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paycheck to paycheck

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People share 15 real ways they escaped living paycheck to paycheck

"Be willing to accept that you might not be entitled to the lifestyle you have."

Image via Canva

People reveal their financial strategies for no longer living paycheck to paycheck.

Living paycheck to paycheck is becoming the norm in the United States. According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, more than half of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. It is a financial reality that has many looking for financial solutions and frugal living habits to get ahead.

On Reddit, member @_DontStayTheSame_ posed the question: "How in the hell do you escape living paycheck to paycheck?"

People who have figured out how to successfully avoid living paycheck to paycheck chimed in. These are 15 of the best financial tips and advice they offered.

save money, saving money, paycheck to paycheck, frugal living, finances Money Invest GIF by Sara DietschyGiphy

"Take everything I have done pre 35 and do the exact opposite. Only use your credit cards for things you will be able to pay off quickly. If you are buying a car and thinking "That is close but I can do it" for the payment, find a cheaper car. Do what you can to live below your means. If you are a smoker, quit." —User Unknown

"Living below your means is key." —@Orual309

"Better advice would be to find ways to improve your income but live below your means while you do so you can save up enough to improve your situation long term. Too many people raise their lifestyle with their income without ever taking the time to set themselves up for long term financial stability. That’s how you get people making six figures but somehow still living payday to payday. Obviously if you only make enough to survive until your next pay there’s nothing you can do financially to fix that, it has to be some other kind of change enabling you to make more money like going to school or just applying for better jobs." —@Sparcrypt

for shizzle, for real, money saving tips, save money, money advice Colin Jost Snl GIF by Saturday Night LiveGiphy

"I might get some hate for this but... Live with your parents or only rent a room. Yes rent is expensive as hell and it sucks but sometimes you gotta suck it up and just get roommates. Easier to live with roommates than paycheck to paycheck in my opinion." —User Unknown

"Be willing to go back on lifestyle to fix your financial picture. Be willing to accept that you might not be entitled to the lifestyle you have. People think overspending means fancy cars, vacations, and expensive properties, but it doesn’t. It can mean buying a boring commuter car and a house. The baby steps are the first thing:

$1000 emergency savings, and a budget. Look back through your transactions for months to see what you actually spend, don’t just guess at your categories.
all consumer debt paid off. You should never be carrying a credit card balance. That’s a financial emergency, so if you are, save only $1000 for an emergency fund and put all else toward that debt.
3-6 months of expenses saved in a savings account or no-risk investment with immediate liquidity (this is $15,000 for me, for 3 months, for example.)
minimum retirement targets met, most importantly taking any employer matching
invest for other goals like property, children, etc., depending on your needs

Once you’re there, you can use whatever is left over after those savings strategies and your expenses as a discretionary fund. A lot of folks spend discretionary before they have the baby steps accomplished, and it keeps them in debt and living pay check to paycheck, or waiting for that next big cash infusion from something like refinancing their house. The key is discipline. It’s tough, it really is. Seeing the 5 figure deposits to my bank account and knowing that it’s already spoken for can be tough because it’s tempting to want to spend it on a nice car (I’m a car enthusiast) or some other hobby thing, but I know I can’t do that." —User Unknown

car, financial advice, affordable car, car payment, cars dance dancing GIF by Real Canadian SuperstoreGiphy

"We are literally about to pay off two cars. Both payments total about $900 a month all together. I didn’t want two car payments at one time, but we both needed a more reliable car at the time. That’s not horrible for two car payments, but it’s going to free up $900 a month for us…. Which is amazing considering my wife is now stay-at-home with a baby. We have started cooking at home, avoid eating out at all costs, only drink home-brew coffee, use grocery points for cheaper gas. I’ve started taking my trash and recyclables to the dump myself, we have cut Live-TV and every streaming and subscription platform we don’t use at least once a day. We don’t, nor have we ever, lived paycheck to paycheck. It’s just nice to save money. The only thing we are splurging on now is a cleaning lady once every two weeks for $140." —@MockASonOfaShepherd

