Can Financial Stress Be a Good Motivator?

Many Americans are stressed out about money but are using the stress to better their financial situations, according to two recent surveys.

Achieve Co.’s June 2025 survey found that 58% of respondents rate their finances as “poor” or “fair,” up from 50% the prior quarter, highlighting mounting debt pressures. Among survey respondents who reported having a favorable view of their finances, just 10% gave themselves an “excellent” rating, and 31% saw their situation as “good.”

At the same time, Empower Annuity Insurance Co. of America’s “Money on the Mind” report revealed just how much financial worry dominates daily life. Survey participants spent an average of nearly four hours per day thinking about money—more time than on meals or exercise.

While this might seem alarming, one upside of constant worry about finances is that nearly half of respondents (45%) said that thinking about money “motivates them to take action to reach their long-term goals.”

Top concerns included bills (57%), inflation (51%), housing (34%), debt (30%) and retirement (24%). Financial stress is tangible: 36% lose sleep over money, and 38% say it disrupts focus.

Accumulating Debt

More than half (55%) of those surveyed by Achieve said they use credit cards to cover essential expenses, and more than one-quarter of those cards have carried balances for at least six months. While 67% reported paying all bills on time, 35% struggle to keep payments current (the choices were not mutually exclusive)—often due to insufficient income, multiple debts or cash flow timing issues.

Unexpected job losses, rising living costs and limited financial literacy emerged as leading causes of missed payments. Optimism has also cooled: In Achieve’s January survey, 58% expected their finances to improve by January 2026, but that figure has since dropped to 43%.

In January, only 12% of respondents predicted their financial situation would worsen by the middle of the year. By June, 32% of respondents said their finances “deteriorated” over the first half of the year.

Thoughts Lead to Action

To better their financial situations, Empower’s survey found that 33% of respondents were thinking of ways to increase their incomes, while 30% said they were looking for ways to achieve long-term financial security.

Rebecca Rickert, head of communications and consumer insights at Empower, said money is dominating people’s daily thoughts because they are bombarded with economic headlines throughout the day.

“Here’s the silver lining: We’re seeing a real shift from passive worry to proactive behavior,” Rickert said in a statement. “People are motivated. They’re looking for tools, information and advice to turn that energy into progress.”

Some 35% of respondents said they take action to improve their situations after thinkinga bout financial concerns. Millennials were found to be the most proactive (40%).

The push to improve their financial situation seems to be paying off, because 20% of respondents mentioned a significantly improved credit score. Another 20% paid off substantial debt, and 19% created a successful budget or spending plan.