Gladly Pay For a Hamburger Next Tuesday...

These days, paying for a hamburger later means consumers are putting it on their credit cards, but with underwater mortgages and uncertain employment environment, consumers seem to be socking it away rather than spending it. The Commerce Department noted personal outlays increased 3.1% ($83.5 billion) in the second quarter 2011, compared with an increase of 5.8% ($153.5 billion) in the first. It also reported disposable personal income increased 3.9% ($109.9 billion) in the second quarter, compared with an increase of 4.7% ($129.6 billion) in the first. Real disposable personal income increased 0.7%, the same increase as in the first quarter. Yet the personal saving rate -- saving as a percentage of disposable personal income -- was 5.1% in the second quarter, compared with 4.9% in the first. All these numbers translated in personal savings -- disposable personal income less personal outlays -- of $590.6 billion in the second quarter, compared with $564.3 billion in the first. Personal current taxes increased $22.6 billion in the second quarter, compared with an increase of $122.3 billion in the first.