Newsroom

LendingTree | Side hustles remain a key financial lifeline for many Americans, but their popularity is beginning to cool. According to a LendingTree survey of nearly 2,050 U.S. consumers, today’s side hustlers are earning more than ever — $1,242 a month — and often rely on that extra income to keep up with rising costs. But while side hustles help many stay afloat financially, most side hustlers would ultimately prefer the stability of a single, reliable paycheck.

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LendingTree | A growing percentage of buy now, pay later (BNPL) users say they’ve paid late on one of these loans in the past year. Now, 47% of BNPL users have done so, up six percentage points from 2025 and 13 percentage points from two years ago. That’s just one of the troubling findings in LendingTree’s 2026 Buy Now, Pay Later Report. We asked consumers about their behaviors and perspectives regarding these popular loans. Along with increased late payments, we found that more users are buying groceries with these loans and carrying three or more BNPL loans at once, and that more than half of BNPL users say they wouldn’t be able to make ends meet without them.

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LendingTree | The cost of raising a child over 18 years is up again, now topping $300,000 for the first time since we began tracking it in 2023. However, there’s some good news: Costs during the first five years have decreased, powered primarily by a small drop in day care costs.

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LendingTree | Half of Americans are struggling to afford food, and food anxiety is a reality for the majority of people, according to LendingTree research. Six in 10 people have worried about paying for groceries in the past month. Younger generations, parents of young kids and people in low-income households experience this anxiety at disproportionately high rates.

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LendingTree | More than 4 in 10 (41%) users of buy now, pay later (BNPL) loans say they paid late on one of them in the past year, up from 34% just a year ago, according to a LendingTree survey. That’s just one of several troubling findings from our survey, which asked people about their behaviors and perspectives regarding these popular loans. Along with increased late payments, we found that many borrowers who take out these loans use them to buy groceries or takeout and believe that successfully managing one will boost their credit score. (Spoiler: It doesn’t … at least not yet.) There’s some good news, however. A separate survey fielded in March 2026 found that BNPL lenders are highly likely to waive a late fee on a BNPL loan if you’re willing to ask. Here’s what else we found.

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https://www.lendingtree.com/debt-consolidation/taxpayer-refund-survey/ | For the third straight year, a growing percentage of Americans who plan to file a federal tax return say they’re relying on a refund. Our survey of over 1,500 tax filers found that nearly half (46%) are relying on getting a refund, up four points from 2025, six points from 2024 and 10 points from 2023. 2026 filers say they plan to use their refund to pay for everyday expenses, such as groceries or rent, as well as to pay off debt or build savings. That means most refunds are being put to good use rather than being spent frivolously, which is encouraging. More concerning, however, is that two-thirds of filers say their tax refund is very or somewhat important to their financial situation.

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LendingTree | Across America, 26.4 million people carry $276 billion in personal loan debt. While that’s far less than what Americans owe on mortgages, auto loans or credit cards, it signals personal loans are gaining ground fast. Discover how borrowers use personal loans — and see their impact on consumer finances. Dive into our personal loan statistics for a clearer picture.

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LendingTree | Struggling with credit card debt? If you have a strong credit score, you could save $1,750 in interest and six months of payoff time by consolidating $10,000 of credit card debt with a low-interest personal loan at the same monthly payment.

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LendingTree | It’s a long-held rule of thumb that you shouldn’t spend more than 30% of your income before taxes on housing costs. A LendingTree analysis of government data shows that only about 1 in 4 Gen Z workers can meet that standard.

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LendingTree | Love isn’t always about finding someone who makes your heart flutter — many Americans are willing to hedge their bets by choosing partners with money to their name. In fact, 26% of unmarried Americans say they’d consider marrying someone primarily for financial stability.

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