why do I have anxiety when it come's to money?

[bluebug32]

Yes you should treat yourself a little. We will treat ourselves to dinner at our favorite sushi place.

Yes, just trying to be cool with the fact that money is to enjoy and to help open doors, not sit on out of fear!

[tulip]

CA in NC, last year I quit my corporate job. The year before, I left my marriage.

I have never been happier. Both those things were terrifying, but once I knew what I needed to do, it was clear and bright and amazingly uncluttered. I also dropped 20 lbs and my skin cleared up and my sciatica went away (with the help of pilates and stretching--which I have time to do now).

I've gotten really into birding and identifying birds by their songs. My partner recently asked me about this, if I had always been into birding. In talking with him about it, I realized that I had been interested in birds since I was a child, but for the first time, I am taking the time and the space to watch and listen.

I am making less money, but I'm also living in a lower-priced city (there's only 100 miles between DC and Richmond, but the cost of living something like 60% lower). I work from home doing something I find very rewarding. I have time to ride my bike, kayak, and read a book. It's amazing. It shouldn't be amazing, it should be like this.

(EDIT: I do support my mother-I own and pay for her house. She pays me rent, but it's not as much as the mortgage. I know how stressful taking care of a parent can be)

[firenze11]

I have anxiety when it comes to money, too. I'm not really sure where it comes from because my family was always really good with money. Maybe it's just because I'm still young and broke I'm only 24 and still in school but I have a lot of friends who got jobs right after their BAs so it's kind of hard for me to see them making a real living already. I also have some friends who spend A LOT and I always wonder how they're making it - using credit cards for everything, going on expensive trips a lot, eating out at trendy, expensive places a few of times a week. I almost didn't go to one friend's birthday because the "party" was at a really expensive restaurant and it made me sick to have to pay $130 for a dinner.

I make sure I always pay off my credit card and watch my spending. I'm learning about how to save for the future when I start my career. I guess it's better than being frivolous with money and ending up in trouble down the line, right?

BTW, I'm already seeing how very stressful but high paying jobs are affecting my friends. Sleeping at the office is, hopefully, not in my future. I'm all for ambition and dedication but I want to enjoy my career and have time to live my life and ride my bike, too.

[shootingstar]

I'm only 24 and still in school but I have a lot of friends who got jobs right after their BAs so it's kind of hard for me to see them making a real living already. I also have some friends who spend A LOT and I always wonder how they're making it - using credit cards for everything, going on expensive trips a lot, eating out at trendy, expensive places a few of times a week. I almost didn't go to one friend's birthday because the "party" was at a really expensive restaurant and it made me sick to have to pay $130 for a dinner.

I make sure I always pay off my credit card and watch my spending. I'm learning about how to save for the future when I start my career. I guess it's better than being frivolous with money and ending up in trouble down the line, right?

BTW, I'm already seeing how very stressful but high paying jobs are affecting my friends. Sleeping at the office is, hopefully, not in my future. I'm all for ambition and dedication but I want to enjoy my career and have time to live my life and ride my bike, too.

Hopefully that expensive dinner won't occur again for quite awhile. It's unfair (unless you were warned in advance of the dinner party) to place people in that position to fork over that amount of money, unless the friend was very close/special to you. 'Course the other option might have been to show up for dinner party halfway and pay for dessert or whatever. Just a discreet way of doing things differently.

It does highlight one's own financial status to do such things, but I'm certain there is someone else in the same crowd who wants to save money too but hasn't figured out how to do it in a way without offending friends or thinking you are a party-pooper.

Stick to your long-term financial values and goals..you will thank yourself years from now.

[bluebug32]

I have anxiety when it comes to money, too. I'm not really sure where it comes from because my family was always really good with money. Maybe it's just because I'm still young and broke I'm only 24

Being in your twenties is definitely hard. I'm 25 and starting to go through the stage of my friends getting married and my older friends buying houses and having kids. These things feel so far out of reach sometimes and I worry about how I'll have the money to pay for them when they do come along. I've learned that you just have to keep plugging along and taking opportunities and pushing your limits, no matter how scary things sound. I started out in a very low-paying semi-fulfilling job. I quit 1.5 years ago and now love my job and feel like I'm paid a fair salary. The savings is coming along slowly now, but at least I have it and can move in the direction I want to be.