About half of Americans (51%) regularly stress about money, with women (56%) more likely than men (45%) and baby boomers less likely than younger generations. Inflation, tariff uncertainty and high housing costs contribute to financial strain. Tracking spending and understanding core monthly expenses, discretionary income and last month's outlays form a foundation for improvement. Many payment methods—debit and credit cards, automatic payments, payment apps, cash and checks—can complicate tracking. Reviewing spending for at least a month, using expense-tracking apps or manually checking accounts, gives a realistic view and enables planning to meet savings and spending goals.
That stress hits some groups of Americans harder than others. According to the survey, women are more likely to say they stress about money regularly than men (56% vs. 45%), and baby boomers (ages 61-79) are much less likely to stress about money than those in younger generations. Factors that could be making Americans feel off-kilter include inflation, uncertainty over tariff policy and high housing costs.
How much are your core monthly expenses? What is your discretionary income? How much money did you spend last month? Many Americans may not know the answers to these questions, which can make understanding their finances challenging. Facing your finances may be difficult if they're a source of stress for you, but having a realistic view of your money is an essential first step to making improvements.
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