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Stressing about money is no fun. Read on for ways to change your financial picture for the better in the new year.
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Worrying about money isn’t uncommon. But it’s also not fun. A good 70% of Americans say they’re stressed about their personal finances these days, according to a recent CNBC survey. And it’s hard to function when you’re constantly anxious about money matters.
If you want to break that cycle in 2024, here are some moves worth making.
1. Boost your emergency fund
Recent data from SecureSave shows that 63% of Americans are not equipped to cover a $500 unplanned emergency expense. If you’re consistently stressed about money, having an emergency fund — or a larger one than what you have now — could take some of that weight off.
Ideally, you should aim to sock away enough money in a savings account to cover three months of essential bills at a minimum. That could be enough to cover you in the event of a period of unemployment. However, if you’re part of the 63% of Americans who don’t have $500 on hand, it’s obviously going to take some time to get to that point.
If so, breathe, and set realistic expectations for yourself. If you’re able to add $100 to your savings every month in 2024, you’ll have that much larger of a safety net. But the key is to set yourself up with emergency cash so you’re prepared when unplanned bills arise.
2. Put your savings on autopilot
The fact that you’re consistently contributing money to your savings might help you feel better about your finances. To that end, try to put the process on autopilot. Set up a monthly transfer so money leaves your checking account each month and lands in savings.
And don’t worry — that amount doesn’t have to be huge. If you can only swing $25 a month for now, do that. But that way, you at least have some money being added to your savings on a regular basis.
If you happen to be all set with emergency savings, you could set up an automatic transfer to an IRA instead. That way, you’ll regularly be funding a retirement plan that could be crucial to your financial health later in life.
3. Reduce one of your larger expenses if possible
It’s easy to feel squeezed financially when your paycheck seems to just disappear month after month. One thing that might help take the pressure off is reducing one of your larger expenses. That should give you more leeway to spend on other things that might come up, whether it’s the need to shell out $20 for cold medicine or a party invite that has you spending $15 to bring the host a gift or bottle of wine.
You may be able to reduce the amount of rent you’re paying by getting a roommate. Or you may be able to trade in your car for a less expensive model. Look at your options, because cutting back on one large bill might make it possible to enjoy a lot of smaller luxuries that lend to a better quality of life.
It’s natural to have money-related worries. But if you make these moves, you might end up having fewer of them in 2024.
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