A lot of people struggle with financial anxiety at one point in life. It is triggered by a number of factors, not just a lack of money. Coping with personal finances is the only way to deal with financial problems. It is natural to suffer from financial hardships at one point in life.
Maybe you have lost your job, or your business is flat. Your savings can help you get by unless you bounce back. Unfortunately, sometimes you do not have enough savings, which makes you worried, and when worries escalate to the level of panic, you start to feel financial anxiety.
First off, you should stop thinking about uncontrollable factors. For instance, the rising base rates are not at your hand, so instead of worrying about larger mortgage instalments, a wise move will be to fine-tune your budget.
In a typical scenario of a critical financial situation, you may start overspending money. Many people begin impulsive buying as a temporary relief from anxiety. Some people have reported feeling fear of spending. They become overly frugal, which adds to their anxiety. Some people struggle with budgeting and managing expenses.
Ways to deal with a critical financial situation without panic
You will have to step up to the plate to be in control of your finances. Focus on what you can do to improve your financial situation:
Create a household budget
Have you been eased out of your job or come across some big emergency like unexpected medical bills? Emergencies can severely blow your budget and savings, leaving you high and dry. You should immediately create a budget based on your current circumstances. It will be a bare-bone budget if you are out of work. The bare-bone budget only covers essential expenses.
In difficult times, you should aim at reducing your expenses. Check if you can save money on the essentials. For instance, buying in bulk helps you get some discounts. However, make sure you do not stock up on perishable goods.
Use a budgeting app to keep tabs on your expenses. Once linked to your account, the budgeting app will fetch all transactions and record them in one place. Make all transactions with cash. If you pay with a credit card, make sure you record that transaction so you know how much you have already spent. Practically, you should avoid using a credit card to avoid falling behind on payments.
Manage your debts
People often panic during financial setbacks because of very bad credit loans from direct lenders. Debt payments cannot be halted even though you are running out of money. Revisit your budget and figure out a way to hit the ground running. If your budget cannot be met, talk to your lenders to see if they can lend you a helping hand. In some cases, they can put you on a revised payment plan or payment holiday, but that is subject to criteria.
Multiple debts are more complicated to handle. There are a couple of debt management strategies, such as avalanche, snowball and consolidation. Find out which one suits you best. However, remember that non-payments will keep accruing interest, adding up the size of the debt. Ask a financial expert to help you pull the plug.
Create an emergency fund
You cannot stop setting aside money for a rainy day, even if you are in a tight spot. Reduce the limit for your savings until you bounce back. An emergency cushion should have enough money to cover your bills when cash flow is restricted.
Reassess your budget and figure out how much you can save now. You might have been stashing away at least 20% of your savings before your financial situation got turned upside down, but now you may be able to do only 5%. It seems a paltry sum and worthless, but this will come in handy in your hour of need.
Though your emergency savings cannot help you meet larger expenses, it will certainly help you cover smaller unforeseen expenses that range from £100 to £500. However, you will have to rely on a £1,000 loan or more for bigger unforeseen expenses.
Discard financial shame
Sometimes, you are not badly off, but your financial status is not as good as your peers. Comparison with other people on social media platforms simply adds to your financial anxiety.
Accept the fact that you are different from them, and so is your financial condition. Instead of feeling guilty about your financial condition, you should figure out ways to improve it. As long as you are able to cover your expenses, there is nothing to feel ashamed of.
Set smaller goals
Set a financial goal for yourself. Aim at smaller goals. You will find them much easier to achieve when money is tight. Set one goal at a time and a timeframe for it. Make sure you set a realistic deadline. Once you have achieved your goal, set another goal. It will keep you motivated, and you will feel less anxious.
Take help
Help is not far. Contact a debt management company to receive help for your debt payments. The debt management company will look at your current finances to determine how much you can pay. They negotiate with lenders to bring them around to accept less than the due amount and write off the rest unpaid balance.
Talk to a financial consultant, too. They will suggest ways to improve your financial condition and achieve new financial goals. They may help you build an investment plan for you to grow your wealth.
The final word
It is easy to panic when your financial situation is not good. Piling up debts and struggling with household expenses will certainly cause a lot of worries. When your financial condition is not so good, you should figure out a way to deal with it. Talk to financial experts.
They can give you a lot of suggestions about ways to improve your finances. You should also try to figure out ways to be back in the driving seat.