STEPHANIE AND PAUL LITTLETON AREN’T LIVING the life they had imagined for themselves. Ten years ago, they moved from their native California to Texas chasing better work opportunities—and they found them. Paul, 49, works as an estimator and project manager for a construction company; Stephanie, 48, works in trust administration.
They’re now making more money than ever but, after years of high inflation, they find themselves living paycheck to paycheck, while helping their kids to pay off debt and save enough money to step on the coveted property ladder.
As they both approach the age of 50, the Littletons say they are now in the same financial situation as when they got married in their 20s.
“It feels terrible,” Stephanie told Newsweek. “The only difference is that the bills are bigger.”
“We are helping our oldest daughter with student loans, and our youngest daughter and her boyfriend live with us because they can’t find anywhere else affordable to live,” she said. “It has taken a devastating toll on our mental health and our relationships.”
The Littletons are far from being the only.
