Times are tough, there’s simply no denying that. The rising cost of living has forced many people to have to make some really hard decisions about their own lifestyles, to the point where they’re having to give up basic necessities to compromise on other things.

In a study by Payless Power, which surveyed over 1,000 U.S. adults about rising energy costs, financial trade-offs, and the emotional toll utility bills are taking on families in 2025, researchers found exactly how energy insecurity is pushing households to make some rather tough financial decisions. 

The necessities people have been forced to give up just to keep the power on.

A terrifying reality is that 52% of low-income households revealed in the recent study that they’ve been forced to cut back on food or groceries, and 1 in 6 have even skipped medication or medical care just to keep the power on. How do you even make that choice? 

Findings from the study revealed that an estimated 39% of Americans are relying solely on their credit cards to cover their electricity bills, and this increases to 46% for low-income households. On top of that, 59% of low-income households fear their power could be shut off within 30 days, compared to 41% of middle-income and just 18% of upper-income households.

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Nearly 1 in 3 low-income households (32%) received at least one electricity shutoff notice in the past year, and nearly 11% have actually had their power turned off as well. To make matters worse, an estimated 56% of low-income households went without heat or AC for several days in the past year just because of the cost.

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Most Americans have fallen behind on their electricity bills.

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In a similar study from the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC) for their Smart Energy Snapshot Series, “Alleviating Americans’ Energy Burdens,” Americans are dealing with high energy costs. They found that a quarter of all Americans had struggled to pay their electric bills in the past year and that most consumers were unaware of programs that could lower their energy costs.

Despite what many people probably think or even know, many electric companies offer utility bill assistance programs for those who are struggling to pay. You can get your monthly bill reduced exponentially, or you can even get on a payment plan. Of course, even with help, it’s not a guarantee that necessities won’t be sacrificed to make those reduced payments.

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The sobering reality is that many Americans can’t afford any emergency expenses.

Most Americans are in the precarious position of not making enough money from their jobs to cover their bills and emergency expenses. A report from Bankrate surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. adults about their ability to handle a surprise bill.

They found that 59% of Americans in 2025 don’t have enough savings to cover an unexpected $1,000 emergency expense. Considering that many Americans can’t even handle a surprise expense means that it’s not surprising at all that they can’t even cover their bills and basic necessities. 

It’s a dystopian reality that many households are being forced into positions where they’re choosing one thing over the other when they actually desperately need both. Imagine it’s winter and you have to choose between electricity to heat your house or food to feed your family. How do you make that choice? What if your child needs vital medication? 

The fact that so many Americans are being put in this position just isn’t normal in the slightest. No one should ever have to go to bed wondering if the lights will still be on when they wake up in the morning.

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Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.