Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTVishesh RaisinghaniSat, July 25, 2026 at 2:55 PM GMT+2 6 min readalvarogonzalez/EnvatoPeople rarely go broke overnight. It usually happens gradually, as a string of financial decisions that each seemed fine on their own pile up until they can't be ignored anymore. Even high earners aren't immune.A Harris Poll in November 2025 found that a third of Americans earning $100,000 or more describe themselves as financially distressed, and 64% now consider a six-figure income "survival mode" rather than a sign of wealth. Three-quarters had used a credit card recently because they'd run out of cash, and more than half said they'd need to double their income just to feel secure.Must ReadOnly 55% of six-figure earners call themselves financially comfortable — the other 43% are just coping, according to YouGov Profiles data.In other words, you can't out earn bad spending habits. And if you're saying "yes" to any of the things listed below, you're probably on a path to financial insecurity.1. Giving too much financial help to friends and familyHelping friends and family with their financial struggles feels noble, but it can quickly derail your own finances. Unfortunately, it's difficult to say "no" to your loved ones.Nearly six in 10 parents admit to providing some financial assistance to their adult children, according to Pew Research.Moreover, according to a 2025 survey by JG Wentworth, 53% of adults say they have lent money to either a friend or family member at least once, and 48.3% would ask a family member for money with no expectation to pay it back.Put simply, lending money to your loved ones is nearly on par with tossing cash into a black hole. That's not to say you should refuse all requests for financial help. However, if you're saying "yes" too often, you're putting yourself in a financially vulnerable position.Read More: