Are you money stressed or not?

**Ebbie** · 01-31-2008, 02:30 PM

Just curious how many people here are money stressed and how many aren't? That is, is the financial situation in your life causing you anxiety or are you basically worry-free? I've read some of the hardship stories (and my heart goes out to those folks) but I also wonder how many people are in a place where they're not worried about money. Where the practise of frugality has brought you to a place of financial peace. (note: this doesn't necessarily mean you're DEBT-free, but WORRY-free).

For me, I would say I haven't worried about money in about 4 years. I *think* about money a lot (budgeting, planning etc.) but I don't *worry* about it. I definitely don't lose sleep at night because of it.

So, which side of the stress fence are you on?

**starsapphire** · 01-31-2008, 02:42 PM

I am not money-stressed in my day to day life, and haven't been for about a year.

BUT I am money-stressed about the future. Retirement, specifically. I am a late starter to saving for retirement. If I stay at my current place of employment for the pension and start socking away alot more money this year, I should be alright in retirement. But retirement is a long way away and alot can change in the meantime.

**atjalsma** · 01-31-2008, 02:46 PM

We get by fine right now, and are slowly able to save a little each month, but we rent, and dont want to. With 2 kids under 4 not having a yard or anywhere for them to really play is sad to me. So we are constantly looking for a house. And without a downpayment, every time we see one we like, we begin to worry about paying for things, and dont move forward. At least it keeps us out of things we cant afford, which i guess is a good kind of worry, but still, we worry about if we will ever have the $ to have a permanent home for our family.

**forHISglory** · 01-31-2008, 02:52 PM

I retired in May, and I was pretty stressed about how we would make ends meet. But it's worked pretty well so far. We are debt free, so that makes a HUGE difference. And we are frugal in most other aspects. So overall, I am not money stressed.

Sometimes I am money sad, but I'm not stressed!!!!

**StaceyS** · 01-31-2008, 02:54 PM

I am. I'm trying so hard to pay down all my debt (I HATE incurring more than $200/mo in interest) that I do not have an emergency fund. I know I need one, it would make me less stressed, but I can't convince myself because of the interest accruing.

**ms. frugal kugel** · 01-31-2008, 03:01 PM

Very stressed! I'm a worry wort by nature though. "Our" house (still the banks, technically) is over 100 years old and it shows! I've never lived in a house; alway apartments, so I don't really know what I'm doing, there are a lot of extra bills involved with owning, and I imagine every little thing breaking at once. We have very secure jobs, so that is good, and soon we'll be out of the pricey childcare situation we're in, but I still worry. We have cc debt, and I know it's a long shot but technically it could be called in at any time! I want to be debt free and saving a lot of money, like when I was first on my own.

**Cricketlegs** · 01-31-2008, 03:18 PM

No....not really BUT we do have the usual debt-car and house-I don't worry about those but we have one creditcard with a balance that just doesn't go anywhere fast.

I was throwing wads of cash at it and it was still just creeping so I stopped and just pay a bit over minimum and started throwing money at our simple interest car now and WOW! did I see something happening!

So now I am paying off the car first and then I will work harder on the card.

I think I just needed to SEE something happening somewhere to get a boost and that helped me alot with my feelings and stress regarding our debt.

Sometimes you just need to restructure and see if that helps. Paying the smallest isn't alway best as in my case.

At the rate I am going my car laon will be smaller than my creditcard balance in a year! and it was a big debt when I started.

We have the money to pay our bills and our debt--just not blowing money.

**Samigirl** · 01-31-2008, 03:30 PM

Since we started contributing to my husband's 401k early in life, we will do very well in retirement. It's the month to month stuff that I worry about. I want to get our debt paid down in order to save money for college funds, braces, etc. The distant future is being taken care of....the not so distant future still needs a little work.

**stinkbug** · 01-31-2008, 03:31 PM

We are comfortable and not stressed about money. That does not mean we don't budget and spend wisely.

**IntlMom** · 01-31-2008, 03:33 PM

Not stressed here, that doesn't mean that I don't try and do the best that we can with what we have.....but not stressed, we are fortunate to have enough, even plenty of money.

**nuisance26** · 01-31-2008, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by forHISglory

Sometimes I am money sad, but I'm not stressed!!!!

~What a great way to put it! I get down about money because, even though we have more than enough for our NEEDS, I feel like we should be getting ahead enough for more WANTS. And I don't mean an inground pool and a plasma! I mean a home addition and college tuition for the kids. I just wanna get there faster, lol!~

**Heluvsme** · 01-31-2008, 04:05 PM

Yes, I am money stressed. We are in the middle of our 3 year debt reduction plan and it's hard. Things are tight, we do have an emergency fund, but if something happens, that's it. There's no more until next year. We are snowballing and it's a slow process.

It feels good to be pro active on this, but that feeling is mostly shadowed by the worry.

**C@rol** · 01-31-2008, 04:22 PM

but I also wonder how many people are in a place where they're not worried about money. Where the practise of frugality has brought you to a place of financial peace. (note: this doesn't necessarily mean you're DEBT-free, but WORRY-free).

This is exactly where we are after many years
of practicing being frugal. We're not F1 (financially
independent) as of yet but we don't have to
worry as long as we continue on the frugal
journey we have chosen.

It took a long time to get to the not worrying
part. But if you don't give up you will eventually
reach it. My heart goes out to all of the ones
going through the difficult financial times.
I've been there.

**brenda67** · 01-31-2008, 04:34 PM

I don't worry like I did several years ago.. no money really saved so to speak at least the kind of money I'm thinking of like a couple thousand or more in the bank..I was a little(okay alot) stressed ouit when we paid of $10,000 in cc dept last month..but what a relief from it all..honestly I never thought I would feel so good about depleteing our account and paying off a big portion of our dept...little by little we are becoming dept free.. till we take that leap into buying a home..but by then I hope we have $1000.00's of dollars saved..

**LexTysMommy** · 01-31-2008, 05:12 PM

I am not stressed about my monay now, but I know I should be worrying about my future. I have no 401K, or life insurance. I really need to get ontop of that. Working on it.