Are you worried about money? Do you want to know how to deal with money stress?
If you do, you are not alone.
Money is the generally accepted item used to pay for services, goods, and repayment of debts.
If a person does not have money, such a person will not be able to purchase and pay for products and services, and repay debts.
Hence, every individual needs money to afford the different things they need or want.
In other words, money is important to everybody.
As a result, it can cause people to get stressed in different ways.
Money stress can happen to anybody at any time.
Hence, as everybody needs money, they also need to know how to deal with money stress.
In this article, we will be discussing money stress and how to deal with it.
So, if you want to get answers and knowledge on how to do so, we advise that you carefully follow us.
We will begin by understanding what money stress is…
Understanding Money Stress – How to Deal with Money Stress
Money stress is the term used to describe any emotional tension relating to money.
It is when someone worries about their financial condition and gets stressed about it.
As we earlier said, anybody can experience money stress.
However, money stress can occur more to a person who has low income and financial resources.
It can happen under different circumstances and in many situations.
Unemployment, being retrenched or losing a job, inability to afford the cost of living and pay bills, and debts are some situations that can cause money stress.
What causes money stress for one person might not cause stress for another person.
For example, a person might be experiencing money stress because they are unemployed, while another unemployed person might not be stressed.
One reason for this could be that the person who is not experiencing money stress has other means to afford their needs or wants.
While on the other hand, the stressed person might not have any means to afford their needs and wants.
Money stress is also referred to as financial stress.
Negative Impacts of Money Stress on People’s Lives – How to Deal with Money Stress
Money stress can be very severe that it could have negative effects on your physical and mental health.
Some things money stress can have in a person’s life include:
Depression
When a person is experiencing money problems and gets stressed, it can make them feel hopeless, down, and unable to make decisions or concentrate.
If such a person also has debts, it could intensify their depression.
Insomnia – How to Deal with Money Stress
Not being able to pay your bills and not having enough income or low-income cause stress.
This can make someone stay up at night not able to sleep and worrying about money.
Anxiety
Several people feel like they need money to be confident and happy.
Money is like a safety net for them.
Hence, when they lack money it can make them feel vulnerable.
As a result, it can trigger some anxiety symptoms such as sweating, panic attacks, shaking, and pounding heartbeats.
Check this out to discover 13 tips for overcoming your entrepreneurial anxiety.
Weight Loss or Gain – How to Deal with Money Stress
Stress can affect a person’s appetite.
Some people could start overeating while some people eat very little when they are stressed.
When money stress is severe a person could consciously skip their meals to save funds.
Social Withdrawal
Money stress and worries can make people unhappy and unable to relate with others.
In other words, when a person is stressing and worrying about money they will find it difficult to connect with others.
As a result, they find themselves withdrawing from their friends and family, limiting their social life, and staying alone.
This can make the stress worse.
Relationship Difficulties – How to Deal with Money Stress
When a person is having issues with money, it could cause issues between themselves and their partner.
Money stress can make people get irritable and angry.
Any little thing can make them get into an argument with their partner.
Also, it can cause a person to lose interest in physical contact and sex.
Generally, money stress can cause difficulties in relationships.
Physical Ailments
When a person experiences severe money stress it can lead to negative physical effects
If a person does not have free healthcare and is worrying about money they might want to avoid paying for medical care to avoid incurring more expenses.
So, they might skip or delay seeing a physician.
Harmful Coping Methods – How to Deal with Money Stress
Instead of dealing with money stress the right way, some people indulge in harmful coping methods.
Examples of harmful coping methods include consumption of illegal drugs or excessive alcohol, abusing prescriptions, overeating, and gambling.
Sign of Money Stress – How to Deal with Money Stress
Money stress occurs when a person is worried about their finances.
When they are worried and stressed about it, the following signs can tell others that they are stressing over money:
- Arguing about money with people
- Withdrawing from people
- Feeling guilty or angry about purchasing some items
- Feeling anxious and worried a lot
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Low energy and tiredness
- Health issues
- Depression
When you notice that you are exhibiting these signs then you are stressed about money and need to deal with it effectively to avoid further issues.
