Percentage of Americans who would voluntarily go into debt to pay for their child's college education, with the average person willing to take on $31,000 in debt, according to a survey from Country Financial: 56

Percentage who believe it's important to have a college degree when looking for a job: 75

Percentage who believe a college degree is worth the investment: 65

Source: Country Financial.

Percentage of newly trained physicians who said they received 51 or more job solicitations during their training, while 45 percent received 100 or more: 66

Percentage who said they were contacted too many times by recruiters: 64

Source: Merritt, Hawkins and Associates.

Percentage of people who said that passengers donning extra clothes to avoid fees charged for overweight baggage is not an acceptable practice, according to a survey conducted by The GO Group: 42

Percentage of respondents who admitted to having layered on extra clothes rather than pay: 6

Source: The GO Group.

Percentage of bridesmaids and maids of honor who felt pressured to spend money on bridal party-related expenses, according to a CompareCards survey: 58 and 61, respectively

Percentage who say the financial pressure strained their relationship with the bride: 32 and 42, respectively

Percentage of groomsmen and best men who said the same: 43 and 50, respectively

Source: CompareCards.

Percentage of Americans who did not take a leisure trip longer than four nights in the last year, with millennials leading this "micro-cation" trend, according to the 2019 Vacation Confidence Index released by Allianz Global Assistance: 57

Percentage of Americans who said their longest trip in the last year was three to four nights, while 11 percent took no trips longer than just one to two nights: 18

Percentage of the general population who said they took at least three micro-cations in the last year: 25

Source: Allianz Global Assistance.

Percentage of Americans who don't think about what they're going to eat for lunch until they realize they're hungry, according to a survey by the California Walnut Board and Commission: 53

Of those, percentage who choose to eat foods that give them energy to power through the day: 27

Of those who bring their own lunch, percentage who said they eat fruits and vegetables: 54

Percentage who bring a salad: 50

Source: California Walnut Board.

Percentage of American pet parents who believe that having pets in the workplace would benefit company culture, according to a survey from Wellness Natural Pet Food: 65

Percentage who believe that pets would diffuse a stressful situation in the workplace: 75

Percentage who feel they would get to know their colleagues better if there were pets present: 59

Source: Wellness Natural Pet Food.

Percentage of Americans who say that they would rather open a small business than retire (if money or health were not a factor later in life), according to a UPS Store survey: 54

Percentage of Americans who say they have hoped their child or a child they know would grow up and start their own business: 62

Among survey respondents who are also small business owners, percentage who say the same: 81

Source: UPS Store.

Percentage of consumers who admit blowing their budgets while online shopping in the past six months, according to research from CouponFollow: 42

Percentage who reported they'd gone into debt in the past six months due to online purchases: 29

Source: CouponFollow.

Percentage of people who indicated they will take at least one solo vacation this year, according to a nationwide survey by Princess Cruises: 36

Source: Princess Cruises.

Idle Thought

"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." -- Plato

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)

Percentage of workers who plan to work after they retire, including 41% who plan to work part time and 14% full time, according to the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies: 55

Among workers planning to work in retirement past age 65, percentage who plan to do so for financial reasons: 80

Percentage of workers who envision a phased transition into retirement: 44

Source: TransAmerica Center for Retirement Studies.

Percentage of managers who don't think negative online employer reviews significantly impact their ability to recruit top candidates, according to a survey by Randstad: 66

Percentage of employees who say they won't even apply to a company with negative reviews: 57

Source: Randstad.

Percentage of grandparents who would accept an LGBT grandchild, according to research by AARP: 87

Percentage who have grandchildren of mixed or different race/ethnicity: 34

Percentage who say their relationships with their grandchild(ren) is good for their mental well-being: 89

Source: AARP.

Percentage of pet parents who allow their dog on their furniture, according to a survey commissioned by Merrick Pet Care: 73

Percentage who let their dog sleep in their bed: 66

Source: Merrick Pet Care Inc.

Percentage increase in buttock augmentation in the last five years, with more than $100 million spent in 2018, according to data from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery: 61

Source: American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

Percentage of business travelers married or in a relationship who prefer to sleep in a hotel bed they have all to themselves the night before a big meeting, according to a La Quinta Means Business survey: 43

Percentage who say drinking coffee or tea is one of the most important ways to prepare for work while traveling: 34

Percentage who have stocked up on food from the hotel breakfast bar to eat later in the day: 79

Source: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts.

Percentage of employers who fear how flexible working -- the flexibility to work outside a company's main location --- may impact the overall company culture, according to research conducted by IWG: 43

From an employee's point of view, percentage of people who would say that flexible working is so important they would prioritize it over having a more prestigious role: 35

Source: IWG.

