Overspending is the biggest regret of the average American consumer, according to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, a Washington-based nonprofit credit counseling organization.

In a recent online poll conducted by the NFCC, more than 2,200 participants selected their greatest feeling of financial guilt.

The majority of respondents (53%) felt that overspending was their chief financial regret. Other feelings of financial culpability were claimed to be a result of inadequate saving (18%), insufficient preparation for retirement (14%), not having bought a house (10%) and having bought a house (5%), the NFCC said.

“Although most people have financial regrets, it is important to not dwell on past mistakes,” said Gail Cunningham, spokesperson for the NFCC. “Instead, look forward and take action by constructing a plan that recognizes the realities of the situation, repairs financial damage, and moves in a positive direction toward financial security.”

In another poll conducted by the NFCC in December, a vast majority of the respondents said they were planning to save more and spend less. Yet the NFCC annual survey released in April found that many are saving less than they were last year.

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