Financial anxiety has become a norm: One third of Americans say life is getting worse

More than half of 2025, Americans are facing an invisible "financial pressure war". Although inflation is no longer "rising crazily" as in previous years, survey data show that about one-third of Americans think their financial situation has deteriorated significantly in the past year, especially low-income families and the elderly, who have become more stretched out.

This report, jointly released by Yahoo Finance and Marist Poll, reveals a complex and realistic picture: although price pressures have slowed down, they are far from being relieved; Combined with the return of student loan pressure, a surge in credit card debt, and high interest rates, many American families are struggling to catch their breath.

Difficulty in increasing income, persistent expenditure, and widespread deficit living

In the survey, 45% of Americans admitted that the cost of living in their area is "not very affordable" or "completely unaffordable", especially in housing, energy, auto insurance and daily catering. In other words, although "inflation falling" sounds like good news, people's actual feelings have not improved, but rather become more anxious.

More worrisome is that nearly half of Americans said that their income was just "flat" spending, and nearly 30% were in a "moonlight clan" state, spending more than income. This means that a considerable proportion of people are "living off savings subsidies" and even need to "streamline their quality of life" to maintain basic expenses.

The savings situation is not optimistic, and credit score has become a new focus of financial decision-making

Faced with such economic reality, savings have become an "emergency safe haven", but surveys show that only slightly over half of people are satisfied with their savings, while one-third express complete dissatisfaction. This sentiment was already evident in a similar survey conducted in 2024 and has not substantially improved to this day.

In terms of credit, 44% of respondents stated that their credit score affects their financial decisions, such as whether to apply for a loan, credit card, or car purchase. Although 78% of Americans know their credit scores, 28% still say they do not understand how their consumption and savings habits affect their credit ratings, which reflects that there is still much room for improvement in financial literacy.

Gender and intergenerational differences are highlighted, and 'her economic anxiety' deserves attention

A noteworthy phenomenon is that there is a significant difference in the perception of one's own financial situation between men and women. 36% of men believe that their financial situation has improved, while only 18% of women think so. The female population generally feels more "tight" about the cost of living, with only 50% of women believing that the cost of living is affordable, compared to 60% of men.

Behind this gender difference, it may reflect the real challenges faced by women in terms of income levels, household expenditure responsibilities, and financial independence, prompting society and policy makers to pay more attention in the future.

From 'Financial Freedom' to 'Financial Survival'

The problems reflected in this survey have already quietly changed the definition of financial health of ordinary Americans. From pursuing "financial freedom" or "early retirement" in the past, to now more and more families only hope to "meet monthly expenses and avoid bursting credit cards", financial anxiety has become a "new normal" in American society.

Faced with the current high cost of living and structural economic problems, it is obviously difficult to completely solve the problem solely through personal cost cutting. From a macro perspective, the government, enterprises, and financial education system all need to work together to improve salary security, reduce healthcare and housing costs, and strengthen financial literacy education to help more people overcome their financial struggles and gradually restore confidence in the future.