Borrowed Budgets

Methodology: Advance America commissioned a survey of 3,062 borrowers in October 2026 to explore the financial pressures associated with taking part in social and family occasions. Respondents were asked whether, in the past 12 months, they had borrowed money because they could not otherwise afford to participate in events such as weddings, birthdays, vacations, holidays and other family or social commitments. Responses were aggregated to identify the occasions most likely to lead people to borrow money, including the top choice in each state. The survey sample was balanced across key demographic groups, including age, gender and region, to provide a broad representation of U.S. adults.