Breaking the Cycle of Financial Stress: Why Money Feels Overwhelming & How to Take Back Control
by Priyanka Pardasani, Communications Strategist
Breaking the Cycle of Financial Stress: Why Money Feels Overwhelming & How to Take Back Control
For as long as I can remember, money has often felt overwhelming. Between occasional impulsive spending and a lack of proper budgeting, I found myself avoiding the reality of my finances more than once. It was easier to grab that overpriced Matcha latte and push my money worries aside.
But eventually, I realized that avoidance wasn’t solving anything. While splurging is fun when there’s no concern about bills, the reality of scrambling to make credit card payments quickly makes those lattes feel out of reach. That’s when I understood that avoiding my finances wasn’t just a coping mechanism—it was the root of my financial stress.
The problem was that I didn’t have the tools or confidence to manage my finances, and that’s what led to the cycle. I found myself asking questions like:
“I know I should budget, but where do I even start?”
“I’ll deal with my debt later, I’ll figure it out eventually.”
“There’s so much financial advice out there, what’s the best path for me? Should I read a book, ask a friend or scroll through social media?”
That’s when I discovered that this financial cycle had a name: The Cycle of Financial Distress.
Here’s how the cycle often plays out:
🔁 Financial Anxiety Kicks In – You never learned the basics about money, and now it’s hard to know where to start.
🙈 You Avoid – The learning curve feels too steep, so you push your finances to the side or hope they’ll sort themselves out with time.
⚠️ Uh-oh, Financial Emergency – Your car breaks down, or you have an unexpected vet bill. Now the stress escalates.
🤔 You Turn To Family And Friends For Advice – You’re hoping they’ll lend you money or offer advice, but their input often doesn’t fit your specific situation. You’re now realizing that personal finance isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” solution.
🌪 Information Overload – With too many opinions and resources, you become overwhelmed, leading to more inaction.
Breaking the Cycle
The good news? You can break this cycle, and SIMMER is here to help you do just that.
✔️ Start Small – Pick one habit to get back on track. For me, it started with tracking my expenses and setting up a plan. SIMMER helped me create a simple spreadsheet for all my bills and expenses, which gave me clarity and control over my spending.
✔️ Simplify – What’s one thing you can do to get a little ahead? SIMMER taught me the avalanche method of debt repayment. I’m putting an extra $20 a month toward my highest-interest credit card balance. By prioritizing the higher-interest debt, I’ll reduce the overall interest I pay and free up more money in the long run to pay down the rest of my balances faster.
✔️ Make a System – Once your bills are paid and you’ve set aside money for your needs, it’s time to save (even if it’s just a little bit)! SIMMER helped me see the power of compound interest. I now invest $20 a month into an index fund that has historically averaged 10% annual returns. My $20 monthly contribution, adding up to $7.5K over time, could grow to around $50K by the time I retire!
Now I don’t feel so bad about the occasional latte!
How SIMMER Helps You Break The Cycle
At SIMMER, I work with a team that truly understands how to break the cycle of financial stress. Through our work, I’ve learned that the key is taking small steps, staying consistent, and making financial education actionable. Even though the app isn’t fully live yet, I’ve already gained so much clarity on how to manage my finances, thanks to our team’s guidance.
Financial anxiety was something I struggled with for far too long, but at SIMMER, I’ve learned that confidence with money doesn’t come from perfection—it comes from small, manageable steps. That’s why we’re building SIMMER to help others break the cycle and take control of their financial future.
Ready to take control of your finances and break the cycle?
Join me on the SIMMER waitlist and begin your journey to financial confidence today! Let’s smash our financial goals together!