Tips on How to Deal With Money Stress
Yes, money stress might not be inevitable for some people.
However, you should never feel like it is over when you have financial issues.
If you are stressing over money, here are some tips that will help you deal with it:
1. Identify and Acknowledge the Stress and Shame
Money stress can happen because of different reasons for different people.
However, shame is one common feeling people experience when they worry and stress about money.
The shame could be a result of being able to pay your bills and afford things for themselves and their family.
Or it could be a result of being unemployed for a long time.
Regardless, of why you are stressing over money and what you are ashamed of, you need to acknowledge it to deal with it.
If you cannot do this, you might remain stuck feeling shame and not able to make moves to effectively deal with your money issues.
So, identify the reason for being stressed so you can find ways to tackle it.
2. Practice Self-care and Compassion – How to Deal with Money Stress
Beating yourself up about your financial state will not help you deal with your financial stress.
Instead, it will make it worse.
So, ensure that you avoid blaming and hating yourself when your finances are not low.
What you should do is practice self-care and compassion.
At this point you might be wondering ‘doesn’t self-care take money?’
Well no, self-care doesn’t necessarily require money.
So, you do not have to worry about using the money you are trying to save on self-care.
Some suggestion for self-care and self-compassion includes:
- Listening to relaxing music
- Practicing meditation, breathing exercises, or your religious faith
- Engaging in creative activities such as singing, dancing, drawing, or gardening
- Taking hot baths or soaking up in your hot tub
It could be anything that would make you happier and less stressed.
When you take care of yourself and show yourself compassion, you will be more energized to deal with your money stress.
3. Talk to People You Trust
Whenever you are passing through financial issues, it is quite tempting to bottle up everything and do things on your own.
Some people even consider having discussions about their money issues as taboo.
However, it should not be like that.
The people you have around you should serve as your support system through every phase of your life.
Yes, it might be awkward or embarrassing talking about your financial situation, but keeping it to yourself will only add to your money stress.
You should understand that several people are passing through or have passed through that situation you are going through.
Hence, you will most likely encounter others who understand your situation.
Know that talking to people you trust will not only help to relieve your stress but also enable you to see other perspectives to your money problems.
When you can express your financial issues with a person you trust, it will make those issues seem less intimidating.
When you are ready and willing to take to people you trust, you need to understand that:
- They do not need to be capable of fixing your financial issue or providing monetary help
- They have to be ready to talk to you without criticizing or judging you
- You need to be honest with your feelings and you are passing through
- Talking about your money stress can enable you to identify and understand what you are experiencing and get a solution you would not have gotten alone.
4. Get Professional Help or Advice – How to Deal with Money Stress
You can improve your financial situation and reduce your money stress by getting advice from a professional.
Some organizations provide free counseling services on how to deal with financial issues such as managing debts, creating budgets, etc.
These organizations are not located everywhere.
However, if you can locate them, you should not hesitate to visit them.
5. Let Your Family Know
If you are a family person and your family depends on you financially, you need to speak to them about your money stress and issues.
This is because your finances will affect their living standards, and they have a right to know.
Speaking to them about it will help them know how to cope and manage the situation.
Also, it will help them to support you in any way that they can.
Allow Your Family to Express their Worry – How to Deal with Money Stress
When you speak to your family ensure that you allow them to express their worries.
Their worries will mostly be for you and also for the family’s financial stability.
So, listen to them when they speak.
Also, permit them to provide suggestions or ideas that can help solve the financial issue you are facing.
Create Time to Have Fun with Your Family – How to Deal with Money Stress
As you make things known to your family, you should not withdraw yourself from them out of shame or embarrassment.
Your family is your closest relation and support.
So, do not shut them out.
Instead, set aside time to enjoy their company, have fun, and relieve stress.
You do not need money to have enjoyable moments and time with your family.
Examples of activities you could engage in with your family without spending money are
- taking evening strolls together
- exercising together
- playing games
- eating together
When you have your family’s love and support you will be able to deal with money stress more effectively.
