美国通货膨胀率居高不下，使得工薪阶层艰难维持生计。美国劳工统计局的数据显示，4月消费者价格指数（CPI）同比上涨8.3%，以近40年来最快的年增长速度增长。物价上涨使美国民众的家庭预算非常紧张。美国在线借贷平台LendingClub的一份报告显示，截至今年3月，64%的美国人成为月光族。

 

Inflation is showing no signs of slowing down, making it harder for workers to make ends meet.

美国的高通胀没有缓和迹象，这使得工薪阶层艰难维持生计。

 

The Consumer Price Index increased 8.3% from a year ago, higher than the 8.1% estimate, according to the US Bureau of Statistics.

美国劳工统计局的数据显示，美国消费者价格指数（CPI）同比上涨8.3%，高于8.1%的预期。

 

Although it was down slightly from the March peak, inflation is still growing at the fastest annual pace in about four decades.

尽管通胀率略低于3月份的峰值，但仍在以近40年来最快的年增长速度增长。

 

"Rising prices are putting household budgets in a vise," said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst¹ at Bankrate.com. "Price increases are widespread, but look at food and shelter — which together account for 40% of the weighting in the CPI and more than that for many households."

银率网首席金融分析师格雷格·麦克布莱德称：“物价上涨使美国民众的家庭预算非常紧张。物价上涨是普遍现象，但看看食品和住房——这两项占CPI权重的40%，对许多家庭来说，二者占更高。”

 

Food prices are up at the fastest pace in more than 41 years and the shelter index, which makes up about one-third of the CPI weighting, was up 5.1% on a yearly basis, its fastest gain since March 1991.

食品价格正以逾41年来的最快速度上涨，占CPI权重约三分之一的住房价格指数同比上涨5.1%，为1991年3月以来的最快涨幅。

 

While wage growth is high by historical standards, it isn't keeping up with the increased cost of living.

虽然按历史标准来看工资的增长较高，但却跟不上生活成本的上涨。

 

As of March, close to two-thirds, or 64%, of the US population was living paycheck to paycheck, just shy of the high of 65% in 2020, according to a LendingClub report.

美国在线借贷平台LendingClub的一份报告显示，截至今年3月，近三分之二（64%）的美国人成为月光族，略低于2020年65%的高点。

 

"The number of people living paycheck to paycheck today is reminiscent of the early days of the pandemic and it has become the dominant² lifestyle across income brackets," said Anuj Nayar, LendingClub's financial health officer.

LendingClub财务健康官阿努伊·纳亚尔称：“如今，月光族的数量让人想起新冠疫情初期，‘月光’已经成为不同收入阶层中占主导地位的生活方式。”

 

Consumers who are struggling to afford their day-to-day lifestyle tend to rely more on credit cards and carry higher monthly balances making them financially vulnerable, the survey of more than 2,600 adults found.

这项针对2600多名成年人的调查发现，那些难以负担日常生活花销的消费者往往更依赖信用卡，而且月余额较高，这让他们的财务状况更脆弱。

 

Overall, credit card balances rose year over year, reaching $841 billion in the first three months of 2022, according to a separate report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

纽约联邦储备银行的另一份报告显示，总体而言，信用卡余额逐年增长，2022年头三个月达到8410亿美元（约合人民币57130亿元）。

 

At this rate, balances could soon reach record levels amid higher prices for gas, groceries and housing, among other necessities, according to Ted³ Rossman, a senior industry analyst at CreditCards.com.

CreditCards网站高级行业分析师泰德·罗斯曼表示，按照这个速度，随着汽油、食品杂货和住房等必需品价格的上涨，信用卡余额可能很快打破纪录。

 

Anyone with revolving⁴ debt will also see the annual percentage rate on their credit card head higher as the Federal Reserve hikes interest rates to try and tamp⁵ down rising prices.

由于美联储试图通过加息抑制通货膨胀，循环债务持有者的信用卡年息也将提高。

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