Appendix B: Consumer Responses to Survey Questions

Questions are listed below in the order in which they were presented to respondents. Questions with fewer than 4,174 respondents were not asked to the full sample, and the question-specific screening criteria are available in appendix A. All data are weighted to yield estimates for the U.S. adult population.

General Well-Being Section

Question B2. Overall, which one of the following best describes how well you are managing financially these days?
Response Percent
Refused 0
Finding it difficult to get by 6
Just getting by 17
Doing okay 40
Living comfortably 37

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Emergency Fund Section

Question EF3. Suppose that you have an emergency expense that costs $400. Based on your current financial situation, how would you pay for this expense?
Response Percent
Put it on my credit card and pay it off in full at
the next statement
38
Put it on my credit card and pay it off over time 14
With the money currently in my checking/savings account
or with cash
46
Using money from a bank loan or line of credit 2
By borrowing from a friend or family member 6
Using a payday loan, deposit advance, or overdraft 1
By selling something 4
I wouldn't be able to pay for the expense right now 10

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question EF5A. Which best describes your ability to pay all of your bills in full in July?
Response Percent
Refused 0
Able to pay all bills 85
Can't pay some bills 14

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question EF6A. Which of the following bills are you unable to pay in full in July?
Response Percent
Rent or mortgage 21
Credit card 44
Water, gas, or electric bill 31
Phone or cable bill 27
Car payment 14
Student loan 12
Other bills 31

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 556.

Question EF7_a. How confident are you that you will be able to pay all of your bills in full in August?
Response Percent
Refused 0
Not at all confident 8
Slightly confident 12
Moderately confident 21
Very confident 59

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question EF7_b. How confident are you that you will be able to pay all of your bills in full in September?
Response Percent
Refused 1
Not at all confident 8
Slightly confident 13
Moderately confident 21
Very confident 57

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Coronavirus Labor Section

Question CV1. Which one of the following best describes your employment status last week?
Response Percent
Refused 0
Employed 51
Self-employed 7
Not working, but being paid my normal wages 1
Temporarily laid off or furloughed 4
Not employed, but looking for a job 5
Not employed and not looking for a job 31

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV2. Thinking about the work you did last week, how much of it did you do by telecommuting or working from home?
Response Percent
Refused 0
None 54
Some 14
All 31

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 2,378.

Question CV2A. On the most recent day that you went to work outside your home, about how many people did you have direct contact with at your job?
Response Percent
Refused 0
None 15
1 to 2 17
3 to 5 20
6 to 9 13
10 to 19 12
20 or more 22

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 1,600.

Question CV4. Have you experienced or done each of the following at any time since March 1st (the onset of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. known as COVID-19)?
Response Percent
Lost a job, got laid off, or told not to work any hours 14
Voluntarily quit or changed jobs 4
Started a new job 5
Reduced hours or took unpaid leave 13
Increased hours worked or worked overtime 14

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV5. Do you expect to return to the same employer that you worked for before you lost a job, were laid off, or were told not to work?
Response Percent
Refused 1
No, do not expect to return to the same employer 32
Yes, employer expressed this is temporary but did not provide a return date 29
Yes, employer provided definite return date 7
Yes, already returned to work for the same employer 30

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 588.

Question CV11. Thinking about precautions that your employer/the employer you worked for most recently is taking to prevent the spread of COVID-19, do you think they are taking:
Response Percent
Refused 1
Not enough precautions 18
About the right amount of precautions 74
Too many precautions 7

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 2,749.

Question CV11A. If your local schools do not have in-person classes in the fall, how would that impact the amount of work for pay you do at your job?
Response Percent
Refused 0
No effect on the amount you work at your job 83
Cause you to work more 7
Cause you to work less 9
Cause you to stop working 2

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 2,438.

Coronavirus Family Financial Circumstances

Question CV8. Thinking about all the income you and your spouse/partner received, how did your income last month (June) compare to your income in February before the onset of COVID-19?
Response Percent
Refused 0
Much lower 9
Somewhat lower 14
About the same 66
Somewhat higher 8
Much higher 3

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV12. Since March 2020, have you and/or your spouse/partner received any payment relief or payment delay from your landlord or mortgage lender?
Response Percent
Refused 0
Yes 5
No 95

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 3,246.

