What Would Americans Give Up for GLP-1s?

    What Would Americans Give Up for GLP-1s? A Trimi survey of 1,065 U.S. adults on the budget trade-offs of starting or staying on treatment

    For many Americans, a GLP-1 is now a fixed monthly expense, weighed against rent, savings, and everyday spending. So Trimi questioned 1,065 U.S. adults about what they'd give up to start or stay on one. Among people who use or want to use a GLP-1, 82% said they'd sooner give up something else for a year than lose access.

    We looked at how far users will stretch to stay on treatment, what they’d give up, and what keeps others from starting. What emerged is a medication many users now guard like a necessity, even when money is tight.

    Key Takeaways

    • 44% of GLP-1 users would rather go into debt than stop treatment and lose their weight-loss progress.
    • 13% of GLP-1 users are hiding what they spend on treatment from their spouse or partner.
    • 26% of GLP-1 users are taking a lower dose than prescribed to save money.
    • 13% of people considering GLP-1s would rather dip into their savings than keep waiting to start treatment.
    • 25% of Americans who use or want a GLP-1 would give up sex, dating or a romantic relationship for a year before they would give up treatment.
    • 35% of GLP-1 users say treatment belongs in their budget as an essential healthcare expense.

    The Budget Bends Before the Prescription Does

    When budgets tighten, GLP-1s are the last thing most people are willing to lose.

    64%
    of Americans who use or want a GLP-1 said it would need to cost $100 a month or less to feel affordable.
    Monthly GLP-1 Budget Americans Say They Can Afford
    37%
    $50 or less
    27%
    $51 to $100
    17%
    $101 to $150
    9%
    $151 to $250
    4%
    $251 to $400
    2%
    More than $400
    What Americans Would Give Up for a Year to Keep a GLP-1
    A major purchase
    30%
    Social media
    24%
    A dream vacation
    23%
    Dating
    18%
    Sex
    15%
    A romantic relationship
    10%
    Smartphone for non-essential use
    10%
    A promotion opportunity
    7%
    A raise
    6%
    A close friendship
    2%
    58%
    called GLP-1 treatment an essential or important health expense, not a lifestyle or luxury one.
    82%
    would sooner give up something else for a year than lose access to a GLP-1.
    Source: Trimi Study
    Trimi

    Only 18% of those who use or want a GLP-1 said they'd give it up before anything else. Everything else proved more expendable. Nearly 1 in 3 (30%) would give up a major purchase for a year to keep access, and about a quarter would let go of social media (24%) or a dream vacation (23%) first. The same held for their personal lives. Nearly 1 in 4 (25%) would give up sex, dating or a romantic relationship for a year before their treatment, with 18% willing to forgo dating, 15% sex and 10% a romantic relationship.

    That willingness has a ceiling, though. Nearly two-thirds of people who use or want a GLP-1 (64%) said it would need to cost $100 a month or less to feel affordable, and 37% put their limit at $50 or less. Even so, most refused to treat it as optional, with 58% calling GLP-1 treatment an essential or important health expense rather than a lifestyle or luxury one.

    That share climbed to 81% among people currently taking one, and also rose with age:

    • Gen Z: 51%
    • Millennials: 52%
    • Gen X: 67%
    • Baby boomers: 80%

    What It Costs to Stay on a GLP-1

    For people already on treatment, holding on can mean making other tradeoffs.

    To Stay on a GLP-1, Which Would Users Rather Do?
    Pause savings or retirementPostpone treatment
    48%
    52%
    Take on debtLose their progress
    44%
    56%
    58%
    of GLP-1 users have stopped or seriously considered stopping because of cost, including 74% of lapsed users and 51% of those currently on treatment.
    How Users Are Stretching GLP-1 Treatment to Manage Costs
    Skipped doses to save money
    26%
    Took a lower dose than prescribed
    26%
    Paused treatment for a stretch
    26%
    Bought from a cheaper or unverified source
    19%
    Financed it with buy now pay later
    13%
    Canceled or postponed a trip
    11%
    31% have hidden or downplayed what they spend on a GLP-1 from someone close, including 13% from a spouse or partner.
    Source: Trimi Study
    Trimi

    Cost has already pushed many users to the brink, with 58% saying they've stopped or seriously considered stopping medication because of it. That includes 74% of lapsed users and 51% of those still on treatment. To avoid that outcome, 44% of users said they'd take on debt rather than lose their progress. This rose to 54% among those currently on treatment, and women were more likely than men to say so 49% compared with 32%.

