46% Say All Money Goes to Living Expenses

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• Forty-six percent (46%) of registered voters say all their money goes to living expenses.
  • This is down 2 points from 2 weeks ago and up 3 points from a month ago.
  • Almost half (48%) of voters say they can set aside money for savings, up 2 points from 2 weeks ago and down 5 points from a month ago.
• If a surprise expense of $1,000 came up, 52% of voters say they would need to cut back on their lifestyle.
  • This is down 5 points from 2 weeks ago and up 1 point from a month ago.
  • In late July, a high of 51% said they would have to cut back.
  • Meanwhile, 52% said they could make the surprise payment without cutting back, up 7 points from 2 weeks ago and up 1 point from a month ago.
• Half (50%) of voters say they paid off their credit cards in full over the past month, up 5 points from 2 weeks ago and up 1 point from a month ago.
  • Forty percent (40%) say they had to make partial payments, down 3 points from 2 weeks ago.
  • A majority (66%) of voters over 65 paid off their credit cards.
• In regards to basic household expenses like food, clothing, and utilities, 57% of voters say they are paying more than they were a year ago.
  • Just 23% say they are paying less.
  • Seventeen percent (17%) say they’re paying about the same amount.
  • These numbers mirror voter opinions in April 2025.
  • In November and February 2025, more voters said they were paying more than they were the year before — 62% and 64%, respectively.

This data is from a Napolitan News Service survey of 1,000 Registered Voters conducted online by Scott Rasmussen, March 2-3, 2026. RMG Research, Inc., conducted the field work for the survey. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.1.