"For the TV and streaming, I do one service a month and my cell phone comes with Netflix as a perk. Each month I subscribe to one service for only one month, and watch everything I want on that service. When that ends I let it expire and don't renew. I switch to another one for the month and watch everything there. I get a new collection each month to binge and it doesn't cost me any extra unnecessary money." —User Unknown

"Also, learn to use Excel. Being able to visually see where your money goes, all at once, can make your spending make a lot more sense." —@valvilis

excel, excel spreadsheet, spreadsheet, budget, budgeting Heart Love GIF by Microsoft CloudGiphy

"Just buy more money, it's not rocket calculus." —@faceeatingleopard

"This. Also don’t order out much. 1 fast food meal everyday of the week (depending on where you go) could have you spending an extra $100 a week that could’ve been spent at the grocery store instead. Learning to cook is cheaper than fast food easily." —User Unknown

"Meet people, work hard, get lucky. Marry someone who is financially reliable and life is half as expensive. Switch jobs every 3 years because your raises probably won't keep up with the market. Be mindful of your finances. Avoid credit card debt if you can." —@cavemanfitz

"Look into a career whose skill sets will always be in high demand. I pursued my Airframe & Powerplant Certificate. Now I can save and invest. It even made my income-earning ability Covid-proof. Yes, I got laid off a week and a half after starting a new job at a major airline. But 6 weeks later (thanks to my A&P), I got an even better-paying job as a Maintenance Technician at a 3M plant. I bought my first house in 2020. In 2022, I reapplied at that major airline and got hired as a contractor. I took a temporary, and minor, pay cut. Then I got hired direct 6 months later. I’m making a very good living and I’m able to travel the world. For the folks that say 'not everyone can do that'… I started this journey in 2016, making $12/hr at McDonald’s, and renting a room. So I’ve walked in the same shoes as many of the folks that say it’s impossible. No, I don’t have any kids. But I did graduate A&P school with a guy in his early 40’s with 3 kids. From day 1 of enrolling in A&P school up to this very day… I had to keep a strict budget." —User Unknown

budget, budgeting, smart money, money advice, finances finances gifGiphy

"I made a budget and update it every 3 months to see what it costs to run our family. My goal is to 'pay myself' each paycheck, which is considered savings. The budget generates two numbers. One for expenses plus luxuries, i.e. eating out, alcohol, hobbies, gym etc the other is my expenses without the luxuries in case I ever had to leave my job etc. By putting aside an amount each pay I've aimed and achieved saving 6 months worth of expenses without luxuries. Since doing that, I've then started to make additional payments to my superannuation account/ retirement fund that I can't touch until I retire. Since making the budget it's been an eye opener on where our money goes and how much we can save by cutting out stuff that isn't really worth it. It has also allowed my not so financially minded wife understand our position and gets her buy-in when we set targets for emergency savings or goals for buying stuff for the house or amounts for holidays. It's not full proof and we still have times where most of the pay goes out to expenses that can't be avoided like bills and rates that might all come in at once but its definitely made us feel more in control and enthusiastic about saving." —@CallSignVip3r

"You can't "save" your way out of poverty. Budgeting won't solve the problem. Those are just platitudes told to placate the masses. They empirically do not work, but the freak exceptions make good 'feel good' stories. Networking or advancement are the only ways out. Networking works best, advancement takes too long, and is far more probability-reliant. Beg everyone you've ever known for job opportunities. Be shameless." —@EmbarrassedVolume

"Rich parents, good health." —@Legitimate_Field_157

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'Thrown into adulthood without a map': Americans share why they live paycheck to paycheck

"Lord help you if you don’t have dental insurance and need root canals."

via Canva/Photos

A woman and her husband doing their bills.

It’s a little tricky to determine how many Americans live paycheck to paycheck because the term is vague. Some people, who have plenty of money in savings, say they live paycheck to paycheck because they spend all of their money before their next check arrives. However, they make ample contributions to their savings accounts and are in good financial shape. Others genuinely spend every dime they make and have very little savings to deal with an emergency.

How many Americans live paycheck to paycheck?

The Federal Reserve found that 54% of Americans have emergency savings to cover three months of expenses, and Bankrate found that, while 59% of Americans are uncomfortable with their level of emergency savings, 34% are living paycheck to paycheck. According to CNN, the paycheck-to-paycheck problem isn’t getting any better. The drastic increase in the cost of living since the pandemic has a growing number of people living paycheck to paycheck.

