You Can Tell Someone Is Falling Behind Financially If They Avoid These 11 Topics
mkfilm / Shutterstock Life hasn't been the easiest for many of us lately. Between rising costs and minimum-wage jobs, money has been tight for a large number of people. They may not talk about it openly, but you can tell someone is falling behind financially if they avoid topics that might unintentionally reveal the true difficulty of their situation.
Of course, money problems are never something to be ashamed of. No matter how hard you work, there may be times when the economy or other factors beyond your control make it tough to stay afloat. So if someone you know avoids talking about these topics, you may want to check in with them. While they might not say it, there's a chance they are struggling more than you know.
You can tell someone is falling behind financially if they avoid these 11 topics
1. Budgeting or monthly expenses
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You can tell someone is falling behind financially if they avoid talking about budgeting or monthly expenses. On the surface, it sounds counterintuitive not to budget. After all, budgeting is one of the most useful tools out there. As the findings of a study published in 2023 indicate, "mental budgeting motivates and positively affects personal financial management."
However, for some people, no matter how hard they try, their budget will never work. While those who are financially stable might roll their eyes in disbelief, unless you've been living under a rock, you know that the price of eggs has been astronomical, and rent is only getting less expensive in limited markets. Rather than maintain a budget, people may feel a need to pay for what they can and worry about the rest another day.
2. Credit cards
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If someone is an adult, they've likely used a credit card more than a few times. From buying groceries to emergency expenses, credit cards are a great tool if used correctly. That being said, you can tell someone is falling behind financially if they avoid talking about credit cards completely.
While credit cards are great in theory, some of us use them as a lifeline. When you barely have enough money to pay for gas, a person might max out their cards with zero plan for repaying them. People in this situation would understandably rather not think about how much money they owe when they can barely stay afloat.
3. Upcoming bills or due dates
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Life has been pretty hectic lately with bills piling up. Between needing to save for retirement and pay for basic everyday necessities, you can tell someone is falling behind financially if they avoid talking about upcoming bills or due dates.
From electricity bills to credit card bills, many people are barely able to keep up with making their payments on time. According to Pew Research Center, "Roughly three-in-ten adults (28%) say they expect the financial situation for them and their family to be worse a year from now." So, if someone were to ask them, "When is this due?" don't expect them to respond right away. They'd rather avoid it at all costs until they have the financial means to address any past-due bills.
4. Savings or emergency funds
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In an ideal world, everyone would have three to six months of savings in the bank. However, this isn't an ideal world, and it's only getting harder to become financially secure. This is why you can tell someone is falling behind financially when they avoid saving or building an emergency fund. They want to save and have an emergency fund, but when every month feels like an emergency, it's hard to put money away.
From kids needing more school supplies to medical emergencies, how can people possibly save an emergency fund when life has become an emergency? So, while it may be tempting to simply say, "It's your fault for being irresponsible," with the way things are going, can we truly fault the average American when the corporations they work for refuse to pay them a livable wage?
5. Their salary or income
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For many of us who have graduated recently, searching for a job has been a humiliating ritual. Between companies ghosting us or never offering a full-time position, it's safe to say that the job market is 'cooked.'
You can tell someone is falling behind financially if they avoid the topic of their salary or income. Once upon a time, we dreamed of flexing our hard-earned money as we gleefully brought a new home and a new car. But with many of us making unlivable wages, there's not much to flex. This is why people are quick to dodge the question, "How much do you make?" Between working crazy hours and getting paid pennies, admitting how poor we truly are is pretty embarrassing, especially for those of us who have bachelor's or master's degrees.
6. Their plans for retirement
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Once upon a time, many of us dreamed about retiring in our 50s or 60s. People worked hard because they truly wanted to live a good life and retire early. Unfortunately, you can tell someone is falling behind financially if they avoid discussing their retirement plans.
As most Gen Zers know, retirement isn't even a consideration right now. As TiAA cited, only 20% of Gen Zers are saving for retirement. And how can Gen Z truly think about retirement when they can't even get a job? Of course, many people will roll their eyes and say, "Just work harder." But between applying for hundreds of jobs a week and marching into buildings in stores only to be told to apply online and not hear back, there's not much the younger generations can do.
7. Large purchases
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Remember when black Friday used to be a fight club? With hundreds of people lining up, everyone would shove and run to get the best deal. Well, the days of large purchases are pretty much over.
According to a report by Thibault Spirlet and Mary Hanbury, "Consumer sentiment is at its lowest level since 2022, job cuts are rising sharply, and tariffs are making shopping trips more expensive. Lower-income shoppers aren't the only ones feeling the heat. Analysts say well-off consumers are also 'trading down' on some purchases and switching up their shopping routines to get better deals."
8. Financial goals or milestones
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If there's one thing that someone will avoid discussing if they're falling behind financially, it's their financial goals or milestones. Sure, in an ideal world, they'd love to be on top of everything. From investments to their future goals, a responsible adult would have a direction in mind. However, that is difficult when you are falling behind financially and don't see much chance of things improving in the near future.
Unfortunately, some people don't really understand this. Those who grew up in a flourishing economy might not relate to the younger generation's struggles. Still, if they want to help them, never ask about their financial goals or milestones. Chances are, they'll probably be saying, "Surviving."
9. Taxes
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Let's face it, nobody likes the thought of filing their taxes. That being said, you can tell someone is falling behind financially if they avoid talking about filing their taxes altogether. While it's never fun, refusing to discuss this fact of life can be stifling.
As adults, most of us mention or complain about taxes at some point. However, if someone is in struggle mode and doesn't know how much they'll owe or how they will pay it, don't expect them to mention anything, even once tax season is over.
10. Job stability
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Growing up, most of us were told that if we went to college and got a degree, the world was our oyster. Unfortunately, not much of this turned out to be true. After receiving AI-written rejection emails and being ghosted by interviewers, you can tell someone is falling behind financially if they avoid discussing their job stability.
According to the Pew Research Center, "U.S. adults’ ratings of the national economy continue to be more negative than positive: 26% now say economic conditions are excellent or good, while 74% say they are only fair or poor." Because of this, many people don't want to talk about job stability. Even if they have a job, with major firings happening and AI on the rise, future work feels pretty uncertain for the average person.
11. Negotiating pay or raises
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Finally, you can tell someone is falling behind financially if they avoid negotiating pay or raises. With most of us desperately clinging to our jobs like a lifeline, few people are out there negotiating for better pay or raises. Especially for those who have applied for other jobs and haven't heard back, there's no way they're risking their position just to be rejected anyway.
As Kerry Hannon, senior columnist for Yahoo Finance, explains, "This trend, coyly referred to as job hugging, translates to an increasing number of workers staying in their jobs even without a significant raise next year."
Is this messed up and stressful? Of course it is. According to a study published in 2022, financial stress leads to psychological distress. Still, with little power and zero options, many people have no choice but to endure.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's degree in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and astrology topics.