    Others have cut corners with the medication to make it last longer. About a quarter of users (26%) took a lower dose than prescribed, and similar shares skipped doses or paused treatment for a stretch to save money. Secrecy is surprisingly common, too: 31% have hidden or downplayed what they spend on a GLP-1 from someone close, including 13% who have kept it from a spouse or partner.

    Despite cost, more than a third of users (35%) called GLP-1s an essential healthcare expense, and another 34% called it important.

    Cost Keeps Would-Be Users on the Sidelines

    For those still deciding, price is the single biggest obstacle.

    47%
    of people planning or considering a GLP-1 said cost is the single biggest thing keeping them from starting.
    The Biggest Barrier to Starting a GLP-1
    47%
    Cost
    27%
    Side effect concerns
    18%
    Not sure it is right for me
    7%
    Cannot get access
    How People Would Rather Start a GLP-1
    Start within a month even if money is tightPut off for another year
    38%
    62%
    Start now and cut back on everyday spendingWait until I can afford it
    23%
    77%
    Pay out of pocket nowWait for insurance or new coverage
    23%
    77%
    Dip into savings nowKeep waiting
    13%
    87%
    66%
    would start with an affordable telehealth option rather than hold out for the brand name their doctor mentioned.
    38%
    would put GLP-1 treatment on a credit card or payment plan if they could not afford it upfront.
    Source: Trimi Study
    Trimi

    Among people planning or considering a GLP-1, cost was the top barrier by a wide margin. Nearly half (47%) named it the single biggest thing keeping them from starting, well ahead of side-effect concerns (27%) or uncertainty about whether it was right for them (18%). The squeeze fell hardest on Gen X, where 59% of considerers pointed to cost, compared with 48% of Gen Z and 42% of millennials.

    Faced with the wait, most would look for a cheaper way in rather than hold out. About two-thirds (66%) said they'd start with an affordable telehealth option instead of holding out for the brand name their doctor mentioned, and 38% would use a payment plan to start sooner.

    Raiding long-term savings stayed the last resort, though. Just 13% of those considering a GLP-1 would dip into savings now rather than keep waiting.

    A New Line Item Americans Won't Cut

    The findings show that GLP-1 medication has moved from the "nice to have" column into the "non-negotiable" one for many of the people taking it. Faced with tight finances, most would rather give up a major purchase, a vacation, or even take on debt than walk away from their treatment. If you're weighing whether a GLP-1 fits your budget, a provider with flat pricing can make that monthly number easier to plan around.

    Methodology

    We surveyed 1,065 U.S. adults through the CloudResearch Connect panel in 2026 to explore how the cost of GLP-1 and weight-loss medications competes with everyday spending, savings, and long-term financial priorities. Respondents were screened for valid and unique participation. Generationally, respondents were 47% millennials, 24% Gen X, 21% Gen Z, and 8% baby boomers. By gender, 60% were women, 39% were men, and 1% self-described or preferred not to say. Average figures for numeric questions exclude statistical outliers.

    Medical Disclaimer

    This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting, adjusting, or discontinuing any medication. Individual results vary. GLP-1 medications require a prescription and should only be used under medical supervision.

    About Trimi

    Trimi is a U.S. telehealth provider that connects patients with licensed providers and named 503A compounding pharmacies for GLP-1 treatment, with transparent all-in pricing and no membership fees. That vantage point gives the company a close view of the cost, access, and everyday decisions behind the GLP-1 conversation. (Trimi, at trytrimi.com, is a separate company from the similarly named TrimRx.)

    Fair Use Statement

    Feel free to share the findings from this study for any noncommercial use. We only ask that you link back to the full study so readers can see the complete results and methodology, and please credit Trimi as the source.