42% of borrowers surveyed had borrowed for groceries while still repaying an earlier grocery run.
For many borrowers, these are the uncomfortable choices behind the weekly shopping list. A survey commissioned by Advance America found that 42% had borrowed money for groceries while still paying off money borrowed for an earlier grocery run.
The survey of 3,062 borrowers, conducted in September 2026, explored how borrowing fits into everyday life, from covering household bills to showing up for birthdays. The findings show that borrowing reaches further than most might expect, right down to everyday household staples. A car repair is one thing. Financing toothpaste is another.
Groceries lead the everyday borrowing list
When Wisconsinites were asked which everyday necessities they had borrowed for, groceries ranked first. The top 20 were:
1. Groceries
2. Gas
3. Utility bills
4. Medication or medical appointments
5. Car repairs
6. Rent or mortgage payments
7. Public transportation or rideshares
8. School lunches or school supplies
9. Clothing or shoes
10. Pet food or veterinary care
11. Takeout or food delivery
12. A restaurant meal
13. A haircut or beauty appointment
14. Concert tickets or a sporting event
15. Travel to see friends or family
16. A birthday or holiday gift
17. Childcare
18. Movie tickets
19. Coffee from a café
20. A date
Much of the list is the ordinary machinery of keeping a household running: food in the kitchen, fuel in the car and electricity to keep the lights on.
Further down the spending scale, Wisconsin respondents also reported borrowing for purchases small enough to barely register on a typical shopping receipt (each of the following was reported by fewer than 10% of respondents):
1. A fast-food meal
2. Laundry
3. A drink at a bar
4. A snack or soft drink
5. Toilet paper
6. A single cup of coffee
7. A lottery ticket
8. Parking
9. Toothpaste or deodorant
Not every purchase carries the same urgency. But the range shows how borrowing can reach right down to the smallest transactions, including the cost of getting clothes clean or replacing an empty tube of toothpaste.
Birthdays don’t wait for payday
Family occasions come with dates attached. Unfortunately, those dates are rarely chosen with anyone’s checking account in mind.
When respondents in Wisconsin were asked which social or family occasions they had borrowed for over the past year, respondents’ 10 most common answers, in order, were:
1. A meal or night out with friends
2. A trip to visit family or friends
3. Another social or family occasion
4. A family outing
5. Buying holiday gifts
6. My child’s birthday celebration
7. A first date
8. A birthday celebration for another adult
9. Attending a wedding
10. A workplace social event
Infographic showing study results
Borrowing is a regular part of the budget, for some
For a substantial share of respondents, borrowing for everyday expenses or small purchases was a recurring event. In total, 42% said they had done so at least monthly over the past year. The frequency breakdown included:
- 10% borrowed at least once a week.
- 17% borrowed a few times a month.
- 15% borrowed about once a month.
- 21% borrowed less than once a month.
Paying for the kids, cutting back on themselves
The survey also asked whether respondents had borrowed to pay for something for their children while reducing their own spending.
Food was the most common personal sacrifice, ahead of clothing, grooming and social activities. Respondents reported cutting back on:
- Meals or groceries: 19%
- Clothing or shoes: 15%
- Haircuts or personal care: 12%
- Social activities: 11%
- Medical or dental care: 8%
Dinner can outlast the leftovers.
A meal may be finished in half an hour. Paying for it can take considerably longer.
When asked about the longest they had taken to repay borrowing for a single restaurant meal, takeout order, or food delivery over the past year, 14% said less than a week, while 20% said between one week and less than a month.
For others, the bill lingered:
- 15% had taken one month to less than three months.
- 6% had taken three months or longer.
- 3% had not fully repaid it yet.
For those facing longer repayments, a single meal had become an expense spanning several paychecks. Long after the delivery bag went into the trash, the cost was still on the household’s tab.
“These findings show how often everyday expenses arrive before payday, whether it’s a grocery run, a car repair, or a child’s birthday,” says Laura McCutcheon, VP of Marketing at Advance America. “Even a carefully planned budget can come under pressure when several costs land at once.”
“For people considering borrowing to bridge that gap, clear information matters. Understanding the total cost, the repayment schedule, and how those payments fit into the household budget can help them make an informed decision.”
Methodology
This survey was conducted by Advance America among 3,062 adults in September 2026. Respondents were recruited from a geographically representative, double opt-in online panel and screened to meet the study’s criteria. Data quality checks included digital fingerprinting, bot detection, geo-verification, speeding detection and individual response reviews..
About Advance America
Founded in 1997, Advance America is a leading state-licensed consumer lender in the U.S., serving customers across 23 states through more than 700 storefronts and online lending operations. With approximately 2,500 employees, Advance America provides convenient access to credit through a combination of digital services and real human support.