During this past year alone, number of Americans who admitted that they have been talked about behind their back inside a gym, according to a study commissioned by Planet Fitness: 16 million

Number who have been insulted to their face: 10 million

Percentage of Americans who would do something to make sure they had an area of their gym that was completely free from judgment: 54

Source: Planet Fitness Inc.

If given $25,000 tomorrow, percentage of millennials who would put this newfound money toward a down payment for a new home or pay off a mortgage, according to the latest Country Financial Security Index: 26

Percentage who would use it to pay off their credit card debts: 17

Percentage who would pay off their student loan debts: 16

By contrast, percentage of Americans between the ages of 35 and 49 who would rather pay off their credit card debt: 33

Percentage of this age group who would invest it: 20

Source: Country Financial.

Percentage of adults who say the reliability of their current automobile is the biggest factor leading to their decision to purchase or lease a new vehicle, according to a PenFed Auto Financing Survey: 41

Ranks of reliability and price of the automobile on the list of reasons that factor into their decision to buy or lease a specific model: 1, 2

Source: PenFed Credit Union.

When asked the first thing they would save if their house was burning down, percentage of millennials who identified photos, scrapbooks and memorabilia, compared to only 11% who said their cellphone, according to a survey conducted by the American Association of Endodontists: 21

Source: American Association of Endodontists.

Idle Thought

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear -- not absence of fear." -- Mark Twain

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)

Percentage of diners who have been annoyed by their dinner companion's phone use in the past, according to survey commissioned by OpenTable: 81

Percentage who say they actually avoid eating with companions who overuse their phones: 20

Percentage of diners who avoid checking their phones at the table by turning it off: 51

Source: OpenTable Inc.

Percentage of Americans who think it's selfish to expect guests to spend their money and vacation days in order to attend celebratory events in far-flung destinations, according to a survey by Allianz Global Assistance: 37.2

Ranks of cost, not knowing the couple well enough to justify the cost and not knowing the couple well enough to justify taking the time off from work on the list of reasons people would not attend a destination wedding: 1, 2, 3

Source: Allianz Global Assistance.

While 72 percent of Americans said they grew up eating at the dining room table, percentage who say they do so today, according to report by oven manufacturer June: 48

Percentage rise in the number of people whose primary eating place is the couch (from 12% to 30%): 18

Percentage rise in the number of people whose primary eating place is the bedroom (6% to 17%): 11

Source: June.

Percentage of workers who say there are at least one or two people on their team who lose track of things or miss deadlines because they fail to capture commitments and ideas, according to a study by VitalSmarts: 94

Percentage who say there are at least one or two people on their team who are often surprised at the last minute by tasks, appointments or deadlines they've forgotten: 91

Source: VitalSmarts.

Percentage of Americans who say their sleep quality is "not very good," according to research by Mattress Firm: 35

Amount the average American would pay every night if it meant having a "perfect night's sleep": $300

Percentage who say that having the TV on is necessary in order to fall asleep: 30

Source: Mattress Firm.

Percentage of global retail chairs, CEOs and senior executives who feel that leadership teams are moving fast enough to keep up with changing consumer behavior, according to a Green Park survey: 36

Percentage who believe their team has the digital expertise necessary for success in the future: 27

Percentage who feel their team has the necessary expertise in data and analytics: 26

Source: Green Park Interim and Executive Ltd.

Percentage of Americans who are taking or planning to take at least one trip between now and September, according to a survey by Expedia: 85

For the 15% of Americans who said they won't be traveling this summer, percentage who claim it's due to budget concerns: 65

Percentage of vacationers who aren't planning to leave the country this summer: 75

Source: Expedia.

Percentage of Americans who have had auto loan debt who say it has taken away some of their peace of mind, according to the results of a Fair consumer survey conducted on their behalf by the Harris Poll: 47

Percentage who would give up social media for life if it meant they never had to make another auto loan payment again: 30

Percentage who would give up coffee in exchange for never having to pay off an auto loan again: 24

Source: Fair.

Percentage of U.S. adults aged 65 years and older with hearing loss who believe hearing loss is an unavoidable part of aging, according to a report released by Cochlear Limited: 77

Percentage of respondents who said it could cause withdrawal and isolation from society: 57

Percentage who said it could affect relationships: 86

Source: Cochlear Limited.

Percentage of workers who said they have backed out of an employment offer after initially saying yes, according to a survey by Robert Half: 28

Of those, percentage who said they backed out because they received a better offer from another company: 44

Percentage who said they had a convincing counteroffer from their current employer: 27

Source: Robert Half Management Resources.

Idle Thought

"Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." -- Winston S. Churchill

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)