How To Stop Worrying About Money And Start Living

Look, I’m gonna level with you right from the start, money stress is eating people alive.

I’ve watched friends lose sleep, snap at their kids, and basically turn into zombies because their bank account keeps them up at night.

And honestly? I’ve been there too.

Here’s the thing: you picked up this article because something’s gnawing at you.

Maybe it’s that notification from your banking app you’re afraid to open.

Or you’ve been doing mental math at 2 AM trying to figure out if you can afford groceries and gas this week.

Whatever it is, you’re not alone, and you’re definitely not broken.

I spent years studying finance, got my degrees, crunched the numbers, and learned all the fancy theories.

But you know what really taught me about money anxiety? Living through it.

Watching my own bank balance dwindle. I felt that chest-tightening panic when an unexpected bill showed up.

The textbooks didn’t prepare me for that.

So, let’s cut through the BS and talk real solutions.

Not the “just stop buying coffee” nonsense you’ve heard a million times.

Actual, practical ways to get your head straight about money so you can stop obsessing and start living.

Is Worrying About Money Normal?

Short answer? Absolutely yes.

Anyone who tells you they’ve never stressed about money is either lying or ridiculously privileged (or both).

We live in a world where the economy does backflips every few years, inflation sneaks up like a ninja, and your rent somehow increases faster than your salary ever will.

Your brain is literally wired to worry about survival.

And in our modern world, money equals survival. Food, shelter, healthcare, everything costs money.

When your finances feel shaky, your brain hits the panic button.

It’s not being dramatic; it’s doing its job. The problem isn’t that you worry.

The problem is when that worry takes over your entire life and stops you from making clear decisions.

When you’re so stressed about money that you can’t even think straight enough to fix the problem.

That’s when we need to intervene.

I remember talking to a client once who had $50,000 in savings but still couldn’t sleep because she was convinced she’d end up broke.

Meanwhile, I’ve worked with people who had $200 in their account and slept like babies because they had a solid plan.

The difference? Mindset and strategy, not just the number in the bank.

How Do I Stop Worrying About Money?

This is where most finance articles get it wrong. They jump straight to budgeting apps and side hustles.

But here’s what you actually need to do first: figure out what you’re really worried about.

Sit down, like actually sit down, not just mentally note this while scrolling, and write out your specific money fears.

Not “I’m worried about money.” That’s too vague. Get specific.

Are you worried about losing your job? Scared you can’t retire? Anxious about providing for your kids?

Embarrassed about debt? Each of these needs a different solution, so you can’t fix what you haven’t identified.

Once you’ve pinpointed the real issue, you can build a targeted plan.

There’s zero shame in getting professional help here.

Financial advisors exist for a reason, and a good one can save you years of spinning your wheels.

Think of it like going to the doctor. You wouldn’t just say “I feel bad” and expect them to fix you.

You describe symptoms, they diagnose, and then they treat.

Your finances work the same way.

Why Do I Worry About Money When I Have Enough?

Oh, this one hits different, doesn’t it?

You check your account, see a comfortable balance, and still feel that knot in your stomach.

You’re not crazy, this is actually super common, and there are legit reasons why having money doesn’t automatically equal peace of mind.

Economy

Let’s be real, the global economy is like a rollercoaster designed by someone who hates you.

One day everything’s fine, the next day inflation spikes, interest rates jump, or some bank collapses, and suddenly everyone’s freaking out.

When you watch the news and see economic chaos, your brain doesn’t care that YOUR money is currently okay.

It starts running worst-case scenarios like its training for the Olympics.

Business owners especially feel this because their income is directly tied to how well (or poorly) the economy is doing.

I’ve got friends who own successful businesses, making six figures, who still wake up at 3 AM wondering if a recession will destroy everything they’ve built.

That’s not irrational; that’s pattern recognition based on economic history.

Past Experiences

Your money history writes stories in your brain that play on repeat.

If you grew up poor, if you’ve been homeless, if you’ve had to choose between medication and food.

Those experiences don’t just disappear when your bank balance improves.

I worked with a physician making $300K a year who still bought the cheapest toilet paper because she grew up in poverty.

Rationally, she could afford the good stuff. Emotionally, she was still that scared kid who never knew if there’d be enough.

Trauma around money is real. If you’ve ever had your power shut off, been evicted, or watched your parents fight about bills, you carry that.

And sometimes having money doesn’t erase the fear of not having it.

This isn’t something you can just “get over.”

It takes intentional work, often with a therapist who understands financial trauma.

There’s no shame in that honestly. Your brain is trying to protect you based on past data.

You just need to update the data.

Pandemic

COVID-19 was a masterclass in “nothing is guaranteed.” Stable jobs vanished overnight.