A Reddit user recently tried to understand why so many people in the wealthiest country on Earth are financially stretched thin.

broke, bills, paycheck to paycheck, scared woman, finances, american life A couple who needs financial help. via Canva/Photos

Why are Americans living paycheck to paycheck?

“At first glance, it seems obvious: people just don’t make enough money, right? But the more I read and the more conversations I had, the more I realized that income is only one piece of a much bigger puzzle,” they wrote. “For a lot of Americans, the real issue is a mix of rising living costs, debt, and—most importantly—a lack of financial education. Most of us aren’t taught how to manage money. We don’t learn how to budget, save, plan for emergencies, or even think long term. Schools rarely touch on it, and if our families didn’t model strong financial habits, we’re basically thrown into adulthood without a map. So people just figure it out as they go — often by trial and error. And when that ‘error’ is maxing out a credit card or missing rent, the consequences are heavy.”

Over 1,100 people shared why they’ve lived paycheck to paycheck. It’s sad to see so many people struggling, but it paints a clear picture of a complex problem. We collected 13 of the best responses to the question: “What is the main cause of Americans living paycheck to paycheck?”

13 reasons why Americans are living paycheck to paycheck

1. One emergency to the next

"Bills. Lord help you if you don’t have dental insurance and need root canals. Which will always be followed by car repairs or home maintenance. There goes the emergency savings account."

"THIS !!! I was just starting to feel good! Caught up on bills, saving for emergencies, finally contributing to my retirement then a random light flashes on my Car dashboard. There goes all the emergency money I built up ………sigh it’s just always something."

2. Scarcity mindset

"For me it is largely scarcity mindset from a childhood of poverty. I learned that money doesn't stick around. If you have $100 then you need to spend it on what it needs to go to or something else will 'eat it.' Some fee, or unexpected cost will always be around the corner, and there is never enough money to do everything, so spending us constantly triage."

"This is 100% the difference in the mindset of poor people and rich people. Poor people think of money as just something to spend. Rich people think of it as something to accumulate and put to work for themselves."

broke, bills, paycheck to paycheck, scared woman, finances, american life A couple looking at bills/via Canva/Photos

3. The system sets people up

"The overall system sets people up for becoming interest and profit generators for wealth holders of all kinds. The power is completely lopsided, and the rules are set up to deliberately turn customers into cash machines. Regular folks aren't equipped to protect themselves from it, thanks to taboos around talking openly about money and finances as well as the finance industry's slick bait, hook, and land tactics."

4. Car payments

"Sooo many people buying waaaaay too much car. Everyone needs a huge luxury SUV for their three-person family, apparently. Or a giant truck because they're towing once a year. What makes it even worse is that those more expensive cars have more expensive maintenance and repairs and tires and gas bills. You also see people do this with houses. So many posts from people trying to justify buying a much larger house than they need and trying to make the financials with. 'How much house can I afford?' instead of 'how much house do it really need?'"

5. The rent is too high

"Rent has gone thru the roof and in order to get approved to live anywhere or buy your own home, you need to make 3x the rent. The grocery list that would cost you $50 5 years ago now costs you $100. God forbid you have a medical problem."

"I was going to say it's primarily rent and groceries for a lot of folks. Rent is really high a lot of places for pretty basic dwellings."

broke, bills, paycheck to paycheck, scared woman, finances, american life A woman who has run out of money.via Canva/Photos

6. Paycheck to paycheck is a broad term

"Because there is no standard definition of paycheck to paycheck. A lot of people who live 'paycheck to paycheck' have a ton of deductions for things like 401k and IRA along with spending on non essentials like expensive car payments, private schools, etc."

"This is a good point. I considered myself 'paycheck to paycheck' because (and I'm working on changing this) I literally get my account to 0 before each paycheck. Yes, that's after 401k, savings, paying off debt, and other luxuries like getting my nails done and steaming services. But you make a good point that if I locked in and cut all "extra" I would not be paycheck to paycheck in the slightest. Compared to growing up where when my mom paid most of the bills, we would have like $3 left for anything else. That's paycheck to paycheck."

