FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — From paying your mortgage and utility bills to covering the costs of transportation and food, inflation is leaving little to no room for the unexpected.<\/p>\n
A new Metro by T-Mobile survey suggests 1 in 4 adults are struggling financially.<\/p>\n
“The survey also found that more than half of Americans are saying that managing their money has been stressful,” says Lifestyle expert Vivian Fabiola. “As a matter of fact, 63% said that managing expenses this year is a little bit more challenging than last year. I think we can attribute that to the rising costs across the board.”<\/p>\n
Fabiola says that research shows nearly 60 percent of adults say they’ll likely use their tax refund to pay off debt or cover bills rather than indulge.<\/p>\n
“Yeah, I think a lot of people use tax season to reset their life, right,” she said. “I think more than ever, everyone is re-evaluating how they’re spending their money, what they’re spending their money on. And more so than ever, people are actually spending their tax refunds on essential items, essential bills. I think, for example, your phone bill goes under that essential items, essential bills.”<\/p>\n
Whether you get a refund or end up owing money, Fabiola says this is a good opportunity to re-assess the way you spend your money.<\/p>\n
“Even though it’s already the month of March, it’s pretty early on in the year,” she said. “We can still say that we’re going to set ourselves up for a successful 2026, financially speaking.”<\/p>\n
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