Small steps to ease financial stress
Money can be one of the biggest sources of stress. Whether it’s rising bills, unexpected expenses, or income that doesn’t stretch far enough, financial pressure can feel like it touches every part of life, and it often does. It can affect your sleep, your relationships, and your sense of self-worth.
But here’s something that often gets overlooked: your financial situation is not a reflection of your value as a person.
Financial stress takes an emotional toll
We don’t just think about money—we feel it. Worry. Shame. Guilt. Fear. These emotions are valid, and they’re more common than people realize. If you're struggling right now, you're not alone and you’re not failing. You're doing your best in a tough situation.
One way to move forward is to first check in with yourself:
How does thinking about money make me feel?
What beliefs have I picked up about money over time?
Are those beliefs helping me, or holding me back?
Some common beliefs sound like:
“I need to figure this out on my own.”
“Asking for help means I’ve failed.”
“If I were better with money, I wouldn’t be in this mess.”
But what if you believed this instead?
“My situation doesn’t define me.”
“It’s okay to ask for help.”
“I’m learning and growing, one step at a time.”
Shift the focus to what you can control
When financial stress feels overwhelming, it’s easy to feel stuck. But small, intentional actions can help you feel more grounded. Try starting here:
List what’s urgent. Rent, groceries, utilities, what do you need to take care of right now?
Look for small wins. Are you good at sticking to your grocery budget? Do you always pay one bill on time? That’s something to build on.
Review your spending. Take a look at your bank statements and see if there are any patterns or non-essentials you could adjust.
Ask for support. Talk to service providers about payment plans and explore community resources. Consider speaking to a counsellor, not about the numbers, but about the stress that money is bringing up.
Practice self-compassion and a growth mindset
Getting out of a tough spot with money takes more than just tightening your budget—it takes patience and kindness with yourself. Ask yourself:
What skills could help me feel more confident? This might be budgeting, investing basics, or maybe a new job skill.
Who can I lean on right now? Can you reach out to family? Friends? A financial advisor?
What’s one small thing I can do this week to feel more in control? Maybe it’s packing a lunch for work instead of getting take-out or looking into options for reducing your phone or cable bill.
Treat yourself the way you’d treat a friend in the same situation—with encouragement, not criticism.
You’re doing better than you think
It’s easy to feel like everyone else has it figured out, but most people are navigating their own financial worries behind the scenes. You don’t have to have all the answers today. What matters is that you start where you are, take small steps, and remember that you are worthy of support no matter what your bank account says.
Information for this blog was provided by registered social worker, Marcus Cheung and Momentum.