Living Paycheck to Paycheck: Definition, Statistics, How to Stop

What Is Paycheck to Paycheck?

"Paycheck to paycheck" is an expression that describes an individual who would be unable to meet their financial obligations if they were unemployed. Those living paycheck to paycheck devote their salaries predominantly to expenses. Living paycheck to paycheck may also mean living with limited or no savings and refer to people who are at greater financial risk if they were suddenly unemployed.

Understanding Paycheck to Paycheck

Persons living paycheck to paycheck are often referred to as the working poor but that may not accurately describe the full scope of this phenomenon because it cuts across multiple income levels.

The "working poor" have been described as typically having limited skills and being paid low wages. Despite this perception, individuals living paycheck to paycheck can have advanced degrees in highly technical fields. However, mitigating factors, such as industry downturns, and limited success in securing regular employment commensurate with their skills, can nonetheless contribute to living paycheck to paycheck. 

Individuals who live paycheck to paycheck are more likely to work multiple jobs to generate enough income to meet their regular living expenses. Individuals with high-paying jobs who are part of the upper-middle and middle class may also be in a similar situation if outgoing expenses equal (or even exceed) their incoming salary.

Paycheck to Paycheck and the Pandemic

In February 2021, 41.5% of those unemployed had been without jobs for over half a year and long-term unemployment totaled 4.1 million Americans, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of government data. And 63% of Americans reported that they were living paycheck to paycheck since the pandemic, according to Highland Solution, an information technology company. The worst news? Slightly half of the survey's respondents were not living paycheck to paycheck until the pandemic hit.

The pandemic threw light on the economic struggles and inequities in the U.S. that forced millions of Americans, including middle and upper-middle-class workers, to live paycheck to paycheck without adequate savings.

However, the struggle of living paycheck to paycheck was a problem for millions of Americans even before the pandemic. In 2019, 59% of adults in the U.S. were living paycheck to paycheck, according to Charles Schwab's 2019 Modern Wealth Index Survey.

Paycheck to Paycheck Trend Escalates

A growing number of full-time workers in the United States have indicated that they live paycheck to paycheck. One contributing factor is that salaries have not increased enough over the years to keep up with the cost of living.

Personal debt levels incurred by student loans, rising childcare costs, and credit cards continue to increase, even for individuals earning salaries over $100,000. Hence, more Americans are adding part-time work and "side hustles" in addition to their full-time jobs to increase their income or they become effectively full-time workers in the gig economy if they're able to make more money that way. While individuals are often advised to track their expenses to control their spending better and to set budget limits, this accounts for the rate of inflation as it affects the cost of necessities and shelter versus the income opportunities available to workers.

According to data from Experian, U.S. consumer debt balances increased by 5.4%, to  $15.31 trillion in the third quarter of 2021, a $772 billion increase from 2020. That’s more than double the 2.7% increase from 2019 through 2020. One reason for increasing debt loads is that mortgages and auto loans experienced the fastest year-over-year growth of any debt category. Consumers who purchased homes and autos had to take out much larger loans to finance them. This growth of debt, stagnant wages, the pandemic, and early 2021's food inflation (caused in part by the pandemic) may mean higher bills for daily food necessities like milk and meat. All of these factors unfortunately contribute to more Americans living paycheck to paycheck.

Special Considerations

Personal accountability can play a role in balancing one's budget to avoid living paycheck to paycheck, and it allows for the possibility of savings. Regular expenses can include services and items based on one's lifestyle rather than just necessities. These lifestyle-driven expenses may be perceived as luxuries, which calls the budgeting practices of the individual into question. If personal spending habits escalate in addition to ongoing price inflation, then the possibility for the individual to break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle diminishes if not becomes unattainable. Even with substantial increases in income, the pattern may continue if personal spending rises.

Of course, avoiding living paycheck to paycheck is not as simple for millions of Americans as balancing a budget or forgoing luxuries. Consumer debt, low and stagnant wages, student loans, an increase in the cost of food, and the high cost of childcare are just some of the factors that contribute to living without a financial cushion. The economic impact of the pandemic increased the number of Americans getting by paycheck to paycheck. But there may still be more opportunities for Americans to break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle as the economy recovers from it.

Correction-Nov. 9, 2023: This article has been updated to indicate that salaries have not historically kept up with the cost of living.