Question CV12A. Since March 2020, did you and/or your spouse/partner request any payment relief or payment delay from your landlord or mortgage lender that you did not receive?
Response Percent
Refused 0
Yes 2
No 98

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 3,091.

Question CV13A. When your payment relief ends, will you and/or your spouse/partner have to make increased payments each month or a lump-sum payment to your landlord or mortgage lender to make up for the relief you received?
Response Percent
Yes 33
No 43
Don't know 24

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 155.

Question CV13B. How confident are you that you and/or your spouse/partner will be able to resume making your monthly payments, including any increased monthly payments or lump sum payments, when the relief from your landlord or mortgage lender ends?
Response Percent
Not at all confident 19
Slightly confident 32
Moderately confident 21
Very confident 28

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 155.

Question CV14. Since March 2020, have you and/or your spouse/partner paid your rent using a credit card that you will carry a balance on, a cash advance, or an advance on your security deposit?
Response Percent
Refused 0
Yes 4
No 96

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 1,105.

Question CV15. Since March 2020, have you and/or your spouse/partner received any payment relief or payment delay from regular bills other than your rent or mortgage, such as a student loan, utility bill, or car payment?
Response Percent
Refused 0
Yes 12
No 88

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV16_a. Since March 2020, have you and/or your spouse/partner either received or applied for each of the following forms of income or assistance, or not?
Response Percent
Refused 0
Received 11
Applied for but not received 3
Did not apply for and did not receive 85

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV16_b. Since March 2020, have you and/or your spouse/partner either received or applied for each of the following forms of income or assistance, or not?
Response Percent
Refused 0
Received 10
Applied for but not received 2
Did not apply for and did not receive 88

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV16_c. Since March 2020, have you and/or your spouse/partner either received or applied for each of the following forms of income or assistance, or not?
Response Percent
Refused 0
Received 8
Applied for but not received 1
Did not apply for and did not receive 91

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV16_d. Since March 2020, have you and/or your spouse/partner either received or applied for each of the following forms of income or assistance, or not?
Response Percent
Refused 0
Received 1
Applied for but not received 1
Did not apply for and did not receive 98

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV16_e. Since March 2020, have you and/or your spouse/partner either received or applied for each of the following forms of income or assistance, or not?
Response Percent
Refused 0
Received 4
Applied for but not received 1
Did not apply for and did not receive 94

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV17. How does the income that you and/or your spouse/partner received from unemployment insurance compare to the income that you and/or your spouse/partner previously received at work?
Response Percent
Refused 1
Income from unemployment insurance is higher than prior income 40
About the same 23
Income from unemployment insurance is lower than prior income 36

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 471.

Question K5A. In the past 12 months, have you borrowed money from or cashed out (permanently withdrawn) money from any of your retirement savings accounts?
Response Percent
Refused 0
Yes, borrowed money 4
Yes, cashed out 4
Yes, both 1
No 91

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 2,984.

Respondent Demographics

Summary statistics for demographics
Demographic characteristic Weighted percent Unweighted percent
Gender
Male 48 50
Female 52 50
Age 1
18–29 21 17
30–44 25 23
45–59 25 27
60+ 29 33
Education2
Less than high school 9 6
High school degree 28 28
Some college, no associate degree 20 21
Associate degree 9 9
Bachelor's degree or more 33 37
Race and ethnicity
White, non-Hispanic 63 68
Black, non-Hispanic 12 11
Other, non-Hispanic 7 6
Hispanic 16 14
2+ races, non-Hispanic 1 1
Family income 3
Less than $40,000 37 34
$40,000–$100,000 32 33
Greater than $100,000 30 32
Household income
Less than $40,000 25 24
$40,000–$100,000 38 38
Greater than $100,000 37 38
Marital status
Single, not living with partner 36 35
Living with partner 7 6
Married 57 59
Region
Northeast 17 18
Midwest 21 21
South 38 38
West 24 22

 1. Mean weighted age = 48. Mean unweighted age = 50. Return to table

 2. Education categories are from the October 2019 survey responses. Return to table

 3. Family income categories are from the October 2019 survey responses. Return to table

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Last Update: June 13, 2022