Jul 25, 2026
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Add us on GoogleIf financial worries are keeping you up at night, you may feel like you’re alone – but you’re definitely not. In fact, a record 55% of Americans say their financial situation is getting worse, according to Gallup research from April. This marks the fifth consecutive year Americans are feeling worse about their finances – the worst such period since The Great Recession.
With the economy taking a hit amid geopolitical shocks and rising prices, it makes sense if you feel like you’re falling behind. But even if financial stress is making you toss and turn, you may be doing a bit better than you think compared to other Americans.
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In fact, if you can check off just one of the three boxes below, you’re already in the top half, or close to it. Let’s take a closer look.
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You aren’t living paycheck-to-paycheck
As of 2026, 54% of American adults say they are living paycheck to paycheck, according to a Ramsey Solutions study. That’s up from 42% just four years ago. And it shouldn’t come as a surprise that younger Americans are more likely to live like this. A whopping 63% of millennials say and 61% of Gen Z say they’re in this category.
What does it really mean to live paycheck to paycheck? “Having little to no money available for savings after covering bills and essential expenses,” says MetLife. “This can occur when income and expenses align closely, leaving minimal room for financial flexibility. People living paycheck to paycheck may struggle to meet basic living expenses if they were to suddenly stop receiving a paycheck.
If you can manage to save even a little bit of money at the end of every month — whether by cutting back on expenses or boosting income — you’ll be ahead of more than half of the country’s population. If you’re a young adult and saving money, even if it’s a very small amount per month, congratulations, you’re in a very elite group.
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You don’t worry about finances daily
You may have those nights when you can’t sleep because you are worried about your financial future or present. Even billionaires probably worry about taxes or stock market crashes. But if you’re worrying about finances every single day, it could be a bright red flag.
A hefty 53% of Americans surveyed by Ramsey Solutions said they worry about their finances on a daily basis.
That’s the harsh reality for many Americans. But if your finances are stable enough to allow you to forget about money issues even occasionally, consider yourself lucky. You’re doing better — both financially and psychologically — than more than half the nation.
You’re saving at least some money for retirement
Given that most Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck and worrying about their finances daily, it shouldn’t be surprising that many are also struggling to secure their future financial needs.
According to a poll by Gallup, 59% of Americans have at least some money saved in a retirement account, either alone or with a spouse. That’s the good new. But younger Americans are far less likely to have such savings. Only 39% of adults between the ages of 18 and 29 said they have money invested in a retirement savings plan, while only 28% of people with a household income of less than $50,000 do.
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So if you have even a modest nest egg set aside you’re probably doing better than around 41% of Americans, and if you’re saving for retirement before the age of 29, you’re significantly outperforming your peers. You can also feel good about the compounding effect on your savings because you’re starting out early.
Improve your chances for success
If you check even one of the boxes mentioned above, you’re doing better than most or many Americans. If you check all three, you’re meeting the bare minimum for financial success. However, to improve your chances of success you should aim to go above and beyond these basic requirements.
Maximize the amount of money you save every month, pay for education or look toward working in the trades to boost your income, minimize or completely eliminate expensive consumer debt and invest regularly for the long term. Just because you’re in a better position than 50% of Americans doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to eventually be part of the top 10%.
And to that end, there is some good news to report – per the Ramsey Solutions survey, 74% of Americans do believe they will be better off financially five years from now. — with files from Rebecca Stropoli
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Vishesh Raisinghani is a financial journalist covering personal finance, investing and the global economy. He's also the founder of Sharpe Ascension Inc., a content marketing agency focused on investment firms. His work has appeared in Moneywise, Yahoo Finance!, Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, Mergers & Acquisitions Magazine and Piggybank.