7. Constant emergencies

"If emergency items stopped happening, I could actually save something. Medical bills, dental bills, car repairs, home repairs, just when we get a bit saved it goes to something else."

"Every. Single. Time. And it’s always the exact amount that I have in my savings."

broke, bills, paycheck to paycheck, scared woman, finances, american life, purse A woman who has no money.via Canva/Photos

8. Healthcare costs

"For me it’s healthcare that makes me live paycheck to paycheck. I have had two random emergency surgeries in the last 3 years. With a 10k deductible on my health insurance I’m 20k in debt and having to make $400 payments per month on it on top of my $490 a month premium. Before that first surgery I was debt free and doing ok. I have now accumulated about $5000 on a card too just trying to keep up with bills."

"I paid 20% of my take home pay for insurance. Then I pay another 10 to 20% for medical expenses to keep my disabled husband alive. So 1/3 of my income goes towards medical expenses. That's the problem and I can't do anything about it. I have super premium insurance at my job which pays terribly. If I got another job, it might not cover some of the things my husband needs or I might have to work so much that I would have to pay a caregiver."

9. Cost of living is too high

"Never being in a position where you are ahead of all the bills. A person makes $30 an hour, works 20-30 hours of overtime, had a $600-1000 car payment, rent is probably $1500-2000 per mo., electricity bill $140 per mo. month, car insurance $120 per mo. Gas $140 per mo. Phone bill $150 per mo. Food $500-1000 per mo."

10. Living high on the hog

"I’ll take a differing take here then a lot of comments and agree with OP that financial habits are often very poor. I work in a field that has a lot of pretty high income earners in a MCOL city (>80k starting).

"I see a ton of people who complain about being broke that do a lot of the following

Order out, especially with apps like DoorDash becoming ubiquitous, they are a massive cost and are well hidden enough that people miss it. Like upping the price of the menu items, most people don’t know the price of the food if you ordered in the restaurant.
Cars, both too much car, but also frequently trading vehicles in. Cars have gotten a lot better in the past decade but there is no way I’m trading in my vehicle when it’s paid off, as long as it’s reliable. Safety features would be nice, but not at that significant of a net worth hit.
Not putting away money for retirement, even with company matches. Company matches are a huge free return on your investments. Paying more now means paying much less later.
General luxuries, I had a coworker state she didn’t match her 401k because she couldn’t afford it, but later said she had very very expensive kitchenware. Lifestyle creep is real, and we are all susceptible to it.

There is a large element to the economy that is completely out of one’s control, but to take all personal responsibility out of the equation misses a big chunk of why we are in such a massive boom and bust with personal debt."

broke, bills, paycheck to paycheck, scared woman, finances, american life, couple A couple arguing over money.via Canva/Photos

11. Starbucks

"I know you’re being half-hyperbolic, but I had a coworker who spent well over $100 on Starbucks in the morning and takeout/delivery for lunch every week. She was always complaining about money being tight. I’m not a cheapskate by any means, but I’m sure as hell not spending nearly $20 for some shitty meal from Panera delivered by DoorDash when I can pack my own lunch for like $3."

12. Consumerism

"My opinion as an outsider who moved here two years ago from the UK. Seems like money and work work work seems to be the focal point and consumerism is HUGE out here with a lot of waste. Maybe it's the social circle I'm in but it seems like people also spend silly throwing more than what they can afford on loans and cars etc."

13. Daycare

"For me, it is a daycare costs. We have to pay $720 a week for 2 kids in a standard daycare. We did not live paycheck to paycheck before having kids."

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Bank teller reveals the amount in your savings account that means you're wealthy

It's less than you think.

via Canva

A bank teller goes over some paperwork with a customer.

Economists and political pundits can talk until they are blue in the face about the state of the economy. Still, one person will probably give you the best answer when asked how the average person is doing these days: your local bank teller. After all, they see people’s bank balances all day and get a good sense of when more people are struggling or doing well.

People are private about money, so it’s hard to know whether we are doing it as well as our peers. But TikToker Sarena (@SimplySarenaWellness) who posts typically about health and fitness, but works at a credit union, shared what the average person’s bank account looks like, and many folks are clearly living paycheck to paycheck.

