When the economy gets tough, Americans get tougher – on their variable expenses. At least, this is what the latest research reveals. As the impact of inflation is tightening the purse strings of households across the country, a new study indicates that individuals in Missouri are taking to Google more than any other state to establish a budgeting plan.
As part of their recent merger with Thrifty Guardian, news outlet Mama Say What?! conducted a study that showcases key states where budget-related searches are peaking and analyzed the trends associated with these spikes.
By assessing Google search data through Google Trends and Ahrefs, researchers found that Americans searched budget-related queries an average of 64,000 times monthly. While many states rank highly in search volume, Missouri stands above the pack, particularly within the last month.
Who Wants to Create a Budget?
While the cost of living crisis endures, earning more income isn’t always a viable option for individuals. Learning how to budget can be immensely helpful for those looking to save the last few dollars while battling to make ends meet.
Thanks to tools like budgeting apps or more traditional resources like worksheets and templates, Americans have access to many resources regarding how to budget. Searching for resources online can be a fruitful avenue for starting a budgeting journey.
According to Mama Say What?!, the top search queries related to budgeting are “budgeting apps,” which receives 15,000 monthly searches; “best budgeting apps,” at 14,000 monthly searches; “budget worksheet,” with 9,400 monthly searches, and “budget template,” receiving the highest number of monthly searches at 26,000.
To interpret this data, researchers score each state on a scale of 0-400 to determine where individuals are most interested in learning about budgeting in the country. The results are separated into 12-month and 30-day trends for further analysis.
Top Ten States Searching for Budgeting Resources in the Last 30 Days
Missouri is the number one state searching for information related to budgeting resources, with a score of 231. The search term that intrigues Missouri residents the most is “best budgeting apps.” Missouri’s score represents a 16-point spread from the next highest volume state, South Carolina, which has a score of 215. South Carolina residents favor the search term “budget worksheets” over others. These two states rank substantially higher than the remaining top ten states on the list, which indicates a significantly higher interest for Missourians and South Carolinians to create a budget.
Following the top two, with a spread of 42 points, is Massachusetts in third, a state that does not rank on the 12-month list but features prominently on the 30-day list, indicating a newfound interest in budgeting information.
Wisconsin places fourth. Next is Oregon, ranking fifth. Completing the top ten list are the states of Colorado, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Washington.
Over the last 12 months, Utah has proven to be the most interested in budgeting, ranking first on the top ten list with a score of 314. Utah residents favor the search terms “budgeting apps” and “best budgeting apps” over other related words.
Residents of Utah appear to have curbed their interest in budgeting as of late, as despite their top-ranking placement on the 12-month list, this state doesn’t even rank on the 30-day list.
Utah scored 54 points more than Colorado’s 260. After Colorado, third place is awarded to Minnesota. Fourth and fifth place are dedicated to North Carolina and Missouri, with 227 and 224 points, respectively. Missouri’s consistent appearance on each list denotes a sustained interest in budgeting, with a recent spike in the last 30 days earning its first-place ranking.
In sixth place is Tennessee.
South Carolina takes seventh place, showing up again on both lists, indicating that this state’s residents have consistently sought answers to their budgeting questions.
Eighth, ninth, and tenth place go to Wisconsin, Virginia, and Georgia.
Georgia and Tennessee both have reduced interest in budgeting as of late, falling off the 30-day list following its placement on the 12-month rankings.
As Americans feel the squeeze of sustained inflation, creating a household budget can provide relief when those few extra dollars can mean all the difference. Whether making use of online apps, templates, or general resources, online searches may help individuals looking to build their own budgeting systems to weather the current economic storm.
More from Mama Say What?!
10 of the Best Apps That Pay You Money in 2023
Disney Movie Club Review – Good Deal or Costly Mistake?
The post Americans Desperately Seeking More Ways to Budget During Cost of Living Crisis first appeared on Mama Say What?!
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock /StockerThings
Rachael Westgate is a skilled writer specializing in political and economic journalism, often employing the Associated Press (AP) style in her work. Her articles are known for their clarity, precision, and adherence to the highest journalistic standards.
