Your Mental Health Is More Important Than Your Financial Health
I try and take photos on my hikes (pretty much a free activity)
How I stay grounded during economic uncertainty
If you're in the U.S. (or anywhere, really) and feeling anxious about the economy—you're not alone.
Lately, something I say to myself almost every day is:
“Your mental health is more important than your financial health.”
Because when your mind isn’t steady, your decision-making—especially around money—starts to fall apart.
The truth is, poor mental health leads to poor financial choices. I’ve lived that truth more than once.
This post isn’t about solving everything. It’s about the small, low-cost things I do to stay grounded when things feel out of control. I’m fully aware that I’m in a privileged position with access to resources not everyone has—but I’ve intentionally focused here on what anyone can do, regardless of budget or schedule.
A lot of this I learned from my dad, who was surprisingly good at keeping his head clear while also watching his wallet. I’m lucky to have grown up with some of these tools baked in.
Be Selective with Your News
The way you consume news matters. A lot.
Stick to fact-based sources like Marketplace on NPR
Avoid rage-bait or endless hot takes (I love Prof G and Pivot, but they rant for hours and it’s not always helpful)
Limit yourself to 1 hour of economic news per day
Never consume it right after waking up or before bed
I used to listen to economic updates during my morning runs, thinking I was being productive. But I realized it was actually triggering me, and I’d carry that stress into the rest of my day. Now I just listen to the birds and catch up later.
Build a Simple Spending Plan
Stress makes it hard to think clearly—so make your plan before you hit crisis mode.
Here’s what our current plan looks like:
We write our daily spending on the fridge
We summarize each week
We audit how we can reduce spending
Then we rinse and repeat
That’s it. Super simple, super visual. And it helps.
Our hope is that this loop keeps us conscious of how much we’re spending and helps us reduce our burn over time. So far, so good.
Reintroduce Free (or Almost Free) Fun
Cutting costs can be demoralizing—especially when most of the “fun” things in your life require money. That’s why it’s so important to keep joy in the mix.
This is where we get scrappy.
What’s worked for us:
Drive or walk somewhere we’ve never been
Pack lunch and bring our own drinks to a park
Hike with the dogs (we do this a lot!)
Go out with friends, but eat beforehand and just order an appetizer (I know, it’s not glamorous—but it beats spending $75 and feeling regret later)
Shop secondhand or go to garage sales instead of the mall
Go to a shop and don’t buy anything (my wife loves this one, “this is cute!” then instantly puts it down)
Honestly, I pretend I’m back in college sometimes. I think, What did I do for fun then? The answer is almost always: cheap stuff with good people.
Volunteering is on my list too—haven’t done it yet, but I know it’d be fulfilling and social.
Try making a list of free or super low-cost activities and pepper them throughout your week.
Celebrate Small Wins
This part is so easy to skip—but don’t.
Progress counts—even when it’s quiet and unsexy.
A week of mindful spending? Celebrate that.
A single day where you stopped yourself from stress-spending? That’s a win.
A month of tracking spending on the fridge? Treat yourself (just not with a $400 impulse buy 😅)
It’s hard, especially in the U.S., where we glamorize consumerism. But making smart, grounded decisions—even if they’re invisible to others—deserves celebration.
Bonus Tools (If You Like Structure)
A few more tools I’ve used at different times:
Cash envelopes by category (food out, groceries, entertainment). My dad still uses this system, and it works.
Pocket notebook to track every dollar. I used to do this and yeah—it’s a little painful every time you have to write something down, but that’s exactly the point. It makes you pause and builds awareness.
Sell unused stuff around the house (just run this by your partner first 😅).
Side hustles can also help if you have time—it’s a great way to shift from feeling stuck to feeling in control.
Meditation at least 3x a week—I need it now more than ever. Sometimes it’s just five minutes on the floor, but it helps me reset.
Final Thought
This isn’t a guide to building wealth. It’s a guide to building resilience.
None of this is easy. But there’s peace in knowing you’re doing what you can, with what you have, where you are.
Take care of your mind, and your money decisions will follow.
