However, Fitzgerald began to feel the effects of the Depression himself. By the mid 1930s, his popularity and fame had greatly decreased, and consequently, he had begun to suffer financially. Public demand had decreased so much for Fitzgerald's works that by 1936, his book royalties barely amounted to $80. The cost of his opulent lifestyle and Zelda's medical bills quickly caught up, placing Fitzgerald in constant financial trouble. He relied on loans from his literary agent, Harold Ober, and his publisher Perkins. When Ober decided not to continue advancing money to Fitzgerald, the author severed ties with his longtime friend and agent.