#FamilyFinance

A growing wave of American parents are putting their own financial health and retirement plans at risk to help their adult children stay afloat—often at significant personal expense. Recent surveys and first-person accounts reveal that nearly half of American parents are now providing some level of financial assistance to their children over 18, signaling a profound shift in traditional family economics. Rising living costs, stagnating wages, and soaring housing prices have made it increasingly difficult for young adults to become financially independent, prompting many to return to the family home and rely on parental support long into adulthood.

A recent advice column on Slate has ignited conversation about the complicated line between frugality and disregard for social norms, after a reader exposed their parents’ extreme cost-saving measures — including the covert use of a former family acquaintance’s paid streaming account. The article, published on 10 June 2025, underscores how attempts to save money can test the boundaries of etiquette, ethics, and family relationships in the modern world (Slate).

A recent article published by YourTango on May 23, 2025, has drawn widespread attention for highlighting 11 familiar phrases that resonate deeply with adults who grew up in financially constrained households. Titled “11 Phrases That Only Make Sense If You Were Raised By Broke Parents,” the piece unpacks the memorable quips and instructions many children heard, revealing far more than just humor or nostalgia—they reflect powerful social and psychological lessons about resilience, resourcefulness, and generational change (YourTango).