While many Americans report putting at least some money away for a rainy day, a majority have balances far below what they should be—if anything at all.

In fact, about 62 percent of Americans have less than $1,000 in their savings accounts, with 21 percent reporting having no savings accounts whatsoever, according to a recent survey by the finance website GOBankingRates.com.

RELATED: What Poverty Does to Your Brain

"It's troubling how many Americans aren't thinking about long-term planning or retirement, with little to nothing stashed away in a savings account," Casey Bond, editor-in-chief of GOBankingRates said in a statement.

GoBankingRates - gobankingrates.com

Experts warn against relying too heavily on other means of financing unforeseen financial burdens such as a car breaking down, or a trip to the emergency room, not to mention something like a broader economic downturn. In fact, one U.S. Federal Reserve survey found that nearly 60 percent of Americans had used some or all of their savings during and in the aftermath of the recession. "[The survey] suggests that they don't have cash reserves to cover an emergency and will have to rely on credit, friends, and family, or even their retirement accounts to cover unexpected expenses," said GOBankingRates' columnist and personal finance expert Cameron Huddleston.

RELATED: How Much Is Your $100 Worth in Every State?

All told, 29 percent of respondents had $1,000 or more saved up. As CNBC notes, financial advisors often recommend having at least three to six months of emergency funds saved up to cover essential or unexpected costs. Huddleston said that although saving can be tough or out of the question, it's important for Americans to work at being able to start saving.

"I recognize that it can be tough so save money," but "people should automate their savings—have a certain amount automatically transferred from checking to savings each month," Huddleston said. "If the money comes out before you can spend it, you likely won't even miss it."

Here are American's savings accounts, broken down by age. Besides gender, the survey did not account for other demographic distinctions.

GOBankingRates - gobankingrates.com