 TITLE: Consumers Feeling Better About the Pandemic, Economy CONTENT: Most Consumers Say They Can Cover Upcoming Bills\n------------------------------------------------\nWhen it comes to the ability to pay bills, 74% of those surveyed said they would be able to cover their payments in the coming three months. Another 12% said they wouldn't be able to cover their bills, and 14% said they were unsure.\nIn total, 26% of respondents reported being either unsure of whether they could cover their upcoming bills, or said they were sure that they wouldn't be able to. While it's troubling that more than a quarter of the group was still struggling to cover payments, the March 2021 survey showed a 12% improvement over last year, which indicates more people are confident in their ability to manage their obligations.\nAmong the respondents unsure about being able to make bill payments, the biggest concerns were covering utility, credit card and rent payments: 36% said they might not be able to cover utility bills; 33% said their credit card bill was a concern; and 31% worried about their rent payments. END