The data: Consumers living paycheck to paycheck who had difficulty paying monthly bills ranked lowest in terms of their economic outlook and perceived spending capacity in the PYMNTS Consumer Expectations Index. In February, the index was at 44.5/100 among those consumers compared to 56.5/100 overall.

Trendspotting: The pattern of consumers living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to pay bills keeps repeating itself—and it’s evident in their savings rate: In a recent survey, theirs was the lowest, at 13.5%.

This financial stress is exposing gaps in banks’ money management tools, according to our February report Financial Wellness Apps and Tools 2026. Their fragmented personal finance offerings are out of step—customer expectations extend to predictive support, currently a leap ahead of the financial reporting in most banking apps.

Implications for banks: Financial institutions (FIs) must reevaluate how they support customers’ financial lives digitally. Banks have supported their customers with nuance via the in-branch experience. And for the last decade, automated advice and guidance has been the self-service banking mantra, but no major FI has cracked it.

Banks can own the digital financial wellness opportunity if they treat it as a core product. For example, cash flow forecasting and overdraft warnings may prevent some problems from festering. In addition, short-term credit and cash management policies may support customers who need a lifeline. Financially healthy customers are profitable for banks because they have the footing to save money and purchase other financial products and services.