NEW YORK -- (Xinhua) -- With prices rising almost across the board, it's getting more and more difficult to pay for basic necessities, causing some Americans to default on those costs, CNBC reported Monday.

Confirming this fact, 32 percent of adults paid a bill late in the past six months, according to a recent report by online lending platform LendingTree, and 61 percent said it was because they didn't have the money to cover the cost.

The report revealed that around 40 percent said they were less able to afford their bills compared to last year. Most of them said they had fallen behind on a utility bill, credit card payments, or bills for telecommunications or internet services.

Undoubtedly, persistent inflation has affected consumers, the report said, leaving more Americans to spend their entire paycheck before they get their next paycheck.

"Life is getting more and more expensive, and it's shrinking Americans' already slim financial margin to zero," said Matt Schultz, senior credit analyst at LendingTree.