Americans are spending over a third of their paycheck in the first 12 hours after they receive it, according to a new survey. And almost half of their pay is gone within 48 hours. In August, Talker Research surveyed 2,000 working Americans on how they spend their paycheck. Most Americans aren't spending that money on unimportant things, though. When asked what they're buying as soon as they get their paycheck, over half of the survey participants — 52% — said they pay for groceries and other things they need. Forty-eight percent said they pay bills, 42% said they pay for credit cards and housing, and 32% pay for utilities and subscriptions. With just a little over half their salary left until they get their next paycheck, it may be no surprise that only 28% said they put money straight into savings. Among millennials — people born between the early 1980s and early 1990s — 38% said they plan their spending in advance. And 32% in Generation Z — people born between the late 1990s and early 2000s — said they time their payments to the moment they receive their paycheck. However, 34% still said they spend too much in the days after they're paid. And among Generation Z participants, 18% said they spend money to "keep up" with friends who earn more. Most participants (52%) said they're paid every two weeks, and 73% said they're stressed about their financial situation. Sixty-two percent said they think being paid more regularly — each day, for example — would improve their situation and decrease their stress.