Although the majority of Americans think budgeting is important, about 23% of Americans actually use a budget. This reveals a significant gap between the recognition of budgeting's importance and its actual practice among Americans.

More recent surveys show varying figures of those who budget regularly. One survey found that 86% of respondents review their spending regularly, but only 29% have a monthly budget to guide their spending. Another survey reported that 86% of Americans say they budget regularly, which shows a slight decline from previous years, but this may reflect different definitions or habits regarding budgeting.

However, the commonly cited statistic for the percentage of Americans who actively use a budget is around 23%, aligning with the data that many think it is important but fewer actually maintain a budget.