Why did Oliver Goldsmith often have financial difficulties?

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Oliver Goldsmith Oliver Goldsmith, oil painting from the studio of Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1770; in the National Portrait Gallery, London

Oliver Goldsmith’s persistent financial difficulties were primarily the result of his personal habits rather than a lack of professional success. Despite earning a significant income as a writer, he was a poor manager of his own affairs and an inveterate gambler.1

Furthermore, Goldsmith was known for being wildly extravagant when he had funds and was often generous beyond his means toward people in distress. These tendencies frequently left him in debt, forcing him to undertake extensive "hack work"—such as compiling histories, biographies, and translations—to maintain his livelihood.1