Let’s be honest, finances can be frustrating and, quite frankly, overwhelming to deal with. This is especially the case if you’re in a less-than-favorable financial situation. But realistically, we’re all at risk of being overwhelmed by our finances if we don’t stay on top of them.
It doesn’t help that money is a taboo topic that we don’t really get a chance to discuss on an everyday basis, and even when we do most people were never given any formal financial education to begin with. So, unless you’re some sort of savvy financial genius, chances are you know almost nothing.
With advice from friends and family members either absent or guesswork at best, it’s no surprise that money is one of the biggest causes of stress in most of our lives. But if you’re like me and you get anxious when bills are do and you’re timid to look at your bank account even on the best days, there are a few things you can do to stifle the financial overwhelm:
#1. Check In Regularly
Your finances will not get worse by simply looking at them. Your bank account isn’t suddenly going to roll down to zero because you’ve logged in. Being scared to check in with your bank account is part of the problem.
If you’re feeling stressed out about your finances, chances are it’s because you’re not as in touch with them as you need to be. So, don’t ghost your finances. Check in on a regular basis just to see what’s happening there.
#2. Educate Yourself
It’s a real bummer to me that the education system would rather teach us about parallelograms instead of taxes. But I’m no legislator (nor do I aspire to be one) so in lieu of our lack of government mandated financial education, it’s up to you to teach yourself.
So, when it comes to being overwhelmed about your finances, one of the best defenses is to teach yourself to understand them better. We tend to be way less stressed about things we genuinely understand.
#3. Formulate Your Plan
The right financial education will not only help you understand your finances, but it will also give you an opportunity and the skills to create a financial plan. I’m big on plans, I think when we do things all willy-nilly and plan-less, we’re more likely to fail.
So, formulate yourself a financial plan. This does not have to be fancy or complex—in fact, it shouldn’t be. Simple is much better. It needs to be usable for you.
#4. Get Help!
Did you know that there are people out there that can help you with your finances? Of course you did, but I bet you’re not using them. Financial planners are like the dentists of the finance world—visits are painful and feel WAY too expensive.
But financial planners are a very real and effective tool in your arsenal when it comes to dealing with financial overwhelm. They’re there to help make sure your financial future is set and you’re on track. So, if you have the means book your first appointment.
What do you do when you face financial overwhelm? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below!
Looking for More Insights on Personal Finances?
- How I Prepare For Tax Season
- How To Set Financial Goals For 2020
- 4 Ways To Make Sure You’re Staying On Budget
Tae started out as a journalist before following the money into the corporate world. But it turns out that the grass isn’t always greener and now you can find her spending most of her time writing about all the things she loves. Namely, money, travel and business with a hefty dose of self-deprecating humor. She is a podcast fanatic, blogging aficionado and loves to find new ways to turn passions into cold hard cash!