In this 22 July 2026 published video, host Michael Bordenaro talks about how people are being driven by stubbornly high living costs and mounting debt, roughly 6 percent of participants now take hardship withdrawals—triple the pre-pandemic rate. Younger workers frequently treat 401(k)s as de facto emergency funds, with about 1 in 3 fully cashing out their balances when changing jobs rather than rolling them over.
As the cost of housing continues to climb, some people are exploring alternative ways to become homeowners. For example, friends often consider teaming up to buy a house together, saving money and sharing the costs of maintenance and repairs. One aspect of learning how to buy a house with a friend is to prepare for future challenges.
