Money On The Mind? Survey Finds 90% Of Americans Feel Finances Impact Their Daily Stress

KEY POINTS

The survey was conducted by Thriving Wallet, which was formed as part of a partnership between Discover and Thrive Global
The survey found 90% of Americans felt money played a major role in the daily stress and stress management
People surveyed said the stress played a role in major purchases, life decisions, and personal health

Finances play a major role in Americans' daily stress, according to a survey conducted by Thriving Wallet.

The survey found that 90% of the people felt money plays a role in their stress levels. It also found a majority of people felt their financial situation was “concerningly far from ideal,” as 65% said their financials are piling up in a way that can’t be addressed. Less than 25% of the people surveyed said they “feel extremely optimistic about their financial future.”

The survey was given to “3,000 U.S. adults, spanning all Census Bureau regions, divisions, races, and ethnicities” in an effort to identify major financial stressors in an effort to address them.

Thriving Wallet also listed several major and minor purchases that can play a role in financial stress.

At 51%, "buying a house" and "retiring" were found to be the financial milestones people were most concerned about in managing stress. Other concerns listed included buying a car, buying clothes and groceries, getting married and having children. The lowest rated concern was figuring out what to eat, which scored a 1%.

“Over time, this type of consistent stress can have serious effects on not just mood, emotional and psychological well-being, but also individuals’ immune systems and overall physical health,” the survey said. “Our survey results captured these negative impacts of financial stress, not just on diet and exercise, but also with regards to rates of tension, somatic issues, respiratory symptoms, blood pressure, and overall physical health and well-being.”

To address this stress, the survey recommends a series of “microsteps” to help manage and alleviate financial stress. These included setting goals for one’s finances, meditation, set an overall goal, and seek help.

Thriving Wallet is a partnership between credit company Discover and behavioral firm Thrive Global. It is described as “an industry-first initiative aimed at identifying and alleviating today’s top financial stressors.”

Thrive Global founder and CEO Arianna Huffington told CNBC Select Thriving Wallet’s goal was to “reframe our relationship with money so that we can reduce financial stress and achieve positive behavior changes.”