Inflation is cooling, yet many Americans say they're living paycheck to paycheck

Even as inflation continues to cool into the second half of 2024, many Americans say they're still struggling to make ends meet.

Roughly one-third of U.S. workers say they're living paycheck to paycheck and have nearly no money for savings after paying their monthly bills, according to a survey from personal finance website Bankrate. 

Relying on one's full earnings each week to pay off living expenses has been a harsh reality for some Americans dating back even before the pandemic. About 38% of full-time workers nationwide said they were living paycheck to paycheck in 2016, according to job-search firm CareerBuilder.