Figuratively Speaking

Percentage of millennial (ages 25 to 40) mortgage holders who say they would tap home equity to bankroll a vacation, compared with just 4% of Gen X (ages 41 to 56) and 3% of baby boomer mortgage holders (ages 57 to 75), according to Bankrate survey: 14

Percentage of millennials who say they would pull cash from their homes for nonessential purchases, such as electronics or a boat, versus 3% of both Gen Xers and baby boomers with a mortgage: 10

Source: Bankrate.com.

Percentage of consumers who say they go out to eat when they do not feel like cooking, according to a survey by Acosta: 51

Of those eating out, percentage who do so at least twice a month: 60 to 70

Percentage of consumers who say they are looking for restaurants that offer a wide variety of menu items when eating out: 82

Source: Acosta.

Percentage of British consumers who say they will miss gasoline and diesel cars if they are ever fully phased out, according to a survey by YouGov: 45

Percentage of American consumers who say they will miss cars with fossil fuel engines once they're gone: 52

Source: YouGov.

Average percentage of adults across 30 countries, including the United States (82%), who say that their mental and physical health are equally important to them, according to an Ipsos Poll: 79

Ranks of COVID-19 and mental health on the list of health problems Americans view as the biggest ones facing people in their country: 1, 2

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Percentage of U.S. adults ages 21 and older who reported drinking patterns that met the survey criteria for "heavy drinking," according to a survey conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic on behalf of Alkermes Inc.: 17

Percentage who reported that they continued to drink despite it making them feel depressed or anxious or adding to another health problem: 30

Percentage who gave up or cut back on activities that were important or interesting to them, or gave them pleasure, in order to drink: 23

Source: Alkermes Inc.

Percentage of shoppers who expect a seamless, convenient and connected online and offline shopping experience, according to a survey by Klarna Bank: 80

Percentage who say that helpful customer service and knowledgeable sales associates are critical to ensuring a stand-out shopping experience: 72

Source: Klarna Bank.

Percentage of U.S. adults who have applied for a retail-branded credit card who say they have applied impulsively at checkout at least once, according to a new study from CreditCards.com: 68

Percentage who applied for retail cards who always planned their signup in advance: 32

Percentage who said they felt pressured to apply by the store or an employee: 10

Source: CreditCards.com.

Despite a string of controversies and the public's negative sentiments about aspects of social media, percentage of Americans who say they use some kind of social media site -- a share of the population that has remained relatively stable over the past five years -- according to a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults: 70

Ranks of YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest on the list of the most widely used online platforms among U.S. adults: 1, 2, 3, 4

Source: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.

Percentage of teens who agree that business innovation will be required to slow or stop global warming and climate change, according to a survey conducted for Junior Achievement: 73

Percentage who agree that businesses act more responsibly toward the environment today than they have in the past: 52

Percentage who say that they are worried about the impact of global warming and climate change on their future quality of life: 65

Source: Junior Achievement.

Ranks of a snack-sized bag of cookies, a snack-sized bag of pretzels, caramel apples and a beef jerky stick on the list of the most popular candy-alternative snacks on Halloween among kids ages 8 to 14, according to research by YouGov: 1, 2, 3, 4

Source: YouGov.

Idle Thought

"We understand death for the first time when he puts his hand upon one whom we love" -- Madame De Stael, writer (1766-1817)

Percentage of people who live in either an apartment or a condo building across the U.S. who have concerns about the building structure that they live in and its safety related to deteriorating materials or damage, according to research by Premise: 65

Percentage who have seen damage never get fixed: 47

Percentage who have seen damage fixed poorly: 26

Source: Premise.

Ranks of handing out candy, decorating their home or yard, and dressing in costumes on the list of the top ways people are planning to celebrate Halloween, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation: 1, 2, 3

Ranks of Spider-man, princess, Batman or another one of their other favorite superheroes on the list of top costumes for kids this year: 1, 2, 3 (tie)

Ranks of witch, vampire, ghost, cat and pirate on the list of most popular adult costumes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Ranks of pumpkin, hot dog, superhero and cat on the list of the most popular costumes for pets: 1, 2, 3 (tie)

Source: NRF.

Percentage of employed Americans looking for new job opportunities who said it's important for them to have the ability to work from home or remotely in their future role, according to a survey from Bankrate: 37

Percentage of Gen Z workers who say work flexibility (the ability to work remotely and/or flexible working hours) is important to them moving forward -- a higher percentage than those citing higher pay: 62

Source: Bankrate.

Percentage of people who would pay extra to be on a 100%-vaccinated flight or stay at a 100%-vaccinated hotel/resort, according to a WalletHub survey: 40

Percentage of people who won't travel this winter due to fear of COVID-19: 27

Source: WalletHub.

Last Halloween, percentage of parents who said they believed trick-or-treating was a large or moderate risk for their children, according to data from the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index: 49

This year, percentage who believe the same: 31

Percentage of parents who believe there's no risk at all: 23

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Percentage of college students who believe their school should be flexible and let individuals choose how they will learn due to COVID-19, according to a new survey from BestColleges.com: 81

Percentage of college students who expect to complete the remainder of the fall quarter/semester on-campus (with 23% reporting they expect to complete it remotely, and 27% in some hybrid of the two): 48

Source: BestColleges.com.

