In all the recent debate over budget deficits, few people have noticed that America has started saving again. Personal saving in the US has risen from 1.4 per cent of income in 2005 to 5.8 per cent in 2010, and new data this week from the Federal Reserve confirm the higher savings rates are continuing. A dramatic, sudden further increase in saving would harm the recovery. But as the world gradually emerges from the economic downturn, global rebalancing means the US and Europe must save more over time. Savings lotteries, like Britain’s popular Premium Bonds, can provide an intriguing way forward.
在最近圍繞預算赤字的所有辯論中，很少有人注意到美國人已經又開始儲蓄了。美國個人儲蓄與收入之比已從2005年的1.4%升至2010年的5.8%。來自美聯準(Fed)的最新數據證實，較高的儲蓄率將繼續保持下去。儲蓄突然大規模進一步增加將損害復甦。但隨著世界逐漸擺脫經濟低迷，全球的再平衡意味著，隨著時間的流逝，美國和歐洲必須增加儲蓄。就像英國廣受歡迎的Premium Bonds一樣，儲蓄彩票可能會爲以後提供一種有趣的方式。