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Some people stress unnecessarily about money when they’re in great financial shape, while others have a devil-may-care attitude and spend without preparing for the future. Lots of people fall somewhere in between. Whatever your approach, it’s important to take a periodic look at your overall financial picture to see how you’re really doing.
The first thing is to ask yourself how you feel about your finances. Do you worry about making ends meet every month? Are you afraid to buy even small items because you don’t know if you have enough to pay for them? Do you feel like you are slipping behind every year instead of getting ahead? Money-related stress can take a serious toll on your health. Or are you confident in the way you manage your money and view it as a resource that helps you live your life the way you want?
Considering how you feel about your finances is a start. But to really determine how you’re doing, you must look at all the basic areas of your financial health. Answering these questions can give you a quick snapshot of how you’re doing with managing money.
Sally Herigstad is a certified public accountant, personal finance expert and author of Help! I Can’t Pay My Bills: Surviving a Financial Crisis.
Sources: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Wi... + 1
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Will paying off my credit card balance every month improve my credit score? January 29, 2024.
- United States Federal Credit Union. Understanding Net Worth: What It Is and Why It Matters. March 26, 2025.
