From Here to Financial Happiness

Day Ten What – Me Worry?

A week ago, we talked about your dreams. Today, we'll discuss your worries. Below, write down your top financial concerns:

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What would it take to ease these worries? The obvious answer: more money. But the obvious answer might not be the right one. If you ask folks how much they'd need to consider themselves rich, they will often give you a number that's some multiple of their current wealth – whether they are worth $20,000 today or $2 million.

The implication: More money alone may not ease our financial worries. Instead, relief may lie in better understanding what we own, simplifying our finances, keeping closer tabs on what we spend, paying down debt, changing the way we invest, and thinking more about what we need and less about what we want. All this can give us a greater sense of control – a key contributor to happiness.

If we regularly spend too much, the stuff ...