Retirement crisis looms as Americans struggle to save

Eric Payne, a 37 year-old single father to two boys, works hard to stretch his paycheck each week. It’s a task he refers to as “clicking.”

Eric Payne, a 37-year-old single father to two boys, works hard to stretch his paycheck each week. It’s a task he refers to as “clicking.” He makes a good salary – in the $80,000 range – but by the time all of the essential expenses have clicked into place, there’s not much left to spare. “The clicking is for day-to-day operations,” explained Payne, who works as the director of quality assurance for a seafood wholesaler near Portland, Maine. “Groceries, car payment, mortgage, kids’ clothes, childcare, or figuring out how to cover an unexpected bill.” Click. Click. Click. Click. Click. Click. “My financial focus has to be on the present, as every dollar counts,” he told CNN. “However, I am fully aware that I’m creating another problem for myself down the road.”