Nearly half of consumers are living paycheck to paycheck and fear they couldn’t handle $1K surprise expense, survey finds

Many Americans’ bank accounts are on life support.

Some 40 percent of consumers were living paycheck-to-paycheck out of necessity in December 2025, according to a recent survey of 2,465 people from financial data and news site PYMNTS. The sheer number of those waiting on their next paycheck to cover expenses signals a troublesome financial reality for many.