A commenter prompted the discussion by asking Sarena: “How much do bank tellers think is a lot of money in an account? Totally understand this is subjective,” a TikToker asked.

"My personal opinion from seeing thousands and thousands of different bank accounts,” the woman said, “people who are doing pretty well financially have between $1,500 and five grand in their savings account at the credit union.”

@simplysarenawellness
Replying to @Riley the Chihuahua + Crew 🐾 Part 3 | This is 100% my opinion but there was a pattern with the people who were more on top of their finances #moneysavingtips #moneytips #moneysavinginspiration

She went on to say that people with $1500 or less in their accounts were in a precarious position. “Like anything less than like 15 [hundred] just is not enough in my opinion,” she continued. “But honestly, the majority of people didn't even have that. And the people who made our credit union their primary financial institution, most of them. Like the majority did not even have $1,000, a lot of people didn't even have $500.”

Although she stresses that she is not a financial advisor, she suggests that people with over $5,000 in a savings account consider investing their money to prevent its value from decreasing due to inflation.

In the comments, many people who work at financial institutions weren’t shocked by Sarena’s video. "I work at a bank, and 95% of people are living paycheck to paycheck," Krystal wrote. It’s funny to me that these commenters don’t seem to believe that," Sarena replied.

"15 years as a Banker here, very few people have any savings, believe it or not, most folks are living paycheck to paycheck, unfortunately," Cha-Ka added. "Yes, I agree! I worked for a credit union and it was very common for people to not have a savings at all. Most people are paycheck to paycheck," Rae-Rae added.

While it may be shocking to some that so many people are barely getting by in the wealthiest country on Earth, the bank teller’s anecdotal evidence aligns with recent studies about the country’s financial health. A study by the Federal Reserve found that only 54% of Americans have savings that could cover three months of expenses, and just 45% could cover a $400 expense with money from their checking or savings account.

Even though many Americans are far from reaching the goal, Chase Bank says that people should have 3 to 6 months of emergency savings in case they lose their jobs. The savings don’t have to be equivalent to their salary, but enough to cover basic living expenses like rent, utilities, debts, and food. It also shouldn’t include unnecessary luxuries like eating out or entertainment that can be eliminated from their budget if necessary.

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Credit union chief has 6 easy tips for families to break the 'paycheck-to-paycheck' cycle

Even affluent people are living paycheck to paycheck.

via Alexander Grey/Unsplash

Getting out of the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle.

Rising costs in housing, groceries and financial services have Americans feeling the pinch. A recent study published by CNBC found that 62% of adults said they are living paycheck-to-paycheck, meaning their income covers their expenses without anything left over.

This financial stress isn’t just affecting lower-income people. Even those in higher income brackets are feeling the pinch, with over half of Americans earning over $100,000 having little to no money left after expenses.

When people are caught in the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle, they feel like they can never escape and get ahead. So Forum Credit Union Chief Operating Officer Andy Mattingly stopped by WTTV to share his 6 big tips to help people break out of the cycle and start saving.

1. Make an honest budget

The first thing you need to do is write out an honest monthly budget. Keeping track of every dollar you spend can be a real eye-opener and inspire positive changes in your spending habits.

Tips to break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle

2. Stretch your dollars

This might mean looking for discounts and coupons and comparing prices, even on smaller purchases.

“We comparison shop, big purchases, cars and things like that,” Mattingly noted. “But we don’t think about everyday things that we buy, like going to the grocery store, things like that that you should look and make sure you’re buying them from the best place.”

3. Separate needs from wants

You may have to eliminate some luxuries from your monthly budget to break out of the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle. Subscription services are an easy way to deplete your bank account every month. Studies show the average American spends around $219 a month on various subscriptions.

“How many streaming services do you have,” Mattingly asked. “What type of Internet service do you have? What kind of phone plans do you have?”

4. Make a meal plan every week

Making a weekly meal plan can help streamline your grocery list to include just what you need. This way, you're not only avoiding the trap of buying too much but also saving money by not wasting unused food. It's a simple step that can make a big difference.

“The studies are if you do this you can save yourself about $75 a week on what you were throwing out that you don’t realize you are,” Mattingly said.

