Many low-income people experience financial stress because they do not understand basic budgeting concepts. They don’t realize how a purchase they make every day can be costing thousands of dollars a year. For example, a pack a day smoker can be spending $2,555 each year with an average cost of $7.00 per pack. Helping people understand this fact without judging them is an important aspect of the Money & ME curriculum. A Stress in America Survey is commissioned each year by the American Psychological Association (APA) to measure stress among the general public and to identify leading sources of stress. The APA reports that, in 2017, money (61%) and work (58%) are the most frequently cited causes of stress for Americans and have been since they began collecting data in 2007.
Financial Stress
