💸 Money on the Mind? You're Not Alone — Americans Think About Cash Nearly 4 Hours a Day
Americans are spending nearly four hours a day thinking about money — more time than they spend cooking or exercising! This new study breaks down the top financial worries keeping people up at night, from bills and inflation to debt and retirement. Dex and Barbie T dive into the data and add their spin on why we’re all becoming low-key finance-obsessed. Plus, there’s some good news too — like how many people are finally getting ahead. If money’s been on your mind lately, you’re not alone!
7/31/20251 min read
If you've ever caught yourself mentally juggling your rent, credit card balance, and whether your retirement account even exists while stuck in traffic — congrats, you’re part of the majority. 🙃
A new report from Empower just dropped, and it turns out Americans are basically walking financial calculators — we spend nearly four hours a day thinking about money.
That’s more time than we spend cooking AND working out COMBINED. 💀
So what exactly are we stressing over?
Bills – 57% of us are deep in thought over what's due and when
Inflation & rising prices – 51% (and yep, eggs still cost HOW MUCH? 😤)
Housing costs – 34%
Debt – 30%
Retirement savings – 27%
Tariffs – 28% (…shoutout to the economic nerds out there)
And it’s not just casual thinking — 36% of Americans lose sleep over their finances. For Millennials, it’s even worse at 44%, while Boomers are sleeping like babies (only 24% lose sleep).
💳 But wait, it gets more intense…
24% of us check our bank accounts daily
17% check multiple times a day, including credit cards and investments
38% say money thoughts mess with their ability to focus at work (that explains a lot)
Still, not all money thoughts are negative. Some folks are plotting their comeback:
33% are thinking about how to grow their money
30% are planning for long-term financial security
20% have already paid off debt, improved their credit, or nailed a budget 💪
💡 So what’s the fix?
The top two stress relievers?
Higher income (47%)
Lower living expenses (45%) — so, basically… yeah, both would be great 😅
Still, there’s hope: 47% of Americans are optimistic they’ll reach their financial goals. Even if they’re budgeting while binge-watching Netflix and doomscrolling Venmo.