Retirement accounts tanked. Businesses that survived decades closed permanently.

The economy basically had a heart attack, and we all watched it happen in real time.

Even if you personally made it through okay, your brain noted that chaos.

It was learned that security can evaporate faster than hand sanitizer in March 2020.

Now, every time someone coughs near you or the news mentions a new variant, that worry creeps back in.

The pandemic taught us that preparedness isn’t paranoia, it’s wisdom.

But there’s a difference between being prepared and being paralysed by fear.

One keeps you safe; the other keeps you stuck.

Mismanagement

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: sometimes you worry about money because deep down, you know you’re not managing it well.

Maybe you’re spending without tracking. Maybe you’re ignoring debt.

Maybe you’re earning well but have no idea where the money actually goes.

That nagging worry isn’t anxiety; it’s your inner voice screaming “PAY ATTENTION!”

Poor money management is like leaking into your boat. You can bail water all day, but until you patch the hole, you’re gonna keep sinking.

And your brain knows it, even when you’re trying to ignore it.

The good news? This is the most fixable problem on this list.

You can’t control the economy or erase past trauma overnight, but you absolutely can learn to manage money better.

It just takes honesty and action.

10 Ways To Stop Worrying About Money

Alright, let’s get into the actual solutions. These aren’t quick fixes or magic pills; they’re real strategies that work when you actually implement them.

1. Give Yourself A Break

I know, I know, this sounds like some self-help guru nonsense. But hear me out.

You’re probably beating yourself up constantly about money.

Every time you check your account, you mentally flog yourself for past mistakes.

Every purchase comes with a side of guilt. That constant self-punishment isn’t motivating you; it’s paralyzing you.

Here’s what I want you to do: take a designated break from obsessing about money.

Pick a timeframe, could be a weekend, could be a week.

During that time, you’re not allowed to check your accounts (unless you have automatic payments to monitor).

You are not allowed to calculate your net worth, and you’re absolutely not allowed to shame yourself about financial decisions.

This isn’t about ignoring your problems.

It’s about giving your stressed-out brain a chance to reset so you can approach your finances with clarity instead of panic.

You can’t solve problems when your nervous system is in constant fight-or-flight mode.

I’ve done this myself during particularly stressful financial periods, and the mental clarity that comes afterwards is incredible.

Suddenly, solutions appear that you couldn’t see through the fog of anxiety. Give it a shot.

2. Forgive Yourself For Past Mistakes

That investment that tanked? The credit card debt you racked up? The business that failed? The car you bought that you couldn’t afford?

Yeah, those happened. You can’t undo them.

But here’s the thing: continuing to punish yourself doesn’t change anything.

It just keeps you stuck in shame instead of moving forward toward solutions.

Every single person who’s ever had money has made financial mistakes.

Billionaires have blown millions on bad investments.

Financial advisors have made terrible personal finance decisions.

I literally have two finance degrees and still made some spectacularly dumb money moves in my twenties.

The people who succeed aren’t the ones who never mess up; they’re the ones who learn from mistakes and keep moving.

Your past decisions were based on the information and emotional state you had at that moment.

You did the best you could with what you knew.

Now you know better, forgive yourself, extract the lesson, and use that knowledge to make better choices going forward.

The past is a teacher, not a prison.

3. Create A Budget That’s Feasible For You

Okay, everyone talks about budgeting, but most people are doing it wrong.

They create these restrictive, joyless budgets that make them miserable, stick to them for two weeks, then give up and feel like failures.

Stop that.

A good budget isn’t about deprivation; it’s about intentional allocation.

It’s telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.

Start by tracking everything you spend for one month. Don’t change your behaviour; just observe it.

Write down every coffee, every subscription, every impulse Amazon purchase. Everything.

This step alone will shock you. Most people have zero idea where their money actually goes.

Next, divide your expenses into three categories:

• Essentials: Housing, utilities, food, transportation, insurance. The stuff you literally need to survive.
• Important but flexible: Eating out, entertainment, hobbies, nice-to-haves. You want these in your life, but you could adjust them if needed.
• Waste: Subscriptions you forgot about, impulse purchases you regret, fees from poor planning.

Now here’s the key: build a budget that includes joy. If you love fancy coffee, budget for it.

If gaming is your thing, make room for it. A budget you hate is a budget you won’t follow.

Use tools like Mint or YNAB (You Need A Budget) to track spending automatically.

They connect to your accounts and categorise transactions, making the whole process way less painful.

Or go old school with a spreadsheet if that’s your vibe.

The goal isn’t perfection, it’s awareness and intentionality.

When you know where your money goes and make conscious choices about it, that out-of-control feeling starts to fade.

4. Examine The Credit Cards Thoroughly

Credit cards are the financial equivalent of power tools, incredibly useful in the right hands, incredibly dangerous in the wrong ones.

