Wilmington, DE - The current economic recession is splitting up and straining more marriages and relationships in America than in eight other major nations, according to a new global survey commissioned by ING DIRECT. More Americans also believe that they will have to work at least ten more years before retiring - more than any other surveyed country. Yet, Americans are the least likely to sacrifice things people in other leading nations are willing to give up like their cars and pets to save money.

Nearly three in ten Americans (29 percent) say the recession has "added stress," "strained," or even "ruined" their marriage/relationship. American love lives have been the hardest hit compared to just 12 percent in Germany, 24 percent in France and 23 percent in Canada.

Americans are not just feeling the economic pressure at home; it appears to be affecting their retirement plans too. Forty percent of Americans say the current economic situation will cause them to retire at a later age. Of those Americans who said they will retire later, 34 percent think they will have to work ten or more years than originally planned.

"Whether it's at home, in the boardroom or in the car showroom, people around the globe are affected by the recession," said Arkadi Kuhlmann, President of ING DIRECT USA. "The long term benefit is that people are cutting costs, saving more money, and learning to build a financial buffer for their future. Clearly, some of these global trends need to become a habit."

In general, people around the globe agree that food is the last thing they would sacrifice to save money, but no nation loves their vehicles and pets more than America.

When asked to name the last three things they would sacrifice to save money, 30 percent of Americans said their vehicle. Only Brits (30 percent) love their cars as much, while Italians (14 percent) and Spaniards (18 percent) are more willing to unload their vehicle. In the US, nearly a quarter of Americans (22 percent) put a high priority on pets compared to Canadians (17 percent), French (15 percent) and Italians (12 percent).

Other sociological savings trends from the ING DIRECT study include:

Having a financial buffer in case of emergency is the most important saving goal
- Austria - 53 percent
- France - 43 percent
- USA - 35 percent (#1 saving goal)

Retirement is the most important saving goal
- USA - 16 percent (#3 saving goal)
- UK - 6 percent
- Italy - 2 percent

Avoid credit card purchases to save money
- USA - 46 percent
- Germany - 11 percent
- Italy - 17 percent

Cooking at home, bringing lunch to work to save money
- USA - 51 percent
- Canada - 44 percent
- Italy - 20 percent

The online survey was commissioned by ING DIRECT and conducted by TNS in nine countries where ING DIRECT operates, including Australia, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Austria. In the United States, the survey took place between May 26 - June 9, 2009 among 1,052 adults age 18+.

ING Direct N.V.
ING Direct N.V. is the world's leading direct bank, offering a focused range of simple financial products, namely savings, mortgages, payment accounts and investment products, primarily via direct channels. ING Direct was established in Canada in April 1997, and has since successfully launched operations in Spain, Australia, France, USA, Italy, Germany, the UK and Austria. ING Direct's mission is to become the world's most preferred consumer bank. It has leading positions in all the markets in which it operates and has 22.5 million customers worldwide.

TNS
TNS is a global market information and insight group. Its strategic goal is to be recognised as the global leader in delivering value-added information and insights that help its clients make more effective business decisions. TNS delivers innovative thinking and excellent service across a network of 80 countries. Working in partnership with clients, TNS provides high-quality information, analysis and insight that improves understanding of consumer behaviour. TNS is the world's leading provider of customised services, combining sector knowledge with expertise in the areas of Product Development & Innovation, Brand & Communications, Stakeholder Management and Retail & Shopper. TNS is a major supplier of consumer panel, media intelligence and audience measurement services. (www.tnsglobal.com)

Contact Information: Steve O'Halloran, 302-467-6643, sohalloran@ingdirect.com