ATHENS, Greece, November 18 /PRNewswire/ --

- Nearly Half of Workers Save Nothing Each Month -

As the country faces an economic slowdown amidst global market uncertainty, workers are stretching their paychecks more than ever. Two-thirds of workers (66 percent) say they always or usually live paycheck to paycheck just to make ends meet, according to a new survey of more than 608 workers by Kariera.gr.

The struggle from pay period to pay period makes planning for the future difficult. Nearly half (48 percent) of workers say they don't put any money aside for savings each month. Of those who do save, 25 percent of workers set aside less than 160 Euros a month for savings, and 13 percent save 65 Euros or less.

Fifty-four percent of workers say they would need up to an additional 650 Euros per paycheck to live comfortably. Fifty-two percent say they have to work more than one job to keep up with monthly expenses.

More than three-quarters of workers say they have a set budget each pay period, although 43 percent admit to typically going over it, said Theofilos Vasileiadis, Managing Director of Kariera.gr. Even though it can be difficult to set money aside, especially in a challenging economy, workers who stick to a budget and live within their means have a better chance of growing their savings account. Workers who allocate even small amounts of their salary each pay period to savings are investing in their future and are better positioned to lighten their financial burdens.

Vasileiadis offers the following tips for putting extra Euros in your pocket:

Consider meeting with a financial planner -- having a certified, outside pair of eyes looking at your financial situation may unlock additional areas for savings.

Take advantage of all the benefits offered to you -- more companies are offering flexible spending accounts, wellness benefits, company discounts, etc. Talk to your HR department and see what is available to help save money on your monthly expenses.

Cut back on the extras -- sometimes it's the little things that add up the most. Many workers reported that the costs of extraneous activities, such as shopping, going out for drinks and entertainment, and decorating their home depleted their bank accounts. Set a budget for these activities so you can limit unnecessary spending.

Reevaluate your commute -- workers say one of the biggest money drains on them each month is their car. With gas prices as high as they are and the exorbitant cost of parking your car in the city, it may be time to look into alternative modes of transportation.

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within Greece by Kapa Research S.A. on behalf of Kariera.gr among 237 hiring managers and human resource professionals (employed full-time; not self-employed; with at least significant involvement in hiring decisions); and 656 Greek employees (employed full-time; not self-employed) ages 18 and over between July 1 and July 14, 2008 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset of Employers or Employees, based on their responses to certain questions).

About Kariera.gr

Kariera.gr is the leading job site in Greece. It began to operate in February 2000 and has become the largest and most renowned job site in Greece with over 162.000 unique visitors per month and more than 140.900 jobseekers' CVs, and 17.000 registered employers (companies, educational institutions).

Media Contact: Athina Labropoulou PR Communication Director 210-67-47-100 (ext. 114) pr@kariera.gr

Athina Labropoulou, PR Communication Director of Kariera.gr, +30-210-67-47-100 (ext. 114), pr@kariera.gr