BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Americans are holding nearly $1.3 trillion in credit card debt, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, as rising everyday expenses continue to put pressure on household budgets.
For some Kern County residents, credit cards have become a way to cover basic necessities when their income isn't enough to make ends meet.
Arvin resident Reynalda Maldonado says finding steady employment has been a challenge, forcing her to look for work outside her community.
"I can't get a job where I live. I have to go all the way over here to go and look for a job, but I still can't get it," Maldonado said.
Maldonado says a temporary job helped her pay down her credit card debt, but when that assignment ended, she found herself relying on credit cards again to cover everyday expenses.
"I do work with 24-Hour Home care, but that doesn't cover at all, like expenses: rent, car bills, gas, food, especially food. Food is expensive," Maldonado said.
CSU Bakersfield economics professor Richard Gearhart says rising living expenses are putting additional pressure on household budgets, particularly in communities where incomes are already stretched thin.
"Wages aren't keeping up with inflation and as such, the purchasing power of your everyday American, especially people in more blue-collar areas...higher poverty areas like Kern County are suffering more," Gearhart said.
Bakersfield resident David Martinez worries that the increasing cost of living could push more Americans further into debt, making it increasingly difficult for families to regain their financial footing.
"When's it going to bottom out, you know what I mean? It'll be like, dang, I owe that much, and that just gets worse and worse and worse. So, I think it'll get worse before it gets better," Martinez said.
For Maldonado, the challenge remains finding enough work to keep up with her expenses without falling further into debt.
"That's the money that we can get right now and it sucks because then it puts us in debt and then our life honestly can get ruined because of it," Maldonado said.
Despite the nationwide increase in credit card debt, Gearhart says debt levels in Kern County have remained relatively stable, keeping pace with income.
He says Kern County remains more affordable than many of California's larger cities, but warns that as more people move to the area, that affordability could begin to change.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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