I’m not gonna tell you to cut up all your cards and go cash-only.

That’s oversimplified advice that ignores the benefits of responsible credit use (rewards, building credit history, fraud protection, etc.).

But I AM gonna tell you to get brutally honest about your relationship with credit.

Pull up all your credit card statements. Yeah, the ones you’ve been avoiding. Look at:

• Current balances on each card
• Interest rates (probably higher than you remember)
• Minimum payments versus what you’re actually paying
• Where the charges are coming from

If you’re carrying balances month-to-month and paying interest, you’re essentially buying everything at a markup.

That $50 dinner out? With interest, you might be paying $75 for it over time. That adds up fast.

Here’s my rule: if you can’t pay off your credit card in full each month, you can’t afford to use it. Period.

Some people can handle credit responsibly. They use cards for convenience and rewards, pay them off monthly, and never carry a balance. If that’s you, great, keep doing it.

But if you’re one of those people who sees available credit as available money (no judgment; I’ve been there).

Then credit cards are actively hurting you. In that case, switch to a debit card or go cash-only until you’ve retrained your spending habits.

There’s no shame in knowing your weaknesses. The shame is in knowing them and doing nothing about it.

5. Talk To A Mental Health Professional

IMO, this is the most underrated piece of financial advice anyone can give you.

Money stress isn’t just about money; it’s about your mental and emotional health.

When you’re constantly anxious about finances, it affects your sleep, your relationships, your physical health, and your decision-making ability.

A therapist who specialises in financial anxiety can help you unpack the emotional side of money.

They can help you identify where your money beliefs come from, work through financial trauma, and develop healthier thought patterns around spending and saving.

Let me be clear: a therapist isn’t going to balance your budget or tell you which index fund to choose.

They’re addressing the psychological component that often drives financial behaviour.

Because here’s the truth, most financial problems are actually behaviour problems, and behaviour is driven by psychology.

You can know all the right financial strategies and still sabotage yourself if you haven’t addressed the emotional drivers behind your money decisions.

That’s why some lottery winners end up broke, and why some people can’t stop spending even when they know they should save.

If therapy feels out of reach financially, look into options like BetterHelp or Talkspace for more affordable online therapy.

Many employers also offer free counselling sessions through Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).

Your mental health is part of your financial health. Treat it that way.

6. Start Spending According To Your Values

Ever notice how other people’s financial priorities make zero sense to you? Your coworker spends $200 on sneakers, and you’re like, “WHY?”

Meanwhile, they’re judging you for spending $200 on concert tickets or fancy dinners or whatever your thing is.

Here’s why: everyone values different things, and that’s perfectly okay.

The problem starts when you spend according to OTHER people’s values instead of your own.

When you buy things to impress people, keep up with friends, or fit some image you think you should have.

That’s when spending creates regret and stress instead of satisfaction.

Sit down and figure out what actually matters to you.

Not what should matter, not what matters to your parents or friends or Instagram influencers, but what matters to YOU.

Maybe you don’t care about new cars, but you’ll drop serious money on travel.

Maybe you’re fine living in a small apartment as long as you can afford your hobbies.

Maybe you prioritise financial security over experiences, and that’s valid too.

Once you’re clear on your values, align your spending with them.

Every dollar you spend should be a reflection of what you actually care about.

When your spending matches your values, even on a tight budget, you’ll feel way less anxious about money because you’re not wasting it on things that don’t matter to you.

And for the love of everything, stop comparing yourself to others.

You have no idea what their full financial picture looks like.

That friend with the new car might be drowning in debt.

That influencer with the perfect aesthetic might be one missed paycheck from catastrophe.

Run your own race.

7. Set New Financial Goals

Vague goals create vague results. “Save more money” isn’t a goal; it’s a wish.

“Build a $10,000 emergency fund by December 31st by saving $400 per month” is a goal.

Goals give your brain something specific to work toward.

They transform abstract anxiety (“I’m worried about money”) into concrete action (“I’m saving $100 per week for my emergency fund”).

Here’s how to set financial goals that actually work:

Make them specific and measurable. Not “pay off debt” but “pay off $5,000 in credit card debt in 12 months.”

Make them realistic. If you’re currently saving nothing, don’t set a goal to save $2,000 a month.

Start with $200 and build from there.

Give them a deadline. Open-ended goals tend not to happen.

Time constraints create urgency and accountability.

Write them down. Something magical happens when you physically write goals instead of just thinking about them.

They become real and harder to ignore.

Some goals to consider:

• Build an emergency fund (aim for 3-6 months of expenses)
• Pay off high-interest debt
• Save for a specific purchase (car, home, vacation)
• Max out your retirement contributions
• Increase your income by a specific amount

And please, for your own sanity, don’t try to tackle all of these at once.