6. Track and Tackle Your Finance – How to Deal with Money Stress
Most times, people have financial issues because they did not keep a good record of their money.
Hence, they spend and use their money with reckless abandon.
As a result, they start stressing over their low finance.
Some people even make it worse for themselves by not checking their bills, ignoring banks and creditors’ calls, and so on.
Denying reality will not make things better for you.
So, you need to buckle up and face your finance head-on.
You can relieve your stress and improve your finance by doing the following:
Track Your Spending – How to Deal with Money Stress
Small expenses tend to accumulate overtimes, especially when one feels like they are irrelevant compared to other bills and expenses.
So, you should not take it lightly.
Therefore, you should keep track or record all your expenses.
When you understand the way you spend money, you will find it easier to create budgets and plans to tackle your financial issues.
Write Out Your Debts
If the debts you incurred are what are causing you to experience money stress, then you need to tackle it.
You cannot do so if you do not have records of them.
So, write out all the debts that you have incurred.
Do not be scared to do this.
Once you have written them out, you can plan and start paying them one at a time.
Stop Impulse Spending – How to Deal with Money Stress
Impulse spending is when a person buys things without thinking about the money you have or your budget.
Spending impulsively can max credit cards and destroy budgets.
So, you have to stop the habit.
Do not Punish Yourself
You have to make sure that you do not punish or hate yourself for your past financial mistakes.
If you cannot let go of the past, you will not be able to take moves forward.
So, be kind to yourself and concentrate on how to make things better.
7. Create a Plan
After tackling your finance, you will have to come up with a plan that would help you lower your expenses and spending or increase your resources and income.
You will find it easier to create your plan and follow it when you do the following:
Identify Your Monetary Problem
After tackling your finance you should identify the monetary or financial problem you are experiencing
It could be debts, impulse spending, or low income.
Or probably, it can be more than one problem.
If that is the case, then you should make different plans for them.
Come Up with a Solution – How to Deal with Money Stress
You can think of a good solution to deal with your problems or brainstorm with family or trusted friends.
If you want to come up with a solution quicker, working with other people is the best option.
This is because more people will produce more suggestions and ideas than one person working alone.
Your solution might be to get a second job, work overtime, or have your car sold and your home downsized.
Start Working with Your Plan
Once you have your plan, the next thing to do is to start putting it into action.
Ensure that you are specific, and diligently follow the solution you came up with.
You could even have your plan written down and look at it from time to time.
This will help you to stay focused.
Track Your Progress – How to Deal with Money Stress
Tracking your progress is important when working to achieve something.
It helps you to know how far you have gone and where you lacking behind.
If you are doing well, it will motivate you to keep pushing on, and if you are lacking behind it will push you to do better.
Also, tracking your progress will help you to know if your plan is working or if you should change or revise it.
Do Not Let Setbacks Derail You
It is normal for setbacks to happen, even when you have good plans.
So, when you experience it, you should not feel bad about it or punish yourself.
Rather, get back to it and keep pushing.
8. Create Monthly Budgets – How to Deal with Money Stress
Having monthly budgets and sticking to them will help you reduce money stress and excessive spending.
It will have you stay in control of your finance.
You will create a good monthly budget if do the following:
- Estimate your monthly income
- Track and understand your spending
- Consider your financial priorities
- Create and design your budget
9. Manage Your Stress
Dealing with money stress and sorting out your finance cannot happen overnight.
So, you have to readily and constantly take actions toward promoting a peaceful mindset and reducing stress levels.
Some of the actions and things you can do to manage your stress are:
- Engage in exercises
- Sleep
- Eat Healthily
- Work on your self-esteem
- Practice gratefulness every day
- Practice some relaxing techniques
When you can do these things, you will have more energy to face your monetary problems head-on instead of worrying and stressing.
Conclusion on How to Deal With Money Stress
Money stress can be dealt with.
When you learn to deal with money stress, it will also help you to improve your finance.
We have shared valuable information on how to deal with money stress.
So, we hope that it helps you.
