family, health and fitness, safety, and financial matters.

The following findings on the economy and personal financial challenges are among those at the forefront for women - and the Presidential campaign - and affect how women view the issues, Meredith/NBC Universal said:

• Two-thirds (68 percent) of women cite “financial strain” as a major threat to the American Family - and a much bigger threat than “divorce” (48 percent), “loss of faith/spirituality” (47 percent), “liberal views on sex and sexuality” (32 percent), “both parents working” (28 percent), “unwed mothers” (21 percent) and “couples living together instead of getting married” (19 percent).
• The majority (79 percent) of women in dual-income households say it is “essential for both spouses/partners to be employed in order to make ends meet.”
• Six in 10 women are concerned about being able to pay their bills each month (60 percent) - especially high among single mothers with children under 18 (80 percent).
• 72 percent of women are concerned about rising taxes - especially Boomer women (81 percent).
• 4 in 10 (38 percent) women “feel overwhelmed by financial burdens” - even higher for Gen X (47 percent) and mothers of children under 18 (47 percent) and single mothers with children under 18 (52 percent).
• 4 in 10 (38 percent) women have incurred medical debt - even higher among mothers of children under 18 (49 percent), especially young mothers 18-34 (59 percent).
• Only 15 percent of women say they do not have any debt.
• 22 percent of women report being over $20,000 in non-mortgage debt - even higher for Gen X women (30 percent).
• Three quarters of women are concerned about the future of social security (77 percent) and saving enough for retirement (75 percent).

MarketingCharts offers detailed findings on issues such as healthcare, housing, debt and credit cards, retirement, savings and investing.