5. Look at loans

The next thing to look into is your overall loan situation and that means not just focusing on credit cards. Can you consolidate or refinance any loans to bring down your monthly payments? It's a great way to potentially ease your financial load.

“What we’re really talking about here is how can we put more cash in our monthly budget to get out of that paycheck-to-paycheck so we can start saving for some of these things,” Mattingly said.

6. Look at insurance coverage

It might be time to shop around for better insurance deals.

“If you’ve not shopped your auto insurance, your renters’ insurance, or your homeowners’ insurance, you’ve probably just seen it go up and you just think that’s what happens,” Mattingly said. “But you need to shop it every year.”

The overall idea of Mattingly’s advice is to take a holistic approach to your finances, whether that means changing your spending habits or looking at the deals you made a while back to ensure they’re still in your best interests. It may take a little time and effort getting to get things on track, bit it’s well worth it to break out of a cycle of financial stress.

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Joy

Tight budget? Walmart has a new 'buy now, pay later' self-check-out option.

This is going to change how a lot of people shop.

via Mike Mozart/Flickr and Mike Mozart/Flickr

Walmart announces a new buy now, pay later program at self checkout.

Americans have suffered from rising rents, mortgages and grocery bills over the past few years and now 60% live paycheck to paycheck. Even people in higher income brackets are feeling the pinch, with over half of Americans earning over $100,000 having little to no money left after expenses.

To help Americans spread out their expenses and get a little financial breathing room, Walmart is now offering buy now, pay later loans through Affirm for the first time at self-checkout kiosks at more than 4,500 locations.

"Eligible shoppers can easily pay over time for their favorite electronics, apparel, toys, and more in simple monthly payments when checking themselves out in-store," Affirm said in a news release.

Now, shoppers who spend more than $144 at Walmart, excluding groceries, can spread their payments over 3 to 24 months. Loans are capped at $4,000.

Self-Checkout Kiosks At 4,500 Walmarts Now Offer 'Buy Now, Pay Later' Loans For Basic Items\n\nAffirm Holdings announced Tuesday that its BNPL service has been expanded to self-checkout kiosks at 4,500 Walmart stores nationwide.\n\nhttps://t.co/seniTIIPp3\n\n#adapt2030 #BRICS #africa
— (@)

The process is pretty simple. Customers can enter items at the self-checkout kiosk and then when finished, log on to the Affirm website and enter the last 4 digits of their social security number. Once the customer has input their information and they are approved, they will receive a barcode to complete the payment.

The payment option will also be available in Walmart Vision and Auto Centers. So, if you get a flat tire or break your glasses, you can get them fixed even if you’re strapped for cash.

Affirm says that this new financial option is something that customers have wanted for a while.

“Recent Affirm research revealed that more than half of Americans (54%) are looking for retailers to offer a buy now, pay later option at checkout. Moreover, we’ve found that 76% of consumers would either delay or not make a purchase without Affirm,” Pat Suh, Affirm’s SVP of Revenue, said in a statement. “Expanding our partnership with Walmart and bringing Affirm’s transparent monthly pay-over-time options to their self-checkout kiosks in the U.S. will help even more consumers increase their purchasing power during the holiday shopping season and beyond.”

Buy now, pay later apps such as Affirm, Klarna and Afterpay have surged in popularity recently as Americans are looking for more options to stretch their spending and credit card debt has reached an all-time high. The $309 billion industry is expected to grow by more than 25% by 2026.

“The consumer is incredibly adept at finding ways to stretch their spending and, healthily or not, BNPL has certainly provided that outlet,” Simeon Siegel, an analyst with BMO Capital Markets, told The Washington Post. “It’s not the only way, but I think it has been the easiest way in recent years.”

Even though it’s great for people to have more options to pay for their essentials, some economists worry that buy now, pay later loans will make the average American’s debt problems even worse. “[Buy now, pay later loans] could lead to an increase in consumer debt, as consumers may be more likely to take on additional debt if they know they can spread out the payments,” Tim Quinlan, senior economist at Wells Fargo, told CNBC. “You can bury yourself in low monthly payments.”

