Household savings rates held up well during the 2012/13 financial year and look like continuing at an above-average rate in the year ahead.According to Australian Prudential Regulation Authority figures, published this week, household deposits grew by 7.6 per cent in the year to June. The growth rate has dropped since last year but is still well ahead of growth in borrowings.In the 12 months to December, household deposits grew by nine per cent, and, in the 12 months to June 2012, they grew by 9.6 per cent.Among the authorised deposit-taking institutions to record above-average growth in deposits, in 2012/13, were ME Bank, whose deposit book increased by 68.4 per cent; RaboDirect (up 12.1 per cent); ANZ (10.1 per cent); HSBC (nine per cent); Westpac (9.6 per cent); NAB (8.5 per cent); and Commonwealth Bank (7.8 per cent).Two consumer surveys published this week show that consumers still place a high priority on increasing their savings. When asked what was the most enjoyable way to "spend" money, 26 per cent of respondents to ING Direct's Financial Wellbeing Index nominated "saving for a particular goal" and 17 per cent nominated "paying debt".Twenty-nine per cent said they were "uncomfortable" with the level of their personal savings, meaning that they would like to increase their savings.ING Direct also found that the average number of credit cards per household has dropped from 1.8 to 1.7.Dun & Bradstreet found that consumers saw lower interest rates as a way of meeting their debt repayments more easily and of reducing their debts.