From Creditslips.org, via Consumerist: If everyone in the U.S. spent zero percent of their personal income on food, shelter, taxes, and medical care for one year, the savings wouldn’t fully cover our collective mortgages, credit cards, car loans and other personal debts. Granted, this figure lumps all debt into one category, without accounting for the often huge payoffs associated with debts like mortgages and student loans — not to mention the fact that, if no one bought houses, cars, education, etc., the economy would subsequently tank.