The new study, which refers to this particular age group as NONYs (people that are 'neither old nor young' aged 25 - 40) examines adults' priorities in life.
It found just under a third (32%) don't consider themselves to be financially independent, with a significant one in ten (11%) saying they still live at home with their parents. A quarter (25%) of NONYs said their attitude to life is 'live for the day'.
For those adults aged 25 - 40 the main priority in the short-term is keeping up with mortgage payments or rent (43%). However, once they have met this financial obligation their next concern is planning their next holiday (22%) and funding a good social life (21%). This contrasts with the 32% of NONYs who haven't achieved financial independence and who may still view their parents as their financial safety net.
Many take a short term view that tomorrow is 'just another day', with 33% of NONYs saying they live hand-to-mouth each month with no savings plans or emergency fund.
Just 6% have considered whether their insurance would cover them in the event of an illness. With almost two in five (39%) individuals in the 25-40 age group renting their home, and a similar 39% with outstanding mortgage payments, many should consider whether they have a contingency plan for meeting the cost of these bills if their regular income changed.
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For a number of 25-40 year olds, traditional milestones are proving elusive. Significant numbers have set goals of getting married (21%), starting a family (23%) and getting on the housing ladder (29%), but haven't as yet achieved them.
Jacqui Gillies, head of marketing at Bright Grey, said: "Times have changed and with this, priorities for different generations have shifted. In the past people were encouraged to settle down and build a secure financial foundation before starting a family.
"However, many people - the NONYs - have adopted a 'live for the day' approach to life and are concentrating on immediate concerns rather than looking to the future."