A new survey commissioned by Principal Financial Group Inc. reveals signs that Americans are tightening their belts on spending and showing more fiscal discipline.

According to the latest Principal Financial Well-Being Index, a quarterly survey, Americans who expect to receive tax refunds or bonuses from employers have conservative plans for how to use that money. Among the 83 percent of workers who expect to receive a state or federal tax refund, 44 percent said they plan to use that money to pay off short-term debt, and 43 percent said they plan to save or invest that money. Only 12 percent of workers said they plan to spend the refund on consumer products such as clothing and electronics, down from 16 percent a year ago. Five percent of workers said they plan to use their refund to buy a big-ticket item.

Financial conservatism was also reflected in the ways workers used recent corporate bonuses. More than a third of respondents said they used their bonus to pay off debt. The survey also found that only 12 percent of workers and 7 percent of retirees have increased their overall spending; 39 percent of workers and 41 percent of retirees have decreased their spending.

“The belt-tightening shows a swing toward financial resolve by Americans,” said Dan Houston, Principal’s executive vice president of retirement and investor services. “Controlling debt, increasing saving and resisting the temptation to spend new-found dollars are critical behaviors toward achieving financial well-being.”