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'This isn't how it's supposed to be': Family with ‘good jobs’ lives paycheck-to-paycheck

“Go to college, get a degree, work to support your family. Here we are. Did that. Now what?”

via Mackmoan1988/TikTok and Karolina Grabowska/Pexels

A mom in Pennsylvania is having a hard time getting by even though she has a good job.

There’s a specific trait that exists deep in the American collective psyche that suggests that one’s financial well-being is somehow a reflection of their moral compass. Many people assume that if someone struggles to get by, they don’t work hard enough or make poor choices.

But that knee-jerk reaction couldn’t be farther from the truth. There are countless reasons why hard-working people struggle, especially these days with historically high inflation. Just about everything costs an arm and a leg.

For many, the sharp increase and costs forced them to go from being comfortable to getting by paycheck to paycheck. In addition to the financial stress, many feel stigmatized because of their struggles.

Mackenzie, a stressed-out mother from Pennsylvania, recently took to TikTok to share how hard it is for her family to get by even though she and her husband are responsible.

Normal people are struggling.

@mackmoan1988
normal people are struggling. something has to change. #economy #groceries #price #rn #registerednurse #momsoftiktok

“I feel like my husband and I are doing everything right. We both have good jobs. I'm a nurse. I'm a registered nurse, work full time. He works full-time. We just got paid this past Friday, right? We paid the mortgage, bought some groceries, put some gas in the car,” Mackenzie said. “Guys, it is Tuesday. We have like [two hundred] or $300. To last us until next Friday.”

Mackenzie’s stress is only compounded by the frustration that comes with doing everything you were told to do and still coming up short.

“This isn't how it's supposed to be,” she continued. “Growing up, we were told to go to college, get a degree, work to support your family. Here we are. Did that now what? Now what?”

She then pointed out that our leaders seem out of touch and aren’t doing enough to help the average person. She sees a big disconnect between Washington, D.C. and Main Street, U.S.A. and hopes voices like hers can be amplified through social media.

“Feel free to share this video. Talk about it more. Maybe somebody who can do something about it will see one of our videos,” she added. "I just want to share our struggle, and maybe someone else can relate. I dunno, maybe we just need to support each other until things change."

A lot of people could relate. The video has received over 1 million views and 17,000 comments, where people shared how the salaries that once allowed them to live comfortably are now too small to get them through the month.

They also vented their frustrations at the fact that America’s political class appears to be ignoring the elephant in the room: the cost of living.

"I promise it’s not just you. It’s all of America," Trent Britton wrote. "I've never been in credit card debt and now I'm in debt because of GROCERIES," Chantelle Cyr added. "I make 6 figures and am STILL paycheck to paycheck! How in the hell?? I don't live beyond my means, either. It is so depressing!" Amy Knox Scott wrote.

@mackmoan1988

In a follow-up video, Mackenzie shared a way forward for all struggling Americans, regardless of their class or political leanings.

"I am blown away by the kindness on that last video ... there were a few rude comments here and there, but for the most part—not only the kindness—but the thousands and thousands of people in the comments that are sharing their stories and their struggles,” she said.

Mackenzie suggests that we look for "commonalities, not differences" between people and communities and that we can find solutions through understanding everyone’s struggles.

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inflation

We have a small favor to ask of you

paycheck to paycheck

"Be willing to accept that you might not be entitled to the lifestyle you have."

"Lord help you if you don’t have dental insurance and need root canals."

How many Americans live paycheck to paycheck?

Why are Americans living paycheck to paycheck?

13 reasons why Americans are living paycheck to paycheck

1. One emergency to the next

2. Scarcity mindset

3. The system sets people up

4. Car payments

5. The rent is too high

6. Paycheck to paycheck is a broad term

7. Constant emergencies

8. Healthcare costs

9. Cost of living is too high

10. Living high on the hog

11. Starbucks

12. Consumerism

13. Daycare

It's less than you think.

Even affluent people are living paycheck to paycheck.

1. Make an honest budget

Tips to break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle

2. Stretch your dollars

3. Separate needs from wants

4. Make a meal plan every week

5. Look at loans

6. Look at insurance coverage

This is going to change how a lot of people shop.

“Go to college, get a degree, work to support your family. Here we are. Did that. Now what?”

Normal people are struggling.