 TITLE: How Can I Reduce the Anxiety I Feel When Spending Money? CONTENT: Analyze Your Finances to Get to the Root of Your Anxiety\n--------------------------------------------------------\nFeeling out of control is one of the most basic sources of spending anxiety. Creating a simple budget can help by showing how your income and expenses compare. A budget helps you carefully track your expenses so you can make adjustments as necessary. Online and mobile tools, including a free personal finance tool from Experian, can show your spending across multiple accounts and even send you alerts when transactions occur.\nHow does tracking your money help?\n*   **You'll better understand where your money goes.** Did you ever open your banking app only to discover a shockingly low account balance? Didn't you just get paid? What happened? If it wasn't fraud, it might be unconscious spending. Or you simply don't have a dollar-for-dollar, day-by-day understanding of where your money goes. Tracking your money makes this spending clear and visible—and can help you stay disciplined as you plan out your expenses going forward.\n*   **It'll give you a measure of control over how you spend.** If it turns out you really can't afford something, it's better to know now than to have a rude awakening when coming up with cash to pay the water bill. If you know when and where spending is problematic, you can cut it before real damage is done.\n*   **It can offer you the opportunity to spend without fear.** A healthy budget doesn't necessarily mean a minimalist lifestyle. If you budget correctly, you can pay for that gym membership or new pair of jeans without worrying that you're robbing yourself of essential funds or the ability to retire someday. Tracking your spending lets you know you're on target, and still gives you room to spoil yourself. END