Percentage of employees who favorably view their employers' efforts to improve their overall well-being, according to a survey conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute: 76

Percentage who are extremely/very satisfied with their benefits package, with 62% stating that they are satisfied with their employment-based retirement savings plan and 63% being satisfied with their current health insurance plan: 51

Percentage of employees who were at least somewhat interested in an emergency savings account that allowed them to save through payroll deduction: 83

Source: EBRI.

Percentage of U.S. residents who think the U.S.-U.K. alliance is more important today than it was five years ago, according to a research by Emerson College: 76

Percentage who identify the U.K. as the most valuable ally and strategic partner of the U.S.: 52

Percentage who cite shared democratic norms and values as having the most significant influence on a strong alliance between the U.S. and the U.K.: 40

Source: Association of Marshall Scholars.

With Halloween around the corner, ranks of "The Exorcist" (1973), "Hereditary" (2018), "The Conjuring" (2013), "The Shining" (1980) and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974) on the list of the scariest movies of all time, according to Rotten Tomatoes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Source: Rotten Tomatoes.

Idle Thought

"Man is so made that he can only find relaxation from one kind of labor by taking up another." -- Anatole France, novelist, essayist, Nobel laureate (1844-1924)

Percentage of consumer debt (other than mortgage) accounted for by credit cards, according to a survey by Northwestern Mutual: 19

Percentage accounted for by car loans: 8

Percentage accounted for by education loans: 7

Percentage that are home-equity loans and lines of credit: 4

Source: Northwestern Mutual.

Percentage of decision-making moms who consider Halloween a season, with nearly half agreeing it begins Oct. 1, according to a survey by Party City: 80

Number of times moms say their child will wear their Halloween costume: 2 to 5

Source: Party City.

While record numbers of U.S. workers express discontent in their jobs and careers, leading to what is now called "The Great Resignation," percentage of tradespeople who are satisfied in their choice of work, according to a survey by Angi: 83

Despite high job satisfaction, high pay and high levels of entrepreneurship, percentage of tradespeople who say they face a worsening labor shortage: 77

Percentage of skilled-trades employers that have struggled to hire skilled workers since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, causing a steady increase in demand for home services as homeowners take on more projects: 68

Source: Angi.

Percentage of part-time and full-time employees who want to share feedback to improve the workplace, according to research by Explorance: 53

Percentage who say they're eager to take company surveys: 78

Percentage who say company surveys are a preferred method for sharing feedback: 38

Percentage of employees (along with 40% of executives) who don't believe their feedback leads to meaningful change: 45

Source: Explorance.

Percentage of consumers who cite a desire to take advantage of holiday sales as the main reason for getting a head start on their gift purchasing this year, according to a survey by Klarna: 72

Percentage who are also starting earlier to ensure product availability, while others want to avoid shipping delays (45%) and last-minute stress (39%): 50

Source: Klarna Bank AB.

Percentage of U.S. adults who carry credit card debt from month to month, according to a new Bankrate.com report: 54

Percentage of this group who have been in credit card debt for at least a year, including 32% for at least two years and 14% for at least five years: 50

Percentage of U.S. adults with credit card debt who expect to be free from it within a year: 30

Percentage who think they will be free from credit card debt within five years: 60

Source: Bankrate.com.

Percentage of cannabis users who said they would consume cannabis with a grandparent, according to a survey by Azuca: 60

Of those who consume cannabis, percentage who reach for edibles, such as gummies or baked goods, over smoking and vaping: 52

Percentage who say that they have increased their consumption of edibles during the pandemic: 53

Source: Azuca.

Percentage of people who admit they never thought about how products were delivered prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study by Oracle: 45

Today, percentage who consider the supply chain when making a purchase: 91

Percentage of people who have been negatively impacted by supply-chain issues over the past year: 87

Ranks of being unable to purchase certain items due to shortages (60%), forced to cancel orders due to delays (51%) and even rationing essential items out of fear of running out (40%) on the list of issues that worry people: 1, 2, 3

Source: Oracle.

Percentage of employees who left their jobs without another job lined up, with these employees also 1.7 times more likely to cite burnout as their reason for resigning, according to a survey by Limeade: 28

Ranks of burnout, organizational changes at the company, as well as lack of flexibility, instances of discrimination and contributions/ideas not being valued on the list of top reasons for employee departure: 1, 2, 3 (3-way tie)

Source: Limeade.

In 2016, percentage of all private-sector employers that offered health benefits, according to research by the Employee Benefit Research Institute: 45.3

By 2020, percentage of all private-sector employers offering health benefits: 51.1

In 2020, percentage of workers employed by private-sector employers who were eligible for health benefits, up from 75.4% in 2014: 80.5

Source: EBRI.

Idle Thought

"Clear thinking requires courage rather than intelligence." -- Thomas Szasz, author and professor of psychiatry (1920-2012)

(EDITOS: If you have editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker, chooker@amuniversal.com.)