Alice Gibbs is a Newsweek Senior Internet Trends & Culture Reporter based in the U.K. For the last two years she has specialized in viral trends and internet news, with a particular focus on animals, human interest stories, health, and lifestyle. Alice joined Newsweek in 2022 and previously wrote for The Observer, Independent, Dazed Digital and Gizmodo. Languages: English. You can get in touch with Alice by emailing alice.gibbs@newsweek.com. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. 🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur. Often, hindsight is 20/20, and when it comes to money that is even more true. A new survey by Talker Research on behalf of Newsweek has revealed the biggest things people regret when it comes to their finances. Between April 11 and April 17, 2025, 1,000 Americans were asked a simple but revealing question—"What's the biggest financial mistake you've ever made?" And the responses were illuminating. 1. Falling into Credit Card Debt From maxed-out cards to missing payments, credit card debt was the most common regret. Many admitted they underestimated how quickly small purchases could balloon into overwhelming balances—and how long it took to get out of debt. 2. Not Saving Enough for Retirement Hundreds of respondents wished they had started saving earlier for retirement. "Not investing in my 401k," was one regret. While another said they made the mistake of "Taking my money down from my 401k." 3. Buying Cars They Couldn't Afford Many people regretted financing expensive vehicles. One respondent shared, "I financed a 1977 Corvette in 1991 because my boyfriend wanted one. I should have invested in a lakefront cottage instead." 4. Helping Others—at Their Own Expense A surprising number confessed to lending money to friends or family members who never paid them back. One said: "Loaning money to people who don't pay you back." 5. Overspending in Their Youth Whether it was shopping sprees, vacations, or partying, many Americans admitted they spent too freely when they were younger, with little thought about the future. "Wasted money on needless things," was one response. 6. Selling Investments Too Early Others shared regrets about panic-selling stocks when markets dipped, only to see them rebound later. "I sold my Walmart stock early," said one. 7. Going into Business Without a Plan Opening a business was a dream for many—but not having a solid plan turned it into a nightmare. "Opening my own business," one person said turned out to be their biggest mistake. 8. Marriage and Divorce More than a few cited marriage, and especially divorce, as their biggest financial blow. "Getting married at a young age," one person said was their big mistake. While others said: "Not asking for more during divorce proceedings." 9. Investing Without Understanding Jumping into investments—from penny stocks to local businesses—without proper research led many to lose money. "Investing in a stock that bottomed out," one person admitted. 10. Not Having an Emergency Fund Some said they were managing fine—until an unexpected expense derailed everything. One shared, "Not having a financial safety net," while another said they made the mistake of "not saving for big purchases." There were also some more unexpected responses. Like one who said they regret "buying lottery tickets." While another commenter said that trying to help their finances left them out of pocket: "Spending my last $14 to buy a website that was supposed to make me money." Some respondents shared a common financial mistake, the unused gym membership. "Buying into a health club membership," said one respondent. Adem Selita, co-founder and CEO of The Debt Relief Company, told Newsweek: "Some of these regrets are quite common. Why? It's mostly just due to human nature. Even if we are advised against something, it's often times in our nature to not take notice and be a little heedless, until after the fact. We know we should not overspend in our youth but sometimes we have to learn that the hard way." When it comes to avoiding financial mistakes, Selita did have some advice. "You can avoid common financial mistakes by trying to find a happy middle ground in your life. If we refrain from doing things in excess—in all aspects of life—it tends to help even us out and keep us out of trouble," he said. But Selita said that having regrets isn't helpful. "Regrets won't help the situation but if you have particular decisions that you think could have gone better, make a note of them and try to adjust for the future," he said. "We can't change the past but we can change the future. If you overspent when you were younger, make sure you are aware of it now and change in the present. If you got in trouble and didn't have an emergency fund, make sure you start preparing one now so you don't repeat the same mistakes." The random double opt-in survey was conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Newsweek, April 11 to April 17, 2025. Market research company Talker Research's team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR). Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair We value your input and encourage you to rate this article. Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair We value your input and encourage you to rate this article. Alice Gibbs is a Newsweek Senior Internet Trends & Culture Reporter based in the U.K. For the last two years she has specialized in viral trends and internet news, with a particular focus on animals, human interest stories, health, and lifestyle. Alice joined Newsweek in 2022 and previously wrote for The Observer, Independent, Dazed Digital and Gizmodo. Languages: English. You can get in touch with Alice by emailing alice.gibbs@newsweek.com. Alice Gibbs is a Newsweek