Most Americans lose sleep over money issues, survey finds
They say more money means more problems, but a recent survey found people with less cash are the ones staying up at night worrying.
Sixty-three percent of people who earn less than $30,000 per year said they lost sleep over financial issues, compared to 53 percent of people who earn $80,000 or more, according to the results of a Bankrate survey released Thursday.
Overall, more than half of adult Americans said they’ve lost sleep over at least one financial issue, according to Bankrate’s report. Everyday expenses were the most common issue keeping Americans up at night, with nearly a third of people surveyed saying they lost sleep over them.
Nearly a quarter of Americans lay awake at night over saving enough money for retirement, according to the report. Twenty-two percent said they lost sleep over health care or insurance bills, and 18 percent said they lost sleep over credit card debt or over mortgage or rent payments.
While another recent survey found that college graduates regret their student loans more than any other aspect of their education, only 11 percent of adult Americans surveyed said they lost sleep over education expenses.
Stock market volatility kept the fewest people up at night. Just 5 percent said they lost sleep over it.
Ted Rossman, an industry analyst at Bankrate, said people can relieve some of the stress of money issues by breaking them into smaller, more manageable chunks.
“Devising a plan and starting to execute against it — piece by piece — is the best way to get things done,” he said. “Simply getting started should help you begin to feel better and settle your racing mind. That holds true whether you’re worried about health, money, relationships, work or anything else.
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Rossman also suggested working to cut expenses, such as taking public transit to cut a car payment or planning a staycation instead of an expensive trip. Dropping recurring monthly expenses like entertainment subscriptions or meal delivery kits can also be an easy way to spend less.
"Cutting a recurring monthly expense is especially beneficial because it yields savings month after month,” he said. “This also applies to negotiating lower rates on your cell phone, cable package and car insurance.”