Pick one or two priorities, nail those, then move to the next.

Trying to do everything leads to burnout and doing nothing.

If you need help structuring your goals, check out resources from NerdWallet or The Balance;

they have great templates and calculators to help you figure out realistic timelines and amounts.

8. Start Planning For Retirement

I know, I know, retirement feels like a million years away, especially if you’re young.

But this is one of those areas where ignoring it now will absolutely wreck you later.

The math is simple but brutal: the longer you wait to save for retirement, the more money you’ll need to contribute to reach the same goal.

Compound interest is your best friend if you start early, and your worst enemy if you start late.

Let’s say you start investing $200 a month at age 25.

By 65, with average market returns, you’ll have around $470,000. Start at 35 instead? You’ll have about $200,000.

Same monthly contribution, massively different results. That’s compound interest doing its thing.

If your employer offers a 401(k) match, contribute at least enough to get the full match.

That’s literally free money. Not taking the match is like telling your boss, “No thanks, I don’t want that part of my salary.” Don’t be that person 🙂

If you’re self-employed or don’t have access to a 401(k), open a Roth IRA through Vanguard, Fidelity, or Charles Schwab.

These platforms make it stupidly easy to get started, even with small amounts.

Not sure how much you need to retire? Use retirement calculators online to get a rough estimate.

It’s not about having a perfect number, it’s about having SOME number to work toward instead of just hoping it’ll work out somehow.

Future you will either thank present you or curse present you for the retirement decisions you make now. Choose wisely.

9. Seek Professional Counselling

Let’s talk about financial advisors, because there’s a lot of confusion and scepticism around this.

A good financial advisor isn’t just for rich people.

They’re for anyone who wants expert guidance on managing money, planning for goals, and making smart decisions. The trick is finding a GOOD one.

Look for a fee-only fiduciary advisor. Here’s why those terms matter:

• Fee-only means they charge you directly (flat fee, hourly rate, or percentage of assets) rather than earning commissions from selling you products. This removes conflicts of interest.
• Fiduciary means they’re legally required to act in YOUR best interest, not their own. Not all financial professionals have this obligation, which is wild but true.

You can find vetted advisors through NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors) or XY Planning Network, which specialises in advisors for younger people and those still building wealth.

A good advisor will:

• Help you clarify your financial goals
• Create a comprehensive plan to reach those goals
• Provide investment guidance
• Help optimise your tax situation
• Keep you accountable and on track

They won’t judge you for past mistakes, they won’t push products you don’t need, and they won’t promise unrealistic returns.

If an advisor does any of those things, run.

The ROI on professional financial advice can be massive, not just in money saved or earned, but in stress reduced and confidence gained.

Sometimes you need an expert to help you see the path forward when you’re too close to the problem to see it yourself.

10. Focus On What You Can Control

This might be the most important one on the list, so pay attention.

You cannot control:

• The economy
• Inflation rates
• The job market
• Tax policy
• Stock market fluctuations
• Your past financial mistakes

You CAN control:

• Your spending habits
• Your savings rate
• Your income (through career moves, side hustles, skill development)
• Your financial education
• Your investment choices within your risk tolerance
• Your response to financial setbacks

Most financial anxiety comes from obsessing over things in that first list while ignoring things in the second list. Stop doomscrolling economic news.

Stop checking your investment accounts daily. Stop catastrophizing about things that might never happen.

Instead, pour your energy into what you can actually influence.

Create a budget you can stick to. Build skills that make you more valuable in the job market. Automate your savings so it happens without willpower.

Learn about basic investing so you’re not flying blind with your retirement accounts.

When you focus on your circle of control, two things happen: First, you actually make progress on your financial situation.

Second, the anxiety decreases because you’re taking action instead of just worrying.

Think of it like this: worrying about a recession is like worrying about rain.

You can’t stop it, but you CAN carry an umbrella, save for emergencies, and avoid making decisions that assume permanent sunshine.

Control what you can, prepare for what you can’t, and let go of everything else.

Final Thoughts

Let’s be honest, you won’t become a millionaire overnight by following these habits.

Anyone promising that is selling a fantasy.

But if you stick with even half of them for the next few years, your finances will change, with more income, smarter investments, and doors opening where none existed before.

The shift starts slowly, then snowballs. Months of small wins, early mornings, learning, networking, investing, stack into massive change.

One day, you’ll look back and barely recognise your old life. I did.

I went from broke and buried in debt to building a six-figure net worth, no magic, just better habits.

Your current situation doesn’t define your destiny; your daily habits do.

So stop scrolling and start. Write that to-do list. Nail one habit, then another.

Keep going until you’re the one people look at and think, “How did they do it?”